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Muslims Seek Freedom in America

by TChris

This news will upset the "America is for white Christians" crowd:

Muslims appear to be moving [to the United States] again in surprising numbers, according to statistics collected by the Department of Homeland Security and the Census Bureau. ... In 2005, more people from Muslim countries became legal permanent United States residents -- nearly 96,000 -- than in any year in the previous two decades. More than 40,000 of them were admitted last year, the highest annual number since the terrorist attacks, according to data on 22 countries provided by the Department of Homeland Security.

They believe in the ideal of freedom -- something they might find after the Bush administration is out of office.

They come seeking the same promise that has drawn foreigners to the United States for many decades, according to a range of experts and immigrants: economic opportunity and political freedom. Those lures, both powerful and familiar, have been enough to conquer fears that America is an inhospitable place for Muslims.

Freedom means a chance to participate in the political process.

[The post-9/11 period] produced omething strikingly positive, in the eyes of many Muslims: they began to mobilize politically and socially. Across the country, grass-roots groups expanded to educate Muslims on civil rights, register them to vote and lobby against new federal policies such as the Patriot Act.

"There was the option of becoming introverted or extroverted," said Agha Saeed, national chairman of the American Muslim Task Force on Civil Rights and Elections, an umbrella organization in Newark, Calif. "We became extroverted."

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    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#2)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 09:36:16 AM EST
    All are welcome if they embrace our culture. If they start demanding Sharia law and Moslem enclaves, no.

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#3)
    by Sailor on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 09:48:39 AM EST
    All are welcome if they embrace our culture.
    that's not part of it, equally embracing all of the cultures that make up America is what the country was founded. It's not just for old christian white guys, who are the minority in this country and don't have a right to dictate what an American is.

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 10:39:03 AM EST
    Sailor - I said, "our culture." Is that too difficult to understand? You know, melting pot and all that good stuff. You know, inclusive, etc... If you still have problems you may note the qualifier... "no Sharia law and Moslem enclaves." You know like, no honor killings, no killing of homosexuals, females must go to school, no hate speech against the country to incite the young ones to become suicide bombers... Just be american. Can you dig it?

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 02:22:07 PM EST
    Quite right too Mister Buchanan, brown people indeed, if we had never freed the slaves and given women the vote the country wouldn't be in half the mess it is today. When next you supplicate before our white protestant god,please remember me in your prayers.

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#4)
    by Sumner on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 02:22:07 PM EST
    Right - [as in the sense of "correctness"] the culmination of Humanity in Man, with the cumulative comity of Civilization providing the principles of conduct in conformity with Reason and in accordance with both historical and contemporary opinion, both being founded in Common Law and/or historical precedent. The adherence to the correctness of such propriety. Power - "power, after love, is the first source of happiness." - Stendhal Power - "power = work / time" Power - Right, ability, capacity, facility, or authority to do something. Control. The "playing-off", or reconciliation of, unlike or opposite potentials and the resultant energy, forces, motion or dynamics resulting therefrom. see: dialectics

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 02:22:07 PM EST
    I agree completely with JimakaPPJ for once. Our Constitution is the supreme law of the land.

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#7)
    by cpinva on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 02:22:07 PM EST
    jim, define "american".

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#8)
    by Edger on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 02:22:07 PM EST
    Yes, embracing American culture is so meaningful to some people. Especially to the "America is for white Christians" crowd.
    Posted by JimakaPPJ
    February 11, 2006 09:16 PM

    et al - To keep my reputation up, I offer you, Muslim Opinion Be Damned"


    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#9)
    by Che's Lounge on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 06:47:38 PM EST
    Other than obeying the law, they don't have to absorb anything. Just which aspects of our culture, outside of obeying the laws, would you require them to absorb?

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#10)
    by Sailor on Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 07:04:15 PM EST
    Sailor - I said, "our culture."
    ppj, you are for torture, illegal searches, illegal detentions, illegal trials and against freedom of speech ... your culture, as in petri dish, has nothing to do with the culture of America. Never assume I am included in the culture of hate that you espouse. I believe in what the country was founded on, imperfectly implemented as it has been, the ideals are what folks around the world used to envy us for.

    Re: Muslims Seek Freedom in America (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 04:25:37 PM EST
    It has been the white European who has brought progress and civilization to the world. Yes the white European has made mistakes but Western Civilization exists because of the minds, hearts, souls and work ethic of the white European. The mud peoples (i.e Mexicans) are not Latinos (they speak no Latin), they are not white Europeans and they have built nothing other than the cesspool that is Mexico.