A Muslim For President?

Are Americans ready for a Muslim President? Have you given that possibility any real thought? We now have Rep. Keith Ellison, a freshman Minnesota Democrat, and the first Muslim in congress. I have no idea if he has presidential ambitions, but it's something any politician must think about. Now it is something American people need to think about.

I don't like to deal in rumor and unsubstantiated claims. Having said that, I will mention the following simply for discussion purposes in this post, a 'what if' situation. Layla at The HILL Chronicles , says this to her readers about Barack Obama:

There have been many rumors and much controversy regarding Barack Obama’s past. Namely the fact that he was raised Muslim, but is now a professing Christian. There are some that do not believe he is really a Christian and say once a Muslim always a Muslim. And in the wake of how Rep. Ellison carried on one would be fool hearty not to thoroughly look at Obama with a magnifying glass. You decide. About Obama’s upbringing here is some general information:

Barack Obama was born in 1961 in Hawaii to a white mother from Kansas and black father from Kenya who met while attending the University of Hawaii. His mother Anna, as Obama describes her in his 1995 memoir Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, was “a lonely witness for secular humanism, a soldier for New Deal, Peace Corps, position-paper liberalism.”

His father, also named Barack (Swahili for “One who is blessed by God,” and perhaps via Arabic and Semitic roots related to the Hebrew baruch, “blessed”) Obama, left his rural Luo-speaking village and his Muslim father to become an “agnostic” and study economics abroad. His son was two when the elder Barack left the boy and his mother to return to Harvard University and then to Kenya, where he became a globe-traveling economist for the government.

When young Obama was six, his mother married an Indonesian oil manager, a “non-practicing Muslim,” and the family moved to Jakarta, where his half-sister Maya was born. In this exotic Islamic country, wrote Obama’s good friend, the liberal lawyer and best-selling novelist Scott Turow, Barack Obama spent “two years in a Muslim school, then two more in a Catholic school.”

On the other side of the spectrum is Austin Cline that wrote and op-ed called, Barack Obama, Islam, and Rumor-Mongering. In the article Cline quotes Adam Yoshida who states “problems” with Obama:

I think that someone whose name is one letter removed from “Osama” and whose farther was a Moslem will obviously be starting with some serious disadvantages. And, while I’m at it, I’ll also ad that there are (unconfirmed) rumours that Obama himself is secretly a Muslim. Now, I don’t believe them but, if Obama ever runs for President, I won’t mind spreading them.

[snip]

Yet Barrak Obama called himself a man of faith in 2004:

“I am a Christian.… So, I have a deep faith. I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people.

“That there are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there’s an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived.”

You can "Listen to BlowOUT with Layla on Barack Obama" at The HILL chronicles and you can also read the rest of her article here. This story, if there is one, is hers and I'm sure she will be posting more if more information becomes available.

I think Americans are probably willing to elect a president from any religion, as long as he is the right man/woman for the job ... UNLESS he/she is Muslim. I can't see that happening in my lifetime. Americans are pretty open and accepting, but the potential ramifications of an Islamic president are just too much for us in the near future, or ever as far as I am concerned. Call me Islamophobic if you want.

I welcome your opinions, comments on this subject. Whether you agree with anything in this article or not, discussion on the subject of a Muslim President of the United States is what we need right now. Talk to me

Other good reading:
Norwegian Women: Getting Raped is Your Fault, Pursuing Holiness
Wed Hero, Right Wing Guy
Teddy, Have "Another" Drink and Shut Up Wake Up America
News Anchors arguing - no better than youtube, YouTubeMovies
">Terrorism and Hate as Religion: Why Don’t The Imams Speak Out?, Peace and Freedom
Sabotaged by our own, The Vanishing American
As We Wait... Wake Up America
Oy! The Press is going to Lick This UP: Here it comes "Peace is at Hand", Yid With Lid
Kennedy: 'Bush's Vietnam', Cop the Truth
Racing My 1977 Corvette, Perri Nelson's Blog and Drag City
Illegals stealing our dwindling Social Security, The Hill Chronicles
Thursday Thirteen VII - The Blog Edition, Renaissance Blogger, also Kicked Off the School Bus For Speaking English
Mensa Barbie Welcomes You, Stem Cell Source Found In Amniotic Fluid and 1 Earth Prep: Orogenies and Transgressions
Law Labor Poster and War for Oil Scams, Planck's Constant
Beltway Traffic Jam, Outside the Beltway
NEW DISCOVERY ALTERS STEM CELL DEBATE, The HILL Chronicles
What is Missing from this Picture?, Wake Up America
Mark My Words, You Are Very Stupid and Stem cells - reader's comments and my reply
Nazanin Afshin-Jam and Nazanin Fatehi, Blue Star Chronicles
Do YOU Want to Succeed in Iraq?, Wake Up America

