Muslims could prove key in choosing next U.S. president

[neomonkey]

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/washingtonstate/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1097345066280400.xml&storylist=orwashington

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — With more than 1,200 Muslims and Arab-Americans taken into custody after the Sept. 11 attacks, and a U.S.-led war raging in Iraq, many Muslims oppose George Bush in the November presidential election.

But their voting for John Kerry is not a slam-dunk, either.

Muslims in New Jersey and across the country say they support the president on moral issues like abortion and gay marriage, but strongly favor Kerry because they oppose the war in Iraq and feel he'll end it sooner than Bush will. They also support Kerry because they think he has a stronger commitment to civil rights in the United States

[Starlight]

1. Is there no end to the stupid reasons people find to support Bush?

"It is this president that changed the language about how Americans pray," said El-Abd, an events planner who formerly worked on Democrat Walter Mondale's 1984 presidential campaign. "Since I came to this country in 1965, it was always `Americans pray in churches and synagogues.' Now it is `churches, synagogues and mosques.' He's the one who started that."


:wtf:

[PurityOfEssence]

8. Uh...no

Since you asked.

[Infomaniac]

2. Social Issue Voters or Only My Civil Rights Matter

I don't get people who vote for somebody based solely on the issue of abortion or gay marriage. It's not like it's a choice between you personally being forced to marry someone of the same gender or being forced to abort a wanted pregnancy versus a person who will keep you "safe" from this possibility. Civil rights are about individual freedoms and rights; not where you're from, what religion you practice, whether you're male or female or who you sleep with. The right to marry, control one's own body and to not be targeted by the government because of your ethnic, racial or religious affiliations are all civil rights. The democrats are the party of fiscal conservatives and civil rights. The repukes are the party of fiscal irresponsibility, class warfare and privacy invaders.

[ninainsf]

3. On abortion, read this...

The voting guide of catholic.com: http://www.catholic.com/library/voters_guide.asp. Note the 5 non-negotiable issues.

I don't understand it myself, but some people feel very strongly about abortion and that is solely what they base their decision on. Nothing else matters. Some look at the iraqi deaths as nothing compared to the millions of embryos that have been murdered.

[Infomaniac]

5. What? No death penalty opposition?

Homosexual marriage trumps death penalty opposition? Who are these folks kidding?

[fortyfeetunder]

4. Moral issues?

Guess discrimination against Muslim citizens ain't enough of a moral issue, but getting into someone's private parts are.

[DuaneBidoux]

6. I got flamed early on for saying Arabs could make a differenc

But I have several Arab friends who voted for shrub first time who are voting for Kerry this time. And I guarantee you that when the polling groups call one Arab household for a vote and talk to the head of the household, they might as well multiply whatever answer they get by four or five.

[Zorra]

7. Half the republicans I talk to say they want to kill all Muslims when

this subject is brought up. They really do.

They say they hate them and want to wipe Islam off the planet.

Any Muslim that votes for Bu$h would have to have a death wish.