Esam Omeish
Encyclopedia
Esam S. Omeish is a Libya
n-born American
physician
and chief of the Division of General Surgery
at Inova
Alexandria Hospital since 2006. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Dar Al-Hijrah
mosque and former President of the Muslim American Society
.
As President of the MAS in 2005, Omeish represented the organization at a news conference announcing an anti-terrorism campaign launched by a coalition of US-based Muslim groups.
In August 2007, Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine appointed Omeish to the Virginia Commission on Immigration. After a public controversy, Omeish resigned his seat on the commission. In 2009, he unsuccessfully ran for State Assemblyman in a primary
election in the 35th District of the Virginia House of Delegates
.
in 1982, not knowing any English
. He attended J. E. B. Stuart High School in Falls Church, Virginia
, where he and his brothers started the first Friday prayers
in a high school in the District of Columbia area. He finished secondary school in two and half years, excelled in gifted programs and advanced placement courses, graduating with a near perfect grade point average.
He attended Georgetown University
. Upon graduating with a double major in Government
and Biology
in 1989, he attended the Georgetown University School of Medicine
, the only foreign student to gain admission in a pool of over 6000 candidates for less than 180 positions.
Omeish helped start the first chapter of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Georgetown, and chaired the MSA Council for the Washington, DC, metropolitan area
during his tenure at Georgetown.
A medical first responder to the tragic events of September 11 he was the surgeon on call at Alexandria Hospital which received some of the victims of the attack on the Pentagon. He has, and continues to participate in several local and regional civic, religious and community organizations and has appeared on several media outlets. He has lectured extensively in various topics of Islamic activism, youth, community development and Islamic educational programs and continues to participate in programs nation-wide.
His wife, Badria Kafala, is a scientist with a Ph.D. in molecular genetics
, and they had four children as of 2009: Abrar, Anwar, Yousof, and Ibrahim. His daughter Anwar was part of an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show
on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 2008, standing on the same steps where King stood in the summer of 1963 when he gave his "I Have a Dream
" speech. The show included children from across the U.S., of different ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds.
Mohamed S. Omeish, the brother of Esam, is president of the US branch of International Islamic Relief Organization
.
mosque in Falls Church, Virginia
. He has consistently worked against extremist elements within the Muslim community emphasizing that “we…are uniquely positioned and equipped to provide a comprehensive, multifaceted approach in pro-actively combating terrorism and eliminating its scourge." According to Omeish, there is a need to “protect the mainstream Islamic community” from extremist ideology and violent action.
In 2000, Esam Omeish hired Anwar al-Awlaki
to be the mosque's imam, who at the time espoused moderate Muslim views. Omeish said in 2004 that he was convinced that al-Awlaki: "has no inclination or active involvement in any events or circumstances that have to do with terrorism."
In 2004, at 36 years of age, Omeish was the youngest member of the mosque's Board of Directors, and said there is "no question" that the mosque leadership needs to be more open and inclusive of younger people, including women. "The bottom line is that this is a mosque that is in the heart of Washington," he said. "Our goal is to make the congregation reflect that reality."
Omeish acknowledged that some mosque members raised acceptable questions about the mosque's constitution, and that proposals under consideration in 2004 included direct elections to the mosque's board of directors, director term limits, and phasing out the board seats that the constitution assigns to officials of certain Muslim organizations.
As of December 2009, he was still a member of the mosque's Board of Directors.
Dr Omeish resigned from the Board of Directors of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in early 2010 because of lack of major reform in center's policies.
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
, in an opinion editorial he wrote for the Weekly Standard, responded that,
As President of the MAS in 2005, Omeish represented the organization at a news conference announcing an anti-terrorism campaign launched by a coalition of US-based Muslim groups. He told reporters: "The fact of the matter is we know of no sleeper cells, we don't know of that phenomenon to exist in our community." He attributed this success in part to the teaching of moderate, authentic Islam: "What has protected our community far before 9/11 from extremism and violent ideology is that balanced mainstream advocacy of Islamic principles." He was still President of MAS as of 2007.
In late 2008, Dr Omeish resigned from the presidency because he and his current team were unable to enact major changes in the organization.
On September 27, 2007, the Governor asked for Omeish's resignation as a commission member, and Omeish complied. He resigned three hours after remarks he made were brought to the Governor's attention on a radio call-in show on WRVA radio in Richmond, Virginia
, and only two days after having been sworn in at the commission's first meeting. "That is news to me, what you say, and it's something we will check out," Kaine told the caller.
