Here is a NYT column, pretty much on this topic by Kristof, yesterday. Highlights mine. --Ram _________________
Obama and the Bigots By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF Published: March 9, 2008 The ugliest prejudices in this campaign season are not directly about race. Barack Obama's skin color may cost him some working-class white voters, but it's also winning some votes among blacks and among whites eager to signal their open-mindedness. Sexism seems more of a factor. *Americans have typically said in polls that they are less willing to vote for a woman than a black, and Shirley Chisholm (a black woman who ran for president in 1972) always said that she encountered more prejudice because of her sex than her race. * *Yet the most monstrous bigotry in this election isn't about either race or sex. It's about religion.* The whispering campaigns allege that Mr. Obama is a secret Muslim planning to impose Islamic law on the country. Incredibly, he is even accused — in earnest! — of being the Antichrist. Proponents of this theory offer detailed theological explanations for why he is the Antichrist, and the proof is that he claims to be Christian *— after all, the Antichrist would say that, wouldn't he?* The rumors circulate enough that Glenn Beck of CNN asked the Rev. John Hagee, a conservative evangelical, what the odds are that Mr. Obama is the Antichrist. These charges are fanatical, America's own equivalent of the vicious accusations about Jews that circulate in some Muslim countries. They are less a swipe at one candidate than a calumny against an entire religion. They underscore that for many bigoted Americans in the 21st century, calling someone a Muslim is still a slur. There is a parallel with presidential campaigns in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when one of the most common ways to attack a candidate was to suggest that he was partly black, or at least favored racial intermarriage. For example, the Federalists charged that Thomas Jefferson was "the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father." And the word "miscegenation" was coined in 1863 and 1864 in charges that Abraham Lincoln secretly plotted for blacks to marry whites, especially Irish-Americans. As late as the 1920 presidential campaign, a quarter-million letters were sent to voters accusing Warren Harding of being descended from a "West Indian Negro. ... May God save America from international shame and domestic ruin." In looking back at that history, you wish that a candidate had responded not only with, "No, I don't have any black ancestor," but also with, "So what if I did?" *Likewise, with countless people today spreading scurrilous rumors that Mr. Obama is a Muslim, the most appropriate response is a denial followed by: And so what if he were?* Granted, that's not politically realistic as a comeback. *A 2007 Gallup poll found that 94 percent of Americans said they would vote for a black candidate for president and 88 percent for a woman. In contrast, a Los Angeles Times poll in 2006 found that only 34 percent of respondents said they could vote for a Muslim for president. * Even if a prejudice is directed to a matter of choice, like religion or long hair, it's still prejudice. It's possible to believe that Catholics have every right to be president while opposing a particular Catholic candidate who would ban contraception; likewise, it's possible to believe that Muslims have every right to hold office without necessarily embracing the candidacy of particular Muslims who advocate enveloping all women in burkas. To his credit, Mr. Obama has spoken respectfully of Islam (he told me last year, on the record, that the Muslim call to prayer is "one of the prettiest sounds on earth at sunset"). If he were to go further — "and so what if I were Muslim?" — many Americans would see that as confirmation that he is a Sunni terrorist agent of Al Qaeda who is part of a 9/11 backup plan: If you can't reach the White House with a hijacked plane, then storm the Oval Office through the ballot box. This is a case where Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain should take the initiative and denounce the fear-mongering about Mr. Obama as hate speech. The wink-wink references to "Barack Hussein Obama" and lies about his going to a madrassa are the religious equivalent of racial slurs, and Mr. McCain and Mrs. Clinton should denounce them in the strongest terms. This is their chance to show leadership. When Mrs. Clinton was asked in a television interview a week ago whether Mr. Obama is a Muslim, she denied it firmly — but then added, most unfortunately, "as far as I know." To his credit, Mr. McCain scolded a radio host who repeatedly referred to "Barack Hussein Obama" and later called him a Manchurian candidate. Martin Luther wasn't a model of tolerance but even he took the position that, "I'd rather be ruled by a wise Turk than a foolish Christian." In this presidential campaign, we should at least aspire to be as open-minded as 16th-century Germans. ________________________________________ On 3/9/08, barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >" I am a practising Christian. And so what if Hillary Clinton, John > McCain > >or I were a Muslim?". If he/she says it, will he/she gain voters or lose > >them?"" > > Are you kidding? None of the candidates has the courage to say that. It > will hurt their votes if they say that. Don't you know