A Syracuse University professor and the director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council opened a discussion on Monday night, urging American Muslims to consider the importance of their role in the 2004 presidential election.

Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of MPAC, headed a question-and-answer session with students and area residents last night to encourage American Muslims to decide which presidential candidate will accurately represent their community population best.

‘There are estimated to be about 4 to 5 million members of the Muslim community,’ Al-Marayati said. ‘Every Muslim vote and every new voter will count.’

Gustav Niebuhr, associate professor in The College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Religion and Society Program asked Al-Marayati a series of questions pertaining to the growing presence of the American Muslim community in the United States, the misinterpretations of Muslim relations to terrorism, and the important issues they face politically.

‘Many Muslims feel betrayed by the Bush administration because their promises to American Muslim people were loosely met,’ Al-Marayati said.

American Muslim groups including MPAC may not endorse either candidate this year because neither President George W. Bush nor Sen. John Kerry has met with the groups to show their desire to meet their concerns, Al-Marayati said.

The candidates’ lack of involvement with American Muslim groups may hurt both Bush and Kerry in largely Muslim populated states such as Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Illinois, Al-Marayati said. Most of these lost votes may go to Ralph Nader, Al-Marayati said.

‘We are not a community set on Democratic or Republican party lines,’ said Khadija Mehter, a sophomore political science major. ‘Certain issues impact our vote.’

Some area residents that attended the discussion agree that American Muslims need to have their voices heard.

‘Muslim people need to explain their position if they want to be a represented part of the country,’ said Mahamed Khater, a Syracuse resident.

Throughout the discussion, Al-Marayati spent time talking about the Patriot Act and how it violates civil liberties.

The Patriot Act was never publicly debated, and organizations such as MPAC have been working to make the American Muslim concerns heard, Al-Marayati said.

Additionally, members of the audience spent a few minutes focusing the discussion on the Department of Homeland Security, and the upcoming trial of ‘Help the Needy’ founder, Rafil Dhafir.

Al-Marayati said that many cases similar to Dhafir’s are taking place around the country to groups that simply want to donate their money to the poor and needy.

The American Muslim people also want representation in the policy-making positions of the government.

Al-Marayati said that American Muslims want to be an integral part of the country, stemming away from bias from the past.

‘Home is where my grandchildren are being raised, not where my grandparents are buried,’ Al-Marayati said.

President Bush appointed several American Muslims to different committees, but those people were unable to serve the communities’ interest accurately.

They feel that if their people are represented in the policy-making end of the government, it will help to create a clearer understanding of the Muslim world.

Al-Marayati said civil liberties in general about the American Muslim people must be addressed. He feels that now is the best time for American Muslims to speak out against those who have a bias toward the Muslim people.

Khater believes that American Muslims are often unfairly tagged with terrorist groups, which should not be a representation of the community.

‘If a few people did something wrong, you can’t taint the whole community,’ Khater said.

Published on October 11, 2004 at 12:00 pm