Omeish had appeared in one video telling a crowd of Washington-metropolitan-area Muslims:
In another video he praised Palestinians for giving up their lives for Allah
. He appeared in another video screaming to a boisterous crowd: "We must prosecute those who are responsible for this war. Impeach Bush today! Let us cleanse our State Department
, our Congress
, our Pentagon
of those who have driven America into this colossal mistake." Omeish also appeared in a video of an August 12, 2006, rally in Washington near the White House
, denouncing Israel
's invasion of Lebanon and the "Israeli war machine
." He also accused Israel of genocide
and massacres against Palestinians, and said the "Israeli agenda" controls Congress.
In accepting Omeish's resignation, Kaine said, "Omeish is a respected physician and community leader, yet I have been made aware of certain statements he has made which concern me." He added that background check
s would be more thorough in the future.
Omeish told a news conference that jihad has nothing to do with violence, but instead is about inner struggles leading to spiritual triumph. Omeish said his remarks were "taken out of context." He said Kaine was reacting to "speech excerpts taken out of context by proponents of a relentless campaign of ... Islamophobia
." He accused his critics of perpetrating a "smear campaign
" against him. Political commentator Cal Thomas
disputed Omeish's assertion that his remarks were "taken out of context," saying that the meaning of the controversial phrase was clear.
The Roanoke Times
, for its part, wrote in an editorial that while Omeish is entitled to his views, "someone who has those views hardly seems to have the temperament to serve on the Virginia Commission on Immigration," and that the commission was "better without Omeish".
After Omeish resigned, the office of House Speaker William J. Howell
(R-Stafford
) released a statement from Delegate. C. Todd Gilbert
(R-Shenandoah
) entitled "Kaine Appointee on Board of Directors of Radical 9-11 Mosque", referring to the Dar Al Hijrah mosque.
primary
election in the 35th District of the Virginia House of Delegates
. Omeish raised $143,734 for his campaign from January 1 to May 27, 2009 ($52,000 of which was his personal money), the fourth-largest amount of fundraising state-wide among all Virginia House of Delegates candidates. His third-highest contributor was the International Institute of Islamic Thought
.
Upon starting his political candidacy, Omeish said, "I love Virginia and I've been involved in community activities since I came here. My candidacy is a continuation of a lifelong passion for public and community service." He also said, "As a physician and health care provider, I think this year health care is going to be one of the major issues we bring to the General Assembly."
Local Virginians described him as a "a very logical person" that is very patriotic and who speaks the people's language. Jim Hyland, the Republican candidate for the seat, said Omeish was a poor choice to represent his region's growing Muslim community. "What criteria were they using to select people?" he said. "I think (his views) come from a small-minded perspective—got to fight Israel and all that sort of rhetoric. Some people have tried move beyond that." John Carroll, who ran against Omeish in the primary, said: "I was surprised (when I watched the video). He's about as nice a guy as you can meet," and "He's really championed health care for the uninsured."
Columnist Marc Fisher
wrote in The Washington Post, in a column entitled "From Fairfax To Richmond, 'The Jihad Way?'":
Omeish came in third in the primary on June 8, 2009, with 1,039 votes (15.7%).
Hillary Clinton invited Omeish to join 100-200 invitees on a conference call that was billed as a forum in which to discuss how to bridge the divide between the United States and the Muslim community. Omeish expressed his support for President Barack Obama
, and said that Muslim-Americans needed to get more involved in politics. A press statement from his campaign office included a message from him expressing his hope that,
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and chief of the Division of General Surgery
General surgery
General surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal organs, e.g., intestines including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland . They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft...
at Inova
Inova Health System
Inova Health System is a non-profit health organization based in Falls Church, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. Inova Health System is a network of hospitals, outpatient services, assisted living and long-term care facilities, and healthcare centers....
Alexandria Hospital since 2006. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Dar Al-Hijrah
Dar al-Hijrah
The Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center is a mosque in Northern Virginia. It is located in Culmore, Lake Barcroft area of unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, directly between the Bailey's Crossroads, and Seven Corners, Virginia, US Post Offices.-Background:...
mosque and former President of the Muslim American Society
Muslim American Society
The Muslim American Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 that describes itself as an Islamic revival and reform movement....
.
