It feels like an age has passed, since we heard the steady and strident claims from the right that BHO was a secret, a clandestine, "Muslim," as though the moniker alone was reflective of something nefarious and evil. The notion that simply being a practicing Muslim, in this country, is suspicious at best, and evil at worst, is a reflection of the ideas put forth by the last administration, even amid the public pronouncements from George W. Bush that countered that perspective; his true supporters understood that he was simply being "politically correct." They knew the "truth" about "Muslims."
This does not dismiss the fact that there are some evil Muslims in the world, and that some of the things done supposedly in the name of Allah should never have come to pass. I understand that. But, people in this country, angry, legitimately, with the actions of bin Laden and crew, took things too far. BHO's middle name, Hussein, became a weapon to be used against him by those on the right. Those who used his full name at every reference knew that BHO's middle name was a liability in "real America" (a fictional land occupied only by people who believe that this nation was established by evangelical Christians, know that the Constitution was a direct reflection of the KJV of the Bible, and understand that everything in American history was good).
That's why it was so good to listen to BHO talk about the way he sees our potential future relationship with the Muslim world. It had none of the misplaced bravado of George W. Bush, nor the sinister sneer of Richard Cheney. See for yourself:
BHO's is a measured and reasoned approach to working with Muslims countries and cultures. He was right to say that this nation is not a "Christian nation" (I am sure that a fair few "Christians" were apoplectic about that dose of reality). I think that if our Muslim neighbors out there are sincere, then realistic decisions can be made about issues throughout the Middle East.
It just feels so good to have confidence in the POTUS once again. Yet, I am sure that others will see this strategy by BHO as being nothing more than confirmation of their deepest suspicions about the man. I say leave them in the fictional realm that they have constructed for themselves, while the rest of us work to repair the damage done over the course of the last eight years.
If this is how a clandestine "Muslim" acts, then I am all for it. Better this "Muslim," than any of the "Christians" who fear him. Those folks are truly scary.
6 comments:
"It just feels so good to have confidence in the POTUS once again.",
Uh huh.
I see Obama meeting with world leaders, speaking to crowds in Prague or Paris, even just doing those mundane little "Presidential" things like getting on the big helicopter...and I still have to grin.
What a relief, after the last 8 years, to feel proud rather than embarrassed by my President.
I so know what you mean Scott. Now about that bear comment...lol.
Free--seriously...anyone who read what I wrote carefully would realize that when I said "hideous" of course what I intended to say was "beautiful."
Really. Hehe.
Jeffrey—generally speaking you are pretty thoughtful in your writing and I know you to be a tolerant person, but when it comes to Republicans you tend to lose all perspective.
You write:
"The notion that simply being a practicing Muslim, in this country, is suspicious at best, and evil at worst, is a reflection of the ideas put forth by the last administration, even amid the public pronouncements from George W. Bush that countered that perspective; his true supporters understood that he was simply being "politically correct." They knew the "truth" about "Muslims."
Has is occurred to you that by engaging in nefarious speculation about what Republicans really think about Muslims you are doing exactly what you criticize people for doing about Obama? I voted for Bush, and yet I am confident that I have more Muslim friends than you, have been to more Muslim countries than you, and have participated in more iftars than you (many of which were paid for by the Bush administration).
I hope Obama succeeds, though at this point it looks like his main foreign policy technique is to be soft with everyone and give up all nukes! I'm sure that Russia and China and N. Korea will rush to join his starry-eyed idealism. Ha.
By the way, I'm pretty sure MLK thought that the US was a Judeo/Christian nation. I love the way libs who want to force religion out of the public square seem to forget the role that religion played in the civil rights movement.
My humble advice--next time you are tempted to write about Republicans take a deep breath and realize that Obama doesn't have to have a villain to succeed—I hope he succeeds on his own.
I hope BHO succeeds on his own as well. Yet I am referring specifically to the people I saw during the course of the last election vilify BHO for all of the wrong reasons (the clandestine Muslim, the mole ready to destroy the country, etc). Perhaps what I can do in fairness is to say some Republicans, because I am confident that I will be telling something close to the truth.
I don't disagree with your point about MLK, but I am not, and will not, refer to my country as a judeo-christian nation. That's just me. Religion is intensely personal for me. And I think that we have done well, as a nation, avoiding a judeo-christian designation. In all that I remember reading in American history, I do not recall any of the founding fathers using the term "judeo-christian" to define what this nation is, or was to become. Though the overwhelming majority of them fell into that category, I don't recall that phrase being used.
You are right, "Judeo-Christian" is a modern term, but plenty of them used the term Christian and referred to God.
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