WASHINGTON - The largest U.S. Islamic civil rights group was among the first to congratulate President-Elect Democrat Barack Obama, a man who some opponents tried to portray as a Muslim because of the childhood years he spent in Indonesia.
“President-elect Obama’s victory sends the unmistakable message that America is a nation that offers equal opportunity to people of all backgrounds,” the Council on American Islamic Relations said in a statement just minutes after Obama’s victory speech in Chicago.
Nihad Awad, executive director of the group, said they hoped to offer the Obama administration some support and advice.
“We look forward to having the opportunity to work with the Obama administration in protecting the civil rights of all Americans, projecting an accurate image of America in the Muslim world and playing a positive role in securing our nation,” Awad said.
Obama, who will be the first black U.S. president and whose middle name is Hussein, is a Christian. But throughout the campaign, false rumors circulated on the Internet that he was Muslim and therefore not a suitable candidate for the White House.
Son of a Kenyan father and white American mother, Obama spent part of his childhood in largely Muslim Indonesia.
More than 20 million copies of a film called “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West” were included as advertising supplements in newspapers across the country, many in battleground states.
CAIR lashed out against the film, which was distributed by a private group unaffiliated with the McCain campaign and featured suicide bombers, children being trained with guns, and a Christian church said to have been defiled by Muslims.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican and African American, endorsed Obama last month saying that he was troubled by the attempts to link Obama to Islam.
“Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?” he asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“The answer’s no, that’s not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion ‘he’s a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists.’ This is not the way we should be doing it in America,” Powell said.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton (Obama speaks at his victory rally)
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Today, the world is dire need of great leaders irrespective of the religion/faith they adhere to. The world is in turmoil because of religion and there is no way we can prove superiority of one religion over other. Every religion teaches faith and peace. Whether Muslim, Hindu or Christian we all have same aspirations. We all want peace and prosperity. We should applaud American citizen for not being driven by religious or racial sentiments.
- Posted by YaminiObama is not a black man, if his mother is white ,then he is considered white by school systems. I hope he is a good president, but the racial thing needs to go by the wayside. We need to look at ourselves as Americans! I thought he considered himself a Christian, too. Not muslim!Get on with it people! We all can achieve in our life, do your best and quit bringing in the racial stuff, the media just loves to keep things stirred up between races. We are all the same in God’s eyes.
- Posted by bnb[...] Full text article continues here (Some news sites may require registration) [...]
- Posted by American Muslims quick to congratulate Obama : Islam EuropeI don’t care that most of the black population is so excited over a man being elected president who is not really black. What concerns me is how everyone voted for him believed that he was the better choice just BECAUSE he is black. I mean really, what the **** has he done in his life to prove he is a reformer. Outside of being a good student, a professor for a few years and voting more liberally than anyone in the senate for a lowsey four years what has he DONE!! Don’t you people realize that to initiate change you must be able to cross party lines. How can you expect a man whose voting record shows him to be a radically left liberal to be able to reach across party lines (idiots)!! I still can’t believe that so many people have put so much confidence in a man obviously just for his skin color in a time when experience and PROVEN good judgment based on RESULTS is so critical for this country to deal with all its foreign policy, economic and domestic issues. I’m sorry but the presidency is not the appropriate place to exercise affirmative action people!!!
- Posted by russcongratulation OBAMA..WE LOVE U SO MUCH..I`M INDONESIAN,,AND MANY INDONESIAN PEOPLE TO SUPPORT YOU..GOD BLESS YOU,,YOUR FAMILY…AND GOD BLESS TO AMERICA
- Posted by nadiaOK, you are right he is NOT black and maybe race had nothing to do with it… but why did such a high pourcentage of blacks voted for him and are still cheering with Oprah and company ? Is it because a white man got elected?
- Posted by JOSETTEYes it was a matter of race, if you don’t believe it than you are lying to yourselves.
I”ll be very glad if you publish my supporting letter to sen Barack Obama that I wrote a few days before the vote……
Theniet el hadLogout|Account/Password My Profile Edit Profile View PublicPerform Action
Display Name: Theniet el had
Location: Astoria, NY
Slowly and steadily we win the race.
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Location: Astoria, NY
Why I support Barack Obama:
Sen Obama is the man of change.He’s so active and full of hope.I’m certain he’ll do much better than those who preceded him.I know that he has come in a very crucial moment full of crisis.And he will do a lot for the country.My daughter will celebrate her fifth birthay on November fourth and my intuition has already told me that my family and I will celebrate my daughter’s birthday and and the victory of the 44 th president of the United States Of America Barack Obama Inshaalah.
Birth Date: September 21st
Issues: equality / ; civil liberties / privacy; peace & social justice; security; environment / ethics; affordable health care; education
Registered to Vote: No
Slowly and steadily we win the race
- Posted by AbdelhamidTo the most wonderful American President
congratulation
YOU DESERVE IT.YOU ARE CREATED FOR IT.
May God help you…..
shereen,eveen,media,sawsan,dylan,noor & nermeen
- Posted by nermeendamascus-syria
I HAVE read Obama’s books and all that “Sad Depressed American” has proven is that if you lie you can start a conversation.Nothing he says about Obama is true. Obama loves his white family, and is 100% loyal to America. I wonder why the need to cling to fear nd lies is so strong. Barak Obama is a sign that the bulk of the country has become sober and sane. Thank God!
- Posted by ChrisWe should all pray that President Obama be protected folks like “Sad Depressed American”, because we’ve lost too many good men to confused fanatics. God Bless America and God Bless President Barak Obama.
Now the young inner city kids must look at themselves as real contributers to society. They must now stand up and ratify this anomaly that it is not just a freak event - that they have a reason to be proud. We can look up to the achievements of Obama, but they will be meaningless unless the rest of black America can show they are worthy of top leadership. They are getting their chance in the spotlight. They need to get off the street and into the library to continue to have the respect of the rest of the country. Obama and those like Tiger Woods worked their ***** off to get where they are. Now black america must do the same or we white folks will look at this as irrelevant - and won’t let it happen again. Have the respect for yourselves that you deserve. Don’t give up on life because you don’t think you have a chance to make something of yourselves - no more excuses. Here is your chance to pick yourself up by your baggy pants and make America proud of our colored brothers. I don’t want to make a business deal and see the underwear of the person as he walks away - unless it is a women. AMEN!
- Posted by Nowhat