America is a very > religiously sensitive country so far as politics for the Presidency is > concerned, especially to Islam. America is not India, where religion may > not > matter to most national positions in politics. > Rajen > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dilip/Dil Deka" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world" > <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 10:04 PM > Subject: Re: [Assam] So what if he were? > > > " Question is IF Hillary or McCain or > Obama are Muslims ? Should they say they are, > even if they are not? Are you suggesting Obama > should say he is a Muslim, even though he said he > is not and wondering how his vote getting ability > will fare then?" > > DKD: No, that is not the question. What I was asking was why doesn't a > candidate (Obama for example) in modern day America have the courage to > say, "" " I am a practising Christian. And so what if Hillary Clinton, > John > McCain or I were a Muslim?". If he/she says it, will he/she gain voters > or > lose them?"" > You and I don't care whether the president is a christian, Muslim, Hindu > or an atheist. But why does religion still play a part in US politics? > Isn't > there a large religious vote bank that the candidates don't want to > rankle? > Dilip > > > Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > But why did you leave out the second half of my comment, " And so > > what if Hillary Clinton, John McCain or I were > >a Muslim?". If he says it, will he gain voters > >or lose them?" I'd like to hear your or others' > >comments on it. > Dilip > > > *** I am not sure I get it. Actually it should be > NOTHING. Question is IF Hillary or McCain or > Obama are Muslims ? Should they say they are, > even if they are not? Are you suggesting Obama > should say he is a Muslim, even though he said he > is not and wondering how his vote getting ability > will fare then? > > My guess will be that it would depend on a few things: > > A: IF Obama says now he is actually a > Muslim or merely a closet one, then his > credibility will > tank and rightfully so; because he has > declared a number of times that he is a Christian > and > not a Muslim. Under the circumstances, > his vote getting ability will tank as well. And > that > would not be an unreasonable or unexpected eventuality. > > B: IF McCain or Hillary were to say they > are Muslims, they will be lying, because it is > widely known they are Christians, as far > as we know that is. Again same credibility > crisis and thus loss of votes, and rightfully too. > > > So, the question is not clear enough for anyone > to give a clear answer to. Perhaps we are > attempting to get answers to a hypothetical > situation, in which Obama or Hillary or McCain > could be Muslims in real life masquerading as > Christians in public. But what does that have to > do with the situation in hand? > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 7:13 PM -0700 3/9/08, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote: > >" Obama may have to too. But I hope he would NOT. > >And if he gets the nomination and gets elected as > >the next president, without having to answer to > >such questions or charges, just like without > >having to wear an US Flag on his lapel or place > >his hand over his heart while saying the Pledge > >of Allegiance, > >it will mark a historic turn of the American > >nation to a truly sophisticated one." > > > > DKD: I hope your hope comes true. Religion has > >no place in governace in a secular nation. > > But why did you leave out the second half of my comment, " And so > > what if Hillary Clinton, John McCain or I were > >a Muslim?". If he says it, will he gain voters > >or lose them?" I'd like to hear your or others' > >comments on it. > > Dilip > > > > > > > > > >Chan Mahanta wrote: > > At 10:52 AM -0700 3/9/08, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote: > >>Do you think Obama will have the courage to > >>say, "I am a practising Christian. > > > > > >*** It is NOT about COURAGE. > > > >Imagine you or I having to dignify an outrageous > >charge or scurrilous innuendo, every time a bigot > >or a fool or a charlatan makes it? > > > >Why should an US president's religion be an > >election issue? I know it becomes one, every > >time. But that is because candidates succumb to > >pressures from religious bigots . > > > >Obama may have to too. But I hope he would NOT. > >And if he gets the nomination and gets elected as > >the next president, without having to answer to > >such questions or charges, just like without > >having to wear an US Flag on his lapel or place > >his hand over his heart while saying the Pledge > >of Allegiance, > >it will mark a historic turn of the American > >nation to a truly sophisticated one. