YALLA VOTE ‘08 Our Voice. Our Future.

The voter registration deadline is just around the corner and we have been out registering people to vote here in Michigan. For Michigan, the voter registration deadline is OCTOBER 6TH. It is certainly crunch time and every week we have been having a voter registration and information table at each mosque and church in the area. On Friday, September 19, 2008, Yalla Vote was at the Islamic Institute of Knowledge. We were urging people to get registered and also to sign the National Declaration.  Mohamed Al-Jabbery, Yalla Vote volunteer, expressed excitement about Yalla Vote and urged many young people to sign the declaration.  It is only one more week before the voter registration deadline, Michigan. Remember, if you are not registered, you cannot VOTE!  Spread the word and don’t forget to register to vote!

-Jana

Majid Al-Bahadli, Obama delegate from Washington State, danced on the floor of the Democratic National Convention, cheered on by members of his state’s delegation, this past August. How he came to be there, the only Iraqi delegate on the floor, is an inspiration to us all.

Born and raised in Iraq, the budding political activist knew the risks of opposing Saddam’s regime: in 1980, his uncle and cousins, and many other family members, were executed for it. When Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1991, Majid heeded the United States’ call to rise up against him. But when the U.S. withdrew and power was restored to the dictator, Majid’s life was at risk. He slipped through the border checkpoints and surrendered to an American soldier. For nearly five years, he lived in a prisoner of war camp in the Saudi desert. Finally, a United Nations delegation entered the camp and conducted the interviews that would lead to Majid’s release as a political refugee in 1995, and later to his naturalization as an American citizen. There were some difficult years between his arrival in the U.S. and the day he became a citizen in 2000-although politics is his passion, he lay low for fear that his actions might jeopardize his impending naturalization. Today, he works fearlessly to get out the vote in his adopted Seattle, Washington. He is a warm and gracious person whose enthusiasm for American politics is inspirational and infectious. He won his position as delegate in a landslide vote, with 87% in support of his bid to travel to Colorado.

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Arab Americans voters are a key demographic with the potential to affect the outcome of this election. The Arab American Institute will be hosting a Candidates’ Night and Presidential Debate Watch Party on Friday, September 26^th, 2008 at 7 pm at the Ramallah American Club in Jacksonville, Florida. This event will provide an opportunity for the community to engage their candidates and allow for greater insight into the issues that matter most to them this election year. Local and state representatives will be on hand for a moderated conversation with the community; surrogates at the Congressional level are also expected to attend.

Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama has sent AAI a personal, video communication that touches on his commitment to address the issues that concern Arab Americans and America as a whole. The McCain campaign will send a surrogate. At the conclusion of the Candidates Night, guests are invited to stay and watch the presidential debates.

A recent AAI poll, conducted by Zogby International, reveals that the economy, not the war in Iraq, is the top issue of concern for Arab Americans.

This is an opportunity to experience your local Arab American community’s reaction and discussion during the first presidential debate. Come see what this targeted community really thinks about the candidates.

Registration is 6-7 pm

Program runs from 7-9 pm

Presidential Debate at 9 pm

Ramallah American Club of Jacksonville

3130 Parental Home Road
Jacksonville, FL 32216

Don’t forget to stick around after to watch the Presidential Debates. The Times-Union has asked for live bloggers at tonight’s event, so bring your Blackberry and settle down for an interesting night.

With the November election looming and the candidates in a dead heat in Virginia, the impact of a pronounced Arab American turnout is now more significant than ever. According to a recent poll conducted by the Washington Post-ABC News (see the Washington Post article, “Obama, McCain in Tight Race in Va., Poll Shows“), Barack Obama leads John McCain 49%-46% among Virginia voters with a 4% margin of error. The state is up for grabs right now, and Arab Americans need to get out the vote in this key state come November.

Though traditionally a Republican-voting state, Virginia’s recent political and demographic activity now suggests otherwise. Democrat Jim Webb’s 2006 Senate win over incumbent Republican George Allen proved that the voting model for Virginia is changing. With an influx of minority ethnic groups, particularly in North Virginia, both candidates have taken to courting the increasingly important minority vote.

The Arab American Institute is hosting Candidate Nights and Issue Forums in key states across the country.  Please come join us at our 20th Annual Virginia Candidates Night on Sunday, October 5, 2008, 6:00 – 9:00 pm. For complete details, click here.

