United States Islam Pt 2
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US Congress in 1968 for the primary time indicated the week of September 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Week. But in 1988 that was meliorated to make it a whole month, therefore at the moment Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 through October 15. Having such a month seems necessary for a country like United States having a outstanding number of Hispanics spreading over the states. President Bush’s insistence to fence the US- Mexico border in order to prevent illegal immigration of Hispanics from Mexico to US for the duration of this amount of time signifies the importance Hispanics and in general immigration has to US government. The total cost of this 700 mile fence is approximated from $2 billion to $9 billion. However, US government is irrespective Mexican officials’ grievances of this issue. “The Mexican government expresses it is strong rejection of the construction of the wall … This decision damages the entire bilateral relationship, is contrary to the spirit of joint operation that will have to prevail to guarantee the security of the frontier,” Mexican presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar. The news raised a large total of controversies inside and outside US; border communities, religious groups, advocates and lawmakers were amongst severe opponents inside the country. “Critics have likewise argued that it would make the border more violent; would strength illegal immigrants to take more dangerous routes through the desert; would hurt trade and relations with Mexico; and still wouldn’t solve the problem of illegal immigration.” Simultaneous to this news, another issue came up with regards to Hispanics in US which I was always concerning about. The news was published in New Mexican internet site on October 6, claiming that the number of Hispanics leaning to Islam is increasing. It explains the life of a Muslim Hispanic who was born in Colombia and is now living in US. The population of Hispanic Muslims has increased 30 percent to a lot of 200,000- even though it is still very few in comparison to the number of Christians in US- since 1999, estimates Ali Khan, national conductor of the American Muslim Council in Chicago. This growing trend to Islam by Hispanics may be assumed as a consequence of 9/11 terrorist attacks and likewise the collision among two burgeoning minority groups, means Muslims and Hispanics. It is necessary to detect that there are assorted correspondings in faith amidst Hispanics and Muslims such as family- orientation, being religious, poverty, health care and issues with regards to immigration. The former ruling of Muslims in Spain may not be ignored as a necessary reason for this tendency of Hispanics to Islam. Ihsan Bagby, professor of Arabic and Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky indicates: “Many Hispanics … who are getting Muslim, would say they are embracing their heritage, a inheritance that was refused to them in a sense.” Another point to be cited is that the number of Hispanic Muslim growing is very high in New York, Florida, California and Texas, where Hispanic communities are largest. The number of Hispanics attending mosques is ascending gradually, the need for Spanish books in particular Koran is a reasonable proof for this claim. Hispanics as a very significant and influential minority in United States bear a very primary role in coming US elections, both Congress election in 2006 and 2008 presidential elections. Among the total registered humans of voting, more than 2.7 million voters have Hispanic surnames, an increase of with regards to 560,000 since 2002. Of the 85,000 further and added voters this year, regarding 77,800 were people with Hispanic surnames, Williams’ office reported. It is interesting to recognise that for example there are when it comes to 8 million Hispanics in Texas, and of those 3.4 million are entitled to vote, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. To conclude the discussion of Hispanics, their intention for Islam and Hispanics’ role in political conclusions by voting, I would like to conclude that a country like Iran which is facing severe conflicts with US must be clever sufficient to make use of these conditions; current dissatisfaction of Hispanics of US government, Hispanics’ inclination to Islam and their role in US elections. Iran is said to be a driving strength in preaching Islam, therefore it will have to equip itself with qualifications that grant it prospects to be competent to contact Hispanics in States and direct them more to Islam. In this way, Muslims and Hispanics may unitedly protest for unjust rules treated to them since earlier this year, Muslims joined Hispanics in marches nationwide protesting immigration-reform proposals they felt were unfair. Islamic Republic of Iran may build a constructive relation with the Latino American Dawah Organization, traditionalisti in 1997 by converts in New York City and increase it is policy supporters inside the land of US. One of the ways by which Iran may improve it is relation with this center is to hold joint conferences and exploration projects. References: |