As President of the MAS in 2005, Omeish represented the organization at a news conference announcing an anti-terrorism campaign launched by a coalition of US-based Muslim groups.
In August 2007, Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine appointed Omeish to the Virginia Commission on Immigration. After a public controversy, Omeish resigned his seat on the commission. In 2009, he unsuccessfully ran for State Assemblyman in a primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
election in the 35th District of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
.
Education and family
Omeish immigrated to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1982, not knowing any English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. He attended J. E. B. Stuart High School in Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
, where he and his brothers started the first Friday prayers
Jumu'ah
Jumu'ah is a congregational prayer that Muslims hold every Friday, just after noon in lieu of dhuhr...
in a high school in the District of Columbia area. He finished secondary school in two and half years, excelled in gifted programs and advanced placement courses, graduating with a near perfect grade point average.
He attended Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. Upon graduating with a double major in Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
in 1989, he attended the Georgetown University School of Medicine
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Georgetown University School of Medicine, a medical school opened in 1851, is one of Georgetown University's five graduate schools. It is located on Reservoir Road in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, adjacent to the University's main campus...
, the only foreign student to gain admission in a pool of over 6000 candidates for less than 180 positions.
Omeish helped start the first chapter of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Georgetown, and chaired the MSA Council for the Washington, DC, metropolitan area
Washington Metropolitan Area
The Washington Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S...
during his tenure at Georgetown.
A medical first responder to the tragic events of September 11 he was the surgeon on call at Alexandria Hospital which received some of the victims of the attack on the Pentagon. He has, and continues to participate in several local and regional civic, religious and community organizations and has appeared on several media outlets. He has lectured extensively in various topics of Islamic activism, youth, community development and Islamic educational programs and continues to participate in programs nation-wide.
His wife, Badria Kafala, is a scientist with a Ph.D. in molecular genetics
Molecular genetics
Molecular genetics is the field of biology and genetics that studies the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. The field studies how the genes are transferred from generation to generation. Molecular genetics employs the methods of genetics and molecular biology...
, and they had four children as of 2009: Abrar, Anwar, Yousof, and Ibrahim. His daughter Anwar was part of an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 2008, standing on the same steps where King stood in the summer of 1963 when he gave his "I Have a Dream
I Have a Dream
"I Have a Dream" is a 17-minute public speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered on August 28, 1963, in which he called for racial equality and an end to discrimination...
" speech. The show included children from across the U.S., of different ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds.
Mohamed S. Omeish, the brother of Esam, is president of the US branch of International Islamic Relief Organization
International Islamic Relief Organization
The International Islamic Relief Organization, , is a charity based in Saudi Arabia. It is a member of The Conference of NGOs, where it serves on the board...
.
Dar al-Hijrah
Omeish is a former Vice President and current board member of the Dar al-HijrahDar al-Hijrah
The Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center is a mosque in Northern Virginia. It is located in Culmore, Lake Barcroft area of unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, directly between the Bailey's Crossroads, and Seven Corners, Virginia, US Post Offices.-Background:...
mosque in Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
. He has consistently worked against extremist elements within the Muslim community emphasizing that “we…are uniquely positioned and equipped to provide a comprehensive, multifaceted approach in pro-actively combating terrorism and eliminating its scourge." According to Omeish, there is a need to “protect the mainstream Islamic community” from extremist ideology and violent action.
In 2000, Esam Omeish hired Anwar al-Awlaki
Anwar al-Awlaki
Anwar al-Awlaki was an American and Yemeni imam who was an engineer and educator by training. According to U.S. government officials, he was a senior talent recruiter and motivator who was involved with planning operations for the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda...
to be the mosque's imam, who at the time espoused moderate Muslim views. Omeish said in 2004 that he was convinced that al-Awlaki: "has no inclination or active involvement in any events or circumstances that have to do with terrorism."
In 2004, at 36 years of age, Omeish was the youngest member of the mosque's Board of Directors, and said there is "no question" that the mosque leadership needs to be more open and inclusive of younger people, including women. "The bottom line is that this is a mosque that is in the heart of Washington," he said. "Our goal is to make the congregation reflect that reality."
Omeish acknowledged that some mosque members raised acceptable questions about the mosque's constitution, and that proposals under consideration in 2004 included direct elections to the mosque's board of directors, director term limits, and phasing out the board seats that the constitution assigns to officials of certain Muslim organizations.
As of December 2009, he was still a member of the mosque's Board of Directors.
