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• Inspirational Speaker Mike Ghouse
• Muslim Speaker Mike Ghouse - www.IslamSpeaker.com
• Interfaith Speaker Mike Ghouse - www.InterfaithSpeaker.com
• Pluralism Speaker Mike Ghouse - www.PluralismSpeaker.com
• My Daily writings at www.TheGhouseDiary.com
  

Carrollton Voters, please register to vote today.

Today is the last day to register your name for voting in the upcoming city elections. There are many individuals who are willing to meet with you to register.  Your vote determines who you elect to run your city, please do not miss this opportunity.  If you have committed to a candidate, please call them to find the place for you. Candidate information is at http://carrolltondiary.blogspot.com/2011/04/candidate-information.html

If I get the names and numbers, I will post it at: http://Carrolltondiary.blogspot.com  

Tomorrow at 2:00 PM, I will post a 250 word statement from the candidates who have submitted their statement by Noon and mail you a copy and it will be posted on my facebook as well with my name.

City Elections

http://www.cityofcarrollton.com/index.aspx?page=215

The City of Carrollton will hold a General Election on May 14, 2011. 

The Mayor, Place 2, 4 & 6 will be on the ballot. 

Voter's Registration Information:

Voter Registration Applications are available online below. The LAST DAY for submitting a Voter Registration Application is April 14, 2011.

For voter's registration information, click on the appropriate county link below:

Dallas County
www.dalcoelections.org
Denton County
www.elections.dentoncounty.com

Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. Full information is encapsulated at www.MikeGhouse.net

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Candidate Information

http://www.cityofcarrollton.com/index.aspx?page=1509

This page contains information on public filings for elected office. The filings include applications for each candidate. Names are listed in order of filing.

March 14, 2011 is the last day to file an application to have name placed on the ballot for the May 14, 2011 Municipal Election.

Click here for a Contact List for Mayor & Council Candidates.

Mayor:                                                                    
Matthew Marchant                                           
Ron Branson           

Place 2: 

Anthony Wilder 
Bonnie Kaplan
Pravin Desai 

Place 4:                                                                

Terry Wright                                                   
Bob Garza
Cathy Henesey
Tino Patel

Place 6: 
Terry Simons

Last updated: 4/4/2011 8:15:40 AM
Information from the City Website

Mike Ghouse

Voter's Registration Information:

You must register to vote before April 14, to vote in the upcoming elections. At H Mart on Old Denton by George Bush, there will be several individuals ready to register you as a voter, make sure you take your drivers license copy. More information is below.  

http://www.cityofcarrollton.com/index.aspx?page=215

The City of Carrollton will hold a General Election on May 14, 2011. 
The Mayor, Place  2, 4 & 6 will be on the ballot. 

Candidate requirements can be found here.

Questions regarding candidate information or requirements should be directed to 972-466-3582 or via email by clicking the link here: City Secretary Office.

Voter's Registration Information:
Voter Registration Applications are available online below. The LAST DAY for submitting a Voter Registration Application is April 14, 2011.

For voter's registration information, click on the appropriate county link below:

Dallas County
www.dalcoelections.org

Denton County
www.elections.dentoncounty.com

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Thank you
Mike Ghouse

Prayers at Carrollton City Council

Invocation prayers at Carrollton City Council

7:00 PM, Tuesday, April 05, 2011

A Carrollton tradition

By Mike Ghouse, Pluralist

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ON YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Git_8Grd3A

Dear Friends,

The following is an inclusive prayer called the prayer of Pluralism, indeed, Carrollton is only City in the United States where inclusiveness is appreciated and this is the 9^th time in the last four years. We are committed to building a cohesive Carrollton.

Let’s reflect, wish and pray:

Creator of the universe

Please accept our gratitude in every name we call upon you; Manito,  Yahweh, Elahi, Ishwar, Allah, Mahavira, Buddha, Wahe Guru, Ahura Mazda, mother earth and Jesus Christ.  

In your name we want to create a cohesive Carrollton, with care kindness and dignity to every one of the 122,000 residents of this beautiful City.  

Dear God,

Guide our Mayor and the council to serve us with integrity and honesty;
Guide us to serve our communities with the spirit of volunteerism;
Guide us to do the right thing every moment of our life;
Guide us to open our hearts and minds toward our fellow beings;
Guide us to shed the arrogance in us, and enrich us with humility
Guide us to become conflict mitigaters and goodwill nurturers.

Dear God,
Protect our men and women in uniforms committed to our safety and well being.

Help us learn to respect the uniqueness you have blessed to each one of the 122,000 of us in Carrollton,

And help us learn to respect everywhich way one worships you.

