Polls show that 30% of the American people believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim - up from a previous 18%. This belief is growing despite the very public and well covered uproar over Obama's controversial Christian pastor Jeremiah Wright during his presidential campaign, and despite Obama's repeated acknowledgments that he is a Christian. Amazing!
If I were Obama, I would immediately go on national T.V. and ask the nation the following question. "What if I were a Muslim? Would that disqualify me from being president? . . . (Long 10 second pause) . . . If I converted to Islam this very afternoon, would that be grounds for opposing my reelection? . . . (Long 10 second pause) . . . I'm going to ask the people of this nation to think about this question, and discuss it amongst yourselves, for one week. In exactly one week, I'll return to this podium and give you my answer" (exit immediately).
Then it would be put up or shut up for the talking heads and their guests. Is being a Muslim in any way relevant to Obama's qualifications to be president? If it is, tell us how? If it is not, why are we talking about it. Why are we polling the question?
The fomentors of hate are hiding behind the loose connection in people's minds between Islam and Terrorism. We need to force the haters to own this association publicly. We need to force them to state their implicit biases explicitly. If there is something wrong with being a Muslim, tell us what it is? We're all ears. If there is nothing wrong with being a Muslim, then admit this publicly and shut up about it.
In other words, someone needs to shame them - publicly - and in so doing appeal to the rest of the nation's better angels.
The modern conservative movement is held together by money, hate, and fear - and hate requires an enemy. Gays, illegal immigrants, muslim's - any group of "others" will do - as long as they can be characterized in a way that stirs fear - gays will seduce your children, muslims want to murder you, illegal immigrants are drug dealers. Looks like conservative operatives have pushed all in while holding hate and fear hole cards. Its a strategy that's destined to lose in the long run, but its capable of doing a lot of damage to our nation in the short run. So its time to call their bluff.
And to think that these people consider themselves to be uber-patriots. I guess they missed the discussion of "E Pluribus Unim" during 4th grade civics.
Joe H.
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It Is Accomplished
8 years ago
2 comments:
See? You answered your own question. Good answer, btw. I hope he does something like that. It would be an historic moment in his presidency and for our country.
Should the question be: "If I believed in liberation theology, as Mormon Glenn Beck asserts, does that disqualify me to be President?" Theologically, I seem to recall folks getting converted in Acts with the following formula-- that a person and his or her entire household got baptized or became believers or were filled with the Holy Spirit. Isn't that indications of a communal form of early Christianity?
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