Would you vote for a Muslim?
Would you vote for, or mind a Muslim being, Prime Minister or President in a European or North American country (giving they adhere to your political views, and agree with you on the issues)?
Now there's all this talk about Obama as a Muslim, or raised as one, being a reason why 12% of the American electorate is closed to him, and has brought out discussion regarding it with the Arab-Americans institute stating "that ethnic caricature involving faulty depiction of Obama's faith harms Muslim Americans, impeding their "opportunity to participate in the political process."
I always wondered what the role of any Muslim in western politics would be confined to, and what limitations it put upon a Muslim western politician and to what extent that reflected Muslims status in Europe in general. So I checked out a site, excuse me for editing it slightly to remove certain things, but I have retained the statistics. They find that, shockingly, in the states;
- 61% would be less likely to support an Atheist
- 49% less likely to support a Muslim
- Only 16%, 11%, 7% less likely to support an evangelical, Jew or catholic respectively.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Lets ignore the atheist part for the purposes of this thread, as I am certain that seems to be an American political cultural trait..., and concentrate on the Muslim. 50% of Americans wouldn't vote, or as it is implied, for a candidate soley because they are Muslim.
Now there's all this talk about Obama as a Muslim, or raised as one, being a reason why 12% of the American electorate is closed to him, and has brought out discussion regarding it with the Arab-Americans institute stating "that ethnic caricature involving faulty depiction of Obama's faith harms Muslim Americans, impeding their "opportunity to participate in the political process."
I wondered to what extent that was true and hope to see what the wider communities views were all over the world by enacting a scenario. For this you will be required to use your imagination and objectivity and all your humanity.
Ready?
Imagine your perfect candidate, he agrees with you on all issues (OK that's never the case with anyone) but lets say he agrees with you on almost every issue and policy, to be short he's the perfect candidate. I.e. if your a die hard McCainian or Obamite, or Cameronian or Sarkozian, or who ever takes your fancy. Say they convert over night...
Would you vote for them, even though they are Muslim and openly admit it?
This is a slightly personal thing for me, as I've always been interested in and wondered what my place in western society as a whole is. Tony Blair is of the belief that it is inevitable, of which I also agree, and seeing the support Obama has, the anti fascist rally by Germans today in Cologne, has given me hope of my acceptance.
!If you do have a problem with a Muslim Prime Minister or President please do tell us why, if possible in a real structured argument without any venom,please)
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STAGE 1; 5 PAGES FINDINGS.
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TO LOOK AT MINOR EARLY CONCLUSIONS.
NO Group 1.
Exactly the response I expected from the more Islamophobic and bigoted amongst us. Islam sucks.
However amongst the 'anti-immigration' lot, it contradicts entirely from their normal posting. I've found the people who voted NO on the grounds, that he is Muslim period...are the same people advocating that immigrants and minorities should assimilate into the culture and ways of a democratic free western society, but it seems this is only a 'half-assimilation' as the said minorities would have a De Facto inability to participate in the political process or participate in normal mainstream society for the same anti-western/democratic attitude you claim to be against.
They are Muslim thus evil, barbaric and can't be trusted, being exactly the attitude of countries such as backward Iran and Saudi Arabia etc. Thus I ask what differentiates them from Bigots in the East? Nothing. They simply use the whole 'western' persona to abuse and elevate themselves to a level of racial superiority over the easterners, not actually believing our western ideals of equality, tolerance, democracy at all. Yet claiming they do.
I believe such a thing is called hypocrisy, or perhaps in a lot of cases a detrimental failure of logic. They want to impose western ideals upon the east, yet their version of the western ideals seems to match theirs. Bigotry, racism, prejudice, intolerance, etc. etc.
Interesting. :hmmm:
In fact I can solidly say that Muslims in Britain for example have always been big supporters of the Labour Party, but in recent times moving on to the Liberal Democrats in this country. They vote and stand as MP's for a majority of parties, but mostly the Liberal and Labour. Thus we can deduce from this, that even the very same western Muslims whom you claim are barbaric and evil, are not as bigoted as you, to not vote for a non-Muslim on that basis. Thus putting your arguments questioning loyalty and mind, to complete void status.
NO group 2
However there have been some very valid and good 'NO' arguments, which I haven't managed to answer as I have become tied up in the usual spiral of hate and venom, but still I respect you're views, and will get to answering them.
These have been more for a reserved and personal nature, a lot of voters have this conviction that the candidate must be perfect, or like them n every way. Thus if one is not a Muslim, then they cannot be their perfect candidate. Entirely valid point, and completely respected. I personally disagree, and couldn't care less if a candidate was gay, atheist, a pagan, black, woman, fat, ugly etc. etc. as long as they were good people, and held my views on most thing and had the ability.
At least this group, could potentially change their minds in the future, or should a time come when this candidate comes, they may reconsider, or realise perhaps they were, perhaps, wrong.
OVERALL CONCLUSION
It seems to conclude my findings in the first stage, a Muslim candidate has no chance from about 25% of ever getting their vote. Mostly based upon marginal, narrow minded;
a) bigotry
b) Islamophobia
Other 10% NO voters, hold reservations as they would with any candidate of the separation of church and state, and secularism, and liberalism. I can say with confidence, I 100% adhere to separation of Church and State, and Secularism but am more of a centrist politically, but could be considered a liberal of sorts socially I.e. gay rights (etc.)
Thanks to the YES voters, for keeping my hopes up, and demonstrating that Europe's voice, and the West's voice is not in the hands of minority.
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New Question to ponder;
IF THE AFOREMENTIONED MUSLIM CANDIDATE SERVED IN THE MILITARY WOULD THAT IN ANY WAY ALTER YOUR OPINION?
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Originally Posted by Ummon
, if only you weren't being serious i'd help you with your school homework.
