On the positive note
It was perhaps a historic moment for American Muslims when in July the House voted to repeal the Trump administration's travel ban and further restrict the president's power to limit entry to the U.S. This was a symbolic victory for Muslim American and civil-rights groups as the measure is unlikely to advance in the Republican-controlled Senate, where it has no GOP support. The bill, which passed the Democrat-controlled House 233-183, had initially been slated for action in March, before the coronavirus forced scheduling changes on Capitol Hill.
As a positive outcome of constant pressure, the American Muslims became active politically and created alliances with other ethnic and faith groups.
National Muslim Voter Registration Day: On August 28, 2020, American Muslim activists across the country rallied their communities to participate in National Muslim Voter Registration Day to impact the 2020 presidential election. MPower Change, in collaboration with grassroots organizations, launched the #MyMuslimVote campaign to promote a nationwide virtual registration drive. Participating organizations have already reached out to nearly half a million registered Muslim voters, and are sending email and text-message reminders to encourage American Muslims to vote in person or by mail.
Joe Biden's agenda for Muslim Americans: In a bid to attract the American Muslim vote, Joe Biden, Democratic Presidential nominee, appointed a Senior Advisor for Muslim Engagement on his presidential campaign and issued a special paper saying "Muslim-Americans are essential to the American fabric, and working with Muslim-American communities is critical to ensuring that Muslim-Americans are uplifted and empowered, and that their issues of concern are addressed within our democracy." Muslim-Americans are a diverse, vibrant part of the United States, making invaluable cultural and economic contributions to communities all across the nation. But they also face real challenges and threats in our society, including racially-motivated violence and Islamophobia.
Muslim voters concerned about civil rights: A coalition of national Muslim organizations on
August 25 released the results of a
pre-election "Muslims in America Policy Poll" - an online survey of
1,500 Muslims in America that highlights issue and policy priorities of the
Muslim community just months before the 2020 general election. The poll
was created and distributed through a partnership of Muslim organizations,
including America Indivisible, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR),
Emgage USA, Jetpac, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), MPower Change and
Poligon Education Fund, consolidating efforts to educate and mobilize a Muslim
constituency.
Mosques
across America dedicate Friday sermons to confronting racism, police brutality:
On
Friday, June 5, a wave of mosques dedicated their Jummah sermons to preaching
against anti-black racism and police brutality, following urgent calls from
black Muslim leaders to publicly speak up with a "Day of Outrage." Led by Imam
Jihad Saafir of inner-city community center Islah LA, a coalition of black
Muslim leaders in California has suggested that, in Friday sermons and talks,
Islamic organizations address racism and that they also address it in letters
of solidarity with black Americans.
American Muslims join the nation in commemorating the 19th anniversary of this ghastly tragedy with an optimism that the state of present anti-Muslim campaign will subside in due course of time as happened during the Second World War with the Japanese Americans who also endured similar national intolerance, social prejudice and legal injustice.
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