[roberto]

By Tim Shipman in Washington
Last updated: 7:14 PM BST 18/06/2008
Barack Obama's campaign has been forced to apologise to two Muslim women barred from sitting behind him at a public event.
The two women in headscarves were asked not to sit in view of cameras at a rally in Detroit on Monday, where Al Gore endorsed Mr Obama.

Hebba Aref, a 25-year-old lawyer, told Politico magazine: "I was coming to support him, and I felt like I was discriminated against.

"The message that I thought was delivered to us was that they do not want him associated with Muslims or Muslim supporters."

Miss Aref's friend Ali Koussan, a law student, said that a volunteer "explained to me that because of the political climate and what's going on in the world ... it's not good for her to be seen on TV or associated with Obama."

A second woman was told to take off her headscarf if she wanted to sit in the special seats.

Polls show that around one in eight Americans falsely believe that Mr Obama is Muslim.

Campaign spokesman Bill Burton said: "This is of course not the policy of the campaign. It is offensive and counter to Obama's commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run.

"We sincerely apologise for the behaviour of these volunteers."

But the incident highlights the degree to which Mr Obama's campaign is concerned with traditional political image making, something his promise to change American politics claims to eschew.

While he grew up and was schooled in Indonesia, a Muslim nation, Mr Obama's campaign has repeatedly denied that he was ever a Muslim.

Until he resigned over the furore surrounding his former's pastor's comments, Mr Obama has worshipped for more than 20 years at the same Chicago church.

Story from Telegraph News:
Muslim Barack Obama fans told to hide from television cameras - Telegraph

[sally]

uh... good God

[socceroni67]

not again......

[jinnzaman]

Many people constantly decry the Muslim community from "failing to integrate" and for allegedly being "insular" and not adhering to Western values, but here we have two sisters who represent the best of their communities and are fully integrated into mainstream American democratic culture. These two sisters, whether they recognize it or not, are symbols of the success of the American Muslim community and those symbols need to be presented in the media, not castigated or denuded.

My suggestion is to contact the Obama campaign and let them know that you'd like a clear statement from the Senator on this occurrence with the reassurance that it won't happen again.

You can do so by going here:
Barack Obama | Change We Can Believe In

After you've done so, post a comment here and let us know what you wrote so we can have an idea on what to write!

Here's a sample response:

To Whom It May Concern:

Dear Sir or Madame,

I came across a disturbing news report from the Telegraph today that reported that two Muslim women were barred from sitting behind Senator Obama at a rally on in Detroit on Monday. While I understand that he is constantly being attacked by being associated with Islam or Muslims, this doesn't justify preventing mainstream American Muslims from being associated with his campaign. I would like to see an statement from the Senator himself regarding this issue to make it absolutely clear that he will not tolerate Islamophobia from anyone - whether it is from fear-mongerers or people within his own campaign.

Sincerely,

[zakk]

his camp has issued an apology.

[MuslimZ]

This was an action by individual volunteers; not the campaign itself. Get your facts straight before bashing.

[wheelworks]

Originally Posted by zakk

his camp has issued an apology.

They prevented them from sitting in the view of the cameras cause of politics and they issued an apology cause of politics donchaknow

So much for democracy...

edit:

Originally Posted by MuslimZ

This was an action by individual volunteers; not the campaign itself. Get your facts straight before bashing.

Hmm yea...

[MuslimZ]

Obama camp apologizes for hijab incident at Detroit rally, defends commitment to diversity

drama ends now.

[sumiyia]

i'd like an apology from obama himself. he has no problems kissing up to pro-jewish/israeli lobbies but can't issue a direct apology here?

[SweetLilSamosa]

this sayz a lot abotu the state of the umma 2day.
wut kind of musilm woud do sumthing lyke dat 2 his sisterz in islam?

HILARY 4 PREZ!!!

[PhDGirl]

I was disappointed to read that, but not particularly surprised.

Originally Posted by sumiyia

i'd like an apology from obama himself. he has no problems kissing up to pro-jewish/israeli lobbies but can't issue a direct apology here?

We aren't organized in a fashion to deliver the votes or money that those lobbies do so it's easy to push us aside.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by SweetLilSamosa

this sayz a lot abotu the state of the umma 2day.
wut kind of musilm woud do sumthing lyke dat 2 his sisterz in islam?

HILARY 4 PREZ!!!

Girl, you're losing your touch.

[oFoShOuKnO]

I know both the sisters,

terrible.

Seems to me Obama's violent distancing from Islam is turning off a lot of Muslim, including myself

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by oFoShOuKnO

Seems to me Obama's violent distancing from Islam is turning off a lot of Muslim, including myself

This wasn't Obama.

A better discussion relating to this incident is going on here: Retarded News: Muslim Obama fans told to hide from camera's !!

[PhDGirl]

Originally Posted by oFoShOuKnO

I know both the sisters,

terrible.

Seems to me Obama's violent distancing from Islam is turning off a lot of Muslim, including myself

I don't know if I'd call it violent, but it's not like any of the candidates are our friends.