Question to Obama and Clinton: Would Anything Be Unacceptable in Having a Muslim President
I more than anyone else I've read have spoken out strongly against the Obama campaign's promulgation of "identity and mystique politics" -- that he by his unique upbringing and exposure to different cultures and the like would bring a radically different decision-making calculus to modern American statecraft.
I'm a wonk -- and I appreciate solid policy analysis and ideas. I think rather than resorting to mysticism that there is much in Obama's profile that shows an ability to requisition smart thinking and organize the building blocks of policy differently than has been done in the past. He showed this on Cuba to some degree. I wish he'd be more expansive. And there is some that I would like to criticize him for -- as I have on his health care plan.
But the smear campaign currently underway designed to spread the fear that Barack Obama will somehow be a portal for all things alien, al Qaeda-connected, Muslim related, anti-American, anti-Israel, anti-Jewish is wrong. I fear that we are seeing only the tip of the iceberg of what those who want to push "high-fear buttons" will try and do to slime Barack Obama.
If the Clinton campaign is behind this, it should stop -- and apologize. This kind of innuendo defiles what is good and great about America. . .or what is left of the good part. (Clinton camp denies involvement.)
But I think that the McCain camp as well as many of those not part of any of the campaigns but motivated by a neo-strand of American nativist bigotry will try and swift boat Obama's unique lineage, about which he should be proud.
It's a gross part of American politics, and I have a feeling that this bigotry will backfire on those purveying it.
But here's a question for the Ohio debates that should be posed to both candidates:
DO YOU HILLARY CLINTON -- AND BARACK OBAMA -- HAVE ANY PROBLEM AT ALL WITH A MUSLIM SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?
That's what it boils down to -- so let's put it out there. I want a Muslim to be President of the U.S. to demystify the issue. I'd like to see a Jew as President -- and a Buddhist. Perhaps one day we can get some agnostics and atheists in office too.
When Barack Obama was asked about his religion in the past in debates -- he quickly got defensive and talked about his Christian views, faith, and upbringing. I think Barack Obama should be able to celebrate his Christian faith -- but I would have loved to have seen him embrace the ability of any American citizen of any faith aspire to the presidency.
And I think Hillary Clinton and John McCain should embrace the same. And if not -- if they can't see Muslims on the Supreme Court, in the Senate and the House, as Governors, as scholars, as firemen and county clerks, as whatever they can be in our free society -- then they are promulgating a racism that is Un-American.
Zalmay Khalilzad is a Muslim and is Ambassador of the United States to the United Nations -- and he's doing a darn good job in my view -- given the circumstances.
It's time that our candidates stop trying to surreptitiously slime each other -- and frankly -- they should all be compelled in public to either embrace all religions -- including those of Muslim belief and background -- or to spit on it so that all can see.
-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note
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I am looking forward to the day when the USA fulfills its promise, by one day electing a muslim woman President in a Burkha, with the American people never having had a glimpse of her face even once. Inshallah.
If you don't understand what's up, it's a little spooky. Comma, islam itself has been distorted. The pattern of agitation that's gotten people hurt and killed is bad karma.
But, it's also sort of like relay radio.
Any religious group has a center main institution. If the people there are agitated, by the time it gets to the mini-churches or whatever, it sounds like full-blown war. Go find a war movie, put it on, then try to have a pleasant dinner conversation. Turn the volume up LOUD. Gonna be a bummer listening to the movie-bombs land while you're trying to get through your spaghetti, there. Instead of calling it 'organized religion', they should be calling it DISorganized religion. Chaos. Cacophony. Confusing. Maddening, even. Mad, MAD I tell you! Not a good state of mind to be in, if you're already in a bad situation. And have a gun, etc. They should broadcast, 'mellowwww'...