Dr Omeish resigned from the Board of Directors of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in early 2010 because of lack of major reform in center's policies.
Muslim American Society
In 2004, as President of the Muslim American Society, Omeish wrote a letter to the Washington Post in which he took issue with "inaccuracies" in the definition of the Muslim Brotherhood put forward in an article entitled, "In search of friends among the foes, US hopes to work with diverse group" by John Mintz and Douglas Farah (Sep 11, 2004). In describing the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, Omeish wrote that, "The moderate school of thought prevalent in the Muslim Brotherhood represents a significant trend in Islamic activism in the United States and the West, and we in MAS accordingly have been influenced by that moderate Islamic school of thought as it applies to our American identity and relevance for our American reality."Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross is an American counter-terrorism expert and attorney living in Washington D.C. He is the Director of the Center for the Study of Terrorist Radicalization at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank. He frequently consults on counter-terrorism...
, in an opinion editorial he wrote for the Weekly Standard, responded that,
"Omeish ... wrote that the reason MAS draws inspiration from the Muslim Brotherhood is 'in order to espouse the values of human dialogue, tolerance, and moderation.' Yet both MAS's curriculum and also the scholars that MAS requires its members to read openly flout these values."
As President of the MAS in 2005, Omeish represented the organization at a news conference announcing an anti-terrorism campaign launched by a coalition of US-based Muslim groups. He told reporters: "The fact of the matter is we know of no sleeper cells, we don't know of that phenomenon to exist in our community." He attributed this success in part to the teaching of moderate, authentic Islam: "What has protected our community far before 9/11 from extremism and violent ideology is that balanced mainstream advocacy of Islamic principles." He was still President of MAS as of 2007.
In late 2008, Dr Omeish resigned from the presidency because he and his current team were unable to enact major changes in the organization.
Response To Uprising against Gaddafi 2011
In February 2011, Omeish was instrumental in raising $250,000 in his home to send medical aid and doctors to Libya. He also visited the office of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) to push for a no-fly zone over LibyaControversy re statements; Resignation from Virginia commission
In 2007, Omeish earned the prestigious "Outstanding Physician of the Year" award. That same year, Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine appointed Omeish to the Virginia Commission on Immigration, which was examining whether Virginia should do more to restrict illegal immigration.On September 27, 2007, the Governor asked for Omeish's resignation as a commission member, and Omeish complied. He resigned three hours after remarks he made were brought to the Governor's attention on a radio call-in show on WRVA radio in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, and only two days after having been sworn in at the commission's first meeting. "That is news to me, what you say, and it's something we will check out," Kaine told the caller.
Omeish had appeared in one video telling a crowd of Washington-metropolitan-area Muslims:
"you have learned the way, that you have known that the jihadJihadJihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
way is the way to liberate your land."
In another video he praised Palestinians for giving up their lives for Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
. He appeared in another video screaming to a boisterous crowd: "We must prosecute those who are responsible for this war. Impeach Bush today! Let us cleanse our State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, our Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, our Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
of those who have driven America into this colossal mistake." Omeish also appeared in a video of an August 12, 2006, rally in Washington near the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, denouncing Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's invasion of Lebanon and the "Israeli war machine
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
." He also accused Israel of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
and massacres against Palestinians, and said the "Israeli agenda" controls Congress.
In accepting Omeish's resignation, Kaine said, "Omeish is a respected physician and community leader, yet I have been made aware of certain statements he has made which concern me." He added that background check
Background check
A background check or background investigation is the process of looking up and compiling criminal records, commercial records and financial records of an individual....
s would be more thorough in the future.
Omeish told a news conference that jihad has nothing to do with violence, but instead is about inner struggles leading to spiritual triumph. Omeish said his remarks were "taken out of context." He said Kaine was reacting to "speech excerpts taken out of context by proponents of a relentless campaign of ... Islamophobia
Islamophobia
Islamophobia describes prejudice against, hatred or irrational fear of Islam or MuslimsThe term dates back to the late 1980s or early 1990s, but came into common usage after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States....
." He accused his critics of perpetrating a "smear campaign
Smear campaign
A smear campaign, smear tactic or simply smear is a metaphor for activity that can harm an individual or group's reputation by conflation with a stigmatized group...
" against him. Political commentator Cal Thomas
Cal Thomas
John Calvin "Cal" Thomas is an American conservative syndicated columnist, pundit, author and radio commentator.-Life and career:...
disputed Omeish's assertion that his remarks were "taken out of context," saying that the meaning of the controversial phrase was clear.