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson's Website, The Random Yak, Adam's Blog, Big Dog's Weblog, basil's blog, Stuck On Stupid, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Jo's Cafe, Pursuing Holiness, Rightwing Guy, third world county, The HILL Chronicles, Wake Up America, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, stikNstein... has no mercy, Pirate's Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, Renaissance Blogger, Planck's Constant, The Pink Flamingo, Dumb Ox News, Right Voices, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Comments

[David Dude]

Foget that hes a Muslim - He is still a NIGGER!

[LADYBUG]

If anyne is to judge a person based on his race and personal beliefs isnt that going against the amendments? freedom of speech..i thought america was a free country. And Who the hell cares about what religion they are..the dam economy is drowning and here people are picking on the president for his religion..Good job...Wake up and stop being so racist towards every race. First it was black,then it was hispanic and now muslium? well I'm glad obama is mix with all of that..he's black, he's muslim ( not sure if he still is) and he has white grandparents..so people so being so dam close mineded and wake the hell up

[SANJAY MENGAR-INDIA]

THE QUESTION IS NOT: "ARE ALL MUSLIMS TERRORISTS?" BUT THE QUESTION IS: "WHY ARE ALL TERRORISTS MUSLIM?" WHY SHOULD WE TAKE A RISK? IT'S A FOOLISHNESS FROM AMERICANS.

[Terry]

What if Senator Obama was a Muslim? (Which he's not) Muslim is a religion and that does not mean he cannot run for presidential office.

[Gawain]

Barack obama is NOT a muslim.

[mrl]

I have one simple question...that question is, why do we as Americans and as people whose country was founded on our faith in God, want any part of electing a president who does not share the same faith? Is this not a complete slap in the face to our four fathers and all they accomplished to make our great nation what it is? Allowing our great nation to be ran by someone who shares the same faith as that of the people who sought to destroy and bring a great depression upon our people is asking for trouble. 9/11 was the result of naive sad individuals who were glorifying the same "god" Obama serves. Who is to say that we are not inviting our enemy into our home? I do not feel he is the right presidential canidate nor is he equipped to run a nation founded upon Godly principals. Please remember those whose lives were lost in 9/11, please remember our men and women who are giving all they have to fight a war that should have never began before you vote yes and support Obama...

[Ibu]

I was enthusiast by the topic we were chatting about, but this conversation has altered its course, so much so making our topic a bit elusive. I wont disregard your comments on Islam Thomas Hamilton due to your lack of knowledge about Islam. I should enlighten you rather, by first dissipating your firm held belief about Islam. If you recall, I’ve given you a sparkle proof of the rights of Muslim female. To delineate their rights farther more will leave this sector spaceless, rendering our conversion at ease. But you leaped to another subject, reminding me about the Danish cartoon. Claiming this is another sign of the deficiency Islam has toward the freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

No need to reiterate your thoughts Thomas I fully understand were you’re coming from. I’ll have you know that the cartoon was posted on the Daily Danish news paper to provoke and further aggravate the issue regarding the criticism of Islam. their response to this act, is the same ( or even greater than) the action of an agent in a democratic nation, who hear a civilian personally treated to kill Bush. Although the civilian had a free of speech, The agent would still incarcerate the civilian for interrogation or fined.. Is true that Islam have strict code of life, that’s why it’d be more easier if we lived back in the middle ages or earlier. Something a modern western world wouldn’t comprehend and yet Islam is still the fastest growing Religion on earth “and probably out on space”!. Certainly Muslim aren’t jealous of the west otherwise its leaders (westerners) wouldn’t be involved in foreign country such as the middle east, claiming they are retracting WMD ( Weapons of Mass Destruction) spreading democracy, love and peace but instead depraving the Arabs of their OIL, Mineral and Natural resources.

My fellow American I think is the contrary, the Islamic world isn’t jealous of the west, but fears the sight of a westernized arab nation. If your claims about the Palestinians regaining their land were to occur, and still they live in poverty and tyrannical dictator as you think Islam IS. Then is best if they are freed from the occupation and lived under Islam. Thomas by the way you are “on the roll” because your puzzled with ignorance. Keep your pity to yourself because you certainly need it, and allow me to subsist in this “blind, backward, hateful ideology” as you falsely portray.

