Bernie Sanders Wins Big With Michigan Muslims — And Political Pundits Can’t Quite Believe It

[Mufaddal]

Political commentators and media outlets were quick to pounce on a “fascinating” statistic from Bernie Sanders’ victory in the Michigan primary on Tuesday night: Democrats in Dearborn, a city whose population is 40 percent Arab, voted overwhelmingly for Sanders over rival Hillary Clinton (59 percent to 39 percent). The subtext of pointing out this particular statistic is clear. How, the media wondered, could a predominantly Muslim group support a Jewish candidate?

As the results rolled in, television pundits like Lawrence O’Donnell and Chuck Todd marveled on MSNBC that Sanders was doing so well in Dearborn “despite” the large Arab-American population there. WNYC radio host Brian Lehrer tweeted that Sanders’ dominance in Dearborn was “the stat of the night,” later adding “It’s official: Arab city feels the Jewish Bern.” Meanwhile, The Week dubbed it “just one more strange data point in an election overflowing with them.”

The assumption implicit in such commentary, of course, is that Muslims are biased against Jews — and that when they do cast a vote for Jewish candidates, it’s because they’ve somehow managed to overcome their own inherent anti-Semitism. But this fascination with Dearborn’s support of Sanders actually demonstrates the media industry’s own all-too-prevalent prejudice — and reveals how much reporting on American Muslims is still rooted in an unsophisticated naiveté about what motivates them.

“It’s no surprise that the mainstream media ... is guilty of promoting two-dimensional caricatures of Muslims and Arabs,” said Hend Amry, a Libyan-American writer who frequently comments on social issues related to Muslims. “I tweeted that the media is shocked that Dearborn residents didn't announce an ‘intifada’ against Jewish Bernie Sanders to point out this very stereotype.”

Full article: http://www.ibtimes.com/bernie-sanders-wins-big-michigan-muslims-political-pundits-cant-quite-believe-it-2333030

[BuelahWitch]

1. Idiot pundits in their little bubble

Don't understand that the Bern transcends old prejudices.

"But we're rich! Our bosses are even richer!" they say. "We know all!"

Hope you have some money saved, boys, your obsolescence is near.

[Mufaddal]

23. We tried to warn all primary candidates, GOP & Dem:

[Kall]

2. Hend Amry is a great follow on Twitter

[Jefferson23]

3. Yep. K&R

[Loki]

4. Open primary

wonder who really voted for Bernie? Bet there were a lot of Republican's smiling.

[KamaAina]

8. There are not a whole lot of repukes in Dearborn.

Thanks for playing, though, and I'm sure you'll enjoy this copy of our home game.

[mmonk]

5. Because political pundits and parties use stereotypes

for their own ends.

[tk2kewl]

6. maybe they're tired of being demonized...

[Mufaddal]

14. I mean, there's also this

https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/rania-khalek/when-hillary-clinton-threw-arab-and-muslim-americans-under-bus

Plus her whole foreign policy record.

[tk2kewl]

18. no doubt

plenty to dislike about Hillary's foreign policy in ME and elsewhere

and to her massive negatives, Bernie's compassion for people of every color and creed...

seems like Dearborn has some smart and informed folks

[Punkingal]

7. I find their attitudes offensive.

[ericson00]

9. of course; Bernie is less pro-Israel than both mainstream Jewish Americans

and mainstream non-Jewish Americans alike; of course they voted for him.

[AgingAmerican]

10. Morons were banking on anti-semitism to carry the day for Hillary

Stupid right wing Democrats

[marlakay]

11. My husband says its because they won't vote for a woman

could there be any truth to that?

Since women are treated beyond poorly and with no respect in Muslim countries he might have a point. Most Muslims I meet here in America don't act like that though....

[Mufaddal]

13. I called this last night

I said there is going to be some hot take out there saying Bernie just won some sexist Arab votes.

No, there is no truth to it. The same people with that mentality would never vote for a liberal period, let alone a Jew.

[mmonk]

16. +1

[marlakay]

24. Glad to hear that, thanks. Nt

[kas125]

19. I really don't think it's because she's a woman.

My favorite uncle was a Muslim whose father had been an ambassador to the US long before I was born. He was the kindest, smartest man I ever knew. He spent his spare time and then his retirement helping other Muslims who were new to this country get settled and become part of their communities. He had no problem with women. I really doubt that the fact that Hillary is a woman is the reason they didn't vote for her.

[azurnoir]

12. yep doesn't fit the going narrative does it? K&R

[Mufaddal]

20. Waiting for all of the articles: "Why can't Hillary make inroads in the Muslim & Arab communities?"

With all of the accompanying content heavily implying it's because she's a bigot.

(Note: I am not saying she is, I'm saying this is how Bernie was covered when it came to black voters)

[azurnoir]

21. yep albeit when when you compare histories with the respective communities

on a global level there are some differences, I mean Hillary made some marvelous deals for Arabs in the ME when she was SoS didn't she?

[Mufaddal]

22. "marvelous"

lol

[alcibiades_mystery]

15. American Arabs and Muslims are well aware of Hillary's disturbing comportment toward Middle East

Dearborn is not merely Muslim -- those Muslims are overwhelmingly ethnic Arab.

Hillary's behavior towards ethnic Arabs has not escaped their attention.

But agreed, in any case, that the assumption that they should be "naturally" against Sanders is bone stupid. That said, the vote can just as easily be interpreted as anti-Hillary. Her record on the Middle East is not good, to put it mildly.

[Mufaddal]

17. Nah, CAIR polling initially suggested that while Muslims were more likely to vote for Hillary

they favored Bernie more. We had a lot of people in our faith community working very hard on Bernie's behalf, and we saw the results of that last night.