The Roanoke Times
The Roanoke Times
The Roanoke Times is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Landmark Media Enterprises...
, for its part, wrote in an editorial that while Omeish is entitled to his views, "someone who has those views hardly seems to have the temperament to serve on the Virginia Commission on Immigration," and that the commission was "better without Omeish".
After Omeish resigned, the office of House Speaker William J. Howell
William J. Howell
William J. Howell is an American politician of the Republican Party. He is the current Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates...
(R-Stafford
Stafford County, Virginia
Stafford County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state, and just across the Rappahannock River from the City of Fredericksburg. As of the 2000 census, the population was 92,446, increasing to 128,961 in 2010.. Its county seat is Stafford. In 2006, and again in 2009,...
) released a statement from Delegate. C. Todd Gilbert
Todd Gilbert
C. Todd Gilbert is an American politician of the Republican Party. Since 2006 he has been a member of the Virginia House of Delegates....
(R-Shenandoah
Shenandoah County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,075 people, 14,296 households, and 10,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 16,709 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
) entitled "Kaine Appointee on Board of Directors of Radical 9-11 Mosque", referring to the Dar Al Hijrah mosque.
Candidacy for state assemblyman
In 2009 Omeish ran for State Assemblyman in the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
election in the 35th District of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
. Omeish raised $143,734 for his campaign from January 1 to May 27, 2009 ($52,000 of which was his personal money), the fourth-largest amount of fundraising state-wide among all Virginia House of Delegates candidates. His third-highest contributor was the International Institute of Islamic Thought
International Institute of Islamic Thought
The International Institute of Islamic Thought is a privately held non-profit organization.The Institution is concerned with issues of Islamic thought...
.
Upon starting his political candidacy, Omeish said, "I love Virginia and I've been involved in community activities since I came here. My candidacy is a continuation of a lifelong passion for public and community service." He also said, "As a physician and health care provider, I think this year health care is going to be one of the major issues we bring to the General Assembly."
Local Virginians described him as a "a very logical person" that is very patriotic and who speaks the people's language. Jim Hyland, the Republican candidate for the seat, said Omeish was a poor choice to represent his region's growing Muslim community. "What criteria were they using to select people?" he said. "I think (his views) come from a small-minded perspective—got to fight Israel and all that sort of rhetoric. Some people have tried move beyond that." John Carroll, who ran against Omeish in the primary, said: "I was surprised (when I watched the video). He's about as nice a guy as you can meet," and "He's really championed health care for the uninsured."
Columnist Marc Fisher
Marc Fisher
Marc Fisher was a columnist for the Washington Post between 2000 and 2009. He is now the Enterprise Editor for the Post. He attended the Horace Mann School and Princeton University. He worked at the Miami Herald from 1981 to 1986. Since then, he has worked at the Washington Post as a reporter,...
wrote in The Washington Post, in a column entitled "From Fairfax To Richmond, 'The Jihad Way?'":
A candidate who speaks with great pride and zest to an audience of fellow Muslims about people "giving up their lives..for the sake of the Muslim honor" should also be someone who happily delivers the same message to the Virginia voters he hopes will choose him for public office. But there is not a word in Omeish's campaign literature about this great passion of his life.
Omeish came in third in the primary on June 8, 2009, with 1,039 votes (15.7%).
Clinton call
In June 2009, United States Secretary of StateUnited States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Hillary Clinton invited Omeish to join 100-200 invitees on a conference call that was billed as a forum in which to discuss how to bridge the divide between the United States and the Muslim community. Omeish expressed his support for President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, and said that Muslim-Americans needed to get more involved in politics. A press statement from his campaign office included a message from him expressing his hope that,
[...] my friends on the far right and even some of those in the media, that continue to try and distort my record and my name, and continue to distort public perceptions of the Muslim community, will realize that we have a president and an administration, along with most of the American people, that are ready to move beyond divisive politics.
External links
- Omeish Organizing for America blog on my.barackobama.com
- Omeish Wordpress blog
- Omeish Facebook fanpage
- Esam Omeish for Delegate 2009
- http://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/08/garden/ramadan-a-time-for-fasts-and-feasts.html?pagewanted=2Louie, Elaine, "Ramadan: A Time For Fasts And Feasts", The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, February 8, 1995]