Column: Islamic Political Party of America Has Roots in American Democracy

October 6, 2003

Source: The Charlotte Observer

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/6942996.htm?ERIGHTS=8747038325068250761charlotte::tjammas@yahoo.com&KRD_RM=2pklpplioikrjiiiiiiiiiirkq%7CT%7CN

On October 6, 2003 The Charlotte Observer ran a column by Jibril Hough, president of the Charlotte chapter of the Islamic Political Party of America, which addressed the "campaign by Islam-ophobes such as Cal Thomas and Steven Emerson, among others, to instill a false sense of fear into the American public, as Muslims become more politically active and register to vote." The column continued: "We in the Islamic Political Party of America...have established the first Islamic political party in America...Our party consists of Muslims who accepted this faith through conversion and/or lineage, those who are indigenous to this land and those who are immigrants. We all are practitioners of the same faith, Islam, and citizens of the same country, America...It is important for the American public to know that although this political movement by Muslims may be somewhat new, Muslims have been a part of the fabric of this society, in some fashion, since before Columbus. Muslim explorers visited the West Coast long ago. Arabic writings have been found in some caves in California. The name 'California' comes from the Arabic word calif, meaning ruler or leader. The Declaration of Independence possesses Islamic concepts. Also, 30 percent to 40 percent of the Africans who were enslaved, kidnapped and brought to this country were Muslims."