Attending the 2012 Democratic National Convention
By Dr Talat Khan

As a Muslim, attending the 2012 Democratic National Convention was a very educative experience to learn about the political system of America. The Convention demonstrated the involvement of Muslims in the Democratic Party, their eagerness to involve in national politics as patriotic citizens, and their keenness to represent the 5-6 million Muslims in the United States.

In all, there were about 100 Muslim delegates. The Convention also provided a great opportunity to mingle with non-Muslim delegates and meet party delegates, press and media. It was a wonderful opportunity to reach out and voice our concerns to our party’s representatives, especially when two of our own Muslim Congressmen, Andre Carson and Keith Ellison, were present.

I would like to encourage all Muslims to participate in this process and have their voices heard. If there are more Muslims who are State and National delegates, political activists, and political leaders, we can do much together...and perhaps even neutralize the Islamophobia and the negative image-building against us. The immediate tasks that warrant our attention are: 1.Getting people registered to vote.

2. Mobilize people to go out and exercise their right to vote.

3. Understand and choose the local candidates running for office in their area.

4. Organize civic education and candidate forums in their area, then choosing the candidate and the proposition which is best suited for them.

5. Join the local Democratic Club in their area

6. Help in campaigns with their local area candidates.

7. Run for California State Delegate, National Delegate, help in a caucus or run for office (school board, city council, congressman, etc.)

8. Involve in interfaith work, an essential activity. Going out and sharing their views with other non-Muslims and working with them to promote peace and their concerns and issues.

9. Bringing issues into the media.

During the four-day convention, there was ample opportunity for Muslim Delegates to mingle and discuss various issues pertaining to the Muslim community.

 

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