Indiana

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD (OR ALLAH AS I CALL HIM)

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

The Indianapolis Star this morning has a long-piece on  7th District Congressional candidate Andre Carson and the fact that he is a Muslim.  There has been a lot of speculation about what kind of Muslim Carson actually is, especially since Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan spoke at the late Julia Carson’s funeral.

As much as some people would like to think, Carson is not a Nation of Islam guy.  You will not see him selling bean pies and Final Call newspapers at 38th & Keystone in a wool suit and wearing a bow tie.  (If you know what a bean pie is this line is even funnier.)  Carson is at best more in the mold of Wallace D. Muhammad, which incorporates a more orthodox less political version of Islam.

I can speak to all this because I was born a Muslim.  My parents converted in the 1960s before I was born and so I inherited it.  I’m not the most practicing follower; I love Scotch, cigars and a good bacon cheeseburger.  But I do understand the difference between the various sects and divisions.

To not vote for Carson because he is a Muslim is the same as not voting for Mitt Romney because he was a Mormon.   The founding fathers were pretty sharp guys with not wanting a religious test for anyone to hold public office.  To solely judge an individual based on their faith is a bad idea.  Religion can gives us an idea about the candidate, but it is just a facet. 

It is their position on issues and the leadership they can provide that should be the true test of whether they are worthy of your vote.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on February 25, 2008 (boomark / email).