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Kalamazoo Gazette – October 19, 2006
Muslim in congress? How would he fare?
The next Congress of the United States could reflect an important milestone in our nation's history.
The Senate today is 1 percent African American and the House is 9 percent African American. There are four Asians/Pacific Islanders in the House and two in the Senate. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, is the only registered American Indian currently in the House.
As of this writing, it is extremely likely that the first Muslim in the history of Congress will be elected to the U.S. House in November.
His name is Keith Ellison, a Democrat. Ellison is the favorite in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, which is considered to be a Democratic citadel. The district hasn't been in Republican hands since 1960. If Ellison wins, he also will become the first African American sent by Minnesota to Congress.
As have other black Americans, such as boxing champion Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay before his conversion to Islam, Ellison embraced the Muslim faith in his youth. Raised in Detroit as a Roman Catholic, the 43-year-old Ellison converted to Islam when he was in college. He has a bachelor's degree in economics from Wayne State University. Ellison is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Law, and is a criminal defense attorney.
His strength lies among Somali immigrants, who came to Minneapolis in the early 1990s to escape the civil war in Somalia. Their votes were critical in Ellison's September primary victory over six other candidates.
Ellison lives with his wife and four children in north Minneapolis, one of the highest crime sections of the city. His platform includes a national health care system, raising the minimum wage and withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
But equally important to Ellison is changing Americans' perceptions of Muslims. . .
If Ellison prevails, as expected, we hope the first Muslim in Congress will be a builder of bridges and demonstrate to any doubters that Muslims are good Americans, too….
http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/columns-2/1161271517240880.xml&coll=7
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