Gun control, Rohingya, and Muslims running for office were hot topics at the Interfaith Legislative night of United Maryland Muslim Council (UMMC) on Tuesday February 27, 2018.
The United Muslim Maryland Council (UMMC) held their annual event in the Senate Miller building in the President’s Conference Room in the Maryland State capitol.
The event started with a Surah recitation from the Quran. A poised 7th grader read from Surah Nisa (verse of Women).
Masters of Ceremonies, Ainy Kazmi and Shahan Rizvi, acknowledged a variety of community leaders. Among them were Safa Hira, a 20-year-old running for the Howard County Democratic central Committee, Ayesha Khan running for office in Baltimore and Saif Rehman for Howard County Board of Education. Rizvi is also running for the Democratic Central Committee and is the former President of Howard County Muslim Council. Kazmi is slated to be the next President of the HoCo Muslim Council.
Tabeer Siddiqui sang the national anthem.
Rizwan Siddiqi, an engineering professional from Howard County is the President of UMMC. He also sits on the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
“We have a lot of interfaith partners here,” said Siddiqi, about the annual event. The annual event marks the time of the year that UMMC decides which bills the council supports and the bills they oppose.
During his remarks made it clear that guns are common denominator for hate crimes, domestic violence, homicide or school shootings, and to protect public and children, demanded that legislators pass common sense gun control laws, ban purchase of semi-automatic weapons and implement background checks at gun shows, while protecting rights under second amendment.
The Council honored Cpl Mujahid Ramziddin, known as Ramy. A minute of silence was followed by dua for the Muslim man who gave up his life saving a neighbor from a domestic violence situation. Jameel Johnson of PGCMC led the dua. Prince George’s Muslim Association has set up an account for Ramzziddin family to help with college tuitions and other expenses.
Earlier during the day, Prince George’s Muslim Council lobbied PG County delegates and Senator on two bills.
Lt. Governor of MD, Boyd Rutherford, welcomed the crowd to Annapolis and urged people to stay engaged. “You are more affected by the decisions made here,” he stated, alluding to the local state laws passed in Miller Building.
Simon Billenness, from the International Campaign for Burma, spoke at the event. Advocates are working with Del Bilal Ali to pass a bill for the Rohingya people in the Maryland General Assembly.
Maryland is the only and very first state, which is working on a "No Business With Genocide” (NBWG) bill with regimes that engage in genocide and/or crimes against humanity.
“The state of Maryland is richer because of your talents,” said John Wobensmith, the Secretary of State. He commended people on their civic engagement.
Del. Bilal Ali said the event was not a social event but about social justice. He references Cpl. Ramzziddin’s ultimate sacrifice and urged the community to put in the work needed. “We have a lot of talkers, not enough workers,” he said. “Every other community comes here and they want something. We don’t need to take a backseat. If we have an important issue, we need to use our political capital because we are an integral part of the community.”
“I am not concerned about reelection; I am not willing to barter my soul,” he said “Enjoin what it is decent,” he reminded the audience- many who are planning a run for office.
Not a dog and pony show but real work, he emphasized.
The crowd was contained to a select few this year compared to the grand banquet of previous years. Representatives of various US Congressmen and Senators along with several other dignitaries and government and elected officials attended the event to show their support.
Chairman Wasim ul Haq, Frederick County Muslim Council, Akbar Ansari and Shahid Rafiq, officers of UMMC were also present.
Nesrin Rahman of the Baltimore County Muslim Council also attended the event. Maryland Muslims have not used their collective electoral power to push for bills that affect the Muslim community since 2007, when Rahman and Faruk Marfani and Umar Mustafa assisted legislatures in framing the Sunset Law, accommodating Muslims funeral rites.
The State Senator from Ronald N. Young, Democrat from District 3, attended the event. Senator Young from Frederick and Washington Counties offered his support. “We have a terrible situation in Washington. They are the last remnants of a small group trying to hold on to power that was never theirs,” he said, seriously distancing himself from the white supremacy rhetoric of the White House.
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, Democrat, Baltimore City and Baltimore County stopped in to give her greetings. “This is my 24th year in legislature; 4th year in Senate,” she said. “ISB is in my district,” she said. “As an immigrant, I understand the issues and problems that are going on,” the elder senator from District 44 consoled the audience.
“We need to see the Muslim community here everyday. Politics plays an important role in your life,” said the ‘only woman senator from PG County’ Joanne Benson. Her message was no one takes a community seriously, which gives the appearance of being divided.
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