Muslims to stress voting Meeting to emphasize political potential

An international gathering of 30,000 Muslims over Labor Dayweekend here could help forge the community into a potent votingbloc.

Organizers said that more than ever before, the 37th annualconvention of the Islamic Society of North America will offersessions designed to capture the emerging strength of the 6 millionMuslims in the United States. About 400,000 Muslims live in theChicago area.

"For the first time, Muslims may be able to vote as a bloc," saidSayyid Syeed,; secretary-general of ISNA, a Plainfield, Ind.-basedadvocacy group co-sponsoring the gathering at the Rosemont ConventionCenter from Friday through Monday. "While we cannot get involved intelling people how they should be voting, our job as a religiousgroup is to tell our members that they have to use their votes."

Still, Wallace Deen Mohammed; , leader of the Muslim AmericanSociety and about 2 million Muslims, said that while there are manybonds in the Muslim community, "I don't believe we are going to see asignificant bloc of Muslims."

Mohammed, who will address the ISNA convention Friday, also willspeak Sunday at the UIC Pavilion as part of his group's simultaneousconvention. His topic, "We are Muslims and we are Americans," willunderscore his support for "the value of American citizenship."

Yet he said he reserved the right to "have our own (political)agenda. There are strong similarities with other Muslims when itcomes to family and spiritual values. But I also share those withother Christians."

Still, ISNA leaders note that Muslim issues, ranging from thebitter local dispute over locating a mosque in Palos Heights tonational efforts to defend the rights of workers to wear Muslim garb,have been at the forefront recently.

"Our community has reached the threshold of recognition," saidKareem Irfan; , spokesman for the Council of Islamic Organizations ofGreater Chicago. "Past conventions have not necessarily focused onpulling Muslims together towards a common stance in a politicalrealm. But since the last convention, we have been working towardscoalescing different Muslim groups."

With the political stakes high in battleground states such asIllinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Muslims are aware of theiremerging role, according to Neveen; Salem, a representative of theAmerican Muslim Council, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group.

"We can be the swing vote," Salem said.

Political observers are watching closely, and representatives fromboth the Republican and Democratic parties will be participating.

"From my experience, all the ethnic groups are much morepolitically active than longtime Americans. Muslims are near the topin terms of political savvy," said Gary Mack, a political consultantand onetime spokesman for former Gov. Jim Edgar.

Pete Giangreco, a top Illinois adviser for the Gore-Liebermancampaign, cited Sunday's visit with Arab Americans in Detroit by Sen.Joseph Lieberman as an example of Democratic awareness of Muslimstrength.

"Democrats have a long tradition of welcoming immigrant groups,"Giangreco said, noting that during Mayor Daley's 1989 mayoral bid,"he was a pioneer in reaching out to the Pakistani community.

"He was one of the first to go to the Muslim Community Center (inChicago) to pray. He has built a long-standing relationship with thecommunity," Giangreco said. "Mayor Daley, Sen. Lieberman, Al Gore-it's part of a continuum."

A spokesman for the Bush-Cheney campaign was unavailable.