The Arizona Muslim Voice www.azmuslimvoice.com
MONTHLY NEWSPAPER
MARCH, 2016
VOL.21 ISSUE NO. 235
VIGIL HONORS VICTIMS,
CALLS FOR MORE INVESTIGATION
Slaying of three Sudanese men remains a mystery in Fort Wayne By M egan Smith
The Muslim Student Association (MSA) of Arizona State University par tnered with the Sun Devils Are Better Together (SunDABT) organization and held a candlelight vigil on Hayden Lawn on ASU’s Tempe campus in honor of Mohamed Taha Omar, Adam Mekki and Muhannad Tairab, three Sudanese men found murdered February 24 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. All three men were under age 25. Two of the victims were Muslim and the third was a Christian. The March 2 vigil was open to students and members of the Tempe community. Around 50 people gathered on Hayden Lawn. Candles were passed out to all in attendance. Johnny Martin, president of Sun Devils Are Better Together, read a statement from the cousin of one of the deceased. Her words, “The worst thing after death is the silence that comes with it, death does not discriminate and neither do we,” set the somber tone for the evening.
After a moment of silence, a series of prayers were recited from those of the Christian, Hindu, Pagan, Humanist, Jewish and Muslim traditions. Two students from the MSA spoke on the media silence on the slayings. The night concluded with attendees laying candles down in the center of Hayden Lawn and the circulation of a petition to further investigate the crime. The residence in which the men were shot was known to be a hangout for young people. Police said there was no record of violence or gang-related activity occurring at the home. All three of them were shot “execution style.” Little media coverage and seemingly little explanation for the murders has created feelings of frustration in a time when increased speculation about minority and religious hate crimes has been in the spotlight. Martin, a senior, said the organization chose to work with the MSA as an act of “standing in solidarity with them in their time of grieving.”
Students speak at vigil (Megan Smith)
LECTURE DETAILS HOW ISLAMOPHOBIA TOOK ROOT IN U.S. Students, faculty praise insights of visiting Georgetown scholar
ADVOCACY GROUP WARNS AGAINST DIVESTMENT BILL CAIR tells legislators that free speech would be restricted By Tracey Tong
The Arizona chapter of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group in the United States has called on state lawmakers to oppose a bill on grounds that it would restrict freedom of speech. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) opposes HB 2617, which requires that the state’s pension systems divest from any companies that boycott Israel. Because HB 2617 would require companies that wish to do business with the state gov-
ernment to certify that they do not conduct boycotts against Israel, CAIR stated that it believes this particular bill would restrict freedom of speech. The mission of CAIR is to empower American Muslims and build relationships and understanding between this group and others, as well as open a dialogue. Bills like HB 2617 are designed to counter and undermine boycott, divestment, and sanctions efforts that protest illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian Continued on p. 2
By Allie Bice
A Georgetown University professor said Feb. 29 the media plays a large part in instilling the fear Americans have towards the Islamic faith, in a speech at Arizona State University. John L. Esposito, a scholar and a contributor to major news out-
In this issue NEWS
lets such as the New York Times and CNN, spoke about Islam, Arabs, Islamophobia and terrorism in his lecture at the university. “In a sense I could say — why are we here?” Esposito said. “Well, Islamophobia has grown exponentially in the last year.” Continued on p. 3
NEWS
Americans split on how to discuss, assess extremism............. 05
Poll finds Clinton leading among Muslim voters..................................02
REVIEW
NEWS
Delhi Palace: Authentic Indian spot in Flagstaff deserves a salute.............................. 06
Muslim women lead opening prayer at state House of Representatives.............................. 03
2
MARCH 2016
NEWS
POLL FINDS CLINTON LEADING AMONG MUSLIM VOTERS By T racey Tong
