The Arab American News - Arab American could take Hamtramck mayoral race

Longtime Hamtramck resident and Yemeni American chiropractor Abdul Algazali stands poised to become the first Arab American mayor in the city's history.

Mayoral candidate Dr. Abdul Algazali in his office in Hamtramck PHOTOS: Bill Meyer

Algazali came in 179 votes behind incumbent Karen Majewski in the August primary, but is expected to claim most of the votes that then went to three other losing candidates when voters hit the polls again Nov. 3.

The traditionally Polish Catholic enclave nestled within the confines of Detroit is gradually giving way to a burgeoning Muslim population, possibly the highest percentage of any city in America.

"Hamtramck probably is between 50 – 60 percent Muslim, due to the large number of Bengalis, Yemenis and Bosnians who have migrated there in the past decade, and high birth rates," said Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Michigan.

Hamtramck's Yemeni community has been denied a major governing role despite their growing numbers since the 1950s, except for Algazali, who is completing his first term as a city councilman and has served on several boards and commissions.

A 2005 city charter revision redefined what was once a strong mayoral position, replacing it with a wide-ranging city manager role while delegating minimal responsibilities to the mayor.

The mayor’s duties are primarily limited to chairing and setting agendas for board meetings, signing official documents and appointing residents to boards and commissions.

Algazali said he wants the job simply to help make sure all segments of the city's population are represented.

"There's a large segment of the community whose voice is not being heard, and I want to indicate to those people that this is America, and everyone's voice should count," he said.

Algazali after placing second in the August primary and making it onto the November ballot.

The August primary indicated a changing tide in the city, when the top three of six city council candidates who advanced to the general election were Bangladeshi Americans.

A young and energetic Bangladeshi, Kazi Miah, pulled the highest number of votes for any candidate in a primary that also drew the highest percentage of registered voters in years.

There is currently one Bangladeshi American serving on the council.

"If Hamtramck were to vote in a Muslim for mayor plus three more Muslim city council members, this would be an unprecedented number of Muslims governing a city in American history," said Walid.

But to some in Hamtramck, the changes are not welcome.

Charles Sercombe, a supporter of Majewski and editor of the Hamtramck Review newspaper, wrote in an editorial that the primary results pointed to "a disturbing future," describing the winners as "three unknown candidates." He wrote that "the Bangladeshi community voted solely on ethnic and religious lines without care to the candidates' qualifications."

Hamtramck City Council candidate Kazi Miah after the August primary.

The same newspaper printed a photo of Miah with a caption stating that the increased Bangladeshi presence in politics "has some folks concerned about the direction of the city."

Sercombe expressed disdain for Algazali's run in another editorial, proclaiming, "it's an insult to common sense that voters would even consider… Abdul Algazali."

Others encourage acceptance of growing multi-ethnic political empowerment.

Hamtramck School Board President Titus Walters, while he supports Majewski for mayor, feels government should reflect the people, and supports the campaign of Kazi Miah.

He sees no problem with a potential majority Muslim government body, "as long as they're qualified."

"I support Kazi Miah because he embodies what a politician should be," Walters said, "he cares about everyone, Christians, Muslims, Blacks, whites, and that's why I support him. Religion doesn't apply. It doesn't matter. We're all God's children."

For those concerned about Arabs or Muslims holding public office, Algazali paraphrases President John Kennedy:

"I believe in America where the separation between church and state is absolute… Where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference, and no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him."

In a small town plagued by years of political divisiveness, it might just be the mild-mannered, unassuming Dr. Abdul Algazali who will be able to bring all the groups together to solve the urgent problems the city will certainly be facing.

Bill Meyer is an executive committee member of the Hamtramck NAACP, a coordinating committee member of Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit and has chaired the Hamtramck Human Relations Commission.