Posted on 08/05/2004 10:14:05 AM PDT by Netizen
Today marks the official launch of Muslims for Bush, a group founded by filmmaker Muhammad Ali Hasan and his mother, Seeme Hasan, and committed to “actively campaigning among all Americans, particularly American Muslims, to re-elect the President.” As we reported in February, members of the Hasan family have been active long-time supporters of the President, having reportedly raised “several hundred thousand dollars” for the campaign.
I spoke with the group’s President, Muhammad Ali Hasan, a 24-year-old filmmaker and teacher who graduated this year from Occidental College in Southern California. Hasan describes himself on the group's website as “a budding comedian.”
MWU!: Tell us about why you have formed this group?
Muhammad Ali Hasan: The main reason we founded it is we truly believe that President Bush is good for Muslims. We feel like he is getting a bad rap. A lot of Muslims are going against him not for the right reasons. If there is someone who is very wrong for the job, it is John Kerry. Bush is the right guy for Muslims.
(Excerpt) Read more at muslimwakeup.com ...
Interesting:
MWU!: Why is Kerry so bad for Muslims?
Muhammad Ali Hasan: He is bad at a lot of levels. The first reason is that he was responsible for writing many parts of the Patriot Act. The second reason is that Kerry has said that he wants to denuclearize Pakistan. Pakistan has been America's greatest ally in the war on terror. If John Kerry is going to ruin that, it will hurt Pakistan and the war on terror.
MWU!: Your mom and dad are huge contributors to the Bush campaign, both this year and 4 years ago. How is fundraising among Muslims going this time around?
Muhammad Ali Hasan: We are actually not pursuing fundraising through our group. We're just campaigning and pursuing votes. But I can tell you that fundraising has been going pretty well. Everyone we knew that contributed in 2000 is contributing again this year. So now we're looking to raise more.
MWU!: Which of these three would you pick as the best thing that President Bush has done for Muslims in his first term: the Patriot Act, the invasion of Afghanistan, or the invasion of Iraq?
Muhammad Ali Hasan: That’s a good question. The Patriot Act wasn’t good, but we have to keep in mind that it hasn’t been too too bad. Taking out Saddam Hussein was very important. We argue that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 1 million deaths of Muslims. There was no end in sight to his rampage. But I like that Afghanistan is rebuilding now too.
MWU!: How do you come up with this 1 million figure?
Muhammad Ali Hasan: We're including the Iran-Iraq war.
MWU!: But Saddam was our friend then, and the US supported him in that war.
Muhammad Ali Hasan: I am aware of that. We're all very regretful that we participated in that war. But that war was started by Saddam Hussein and it shows that he wasn’t interested in having good relations with his neighbors.
MWU!: What kind of reaction are you getting from Muslims so far? Isn’t it an uphill battle?
Muhammad Ali Hasan: Muslims don’t know the full story and it takes a website like ours that shows all the points to make people rethink their positions. Not every Muslim has the best information at hand right now. [Former CIA Director] George Tenet has been providing us with our information.
MWU!: Have you contacted some Muslim organizations? Do you think they will endorse Bush again?
Muhammad Ali Hasan: I think there is a very good chance that Muslim groups will endorse President Bush. Remember, four years ago, it wasn’t until the debate that the Muslim groups endorsed Bush. You’ll see the same thing happen again. Just wait for the debates. I compliment these groups for not giving an early endorsement to Kerry.
IMHO any moderate Muslims who care about their children's future, would be crazy not to vote for GWB.
This is encouraging...
I agree.
I have read that there is a good chance that President Bush will gain support amongst Jews as well. That's pretty good if he can garner votes amongst both Jews and Muslims. He mut be doing something right if both groups see him as being the 'right man' for the job. jmo
I am suspicious....
President, Muhammad Ali Hasan, a 24-year-old filmmaker and teacher who graduated this year from Occidental College
Occidental is a known LEFTIST school... more than Berkley
From Ali's resume:
"Filmmaker of many short films and 2 feature films in the works. Films have been featured in various festivals, including the New York Independent Film & Video Festival. Currently working on first feature film and Documentary - The Taliban's Bride, a movie about Islamic arranged marriage, geared towards non-Muslim audiences. Currently in pre-production for first narrative feature film to be done on digital. My work has also been featured on The History Channel's INSIDE ISLAM, available on DVD at Amazon.com! ...Urban & Environmental Filmmaking is a major that I created at my college (Occidental) which allows me to study social and environmental problems by working at urban Public Schools and analyzing urban environemental problems through Geographic Information Systems (GIS). After studying, I come up with a solution and then I write a screenplay about the entire experience (or turning it into a story) and then filming (not as a documentary, but as a real movie). The point is to take our worst problems and tell the story about them so that everyone can understand it, for the purpose of overcoming it. ... Activist making many media appearances on radio and television. Highlights include appearring on Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect twice"
There's enough about him on the web to show he's "for real". Check it out.
Thanks for the link. Very complimentary article! These people seem like the real thing. I hope they get more exposure.
"What you're looking for is Judaism," I thought.
Though as a lesbian, it would have to be Reform.
No such thing. A "moderate Muslim" does not follow the precepts of Islam. What we call "radical Islam" is in fact those who are practicing the religion as written by the moon-god loving racist pedophile (may he burn in hell for eternity)
Read it, share it, bookmark it -- this is one of the most important threads ever posted in FR.
I, too, believe that there are moderate Muslims, perhaps more than we will know about because some clearly fear repercussions from more radical ones. I do think they are the ones who ignore the more violent aspects of Islam (no doubt called infidel by the radicals) and believe in God, not in the moon-god sense, but as we generally understand and believe God in our Judeo-Christian heritage in this country. It's good to hear them anounce their presence and support for GWB and America.
I don't think I was clear. I do NOT believe there are "moderate muslims." Those who claim to be so are either 5th columnists (the bulk of them) or not practicing any known type of Islam.
The only good muslim is one which has converted away from islam.
Read the article I posted.
But the Democrats tell us every single day that George Bush is a divider!
Don't be silly. Of course there are moderate Muslims.
I agree.
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