Almost half of Muslim voters surveyed in a Super Tuesday poll supported Hillary Clinton, the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States said. Of 2,000 Muslims polled, 46 percent supported Clinton, while 25 percent indicated support for Bernie Sanders, her rival for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Only 11 percent of Muslims polled said they supported Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner for the nomination. The results were released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which also conducted the poll. The survey was conducted March 1 using CallFire, an independent automated call survey provider. The poll of six states with large Muslim populations included Texas and Virginia, where primaries were held March 1; Florida and Illinois (March 15); New York (April 19), and California (June 7). According to the survey, older Muslim voters (65 percent of those ages 45 to 64 and 80 percent of those ages 65 and older) backed Clinton. 78 percent of younger Muslim voters ages 18 to 24 supported Sanders. Those in the age groups in between showed a divided preference for Clinton and Sanders, though Clinton still led. CAIR noted that support for Sanders might be higher due to a larger
The Arizona Muslim Voice PUBLISHED MONTHLY by UNUS, LLC OWNER / PUBLISHER Wafa Unus wafa@azmuslimvoice.com FOUNDED BY Marwan Ahmad
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Megan Smith • Allie Bice • Tracey Tong Alex Simpson Ian Punnett • Aneesah Nadir ADVERTISEMENTS ads@azmuslimvoice.com Deadlines for submission of letters is the 24th of every month, and for advertisements by the 25th. Only letters and articles submitted on electronically or by email will be accepted for review. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any letters, articles or advertisement or any other material. The Publisher will not be liable for more than the advertisement cost in case of an error. The Muslim Voice is not responsible for the contents of advertisements or articles nor endorses them in any way or form.
number of voters over the age of 45 than younger voters, being surveyed. In the four states with upcoming primaries, Clinton’s lead over Sanders ranged from 22 percent to 40 percent, but her lead was not as large in all regions. CAIR said that an exit poll of Muslim voters in Texas and Virginia showed that many favored Sanders, who narrowed Clinton’s lead. The poll’s percentages were 34 percent for Sanders to 40 percent for Clinton in Virginia and 29 percent to 37 percent in Texas. Support for the Democratic and Republican parties mostly remained constant from previous surveys with 67 percent of Muslim voters supporting the Democratic Party and 18 percent supporting the Republican Party. A previous poll, which was conducted February 1, showed that 67 percent of Muslim voters supported the Democrats, while 15 percent supported the Republicans. The March 1 poll also showed that growing Islamophobia is the top issue for Muslim voters, with 24 percent of voters saying that they were very concerned. Muslim Democrats ranked Islamophobia highest, ahead of the economy, while Muslim Republicans ranked the economy as a bigger concern than Islamophobia. In a release to the media, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad stated that “American Muslim voters are worried about the unprecedented anti-Muslim rhetoric being used by presidential candidates and are going to the polls in increasing numbers at both the state and national levels to make their voices heard by the candidates.” CAIR will join other members of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) for the second annual National Muslim Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on April 18. A coalition of leading national and local American Muslim organizations, USCMO recently announced a drive to register one million voters prior to the 2016 presidential election.
ADVOCACY GROUP WARNS AGAINST DIVESTMENT BILL Continued from p. 1
land. But critics of this bill state that if HB 2617 were passed, businesses, major church denominations and organizations including foundations, educational institutions and unions
are considered an integral part of our political process and a means by which to participate in democracy. Muslims met with state legislators to discuss their concerns with HB 2617 at the recent Ari-
It is vital, that our voice gets heard – as we are a part of the fabric of America.
could be alienated. “The proposed bill violates our right to engage in free speech,” said Imraan Siddiqi, executive director of the Arizona branch of CAIR. “It would be un-American to deny constituents the right to work to change the illegal and discriminatory actions of a foreign government.” The boycott addressed by bill HB2617 certainly isn’t the first. There have been numerous civil and human rights boycotts throughout American history. Siddiqi said that these boycotts
zona Muslim Capitol Day. The event was hosted by CAIR-AZ. “We are very happy to be launching the Muslim Capitol Day initiative, to engage our community and empowering them to be part of the democratic process,” said Siddiqi at the event. “With the backdrop of anti-Muslim sentiment plaguing much of the discourse, this is a positive, proactive step to show how diverse our community really is. It is vital, that our voice gets heard – as we are a part of the fabric of America.”
