9/11 From the Perspective of a Muslim

I believe my insights on what 9/11 means from a Muslim perspective, and why I believe Dan Cox will fight for the Muslim community & Maryland can be trusted.

In light of recent news articles regarding Mayor Mamdani of New York and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the 9/11 memorial in New York, while we may never know the exact context of every interaction, as Muslims we are taught to respect the dead regardless of whether they are Muslim or not. Our faith teaches us to treat all who have passed with dignity, honor, and respect, regardless of any flaws they may have had.

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Sadly, 9/11 has led to increased Islamophobia in America. Most recently, a Black Detroit Republican pastor stated that Muslims shouldn't practice their faith here in America.

As you know, there is a significant population of African-American Muslims in Baltimore and throughout Maryland, many of whom already hold reservations regarding the Republican Party. Unhelpful rhetoric only worsens these divisions, especially given the ongoing challenges our community faces regarding post-9/11 misconceptions and actions that misrepresent the principles of our faith.

Despite these challenges, Dan Cox, the Republican Gubernatorial Candidate for Maryland, is committed to working hard to build a strong, meaningful bridge between the Republican Party and the Muslim community. He'll work with the Maryland Muslim Legislative Caucus to ensure that the Muslim community is represented with diversity in political policies.

This is particularly important given recent news regarding a Baltimore County School Board member making biased statements about Sharia law and the potential impact of these statements on our community and students. Under the First Amendment, it is critical to remember that Muslims have the constitutional right to practice our faith freely, just like Christians, Jews, and followers of all other religious traditions. As Muslims, we stand for good and forbid evil.

Dan Cox will do just that. He stands for similar values and fights against the oppression of all people, including the Muslim community.

First, he is standing up for our U.S. and Maryland constitutional rights by working to eliminate Flock cameras. He believes in the right to privacy, which is vital given that Muslims have faced increased surveillance and scrutiny since 9/11.

Additionally, he is committed to:

- Standing against the oppression of high taxes by proposing to lower corporate and income taxes to 4.9% and reducing overall business fees to incentivize businesses to return to areas heavily impacted by crime (like parts of Baltimore).

- Reducing recidivism, particularly within the African American community, by creating jobs and vocational opportunities to provide an alternative path for individuals vulnerable to entering or returning to the justice system.

- Addressing the inadequate education of our children through an approach that focuses heavily on school choice, parental rights, and systemic audits rather than traditional public school funding increases.

- Fighting against high energy prices for all Marylanders by filing multiple Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) requests targeting communications between the Wes Moore administration, major electric utilities (like BGE and Pepco), and the regional grid operator PJM Interconnection regarding soaring bills, as well as proposing to bring closed or retiring power plants back online and expanding natural gas capacity.

He will ensure the government works for the needs of the people rather than against them, giving all Marylanders a fair shot at success.

Mekka Muhammad is a community advocate, is a member of the Baltimore City Republican Central Committee & has run for Baltimore City Council.

mohammadmakkah326@gmail.com