Largest Illinois political group declines to endorse in Presidential race
The largest American Arab political organization in Illinois Tuesday announced they would not endorse a candidate in the hotly contested race for President of the United States. The organization is traditionally Democratic and it is a blow to Democratic Candidate Hillary Clinton
By Ray Hanania
The Arab American Democratic Club in Illinois Tuesday announced they would not issue an endorsement in the race for President of the United States, saying neither of the two leading candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have been “considerate” of American Arab interests and called the election debate “troubling.”
The group traditionally endorse a Democratic candidate and has widely supported Democratic candidates running in statewide and regional offices.
The position reflects growing concern among many Arabs, mainly Muslim Arabs, who are offended by some of the rhetoric from Trump, but also angry with the historically anti-Arab policies of Hillary Clinton who served as the First Lady during the eight year term of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and later as the U.S. Senator from New York where she has supported many anti-Arab laws and bills.
Hillary Clinton also served as Secretary of State under President Barack Obama and has been widely criticized for her refusal to prevent Israel’s military assaults against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Here is the full press release from the Arab American Democratic Club and its board:
We have now heard three presidential debates and we finally were able to see the Democratic and Republican candidates’ right up next to each other. We, as Arab Americans, are very concerned. This election year has been divisive, often times xenophobic, and less than inspirational. The derogatory rhetoric regarding issues that are of concern to our community has been frightening and definitely un-American.
Neither Trump nor Clinton has been considerate of our people nor have they addressed our concerns. The Republican nominee continues with his nonsense speeches, would not back down from the stop and frisk ideology, and even bragged about cheating people out of money, legally. That is not the America we want, or know. Clinton continues to take issue with Congress on the issue of keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists. The so called “No Fly, No Buy” legislation perpetuates a deeply flawed, discriminatory, and dubiously unconstitutional watch listing system.
This election cycle has been very troubling .The presidential candidates, including Senatorial and Congressional, Republicans and Democrats alike, purposely evaded and ignored the Arab and Muslim communities. There has be no serious engagement in helping to resolve the problematic issues domestically and abroad and have decided not to include our communities leadership in the political process . Therefore, the Arab American Democratic Club has made a decision not to endorse any candidates.
We direct you to vote your conscience on November 8, 2016. As a Democratic organization, we hope you will vote for the Democratic candidates on the ballot.
Local elections are next year on April 4, 2017. The Arab American Democratic Club will be hosting our annual brunch for the local candidates prior to the election. Politics at the local level have a greater impact on our lives than at the national level. It is here that the Arab and the Muslim communities can make a difference.
Samir Khalil, president of the Arab American Democratic Club, said that an announcement about the group’s annual brunch, which has attracted large attendance in the past, is forthcoming.
Khalil released a list of candidates supported by the board of the Arab American Democratic Club, which focuses only on statewide and local regional elective offices in the November 8, 2016 General election.
The November 8 election is a national election and includes national, regional and statewide contests for government office. On April 4, 2017, voters in Illinois will chose from candidates running in local and municipal elections such as for city and village president, mayor, trustee, alderman and more.
Here is the official list of candidates released by the Arab American Democratic Club:
In the Tuesday, November 8, 2016, elections, the Arab American Democratic Club endorses:
State of Illinois
#16 Susana Mendoza – State Comptroller
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
#51 Barbara McGowan – Metro Water RD (6 yr)
#52 Mariyana Spyropoulos – Metro Water RD (6 yr)
#53 Josina Morita – Metro Water RD (6 yr)
#58 Marty Durkan – Metro Water RD (6 yr)
Cook County
#62 Kim Foxx – Cook County State’s Attorney
#65 Karen Yarbrough – Recorder of Deeds
#67 Martin M Stack – Board of Review 1st District
#67 Michael Cabonargi Board of Review 2nd District
Illinois Appellate Court
#71 Eileen O’Neill Burke – Appellate Court
#72 Bertina Lampkin – Appellate Court
Cook County Circuit Court
#73 John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr – Circuit Court
#74 Rossana Patricia Fernandez – Circuit Court
#75 Alison Conlon – Circuit Court
#76 Alexsandra “Alex” Gillespie – Circuit Court
#79 Brendan O’Brien – Circuit Court
#80 Maureen O’Donoghue Hannon – Circuit Court
#82 Daniel Patrick Duffy – Circuit Court
Illinois Appellate Court
#201 Joy Virginia Cunningham
Referenda
YES – Safe Roads Constitutional Amendment
YES – Retention of Judges
For more information on the Arab American Democratic Club, visit their website at:
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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