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NEWS
Muslim women lead opening prayer at state House of Representatives By M egan Smith
In the Arizona State Legislature each session begins with the pledge of allegiance and a prayer. Typically, this prayer is from someone of a Christian faith. On March 7, an Islamic prayer was recited instead. After hearing about vandalism against the Islamic Community Center of Tucson by individuals in a neighboring apartment complex, State Representative Stephanie Mach had an idea to invite women from the American Muslim Women’s Association (AMWA) to come speak and lead a prayer. Mach, a Democrat who represents District 10 in Tucson, said, “It is time for more exposure for people of different faiths.” In the four years she has been part of the legislature, she said she had
not heard a Muslim prayer at the opening of a session. Nagia Madfair, chair of the AMWA outreach committee, and Hanan Ismail, executive secretary of the AMWA board, were introduced by Mach before the March 7 session. Madfair then gave a prayer in Arabic followed by a translation in English. Saba Khan, president of AMWA, said the organization welcomed the opportunity and “both Nagia and Hanan were very excited about going to the Arizona House of Representatives.” Khan said that when Paula Piyeri, Mach’s secretary, contacted her, they said that they were impressed by AMWA’s women’s empowerment program. After the pledge and prayer Ismail told the House members about the mission of AMWA and
what they do for the community. “We believe in empowering women so you can empower your family,” she said. Ismail concluded, “The organization is active in the Phoenix community and wants to repre-
MARCH 2016
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wants to include all Americans and give them a voice to speak and be heard. She also pointed out that the process of selecting a person to lead the prayer has “never really been as contentious as it has been this year because our leadership team defined what prayer was.” Instead of including secular prayers from Humanist or other groups, there was a decision that a prayer needed to be directed to a “higher” power in
We believe in empowering women so you can empower your family.” sent a positive image of Islam.” AMWA has operated as a nonprofit community group in the Valley for the past 19 years. Mach believes that “not only is it important that people of Muslim faith participate in politics but they should also demand that their representatives have their back.” She
order to qualify. Mach said she was prepared for possible negative feedback after inviting the women to speak. However, she received none. According to Mach, after the AMWA representatives spoke, representatives from both parties introduced themselves and were gracious hosts.
LECTURE DETAILS HOW ISLAMOPHOBIA TOOK ROOT IN U.S. Continued from p. 1
Esposito said that negative media coverage of Muslims and Islam contributes to the growing fear, noting there is a “fear of Islam and Muslims, not just of relative extremists, but fear of the religion Islam.” As examples, he cited media coverage of the recent attacks on San Bernardino and Paris. Using statistics from various
studies to express the severity of discrimination, Esposito also described how Muslims are treated in the United States. No religious, social, racial, or ethnic group has received greater discrimination in the U.S. than Muslims, Esposito said, citing research from the Public Religion Research Institute. As Muslims and radical Islam
are a hot-button topic in the current election season, Esposito also said that the prejudice against Muslims and Islam “has had a significant impact on domestic policies and civil liberties of Muslims.” Esposito discussed how Americans only see radical Islam, despite the fact that it is a religion like Christianity. “Today we exchange that image with the image of terrorists,” he said. “What put Islam on the map was the Iranian revolution,” he explained. “And what that meant was, that for most Americans, as for most Europeans, their engagement with Islam and Muslims came from the lens of a revolution, which took Americans hostages and which for many Americans, their engagement was looking at their TV and seeing people shout ‘Death to America.’” He said that many Americans at that time had only seen the faith in a violent light, adding that people throughout the West were watching the revolution and seeing radical Islamists slandering the United States. Souad T. Ali, associate professor at ASU and the chair of the university’s Council for Arabic and
Islamic Studies, said the council received a multitude of thank-you notes from university students and faculty for the insightful lecture. Esposito “masterfully traced the statistics about how the success of Muslim-Americans in embracing their culture in the United States enriched America and helped many Americans understand Islam fairly,” Ali said. “Sadly, however as one of the faculty noted, these statistics ‘do not put a dent in the general prejudices expressed about Muslims.’” Ali also said she thought the lecture was insightful for those who don’t understand Islam and radical Islam. “The lecture was an eye-opener that people need to put our prejudices aside and look at Arabs and Muslims in America and globally as our neighbors to defeat the prejudice and bigotry of Islamophobia and simultaneously defeat terrorism and its extremist practitioners who do not represent Islam in any shape or form,” she said. Patrick Moyse, an ASU sophomore studying English, said Esposito’s speech opened his eyes to the issues of Islamophobia.
