Hurriyet, Turkey
Feb 26 2010

Congressman Keith Ellison: ‘Turkey is a country on the forefront’

Friday, February 26, 2010
Ä°LHAN TANIR

I had a chance to have a conversation with Congressman Keith Ellison,
the first Muslim congressman in the history of the United States, this
week at the U.S. House of Representatives. Ellison won the open seat
for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district in 2006 and is also the
first African-American elected to the House from Minnesota.

In addition to being the first and still-only Muslim congressman, Mr.
Ellison is also member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, a key
committee that will take the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H. Res.
252, to vote on March 4.

I was both curious to hear his story so far as a Muslim congressman,
but also wanted to get in touch with him before the voting day and
hear about his position over the issue first hand.

I started the interview by first asking his position on the resolution
because of the urgency of the matter. He said: "I am still developing
my position. I would like to know how this affects Turkey and
Armenia’s relationship. Is it going to help the relationship, improve
it or degrade it? I need to know the answer on that before I decide on
this resolution… Is this resolution going to improve the well-being
of people in Armenia or Turkey or anywhere?"

Congressman Ellison also said America still has not recognized its own
genocide or genocides that it committed, yet tries to give lessons to
the other countries. Ellison said: "And you know, we have not
acknowledged yet the genocide that was committed against the Native
American tribes."

Congressman Ellison basically was telling me that everybody should
clean his or her own house first before telling others what to do.
Ellison was clearly uncomfortable with the situation he is in and it
was pretty obvious to see from his attitude while discussing the
issue. Furthermore, it was also my impression from his statements that
he does not find the U.S. Congress is suitable and qualified taking a
such decision over the events that happened nearly 100 years ago and
in a country that is half-way around the world.

I also asked him how he would describe serving in the U.S. Congress as
a Muslim congressman and if there was any particular difficulty to
that. Ellison said: "Being a Muslim in the Congress has been a very
interesting perspective. I have been very well treated by my
colleagues, other than some occasional bad behavior and some ignorant
things said about Islam."

There was a huge controversy in America when the congressman first got
elected and announced his intention to use the Koran instead of the
Bible at his photo-op at the swearing in ceremony and this drew some
criticism especially from some conservative columnists.

Ellison has a very interesting life story. He was born into a Catholic
family, with a very religious mother who often does social work at a
church. He converted to Islam when he was 19. One of his brothers is a
Christian-Baptist minister, who calls his Muslim congressman brother
from time-to-time to speak at his congregation. And his minister
brother stood shoulder-to–shoulder when Ellison was sworn in with a
two volume Koran, published in London in 1764 that was once owned by
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States.

Ellison told me that the initial difficulties of being a Muslim
congressman had passed for now and he was becoming a regular
Congressman.

He said, "[He was] trying to encourage Muslim-Americans to be more
engaged with the government, encourage them to engage with their
congressmen and open lines and communications [at every level] so,
when the Congress considers various issues related to the Muslim
community, they have better perspectives."

And when I asked how he considers the overall experience, the
congressman looked out of the window and said: "Being a Muslim
congressman has been a good experience so far."

I also asked Ellison how he views U.S. President Barack Obama’s new
opening up policies to the Muslim world and if those initiatives had
been working out so far.

Ellison says, "The effort that President Obama tried to do, when he
went to Ankara and then Cairo, was very ambitious and it was the right
thing to do. The truth is, it is a tough job and I thought it would
have been smoother. But I think that he is committed. There have been
setbacks for the initiative, though I still embrace the vision that
Obama set forward. However, it seems like this process will probably
take longer than President Obama or anyone thought."

When I pressed him whether, after a full year of seeming failure,
there will be success in the end, Ellison said, "I still think that
this vision can still be successful and we are still trying to reach
out."

Ellison also touched on Turkey’s role following a question about where
he sees Turkey fitting into this vision. According to Ellison, "Turkey
is a forefront country in terms of the relationship between the Muslim
world and the Western world. Turkey sits strategically between both.

`It is a bridge country and as a Muslim, I am very proud of the role
that Turkey plays. I would encourage Turkey to uphold those values
that both the Western world and the Muslim world share, the values
that we share are not exclusive one group from another. For instance,
we all care about honesty, we all care about justice, respect and
religious tolerance. And Turkey is a country where there is a lot of
religious tolerance, I think.

`There are different ways to be a Muslim in Turkey, Muslims do not
only have to submit to one rigid way. And Turkey should continue on
this way. So, I’m hoping to continue on this project, [of better
relationships with the Muslim world for the U.S.]. I think that these
reaching out policies are worthy and they are important. There have
been setbacks and there will be setbacks. But if you are committed, we
will reach a point that we will be all brothers and sisters."

Congressman Ellison said at the end of the conversation that he still
has not made his mind over the Armenian Genocide Resolution, however
he made it clear that he understands the importance of Turkey while
elaborating its strategic significance. Also, with openly stating that
America first should acknowledge its own dark pages in its history
rather than lecturing others was also very forthcoming. I also tried
to urge his staff to promote the Congressman’s profile in the Arab and
Muslim world, including Turkey. President Obama, without a doubt, hit
many obstacles for his vision of a better relationship with the Muslim
World and the initial expectations from his outreach policies have
been crashed. In this perspective, Congressman Ellison looks like a
figure who combines elements of tolerance in his family and in his
views that can be beneficial to those who try to find common grounds
between the two worlds. And Obama, whom the Congressman supported from
early on, needs all the help he can get in tough times he is going
through in the foreign relations, especially with the Muslim World.