John McCain: I am an Arab and a Decent Man

Today my office issued the following statement, which includes my comments:

Dr. James Zogby says, "Enough is enough!"

Washington D.C. - October 11, 2008 -We are disturbed by the degree to which 'Arab' has become the metaphorical mud to sling against your opponent. Last week, for example, the Republican Jewish Coalition released a document in which they use the term Pro-Arab as a pejorative accusation. For his part, Rush Limbaugh has joined in by declaring that Obama is in fact an Arab American. Then, last Friday, after a supporter called Senator Barak Obama "an Arab", Senator John McCain came to the defense of of his political opponent by saying, "No, ma'am. He's a decent family man and citizen..." From this we are left to infer that an Arab man is less then a "decent family man."

Dr. James Zogby, President of the Arab American Institute, says, "Enough is enough! From the beginning of this campaign there have been those who have used 'Muslim' and 'Arab' in an effort to smear Barack Obama. This exploitation of bigotry and the stoking of racist fires to forward an agenda is reprehensible. This is not only offensive to Arab Americans, but to all Americans. As any ethnic group who has ever been used to scare the electorate knows, this is a dangerous game that, tragically, can get innocent people hurt.

"And while we are pleased to see that the senator is trying to dispel rumors about Senator Obama, we feel the need to point out that Arab Americans are also decent men and women with full rights of citizenship as enumerated under the Constitution. Arab Americans are part of the great melting pot that is this country's strength. We work towards peace in the Middle East along side our Jewish partners. We raise our sons and daughters to be model citizens of this nation. We serve this country with honor. The suggestion that any ethnic group is treacherous and Anti-American is unacceptable, dangerous, and unbecoming of such a great nation."

Comments

[josephebacon]

Mr. Zogby:

Those who play any race card should be ashamed of themselves. For years the Republic Party has stoked the fires of hate and now the fire they tended since the time of Nixon is going to burn them up.

[luutzu]

I'm no McCain fan and when i first read his reply it sounded like he was unconsciously showing his bigotry, but I don't think he did in this instance - he simply, I feel, couldn't say that, no ma'am, he's an American citizen and a good familyman, not a terrorist as you imply.

Having said that, the McCain campaign certainly uses Arabs and Muslims interchangably with terrorists, and in many instances, imply that Barrack "Hussein" Obama is an Arab, he pals around with terrorists, he is therefore a terrorists just like the Arabs.

I guess it is now clear that it'll be another hundred years or two before any Arab Americans could even think about running for Governor of any state in the United States. Sad but heck, unless there are peace in the Middle East, it'll be a long few generations before a Christain Arabs could be a serious contender.

[almazza98]

That isn't true, Arab-Americans have held public offices, both Democrat and Republican offices and from all over the US, such as:
George Mitchell, former Senator from Maine, also known for the Mitchell Report (Steroids) and Peace in Ireland;
John H. Sununu, former Governor of New Hampshire;
John E. Sununu, Senator of New Hampshire;
Nich Rahall, US Representative from . YES, West Virginia;
Mary Rose Oakar, former US Representative from Ohio;
Ray Lahood, US Representative from Illinois;
Abraham Kazen, former US Representative from Texas;
Chris John, former US Representative from Tennessee;
Darrel Issa, US Representative from California;
Pat Danner, Former US Representative from Missouri;
Mitchell Daniels, Current Governor of Indiana;
John Baldacci, Current Governor of Maine;
Victor G. Atiyeh, Former Governor of Oregon;
Spencer Abraham, Former Senator from Michigan, Former US Secretary of Energy;
James Abdnor, Former Senator from South Dakota;
James Abouresk; Former US Representative from South Dakota;
and don't forget RALPH NADER.

[TariTam]

Why has it taken so long for him to speak up? On this front, I have not been very pleased with how Obama has tried to deflect the so-called smears. Obama is not Muslim, and he is not an Arab. But so what? Why is being a Muslim or an Arab grounds for impeaching his credibility and dignity? Some of our allies our Muslim and Arab. We buy oil from Muslims and Arabs. Again, I don't know why it has taken so long for a Muslim in this country to hold people accountable for these outrageous slanders.

[Jjc2006]

Bravo sir

I am may not be Arab American but every time I hear any of them acting like it is a crime to be Arab American, to be of any ethnic group it angers me. And when I hear anyone on either side acting like using Barack's middle name is somehow an insult I get frustrated. We have backwards.

There was a time when Jews, Italian, Poles, etc all changed their names, ie Americanized their ethnic surname so as to hide their heritage in order to avoid harrassment or to get jobs. That was the norm 50 years ago. Have we gone backwards??? Sad.

[LouisvilleLiberal]

Hear, hear !! Finally, someone says what I've been thinking for years. Since when is America a country that condemns an entire nationality because of the actions of a few? By that standard, Timothy McVeigh turned all white men into terrorists.

