Arabs in Florida Angered by Bush

[Rose Siding]

ORLANDO, Fla. — Ever since President Bush (news - web sites) narrowly won Florida four years ago, Democrats have meticulously courted key voting blocs that strategists believe could help reverse the party's fortunes in 2004 — showering attention on seniors, African Americans, Jews, and Cuban and Haitian Americans.

On Sunday night, a surprising new ethnic thread wove itself into Florida's ever-complicated political fabric: the frustrated Arab American.

Business owners, physicians, lawyers and others — furious over the Bush administration's post-Sept. 11 policies that many believe unfairly target Muslims and Arab Americans in the government's quest to root out terrorists — huddled in a hotel ballroom across the street from Disney World to demonstrate how much they wanted a change in the White House.

The meeting, intended to be a bipartisan affair sponsored by the Washington-based Arab American Institute, turned into a cheering session for Democratic nominee Sen. John F. Kerry (news, bio, voting record) — illustrating a dramatic shift in a traditionally Republican group.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/latimests/20041004/ts_latimes/arabsinfloridaangeredbybush

[Ravenseye]

1. It's Temporary

As an Arab American, one who has always been liberal, I can tell you that this is a sane reaction on the part of the Arab American community. They view this administration as being dangerous, killing their relatives overseas, making it more dangerous to travel to visit said relatives and the ones that surivive, and make them feel like semi-citizens at home.

I'd be surprised if the Arab-American community doesn't vote in the majority for Kerry this time, but it's temporary. Arab-Americans are fairly conservative in general, at least in an economically libertarian sense.

They'll vote for Kerry this time, but next time they might just as easily go back.

[aquart]

3. Fine by me.

Now is what I'm worried about.

[Infomaniac]

4. Once burned, twice shy

You may be right, this time out it may be Anybody But Bush and Arab Americans may return to the Republican fold. I'm just thinking about Sharpton's speech at the DNC. Say what you want about the Rev. Al; the man can give him a speech. This part of his speech made me think of my maternal grandparents who voted Republican before the start of the Great Depression and never voted Republican again. They were as the saying goes, once burned and twice shy.

Mr. President, as I close, Mr. President, I heard you say Friday that you had questions for voters, particularly African- American voters. And you asked the question: Did the Democratic Party take us for granted? Well, I have raised questions. But let me answer your question.

You said the Republican Party was the party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It is true that Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, after which there was a commitment to give 40 acres and a mule.

That's where the argument, to this day, of reparations starts. We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover, and we never got the 40 acres.

We didn't get the mule. So we decided we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us.

Mr. President, you said would we have more leverage if both parties got our votes, but we didn't come this far playing political games. It was those that earned our vote that got our vote. We got the Civil Rights Act under a Democrat. We got the Voting Rights Act under a Democrat. We got the right to organize under Democrats.

Mr. President, the reason we are fighting so hard, the reason we took Florida so seriously, is our right to vote wasn't gained because of our age. Our vote was soaked in the blood of martyrs, soaked in the blood of Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner, soaked in the blood of four little girls in Birmingham. This vote is sacred to us.

This vote can't be bargained away.

This vote can't be given away.

Mr. President, in all due respect, Mr. President, read my lips: Our vote is not for sale.

[Name removed]

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[mac56]

5. Welcome, Ravenseye

I'm sure what you say is true. If they support Kerry this time around, I know he'll earn their continued trust.

[Ravenseye]

9. Hopefully...

The thing is that, from my experience, arab americans are more economically conservative. Some are socially conservative, but generally this is a small percentage. I'd characterize arab americans as libertarian more than anything. They've voted for republicans in the past mostly because of that aspect.

If Kerry and the democrats make them feel that they are hell bent on reckless regulation, high taxes, etc...they'll swing away, in fact many will still vote Repug this year.

On the whole though, they do vote their interests more than say rural voters.

[movonne]

6. Well it is up to us to see they don't...the trouble with the dems is

we have sat with our heads up our ass and let these repubs take over..
We are now very motivated and have our own radio stations that are getting bigger, so we can keep them if we get the word out. If we do win this election we can not go back to sleep.We have to keep working to get dems into school positions and local elections and all the way to top positions.

[w4rma]

10. They can be as conservative as they want and not wish to force their

views onto others. Republican conservatism pushes Christian fundamentalist views onto everyone. I'm sure most Arab-Americans do not wish Christian fundamentalist views pushed onto themselves.

[plcdude]

2. what is the size of the arab-american

voter constituency?

[MsFlorida]

7. even if its only one,

I welcome them to the democratic party.

[Ravenseye]

8. Small...

...I think it's only a percentage or two, but thats enough to turn a tide isn't it.

[Larkspur]

11. If I was them, I wouldn't cheer for Kerry too loudly

He's for Ariel Sharon, just like Bush is.