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NEWS
MARCH 2016
Americans split on how to discuss, assess extremism By Alex Simpson
According to a recent Pew Research study, Americans were divided on their preference between a cautious approach to discussing religious extremism and a blunt, open and straight-to-thepoint approach. The survey found that around 50 percent believe that their next president should be very careful when speaking about religious extremists identifying as Muslim, so as to not offend the entire faith community. The study also found that Americans tend to agree that religion isn’t responsible for violence, but rather, violent individuals instead hide behind religion and use it as an excuse and justification for their violent actions. Over the years, the number of anti-Islamic, racist incidents reported to the authorities has increased dramatically. Survey results also showed that 40 percent believe that the next president should be blunt and honest about religious extremism, even if that means that he
or she criticizes the religion of Islam as a whole. Among liberal Democrats, 80 percent say that the president should be careful so as to not offend Islam, whereas 65 percent of Republicans call for bluntness, even if it means Islam is criticized. Studies have found that adults under the age of 30, as well as African Americans, are far more likely to prefer their next president to exercise caution when discussing religious extremism. The study also found that just over 42 percent of the respondents believe that very few Muslims in the U.S. possess antiAmerican views and beliefs. On the flip side, roughly the same percentage believe that “some” or “around half” of Muslims in the U.S. are anti-American. This study also indicated that roughly 1 in 10 Americans believe that virtually all Muslims in the U.S. are anti-American. Out of those 1 in 10 Americans, the majority of those with those beliefs were found to be Republicans. Also, 29
st
21 Century Family Medicine
percent of all Republicans were found to believe that “very few” Muslims in the U.S. are antiAmerican, compared to Democrats, of which 54 percent were found to believe this to be true. Discrimination against Muslims is also thought to be on the rise, with 59 percent of all respondents believing that there
is a great deal of discrimination against Muslims in the U.S. Among those surveyed, 52 percent of Americans say that they know at least one Muslim personally, with younger people, those with college degrees, being more likely to say that they know at least one Muslim person personally.
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REVIEW
MARCH 2016
Delhi Palace
5
Authentic Indian spot in Flagstaff deserves a salute
In the small, high-elevation town of Flagstaff, Delhi Palace is a charming restaurant that serves authentic cuisine from the Indian subcontinent. Located in an easy-to-miss shopping center next to a Walmart, on the outside, the restaurant looks like your average run-of-the-mill Indian restaurant, but the inside has charm with its décor and mood lighting straight from a Bollywood movie. A large painting of the Taj Mahal adorns one of the walls with other iconic imagery from India flanking it from adjacent walls. The establishment is open seven days a week but closes midday and reopens later for dinner service so plan accordingly. There are many items to choose from as the vast menu caters to both meat eaters and vegetarians alike. Gluten-free and vegan dishes are also available. Spice level is also asked before food is pre-
pared to further customize to the patron’s liking. There is also a luncheon buffet that is quite popular. I did not get the chance to sample what was included because I chose to carry out my food due to time constraints. It was a plus that the staff had my food waiting for me when I arrived. Appetizers include the likes of traditional pakoras, samosas and an Indian soup. Moving on to the entrées, they use a special clay oven called a tandoori that is heated with charcoal. This brings out a unique flavor in the food. In addition to the tandoori-made foods, there are chicken, lamb, rice and vegetarian dishes. An assortment of breads, desserts, and traditional beverages are served, including Indian teas and yogurt shakes called lassis. They do also serve alcohol so be mindful if that is a factor for you to dine in or carry out.