It was a wonderful day when the people elected JFK a catholic to be president. The closed minds had major fears that the pope would be running the show. Didn't see a pope hat in the oval the whole time JFK was there did we? That the amazing breakthrough we have had is that a black man is actually running for president in a country long ago built on the backs of slaves is something we should hold up as pride in this country for it's growth to get there. A woman also running at the very same time is almost an oddity seeing that other women have run government around the world and have been seen as great leaders and yet here we have had such a stronghold on white men only. We can see the racial bias still stronger than we want to admit in Congress. How many black people are in Congress? We have had black men on the Supreme court and we have had women on the Supreme Court so it is a strange world of politics we United States have. It has taken long enough for the black person and the woman to rise up from the bowels of this great country and yet lacking is what we are looking at. It's the why can't we have take on it when we should be proud that we can actually look at the campaign and see what gwoth we have already made and be grateful and go on to the next elections when yet more diverse people will come into play and maybe elected.
ljsfolly. I have a very different take on that Catholic thing.
People way back then were worried about the Catholic church pushing its doctrines into the portals of power here.
Now, just a few generations later, they dominate the Supreme Court and the media. Yeah, I said the media.
Morever, in any country where the Catholic church expands, it aligns itself with the elite, NOT with the needy or downtrodden. The clery talk the talk about the downtrodden, but the church doesn't walk the walk. You could feel a country filled with poor people with just one small fraction of the Church's real estate holdings. And that's just the real estate.
It is a very posh, elitest private club for gay men who don't have to work, live in mansions, have cooks and servants, travel, enjoy all of life's amenities, and enjoy a "lordly" relationship with their sheeple.
Turns out those people, way back then, who worried about Catholic influence and corruption, were spot on.
And oh yeah, the Catholic church always aligns itself with the reichwing and support its causes, including war.
whoops - some typos:
I meant to say, "the clerGy talk the talk..."
I meant to say, "you can feeD a country filled with poor people with just one small fraction of the Church's real estate...."
The U.S has a long way to go before having a Muslim President. For crying out loud, there is no separation of church and state. Obama is not even Muslim but takes so much crap for his name under un/veiled attacks that perhaps he is an alien or worse yet connected to them "death to amerika" people. When politicians appeal to the xenophobia of people it tells me two things - one that they think appealing to such bigotry will work because there is a critical mass of people who will vote based on xenophobia, or two, the politician herself is a thinly veiled bigot. Either way she thinks this is acceptable behavior. And that should be problematic in a country where there is supposed freedom of religion.
Of course you're right, but the US isn't ready for a non-Christian President. Especially in THIS climate.
I can't see a gay man being elected President either for that matter.
Ahem.
Or a woman.
They will try to swift boat him on his heritage, However he isn't ashamed of it. The american people already picks up on this. If your not ashamed of who you are how can you be attacked by who you are.
We are already seeing this in the right wing's attempt to try and paint him as unpatriotic. This will result in failure as it has in the past. The right wing will puzzle to why this doesn't work, try again thinking if you repeat it then it will stick, fortunately the american people have moved on from this stupid circular logic. As we are seeing by the ultimate failures in the Clinton attacks.
XYZ - you can't be serious!
Black people were made SLAVES for hundreds of years. You think that happened because they were ashamed of who they were?
Innocent people are being KILLED, MAIMED, MASSACRED all over the world. You think it's because they'e ashamed??
Your statement invites that whole blame-the-victim thing. Geez.
Cspan ran Obama's speech today.
Behind him was a woman holding a sign supporting him.
She was wearing a white hijab.
If he's the D candidate, you can absolutely BET that the reichwing will use that clip over and over again.
And you will see Americans falling all over themselves to get away from that.
So to all you politically correct, "tolerant" deluded progressives, say hello to your next president, the REPUGNICAN candidate. Your latest gift to your country.
I've actually seen hijabs in the background of Clinton's speeches too.
Assuming Obama is the nominee, who do YOU plan on voting for? Just curious.
I will vote against whoever the reichwing supports.
And, my point was that a hijab behind Clinton will not stir up the same associations and fear as it will when it's behind Obama. BECAUSE the reichwing cannot do with that image to Clinton what it can easily do to Obama. It should be obvious to you. You don't really need that disected and explained further, do you?
Where's Mohammed Ali when you need him? I wish he would stand up and tell everyone that he is a Muslim. How about all the rest of our sports figures that converted to Islam? Where are they?