I shudder when I hear the words Muslim and Arab being used interchangably with "terrorist". Even American citizens with middle eastern heritage are victimized and intimidated by this overt bigotry generations after their ancestors immigrated to the US.

Not all people of any race, nationality, religion or sex are any one thing - good or bad. Such stereotypes are bigotry and I contend that each and every American is a member of a group that was victimized in this very way at some point in our history...­wether they be of African, Asian, Italian, Irish, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Amish, Hispanic, Female or Native American.

In just a few decades, white people will be a minority group in the U.S., and will reap what they've sowed.

[AxelDC]

I work for a Turkish woman, who is presumably Muslim. She is the nicest, fairest employer that I've ever had. She respects everyone else's religion and beliefs and rarely talks about her own.

She also happens to be a genius and a pioneer in her field.

Obama is not a Muslim, but if he were, it would not matter to me. I am as opposed to Radical Islam as the next person, and so are the vast majority of Muslims. They want the same thing out of life as the rest of us, and it's not like Christians, Jews and Atheists don't have their share of villains!

[MagisterLudi]

"I am as opposed to Radical Islam as the next person, and so are the vast majority of Muslims"

Pew Global Attitude Survey, 2005.
Percentage of population that places a lot of confidence in Osama Bin Laden; Jordan: 60%; Pakistan: 51%; Morocco 26%; Lebanon:2%; Indonesia 35%. According to Pew these numbers actually declined!
Some here obviously thing these facts don't exist. And no one has to deal with it. Sweep it under the carpet. That's great.

[SherryIndianapolis]

Obama/Biden '08/'12

[beaupritchard]

"Arab bad ... Israeli good" ... that's been the the drum beat since nine eleven ... some would say since 1947 others would say since the balfour accord.

[JustADumbFireman]

You're definitely right about that!

[MagisterLudi]

Arabs largely backed Turkey in WW1; overwhelmingly backed Germany in WW2; Many Arab nations became Soviet client states(Syria, Egypt, Iraq etc)... Is it that surprising?

[Benthead]

Exactly!
It is very distressing to see so many Republicans participate in fostering this dangerous racial animosity. Far too often the label of "Muslim" has been applied to Obama as a code word for "black," while anti-black feelings are being used to whip up hatred against any and all people of Arab descent.

Thank you, Dr. Zogby.

[lovable]

mr zogby i see you often on morning joe. now go on the program tommorrow and say what you just said on the blog. i want to see his and especially MIKA reaction to there war hero ( can someone tell me how is mccain a hero. who did he save. thats the meaning of hero} and palin( according to mika won her debate)

[Jimbo62]

Yes, McCain's defense of Obama showed how bigoted and out of touch he and the republican party truly are. The racists and bigots are coming out of the woodwork, stoked by the simple-minded Palin who is one of them. Let's just hope that there is a majority of the electorate who isn't holding these same views. God help us.

[booksnmore4you]

Republicans are willing to damage an entire people group and smear millions of Americans who are left-leaning in an effort to win. They are utterly devoid of morality when the prospect of obtaining power is involved.

May this party go the way of the dinosaur.

[Michael Seitzman - Huffpost Blogger]

Here here!

It's starting to sound awfully familiar and familiarly awful out there, isn't it? It's time we heard the voices of strong, staunch and vehement opposition to this kind of racism.

This statement by James Zogby should be getting a lot more press than it's getting.

[JailNeoconVicts]

Agreed. However-- any educated Arab could tell you, it's "Hear Hear." As in, "Listen!" not "uh--I'm here?"

[MagisterLudi]

LOL

[DrZee]

The epithets have spiked. Caustic remarks started with "Muslim" and have hit a fever pitch at "terrorist­."

Is this my country? Land of the free? Home of the brave? Give me your tired and poor? Separation of church and state? Freedom of speech and religion? The United States of America?

Since when does anybody have to defend his or her religion, ethnicity or race?

First it was "He's a Muslim."
I asked, "is that illegal? What's wrong with being a Muslim? Does being a Muslim disqualify anyone from running for office?"

They sputtered to proclaim him a Christian. I was sorry they couldn'tt find a better way to refute the issue. I wanted to hear that our Constitution is based on freedom of religion. I understood running to the "Christian" banner as a way to quell the vast American voter pool. This defense saddened me.

Then the Rev. Wright stuff began.
I thought, "Well, they can't have it both ways. Can't call him a traitor for his Christian pastor's remarks then call him a Muslim terrorist.­"

Silly me. I continually fail to underestimate the bigotry and prejudice of this nation -- even those, like Senator McCain who profess to love the USA. To love the USA is to love and embrace all the citizens who Live and die, work and volunteer, and pray, or don't.

McCain had no clue that his answer was pure bigotry. And that's the problem.

[patianneb]

I doubt that McC intended what he seemed to say (and I'm no McC fan).
The problem is, and he's shown it again and again, that he is COMPLETELY self-absorbed, even to the manner in which he speaks to and treats his wife, and NOTHING or NO-ONE else is important enough for him to consider.