|
Aref Assaf, Pascrell;
“Imam, I will do everything in my capacity to keep you in the
US.”
March 17, 2008
Joined by a dozen Muslim friends, I was
delighted to hear Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) so singularly
welcome Imam M. Qatanani to the Congressman’s Annual St.
Patrick’s fundraiser. This $300.00 a plate event draws all the
who’s who in the 8th District from state
legislators, county officials and other influential business and
community leaders.
Such events
are often about what is not said and who does not attend as
their absence is a cause for endless gossip. I will, however,
cede this task to others. I am particularly pleased by all the
dignitaries who made a point to visit our tables, recognize the
Imam, and pledge their support.
We are happy that many municipalities,
public institutions and civil rights groups have
gratefully agreed to introduce the
a resolution supporting the Imam. We are forever thankful to
those in local government for their instrumental support in passing
prior resolutions such as the 2005
Civil
Rights Protection Resolution which was passed by the City of
Paterson, NJ. For the City of Paterson, home to the
Islamic Centre of Passaic County and to the US largest
concentration of Arab Americans, to pass another resolution
would be very welcome indeed.
It may be an oxymoron, but truly politics
makes strange bedfellows. Among the gathered was none other than
NJ Assemblyman Gary Schaer (Passaic-D) who greeted the Imam and
wished him good luck in Arabic. Almost reluctantly and perhaps
caught off guard in the rather impromptu
emotions of the moment, Mr. Schaer joined us in a picture with
the Imam!
I would welcome Scaher's public
support of the Imam as a signal of his desire to earn our
respect and support. Ours need not be a permanently invidious
relationship. And while some in our community may consider
our rapprochement as treachery, it can also represent a
conciliatory gesture with calculated risks.
It is up to us, leaders, rank and
file, and activists to crystallize our agenda, to proactively
define our objectives, and ultimately to render our emerging
political presence into quantifiable political currency.
Admittedly, our numerical edge is not paired with our still
nascent political or economic power. This is an achievable
challenge and it need not require decades of sacrifices.
Significantly, our prominence is not destined to be a
zero-sum game with other ethnic or religious groups if our
issues converge and our leaders are blessed with foresight.
We salute Congressman Pascrell, who is
running for reelection, for his unequivocal stance. Assuredly, his public support for the Imam
is embedded with ingredients of political
fallout. Yet, Pascrell, astutely, is taking
the moral and prudent stand by standing with the Imam and what his cause
represents.
Our community, Congressman Pascrell, shall remember your support.
Support both moral and with money and votes becomes more
compelling in Pascrell's case because what he done is a
reflection of principled convictions not temporary political
expediency.
As Chairman of the Congressional oversight committee on Homeland
Security, Pascrell assuredly has the ears of Mr.
Michael Chertoff, Secretary of
Homeland Security. Mr. Chertoff: It would be a grave
miscalculation for you to continue to press the deportation of
the Imam.
|
