Muslim Quaker Running For Governor of Texas

[SF-TX]

Shami campaign has new take on his religion
Candidate says Quaker, Muslim labels miss key parts of his faith.
By Corrie MacLaggan

When Farouk Shami's gubernatorial campaign officials were asked in November what his religion is, they said he is Quaker.

But on Monday, other campaign officials said he is not.

Regardless of what religion the Palestinian-born U.S. citizen is — his campaign says he's not Muslim, but family members say he is — the fact that his campaign is putting out conflicting information could become a political liability.

Shami, a Democrat, said in a written statement Monday that he is "not a member of any specific religious tradition."

"To say simply 'I'm a Muslim' or 'I'm a Quaker' is to ignore major parts of my faith," said the statement by Shami, a Houston businessman who has said he'll spend $10 million of his money on his campaign. "I know it seems complicated that I do not have a pat answer to questions about what religion I am, but without my exposure to many different cultures and religious beliefs, I wouldn't be the person I am today." {It is not complicated. He just refuses to answer the question. Why?}

Shami's campaign director says the statement about Shami being Quaker was the result of a misunderstanding between the candidate and former staffers, an assertion one of them denied.

"The reason for the differing answers from the campaign is a result of a miscommunication between Farouk and his previous team," said Vince Leibowitz, the current campaign director for Shami, who will face former Houston Mayor Bill White in the primary March 2. "Farouk did go to Quaker school ... so I think that was part of the reason for the misconception."

Late last year, Shami fired several campaign staffers, including campaign manager Joel Coon and spokesman Jason Stanford. When Stanford was still with the campaign in November, he said Shami is Quaker.

Stanford said on Monday — and Coon confirmed — that when Coon asked Shami what religion he is, Shami replied, "I am a Quaker."

Stanford added, "I'm not exactly sure where the miscommunication came in."

This is not the first time questions have been raised about Shami's truthfulness. He said he voted for Barack Obama for president, but Montgomery County records show he did not vote in 2008.

Eric Bearse, a Republican political consultant, said it's important for candidates to be clear about their personal history.

"When a candidate or his campaign says two completely contradictory things about that candidate's background, it immediately creates a question within the mind of some voters: 'What's he or she trying to hide?'" said Bearse, who has worked for Gov. Rick Perry. Perry, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and businesswoman Debra Medina are competing in the Republican primary.

Bearse said Shami's faith is less important than his ability to "identify with the values, ideals and concerns of the electorate he's trying to persuade."

"Faith is a delicate issue, but Texas has long been a state that welcomes people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and spiritual traditions," Bearse said.

So what is Shami's spiritual tradition?

In his statement, Shami said he grew up with family members and friends who practiced Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

"I was born in the land of Abraham, believing in Moses, Jesus and Mohammad, and believing in one God," Shami wrote.

He said he begins each day with prayer and meditation and has a "strong personal relationship with God."

Shami campaign spokeswoman Kelly Love Johnson said that Shami's parents were Muslim but that he is not and that he does not observe Muslim traditions such as fasting during Ramadan.

But according to one of Shami's grandsons, the entire family — including Shami — is Muslim. Basel Badran, 19, of The Woodlands, who described his relationship with his grandfather as extremely close, said that the family is not especially religious.

And Shami's son Basim Shami, also of The Woodlands, said of his father, "He's a Muslim." He quickly added, "We believe in all religions, to tell you the truth, but we were brought up as Muslims."

Basim Shami said that his daughter goes to a Catholic school.

"We're not very strict about what religion," he said.

Here's how Farouk Shami put it in December, according to a report by KSAT-TV, the ABC affiliate in San Antonio: "My religion is American ... I'm a Muslim Quaker. Have you ever heard of that?"

Link

[Warrior-Mentor]

Something is rotten in the state of Texas.

[MackallResident]

I can see this going well. /sarcasm.

My Grandfather once told me that the greatest men to hold any politically charged office are the ones that never do, because they are above the deceit associated with such seats.

[craigepo]

Originally Posted by MackallResident

My Grandfather once told me that the greatest men to hold any politically charged office are the ones that never do, because they are above the deceit associated with such seats.

Your grandfather was, unfortunately, correct. The result is that less and less-qualified people win elected office. Hopefully, the people who would be good candidates out there will tire of watching from the sidelines and run. Obviously, the alternative is bad.

[Richard]

Because of the changes to the Texas Constitution during Reconstruction which remain in effect today, being Governor of Texas is tantamount to being crowned Homecoming King in high school - good for the ego but virtually meaningless.

Now, if he was running for Lieutenant Governor, it might be something to seriously ponder...but the guy's waffling on the question makes him toast anyway.