Swing states Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Michigan make up 30% of Arab American votes. Arab Americans make up 2% of Virginia voters, and if the recent survey is of any indication, it will be a crucial vote indeed.

How many times over the course of the 2008 political campaign have we heard the phrase “Middle East oil?” Candidates for office at the federal (and even state levels) have promised to end U.S. reliance on Middle East oil, with the danger varying from the potential instability of the region to “oil wealth funding terrorists.”

Such statements demonstrate both ignorance about the U.S. energy equation and the intention to score political points at the expense of Arab Americans. Here are a few useful facts from the U.S. government. Use them well….
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Saturday night was the first of two Candidates’ Nights in Florida. It was co-sponsored by the Center for Voter Advocacy, who did an incredible job. Arabs and Muslims from all over south Florida came to the Signature Grand in Davie to hear candidates speak, have dinner, and talk about how to get involved this election.

Yalla Vote Table

At the Yalla Vote table, we provided literature on the Yalla Vote campaign, as well as opportunities for people to sign up to help with future projects, such as making Get Out The Vote phone calls.

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The stage is set for what is sure to be a fascinating race for New York’s 13th congressional district seat- but

more on that later…this Past Tuesday, I hit the streets for some good old fashioned GOTV work on 5th Avennue in Brooklyn. The only problem was the streets decided to hit back with a good old fashioned torrential downpour. Nevertheless, I blanketed the streets with some snazzy palm cards designed by the attendees of our most recent coalition meeting. The cards reminded people to vote, provided a number for those unclear on their polling location, and offered rides to the polls. Foot traffic was a little light, but I’m looking at it as a warm up for a much larger GOTV effort in November.

However, in the midst of the rain and chaos, an election took place that day. The two candidates who emerged from the primary fray are Bob Straniere, and Michael McMahon. Now the proccess begins of getting both of them to come to our candidates night for a little Q&A. Both candidates have fiercely loyal supporters, and the racr between Democrats and Repiblicans is heating up in the 13th district in a way that it has not for many years. Democrats are making a lot of noise this year in a traditionally Republican district, which is sure to lead to a tight and hotly contested race.

Also going on in the world of AAI New York, is preparation for the upcoming AAI “Fear of Arab Planet” Hip Hop Tour, on which I plan making Fordham University a memorable stop. But more on that to come…’Til Next Time

-Matt

Did you know, you don’t have to wait until November 4th to cast your vote? Starting today, much of America  will start to cast their  ballots, six weeks before the general election.

“Absentee voting” is done by mail; “Early Voting” requires that voters cast their ballots in person at the offices of county clerks or other approved voting stations. At least 34 states, plus the District of Columbia, allow residents to vote before November 4th.

In a year that promises record turnout, making your choice early might be a good idea.

Big question is, where is it permitted, and what are the guidelines?

The following states permit ‘no-excuse’ absentee balloting: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

These states require that an absentee ballot be signed  by a witness or notary public: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia

In addition, many states require that absentee ballots be signed by a witness or notary public, in some instances only when a voter has required assistance with the ballot, but other states make it mandatory across the board. The National Conference of State Legislatures website does a great job of breaking it down for you here. Be sure to check their table of when things are due where.

Misinformation to Frighten Voters

“Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West” will hit over 28 million homes this month in battleground states in the midst of an election already loaded with slurs, innuendos, and backpedaling on issues that most concern Arab Americans. While the timing of this propaganda campaign crassly exploits the strong emotions associated with the seventh anniversary of September 11, 2001, the list of states targeted for distribution of the film reveals an effort to inflame passions in order to influence voters.

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We are here in Michigan and spreading our wisdom about the importance of this election year. On Friday, September 12, 2008, Yalla Vote had a voter registration and information table at the Islamic House of Wisdom. We were there twice in the same day and let me tell you, it was an exciting time. Yalla Vote received tremendous support that day and because we received so much support, we are even going there a second time! Jenin Salam, a Yalla Vote volunteer and I pushed more than ever for signatures on the National Declaration. Both of us pressed until midnight for signatures! “This is our voice and we have to show it by putting our signatures down,” Jenin said. She also expressed interest and encouraged other young people at the mosque to get involved with Yalla Vote. On my part, I registered more people to vote and spoke more about the Yalla Vote initiative.

Again, if you know a mosque or church we haven’t been at in Michigan, contact me via e-mail at aai-Michigan@yallavote.org and let us know! YALLA VOTE!