http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2012/08/can-muslims-shape-world.html
AA,
Muslims
have an opportunity to shape the world, instead of getting shaped. All it takes
is initiative; here is a note from Ruby Amatulla. If you have the skills and wherewithals
or funds to make this happen, give a shout to Ruby
Mike Ghouse
A New
'Leadership Generation' of Muslim
Americans
A recent
Gallup poll has indicated that most Muslim Americans do not feel they are
represented by existing Muslim organizations in America. The highest approval
rating any one of these organizations received was only 12%. While we must
assert that all of these existing organizations do extremely valuable work, we
also understand that there exists a huge gap between the sociopolitical aspirations
of Muslim Americans and the previous achievements of Muslim American
organizations. In order to address these issues, we must consider the
following:
1. American Muslims are a unique
minority. The famous Pew survey several years ago revealed that 65% of Muslims
in America were born in other countries. These first-generation immigrant
peoples are on the one hand well-connected with the societies in which they
came from and on the other hand well-adjusted and acculturated American
citizens. This group has enormous potential to build bridges between
oft-confrontational societies. In fact, Muslim Americans are common
denominators between two of the most polarized camps of the world today. Thus,
a visionary leadership must emerge to arouse a
popular movement from among Muslims in this country towards a paradigm shift
between America and Muslim-majority societies.
2. America is not only a superpower and influential nation in our
time, but also a democratic country that provides an impartial rule of law and
a pluralistic and conducive environment for citizens to engage with society and
government to raise a voice for change. There is no leadership as of now that
has taken full advantage of this unique opportunity that American Muslims have.
Of all American civil society players, American Muslims have unparalled
abilities advocate to American policymakers - as a unified bloc - for more open
and pluralistic societies in their respective countries of origin.
3. Neither the American people nor the American government is
monolithic. At any given time on any given issue, diverse or opposing forces
work towards a resultant outcome. We often see negative outcomes, but we fail
to see the multiple forces, including our civil society and government allies,
working behind the scenes. If Muslim Americans are relatively united and can
align with like-minded American civil society and political groups, the balance
of power would change. There are about 6 to 7 million Muslims in America who
came from 56 Muslim majority societies around the world. Many Muslims were the
cream of the crop of those lands. The PEW exposes that the American Muslims are
more well-educated and well-to-do than average Americans, and they are moderate
in their ideological views. These predispositions are positive elements that
can magnify their efforts towards becoming powerful catalysts of change. And if
we can help to change the way in which America engages with the Muslim world,
the Muslim world would also change its attitude towards America and American
democratic values. We need to work from both sides to bridge the gap.
4. If a visionary American Muslim leadership could promote
constructive engagements and a change in mindset towards these aspects of
American foreign policy, it could bring about enormous welfare to the Muslim
world and American society as well as self-empowerment to all of the American
Muslim organizations that currently exist. That could help to overcome
Islamophobia and other hurdles in the shortest possible way. This is a win-win
situation. Muslim Americans must engage intensely and consistently with
American foreign policy - including American policymaker attitudes towards new
developments such as the Arab and North African revolutions - if they want to
achieve this empowered status.
5. By remaining fragmented, afraid, reactionary, and distant in
our attitudes and activities, we have ‘shot ourselves in the foot’ and done a
tremendous disservice to our cause. This must change and can change. A capable leadership can offer effective
agendas to work towards this paradigm shift, and this leadership is what we
urgently need today.
We sincerely invite you to respond with your
thoughts, as well as advice on how you can help our community towards these
goals. I can be contacted via e-mail:- rubyamatulla@yahoo.com
Regards,
Ruby
Amatulla, Executive Director,
Matthew
Cappiello, Outreach Director
Dr. Edip
Yuksel, Mike Ghouse, Dr. M. Khan Kharoti,
Bill Aossey,
Joe Aossey, Dr. Ahmed Mansour….. Board Members
Muslims for
Peace, Justice and Progress
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