In your name, we bow to you.

Amen.

Pictures:

Video:

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 Mike Ghouse, President of America Together foundation is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day, and is available to speak at your place of worship, work or in seminars and conferences. He is a speaker thinker and a writer on the topics of pluralism, cohesive societies, Islam, interfaith, India and Peace.

The Foundation for Pluralism champions the idea of co-existence by respecting and accepting the otherness of other; and World Muslim Congress is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam. His work is reflected in 4 website's and 27 Blogs at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Municipal elections in City of Carrollton

http://carrolltondiary.blogspot.com/2011/04/municipal-elections-in-city-of.html

I am committed to the well being of our City and will continue to support the efforts in building an exemplary city of peace where no one is apprehensive of the other.

Election season has just begun in North Texas Municipalities and most of the city council elections are scheduled for May and I urge you to participate in the affairs of your City. It is important to seriously take the civic responsibility of choosing your next council person. The future of your city is dependent on the candidates you chose.

I am pleased to be involved with my City, the City of Carrollton in Texas. I delivered the invocation at the City Hall on Tuesday and attended the Candidates forum tonight and hope to participate in the coming forums.
 
The event was hosted by the Metropolitan community Church of Carrollton, a LGBT church and most of the candidates responded fairly well. There was one candidate who was called by his opponent to respond to the anti-GLBT stance his Church had taken in “apparently” calling on the Mayor not to meet with the special interest groups insinuating the GLBT members. Of course, the candidate is not responsible for the actions of others, but members of his Church had “apparently” attempted in vain. However, due to a lack of the follow up format, the candidate did not have the opportunity to disassociate himself with such a stance. There is next time!

The moderator of the event, pastor of the Church deserves appreciation for gracefully moving on to the next topic, when none of the candidates expressed support to pass ordinances in extending the medical benefits to domestic partnerships.

Former Mayor Becky Miller asked my reasons for not endorsing Pravin Desai. I shared my story with her about Bonnie Kaplan whom I am supporting.  Bonnie worked the Carrollton Quilt two years ago doing a real outreach and received participation from diverse Carrolltonians.  I had suggested her that she should run for the council.  Prior to the registration deadline, she asked for support and I gave the commitment, which I had shared with Pravin Desai as well when I met with him.  I wanted transparency and clarity, I am an inclusive person but when a commitment is made, one should stick with it and it should not alter the relationships formed.

Mayor Ron Branson was gracious about my support for Matthew Marchant; it was the same story, commitment made earlier on.

So, I am asking the candidate to make their call today to make it easy on the voters like me.  We all are friendly people in Carrollton and we care about each other.

The old saying, "early bird gets the worm" holds good in this election and it is as simple as that. No candidate can really turn the city upside down but certainly can take the initiatives to bring positive things.  All of you are great candidates. 

A few of the long time residents of Carrollton are apprehensive about the new demographics and the changing ethnicities with Transport oriented developments and they legitimately harbor phobias about the future make up of "their" city.  On the other hand people from different ethnicities, faith traditions and GLBT orientation are apprehensive about the old attitudes of some in "their" newly chosen City. As responsible members of the society, we have to mitigate the apprehensions and nurture goodwill. It is our City, your City, my City and every one's City.

I ask all of you to write an essay in about 250 words about your efforts in building a cohesive Carrollton, where no citizen is excluded” and write about your outreach efforts on your job, your past or whatever you have done.  

When I receive your op-ed, I will share it here at the http://carrolltondiary.blogspot.com/  and will mail out to my huge mailing list of Carrolltonians.

You are welcome to write you comments in the blog for publication, personal attacks will be deleted.

Mayoral candidates:
Branson, Ron - http://www.runwithron.net/ 
Marchant, Matthew  - http://www.matthewmarchant.com/ 

Place 2:
Desai, Pravin - http://www.electpravindesai.com/
Kaplan, Bonnie - http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Kaplan-for-Carrollton/158601764196487
Wilder Anthony - http://www.wilderforcarrollton.com/

Place 4:
Henesey, Cathy - http://www.cathyforcarrollton.com/
Garza, Bob - www.
Patel, Tino - www.
Wright, Terry - www.

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Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to media and the public on issues of the day and is available to speak at your place of worship, work, seminars and conferences. He is a speaker thinker and a writer on the topics of pluralism, cohesive societies, Islam, interfaith, India and peace.

The Foundation for Pluralism champions the idea of co-existence by respecting and accepting the otherness of other and World Muslim Congress is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam. His work is reflected in 4 website's and 27 Blogs at http://www.mikeghouse.net/