Butter Chicken
I tried two of their entrées: the Murg Makhani and the Chicken Biryani. The Murg Makhani, or simply butter chicken, was very creamy and rich. You could taste the combined butter, tomatoes and spices that went into it to create the dish. The chicken pieces were fairly large and paired well with the tandoori naan, the popular Indian-style bread. The chicken biryani was also flavorful even if it was more on the mild side in terms of spice level. The basmati rice was well cooked and the chicken pieces mixed well with the spices to create that homemade biryani taste. Portion size was generous for the biryani but for the Murg Makhani, I felt like the container it came in was small for the price.
Prices generally hover in the $10$12 range for the entrées, making an outing for two just over $20, pretty reasonable. The only other complaint I had, besides the Murg Makhani container being on the smaller side, was that naan is not included with the entrées. Naan has been included by most Indian restaurants that I have been to, so it was disappointing to hear that it would cost extra to get a couple for my meal. Still, if you’re craving some Indian food after a long day of snowboarding/skiing or just looking for ethnic food to try in Flagstaff, try Delhi Palace for a trip to India, at least food-wise. I’d give it 4 out of 5 naans.
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MARCH 2016
OP-ED
BUILD BRIDGES, NOT WALLS, TO FIX AMERICA Deacon I an Punnett “Teenage boys play at love to get sex; teenage girls play at sex to get love.” While that old aphorism may be less true today than it was when I was kid, that explanation of how the Western world works has stuck with me because it explains so much. As a teenager myself, it helped me negotiate awkward times when some girl was sending mixed messages and helped me be mindful of the times when I was doing the same. But that dichotomy applies to more than just human relationships. I have believed for years that “Republicans play at fiscal responsibility to control society; Democrats play at social justice in order to get their hands on the money.” Neither comment is fair or true all the time, but it does help to explain why a guy like Donald Trump, that claims to be about good business, spends so much time trying to sell the country on the Great Wall of Trump. Recently, Gail, a reader, asked
me if I had a prediction for the future of American politics. “Will we have more than two viable parties since the left and right really seem so far apart on issues? I think that’s one reason why many like Trump. To those people he appears to be in the middle.” I’ve been giving this question some thought ever since. First, it must be said that the United States has had third-party candidates. While Bernie Sanders is running as a Democrat for president, for example, he is best known as an Independent who has beaten Democrats and Republicans in three-way races for years. Third-party presidential candidates such as Ralph Nader, Ross Perot and George Wallace have not won national office, but their “outsider” popularity impacted the outcome of almost every race they were in. Similarly, according to news polls, at least part of Trump’s popularity is linked to his “outsider” status. To your point, Gail,
politics these days do seem especially polarized, but does Trump represent the middle? If I were to design a viable third party, one that did more than appear to be in the middle, the party platform would be the elimination of national unemployment by the passing of the largest public works bill in history to fix the estimated 66,000 bridges that are falling apart across the country. Starting at sixteen years old, every man and woman could find at least parttime work rebuilding this country from the ground up, or being part of the support staff needed to make that happen. The best thing about that would be that we would be paying ourselves. The tax money we spent would go back into every community in the form of decent wages and/or be used to pay down massive student loan debt. The next best thing is that we would be doing it together, getting to know
Brother Of The
Book Deacon Ian Punnett
@deaconpunnett
Rev. Ian Punnett is a PhD student at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication/ASU in Phoenix, a seminary–trained deacon in The Episcopal Church, a former nationally syndicated broadcaster and author of “How to Pray When You’re Pissed at God.”