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>And so what if Hillary Clinton, John McCain or I > >>were a Muslim?". If he says it, will he gain > >>voters or lose them? > >> Dilip > >> ================================================================ > >> From the NYT > >> Op-Ed Columnist > >> Obama and the Bigots By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF > >> > >> > >> Published: March 9, 2008 > >> The ugliest prejudices in this campaign > >>season are not directly about race. Barack > >>Obama's skin color may cost him some > >>working-class white voters, but it's also > >>winning some votes among blacks and among whites > >>eager to signal their open-mindedness. > >> > >> Sexism seems more of a factor. Americans have > >>typically said in polls that they are less > >>willing to vote for a woman than a black, and > >>Shirley Chisholm (a black woman who ran for > > >president in 1972) always said that she > >>encountered more prejudice because of her sex > >>than her race. > >> Yet the most monstrous bigotry in this > >>election isn't about either race or sex. It's > >>about religion. > >> > >> > >> > >> The whispering campaigns allege that Mr. Obama > >>is a secret Muslim planning to impose Islamic > >>law on the country. Incredibly, he is even > >>accused - in earnest! - of being the Antichrist. > >> Proponents of this theory offer detailed > >>theological explanations for why he is the > >>Antichrist, and the proof is that he claims to > >>be Christian - after all, the Antichrist would > >>say that, wouldn't he? The rumors circulate > > >enough that Glenn Beck of CNN asked the Rev. > >>John Hagee, a conservative evangelical, what the > >>odds are that Mr. Obama is the Antichrist. > >> These charges are fanatical, America's own > >>equivalent of the vicious accusations about Jews > >>that circulate in some Muslim countries. They > >>are less a swipe at one candidate than a calumny > >>against an entire religion. They underscore that > >>for many bigoted Americans in the 21st century, > >>calling someone a Muslim is still a slur. > >> There is a parallel with presidential > >>campaigns in the 19th and early 20th centuries, > >>when one of the most common ways to attack a > >>candidate was to suggest that he was partly > >>black, or at least favored racial intermarriage. > >>For example, the Federalists charged that Thomas > >>Jefferson was "the son of a half-breed Indian > >>squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father." And > >>the word "miscegenation" was coined in 1863 and > >>1864 in charges that Abraham Lincoln secretly > >>plotted for blacks to marry whites, especially > >>Irish-Americans. > >> As late as the 1920 presidential campaign, a > >>quarter-million letters were sent to voters > >>accusing Warren Harding of being descended from > >>a "West Indian Negro. ... May God save America > >>from international shame and domestic ruin." > >> In looking back at that history, you wish that > >>a candidate had responded not only with, "No, I > >>don't have any black ancestor," but also with, > >>"So what if I did?" > >> Likewise, with countless people today > >>spreading scurrilous rumors that Mr. Obama is a > >>Muslim, the most appropriate response is a > >>denial followed by: And so what if he were? > >> Granted, that's not politically realistic as a > >>comeback. A 2007 Gallup poll found that 94 > >>percent of Americans said they would vote for a > >>black candidate for president and 88 percent for > >>a woman. In contrast, a Los Angeles Times poll > >>in 2006 found that only 34 percent of > >>respondents said they could vote for a Muslim > >>for president. > >> Even if a prejudice is directed to a matter of > >>choice, like religion or long hair, it's still > >>prejudice. It's possible to believe that > >>Catholics have every right to be president while > >>opposing a particular Catholic candidate who > >>would ban contraception; likewise, it's possible > >>to believe that Muslims have every right to hold > >>office without necessarily embracing the > >>candidacy of particular Muslims who advocate > >>enveloping all women in burkas. > >> To his credit, Mr. Obama has spoken > >>respectfully of Islam (he told me last year, on > >>the record, that the Muslim call to prayer is > >>"one of the prettiest sounds on earth at > >>sunset"). If he were to go further - "and so > >>what if I were Muslim?" - many Americans would > >>see that as confirmation that he is a Sunni > >>terrorist agent of Al Qaeda who is part of a > >>9/11 backup plan: If you can't reach the White > >>House with a hijacked plane, then storm the Oval > >>Office through the ballot box. > >> This is a case where Hillary Rodham Clinton > >>and John McCain should take the initiative and > >>denounce the fear-mongering about Mr. Obama as > >>hate speech. The wink-wink references to "Barack > >>Hussein Obama" and lies about his going to a > >>madrassa are the religious equivalent of racial > >>slurs, and Mr. McCain and Mrs. Clinton should > >>denounce them in the strongest terms. This is > >>their chance to show leadership. > >> When Mrs. Clinton was asked in a television > >>interview a week ago whether Mr. Obama is a > >>Muslim, she denied it firmly - but then added, > >>most unfortunately, "as far as I know." To his > > >credit, Mr. McCain scolded a radio host who > >>repeatedly referred to "Barack Hussein Obama" > >>and later called him a Manchurian candidate. > >> Martin Luther wasn't a model of tolerance but > >>even he took the position that, "I'd rather be > >>ruled by a wise Turk than a foolish Christian." > >>In this presidential campaign, we should at > >>least aspire to be as open-minded as > >>16th-century Germans. > >> > >>_______________________________________________ > >>assam mailing list > >>[email protected] > >>http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >assam mailing list > >[email protected] > >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > >_______________________________________________ > >assam mailing list > >[email protected] > >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