This Islamofascist nonsense was created by neocons Norman Podhoretz, Daniel Pipes, Richard Perle, etc. When it backfires, it's going to backfire on everything those gentlemen hold dear.
More important than religion is the candidates grasp of the constitution, Obama is a constitutional law professor for 11 years. Thats the only religion we need in a president.
'More important" is what the reichwing will do with every fact AND LIE they can throw at Obama. No his constitutional scholar background. They will take any clip, regardless of its truth, and weave it with a lie, regardless of their incongruence and they will make America believe the lie. It's what they do.
Harry and Louise.
Swiftboat.
fake Clinton "scandals"
The reichwing is good at that b.s. People believe them.
Your side better be armed and as you say, fired up and read to go.
Thank you, December7. Great point.
As long as it is a Muslim man it would be acceptable.
I actually think a muslim woman would have a greater chance of being elected.
I mean, we're talking about the difference between a .0001 percent chance an .0002, but since you mentioned it....
Would muslim men vote for a muslim WOMAN running for president?
I'd like to see the media answer that question, instead of innocently posing it like its an important issue.
Afterall, they made an issue over whether or not Obama was "black enough," over allegations he went to a "madrassa," his patriotism for how he sang the national anthem... whoever's pushing this, and whoever's supporting/enabling this being pushed, are the ones who need to get their heads checked.
If this stuff is so tasteless, so tactless, then why are they stuffing it down our throats as though it were a legitimate piece of discussion? If Obama had nothing to do with this, then he has full right to be offended that this would be used as a cheap shot against him. If Clinton had nothing to do with this, she has every right to defend herself as well of such a hate-fueled statement to be said in her name. Would you expect anything else?
I would definitely like to see this asked of all candidates in the race.
Would anything be unacceptable in having a Muslim as President? Nope. I think the sooner we get one in The White House the better off our country will be.
Muslims are known for their tolerance and fairness. The inherent peacefulness of their culture and their religion should be an inspiration to us all. It's clear to everyone that follows the news that the Muslim justice system is second to none and could not be any fairer. Muslims have no problem seperating religion from politics or their personal identity so having one as President should be a non issue.
As the majority of scientific breakthroughs seem to come from the Muslim world having a Muslim President might draw investment from the great Islamic scientific community.
Women's rights would no doubt reach new highs when there is a Koran on the President's nightstand.
Gays would have all of the rights of others citizens and their persecution would end.
Human Rights and Civil Rights in America would become a shining example to the world once America accepted a leader that believes in Sharia law.
I could go on and on but there is a 350 word limit. A Muslim President would take America to a better simpler time.
I too was dismayed when Obama was questioned about the Muslim stories in the debates and that he did not show some leadership by standing up for all the Muslims in the world. His focus was defending his Christian beliefs which was fine but incomplete. The very fact that the question was asked and that Obama did not reinforce the idea of freedom of religion left the impression that there was something bad in being a Muslim and swearing on the Qur'an when taking the oath of office. (I am an agnostic; raised Catholic.)
Obama does not need to "stand up for all the Muslims." He will do just fine standing up for the American people... and, whether people wish to subscribe to this or not, most of us are Christians. So get over it!!!
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actually i find it offensive that anyone who has a religion becomes president. separation of church and state should apply at all branches and levels of government, especially when its as personal as president. there should be no one who has a legitimate religious obligation (such as huckabee, the religious wrong, etc) outside of his obligation to the american constitution and etc allowed in the highest levels of power.
Considering the Clinton campaign has been behind this stuff before (repeatedly), I'm not surprised the Obama campaign pointed the finger.
I really want to see how the candidates answer the question "Should a Muslim be president." I know how Obama would answer, I'm just curious how Hillary Clinton would answer.
this is the Clinton campaign's statement-- ""Enough," read the start of Williams' statement. It's not from them.
It went on: “If Barack Obama’s campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed. Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely."
Indeed, the Drudge item includes such shots not only of her (with her daughter, Chelsea, also in the frame), but of Bill Clinton and President Bush, as well." -- http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/02/the-heat-keeps.html
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