Too bad that all the people who know how to run this country are busy driving taxis and cutting hair.
- George Burns

Richard's $.02

[rubberneck]

I got a headache reading that. It really is a simple question. Why it is being met with so many answers by so many different people close to the candidate stinks. According to his family, and they should know, the guy is a muslim but is most likely worried that the baggage that being a muslim brings will end his career. Frankly if he had been honest about it up front it probably would have done as much damage to his chances of being Governor than this pathetic kabuki dance around the subject.

[Dad]

No question he bungled the question. Actually, I imagine he does not actively practice any religion, which in Texas is as bad as being a Muslim. Everything I have read over the years leads me to believe he is a pretty decent human being. A real American success story.He is bringing jobs to Texas from overseas while Halliburton , KBR, Shell, etc are moving as many jobs off shore as they can. He hasn't got a snowballs chance in hell though, IMHO. He has to run against Bill White, the former mayor of Houston, in the primary

Richard, you should have also mentioned homecoming QUEEN as well as king. It has been interesting watch Rick Perry try to figure how to get by that little thing called the state constitution.

[Dozer523]

If you plan of voting based on religion, you ought to move to Vatican city. That is the only place it really matters. Oh and you got to wear red to the polls.

[jw74]

Originally Posted by SF-TX

:his campaign says he's not Muslim, but family members say he is :

he has an ice cube in hell's chance for election in Texas, but I think the above quote shows how many Muslims do not recognize the possibility that someone born into Islam could opt out.

[rubberneck]

Originally Posted by Dozer523

If you plan of voting based on religion, you ought to move to Vatican city. That is the only place it really matters. Oh and you got to wear red to the polls.

I guess voting for a candidate based solely on his religion makes just as much sense as voting for the current President just because of his race, and according to post election polls his race was a key factor which drove a couple of million people to vote for him. Here's the ironic part, all of this is going on pre-primary. Who knew that Democrats could be so petty over a candidates religion.

[Warrior-Mentor]

Originally Posted by Dozer523

If you plan of voting based on religion, you ought to move to Vatican city. That is the only place it really matters. Oh and you got to wear red to the polls.

Gotta disagree with you on this. It's worth considering. It shouldn't be the only basis of a decision, but it must be considered.

Worth reading what Wafa Sultan had to say about the way Colin Powell dicounted the impact it would have if Obama had been a Muslim:

http://www.amazon.com/God-Who-Hates-...3417338&sr=8-1

And the fact he won't give a straight answer speaks volumes:

http://www.meforum.org/2538/taqiyya-islam-rules-of-war

[dr. mabuse]

*

[T-Rock]

Looks like the candidate from Ramallah has issues with whitey - He did serve on the American Task Force for Palestine along with White House party crasher Tareq Salahi.
Jawa has the goods:
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/201012.php

[Mitch]

Shami is not the only candidate who has tiptoed into the weired water.

For a while, a new bright star was evolving in the Republican Governor's Race - Debra Medina has slowly doubled her standing in the polls as the number three candidate - until she was interviewed by Glen Beck:

9/11 has become a big issue in the Texas race for Governor.

On Glenn Beck’s TV program last Thursday, the increasingly popular Republican upstart Debra Medina was asked an unexpected question:

"Do you believe the government was any way involved with the bringing down of the World Trade Centers on 9/11?"

Medina, caught off guard, answered:

"I don’t, I don’t have all of the evidence there, Glenn," Medina said. "So I don’t, I’m not in a place, I have not been out publicly questioning that. I think some very good questions have been raised in that regard. There are some very good arguments, and I think the American people have not seen all of the evidence there. So I’ve not taken a position on that."

After the interview with Medina, Beck turned to the camera:

"I think I can write her off the list," Beck said. "Let me take another look at Kay Bailey Hutchison if I have to. Rick, I think you and I could French kiss right now."

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/84392.html

The next day, Democratic candidate Farouk Shami was asked the same question. Shami answered:

"I’m not sure. I am not going to really judge or answer about something I’m not sure about. But the rumors are there that there was a conspiracy. True or not? You know, it’s hard to believe, you know, what happened. It’s really hard to comprehend what happened. Maybe. I’m not sure."

"We still don’t know who killed John F. Kennedy, who’s behind it…. Will we ever find the truth about 9/11?"

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-...11-233460.html

It will be interesting to see how the voters in Texas respond to this new campaign issue.

[brown77]

I'm a Quaker um, I mean Muslim um, I mean lover and respecter of all Religions um, some of my best friends are Christians and Jews... erm, and I especially love Mexicans who are willing to work in my factory for peanuts um, not like those white people with their ambitions and aspirations to become - shock, horror - Supervisors!