Black Muslim seeks U.S. House seat, had past associations with Nation of Islam

Black Muslim seeks U.S. House seat, had past associations with Nation of Islam
By: Israel Insider staff and partners
Published: June 29, 2006

A Minnesota state representative and criminal defense lawyer could become the first Muslim member of Congress, but he must deal with questions in this city of mostly white Christians about his faith, particularly his past associations with the Nation of Islam.

Keith Ellison, the state-party Democratic endorsed candidate in the liberal-leaning 5th Congressional District, has since denounced the Black Muslim group's leader, Louis Farrakhan, but Jewish leaders say the candidate's ties to the organization remain an issue.

"For Jews, there's no ambiguity when it comes to the Nation of Islam," said Stephen Silberfarb, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas. "It's a group that hates the Jewish people."

Around 1990, Ellison -- then a University of Minnesota law student known as Keith E. Hakim -- wrote several columns in the student newspaper that are getting a second look.

One column defended Farrakhan against charges of anti-Semitism; a second suggested the creation of a state for black residents. In 1995, Ellison helped organize a delegation to Farrakhan's Million Man March in Washington.

Ellison, 42, said he was never an enrolled member of the Nation of Islam. He got involved to help improve the lives of black men, he said, and did not fully grasp concerns about Farrakhan's anti-Semitism until after the 1995 march.

"There are legitimate concerns in the Jewish community. That's why I'm happy to answer them," Ellison said. But, he added, "I do also think there are people out there who are fear-mongering, who are trying to scare the Jewish community and manipulate this issue."

A Detroit native, Ellison grew up in a Catholic household before converting to Islam as a 19-year-old student at Wayne State University, long a hotbed of black activism. He said he was inspired by reading "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," and by friendships with fellow students who were practicing the faith.

He's quick to point out that he adheres to the religion's more moderate Sunni branch.

"Islam is as diverse as any Christianity is," said Ellison.

It's not clear how that will play with Minneapolis voters. The city is 65 percent white and 18 percent black. Muslims account for 20,000 of the 2.5 million residents in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, although a steady influx of Somali refugees likely has increased that total since 2000.

Sumbal Mahmud, a corporate lawyer and spokeswoman for the Islamic Center of Minnesota, said the years since the Sept. 11 attacks have been difficult for Muslims in America, and Ellison's candidacy is an important sign on the road back to acceptance.

"Hopefully it will mobilize the Muslim community to become more engaged in civic life," she said. "We all need to see politicians who speak to our own experiences."

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I knew this was coming. There will be more as they implement their plan to take over this nation and instill Sharia law in place of our Constitution.