Politicians Decry Rumors Of Prejudice Against Muslim Candidate
| Front Page |
Say they believe voters would look beyond religion
Guled Kassimis - a Democratic candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates for District 19 (Montgomery County, Maryland, USA).
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, May 24, 2006 – Political rumors are nothing new, but one about a Muslim candidate’s chances among Jewish voters in District 19 is drawing fire from all sides.
“There are a lot of subterranean prejudices rolling through this campaign,” Del. Henry B. ‘‘Hank” Heller (D-Dist. 19) of Leisure World said. ‘‘That bothers me.”
The anonymous rumor, or whisper campaign, as some describe it, speculates that Guled Kassim, a candidate for one of three District 19 delegate seats in the Democratic primary, will turn off Jewish vote because he is Muslim.
District candidates are lining up in opposition to what they describe as an offensive rumor that smacks of intolerance and fails to give voters credit.
‘‘I’m a member of a minority and I hate to hear that about anybody,” said retiring Sen. Leonard H. Teitelbaum (D-Dist. 19), who is Jewish. ‘‘It smacks of bigotry.”
Kassim, 30, came to the United States from Somalia with his family in 1985. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps after becoming a naturalized United States citizen.
The rumor surfaced early on, Kassim said, when he was considering his candidacy.
‘‘Instead of the whispers, I would love to get direct questions,” he said. ‘‘I would love to answer them directly.”
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, an umbrella group for regional Jewish communities and organizations, has denounced the rumor.
‘‘I think the rumor is without any credibility whatsoever,” executive director Ron Halber said. ‘‘It’s preposterous saying the Jewish community would not consider voting for a man simply because of his faith. The Jewish community has been at the forefront of strengthening relationships between groups, largely stemming from our own historical persecution.”
Candidates say they do not know where the rumor started.
Wherever the rumor came from, it is an issue Kassim will have to deal with, said Del. Carol S. Petzold (D-Dist. 19) of Aspen Hill, who is running for Teitelbaum’s vacated Senate seat.
‘‘It is something the people will look at, but I hope they can overcome it and base their judgment on his real qualifications,” she said. ‘‘I would expect folks in District 19 to be above that. Montgomery County rejoices in its diversity.”
Accusations of another form of prejudice, ageism, surfaced last year in the District 19 race.
John P. Mahoney, 37, while running against Teitelbaum before the incumbent senator announced his retirement, drew sharp reactions from district incumbents when he offered himself as an energetic, fresh alternative to the senator, who is twice his age.
‘‘He’s been a sleeping senator, only to be awakened, after all these years, by a serious challenger,” Mahoney had said.
The statement drew accusations of ageism from delegates Adrienne A. Mandel (D-Dist. 19) of Layhill and Heller.
Mahoney later switched to the House race and then withdrew his candidacy altogether, citing new business opportunities requiring his attention.
In Kassim’s case, whispers concerning the impact his faith may have on voters really questions his ‘‘Americanism,” he said.
‘‘I think in the 21st century, as country, we have reached a point where we should look at a candidate on his or her merits,” Kassim said.
Source: GazettNet, May 24, 2006
Home | Contact us | Links | Archives