USA: KEITH ELLISON, D-MN-MOSLEM, CAN BUILD BRIDGES

Muslim from Minnesota can build bridges in Congress
By RAEED N. TAYEH
Special to McClatchy-Tribune

The election of Keith Ellison to Congress is a victory for the 7 million Muslims in the United States. And it's a victory for America.

[So now there are 7 million moslems in the United States, last year it was 6 million...The moslem population is exploding, making sure that they outnumber the Jews and can claim greater influence in Congress...Though the best & most scientific survey conducted by a professor from the University of Chicago places the moslem population no greater than 3 million, if I remember correctly...]

Ellison will represent Minnesota's 5th Congressional District -- proof positive of Muslim integration into American society.

A 43-year-old black state legislator, Ellison will be the first nonwhite to represent Minnesota in Washington. And when he takes his seat in Congress in January, he will be the first Muslim to do so.

Ellison's campaign brought people together from all walks of life. It earned him diverse endorsements, from the Somali-American Democratic Association to the American Jewish World newspaper.

Muslim-Americans are not monolithic in their views. Public opinion surveys conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations reveal that Muslim-Americans tend to be left-leaning when it comes to social justice issues, the environment and foreign policy, and right-leaning when it comes to family values and taxes.

On issues such as the war in Iraq, universal healthcare and increased school funding, Ellison is in sync with most Muslims. Yet his pro-choice stance on abortion, his support for gay rights and his support for Israel are in sharp contrast to the sentiments of most Muslims.

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Yeah better bridges so the islamization of America can attain greater speed...I don't care what kind of views Ellison espouses, he is a moslem and he is automatically suspect because of that fact...

Pertinent Links:

1) Muslim from Minnesota can build bridges in Congress