reproductive rights, etc. While I personally choose a conservative, traditional, faithful, monogamous lifestyle, nobody else should be forced, by law, to have the courage of my boring convictions. The flag is red, white and blue, not red, blue and vanilla. My party leadership would be based on the simple idea
While I personally choose a conservative, traditional, faithful, monogamous lifestyle, nobody else should be forced, by law, to have the courage of my boring convictions. each other, regardless of religion, ethnicity or sex. American commerce depends on a transportation infrastructure, and this reinvestment into our future economy has been put off too long. We would be too busy to hate. My party platform would also include a two-year moratorium on the signing of any bill that attempted to restrict personal freedom except in criminal cases. Having freedom should always mean having choices. No woman should be forced to remove a hijab—or forced to wear one. If you have the freedom to choose only one thing, you’re not really free. So, to me, being pro-freedom means being prochoice on guns, marriage rights,
that the job of every government is to provide the greatest amount of freedom to the greatest number of people for the longest period of time. I would call this third party “The Birthday Party,” because if it ever happened, every day would feel like my birthday. But going back to your initial inquiry, Gail, my prediction for the future of American politics is that compared to a guy who is running on the promise that Mexico is going to pay for a 40-foot-high, 2,100-mile-long wall along our southern border on demand, notions of self-sustaining national infrastructure and personal freedom would just sound kooky.
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OP-ED
I’M A SOCIAL WORKER, A MUSLIM
AND PROUD OF IT!
Dr. Aneesah Nadir March is Social Work Month! I celebrate it and applaud those that have been and continue to be committed to the mission of this honorable profession. Social workers are on the front lines working to assist people and families with mental health challenges, prevent and address domestic violence and child abuse. We work with the refugee community and people with disabilities. We work in community organizations that help the hungry and the homeless. We work to make healthcare and legal services affordable for those in need. We are in the state legislature and on Capitol Hill working to effect social policy change and make a difference in health, education, human services, our environment and our society. And we educate the next generation of professional social workers. In 1975 I was 19 years old. I thought I might become a teach-
er, or go to law school but Allah called me to become a social worker. The same year He swt called me to accept Islam as my religion. I believe it was the Qadr of Allah. It was my destiny. I have had the most varied and fulfilling career. I helped pregnant teenagers get prenatal services, and military members and their families prevent child abuse and domestic violence. I have assisted patients in every department of the hospital I worked in from the emergency room to medical-surgical to labor and delivery. I cared for troubled teenagers in foster care. I worked to prevent substance abuse and help teenagers get jobs. I provided family and marital counseling in my private practice. The work that I am most proud of is helping to begin a movement to promote the importance of social services, mental health services and premarital education in the Muslim community even when it was unpopular to do so. As a diver-
MARCH 2016
sity trainer I have had the opportunity to teach social workers and other human service professionals about the traditions and beliefs of Muslim Americans. But I am most honored as a social work professor to have had the opportunity for more than 20 years to educate and train the next generation of social workers in Arizona. Last week Veronica Payan, a social worker and one of my former students, honored me with a Facebook post, “There was so much hate against the Muslim community after 911 that a young group of aspiring social workers from ASU decided to walk the walk and find out what it was like to be a Muslim-American Post 911. For me, it was one of the most eye opening experiences during my time at ASU and the one that helped me become not only a better social worker but a better and kinder human being.” Veronica was referring to the day we took a field trip to the Islamic Community Center of Tempe for a tour and an experience. SaraRose Young, another social worker and former student, posted in response, “We are striving to be advocates and peacemakers because of people that have left a
Nadir
Notes
Dr. Aneesah Nadir Dr. Aneesah Nadir is a social worker, published author, speaker, retired social work professor and entrepreneur. She serves as the president of the Islamic Social Services Association-USA headquartered in Arizona. She is an independent associate with LegalShield. For more information contact Dr. Nadir at 480233-6547 or pnadir@legalshieldassociate.com
great impact on us and encouraged us, people like you (Dr. Nadir).” Veronica ended with, “Wa Alaykum As Salaam Dr Aneesah Nadir! Thank you for helping us be the best professionals we can be, but above all, thank you for your contribution on making this world a better place for EVERYONE.” I believe this is why I was called to be a social worker and a Muslim and I am so proud and grateful. I look forward to mentoring and encouraging the next generation of Muslim American social workers as well. Happy Social Work Month!
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