Muslims feel ignored by McCain, Obama

[The Straight Story]

Muslims feel ignored by McCain, Obama
Gregg Krupa / The Detroit News

BLOOMFIELD HILLS -- Dr. Abdul Raheman Nakadar, a retired cardiologist and political activist, says he finds a particular aspect of the 2008 campaign for the U.S. presidency curious.

Why, Nakadar asks, are the campaigns of Senators Barack Obama and John McCain not reaching out to Muslim leaders in Metro Detroit, like campaigns in elections past, to arrange for public meetings and campaign appearances?

"Any candidate should address the issues of American society, not a particular religion," said Nakadar, the publisher of The Muslim Observer, who has worked to get local Muslim voters to polls in past elections. "But when you ask a certain group for support, then you must. I would have expected both of them to reach out."

Some in Metro Detroit, with one of the largest populations of Muslims nationwide, perceive the 2008 election as a regression. Unlike 2000 and 2004, neither candidate of major parties is meeting publicly with imams. Nor are they vying to appear in mosques, despite visits to churches and synagogues.

Spokesmen for McCain and Obama say the candidates are addressing issues of interest to Muslim voters. But many local Muslims say the dearth of attention and negative portrayals of Islam in the campaigning leaves them, at best, ignored in an election in which a woman and an African-American have shattered historic barriers as candidates.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080705/POLITICS01/807050354

[jody]

1. Obama must distance himself from the Muslim community and McCain wants to pretend they don't exist

in the U.S.

Obama and McCain are both vying to see who can do the most for AIPAC.

Obama kisses one cheek while McCain kisses the other.

AIPAC doesn't care which is elected president because either will do Israel's bidding just like Bush.

[bluestateguy]

2. Everybody in America wants to be catered to, cow towed to and courted

And I'm sorry, but that's just not always going to be possible.

[deaniac21]

6. I know this....You have to have one hell of a towing package

to tow cows!

[silverojo]

7. Yeah...we Wiccans are waiting for a candidate to kiss our asses, too n/t

[Super Soaker Sniper]

3. For their sake,

it is better if McCain ignores them completely should he win.

[LBJDemocrat]

4. LOL! nt

[NNN0LHI]

5. Any Muslim with a brain knows McCain would just as soon have them all in interment camps

At least until he finishes his war on terror which could be a hundred years from now.

Don