A Voice for Sanity and Moderation in US Politics
Originally published in the Arab News
A Voice for Sanity and Moderation in US Politics
Dr. Michael Saba, Special to Arab News
WASHINGTON, 20 March 2004 — Dennis Kucinich is not a familiar name to most Americans. He has only a few confirmed delegates in his race for the Democratic presidential nomination. And, although the Ohio congressman’s chances of winning are almost nil, his calls for peace have prompted many Americans, particularly Muslim-Americans, to back him as their candidate of choice. Recently, as part of his presidential campaign, Kucinich addressed a mostly Muslim group of about 300 would-be supporters at the Knights of Columbus Hall in San Antonio, Texas. He stated, “We should be united in love; that’s the sense of community. We are experiencing this oneness here — a civic openness, an aspiration for peace, an aspiration for security.”
“My campaign is about more than winning office,” he said in his largely unscripted speech. “We backed ourselves into a corner and the rest of the world looks at us with curiosity. Once again we need to be united to create a new era of peace. We can all be peacemakers.”
Kucinich made a name for himself in Congress when he not only voted in opposition to the war in Iraq, but also opposed the Patriot Act. Many people against the war in Iraq state that, even though they know that Kucinich will not win the presidency, he can represent their feelings as a member of Congress.
With the exception of Kucinich and occasional appearances from former candidate Howard Dean, few political leaders have aggressively reached out to the American Muslim community, which numbers in the millions. According to the Muslim Electorates’ Council of America, a volunteer group of academic and voting activists, about 60 percent of the 3 million Muslim adults in the US are registered to vote. Slightly more than half of these potential voters are women, with South Asian-Americans representing 39 percent, African-Americans 27 percent, and Arab-Americans 17 percent.
Kucinich has constantly criticized President Bush’s decision to go to war with Iraq since he announced his candidacy for the presidency last year. Kucinich has promised to establish a Department of Peace and replace American troops in Iraq with a UN contingency if elected president. Kucinich states, “Our leaders say ‘Don’t do what we do, do as we say.’ We build nuclear weapons, a missile shield, and yet tell others not to.”
At his San Antinio rally, Kucinich compared Muslims in America to canaries in coalmines: Bellwethers of the US government’s “intolerance, surveillance, and oppression” of all citizens. “Most members of Congress never looked at the Patriot Act, but voted for it because it was called ‘Patriot Act,’ and it would seem patriotic,” stated Kucinich, who said that he had actually read the 346-page document and voted against it. “Fear separated Congress from their common sense.”
Kucinich comes from Ohio and is the eldest of 7 children. He started his political career in Cleveland and was elected mayor of that city at the very young age of 31. As a young politician he spent significant time with the Arab-American and Muslim-American communities in his home state. Ohio has relatively well organized communities of Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans. Clearly their message has had an influence on Kucinich’s political aspirations. Kucinich was elected to the US Congress in 1996 and has been re-elected 3 times.
In his presidential bid, Kuchinich has fared relatively well in at least 3 states. Though his delegate total numbers only 23, he garnered 16 percent of the vote in Maine, 17 percent in Minnesota and 26 percent in Hawaii, finishing second in that state to John Kerry.
Many political observers feel that Kucinich can still play a role in the 2004 election. Ohio is a key electoral state and the active participation and solid support of Kuchinich could greatly influence the vote for likely Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
When Kucinich addressed the Muslim-American community in San Antonio he stated, “We must cherish and be with them (Muslims) in their suffering and defend them. In its suffering the Muslim community is helping America to transform. We’re defending all Americans, all liberties. Stand up and live your faith: Celebrate Islam. Promote and share understanding. This country owes you a debt of gratitude.”
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