[Thomas Hamilton]

I'm on a roll, I can't help it! Ibu! Look at the Gaza strip! Total Chaos!

If the Palestinians occupied the West Bank and even the whole of Israel and Israel was no more, would it be any different?

Of course it would be no different. It would be a society living in poverty, squalor, and misery, probably under some tyrannical dictator.

Time to wake up, Ibu!

[Thomas Hamilton]

By the way, Ibu. I really feel sorry for you trying to defend such a blind, backward, hateful ideology.

It is time for you to open your eyes and see the truth.

[Thomas Hamilton]

"Is difficult to restrain a groud of people from retaliation when their ideals are being undermined and territory being ruined."

I got news for you, Ibu. Undermined ideals and ruined territory are not the fault of Americans, American presidents, or Jews. It is the fault of the Islamic way of life which supresses freedom of speech (remember the Danish cartoons?), freedom of religion (last I heard you could be killed for practicing Christianity in Saudi Arabia or killed if you were a Muslim who converted to Christianity), and a backward way of thinking that forces its followers to live in the middle ages while the rest of the world leaves them behind. Great leaders like Yassir Arafat, Hafez al-Assad ,Bashar al-Assad, Sadam Hussein, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Gamal Abdel Nasser come to mind. What a bunch of thugs!

It's easy to blame America and the Jews for something that's your own damned fault.

The Islamic world is so jealous of the west it is pathetic.

[Thomas Hamilton]

"Is difficult to restrain a groud of people from retaliation when their ideals are being undermined and territory being ruined."

I got news for you, Ibu. Undermined ideals and ruined territory are not the fault of Americans, American presidents, or Jews. It is the fault of the Islamic way of life which supresses freedom of speech (remember the Danish cartoons?), freedom of religion (last I heard you could be killed for practicing Christianity in Saudi Arabia or killed if you were a Muslim who converted to Christianity), and a backward way of thinking that forces its followers to live in the middle ages while the rest of the world leaves them behind. Great leaders like Yassir Arafat, Hafez al-Assad ,Bashar al-Assad, Sadam Hussein, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Gamal Abdel Nasser come to mind. What a bunch of thugs!

It's easy to blame America and the Jews for something that's your own damned fault.

The Islamic world is so jealous of the west it is pathetic.

[Ibu]

Please, read my comment with an open mind. What I've previously claimed is not an "unAdulterated crap" Thomas Hamilton. why is it that you presume things based on your on deduction, regarding the hatred of the sunnis and shiites and muslim women as leaders. Islam isn't a religion of rage and hate. Is difficult to restrain a groud of people from retaliation when their ideals are being undermined and territory being ruined. Is possible to gain peace, but not when the jews or americans insist on attacking unsuspecting population. throughout the course of american's presidency, we have yet to see a female president. on the other hand, in indonesia an islamic state, megawati, a female became the 5th president. here in your own backyard the president of the ISNA( Islamic Society Of North America) is Ingrid Mattson also a female. Muslim women aren't for display, otherwise you'd see their insurmountable rights. Your absolutely right jason the American people shouldn't be force to have a muslim for president if they don't want to, but I never said they should be force. But instead think about it and neglect what they hear about muslim through the fabricated media and do their own research by interacting with nearby muslim and research, "simple". Jason you said " They (Muslim leaders) created the problem, now they have to solve it. Failure to do so is their fault, not ours." but don't you think both sides most compensate for their own actions. when everyone though ease was finally at hand bush decide to send more troops. Certainly, your not expecting the other side to just lay and wait till this incursion is accomplish. well if you don't want a muslim for president nor any other person in this sector, Is best if you don't defamate our RELIGION. Is not a treat just suggestion, nowadays any comments can be misinterpreted. BUT only time will decide the faith of the executive branch.

[Thomas Hamilton]

"incase of a muslim president, she/he has the ability or higher chance in obtaining a mutual relationship in foriegn islamic countries."

What a load of pure unadulterated crap we have here. In fact I can smell the stench and see the green flies swarming around the pile.

Looks to me like Sunnis and Shites are perfectly content to kill each other for no reason other than religious differences. The only people they hate worse than each other are Americans and Jews.

A Muslim woman as president? That's a laugh since Muslims subjugate their women to second class status.

Let's face it. Islam today (Shia or Sunni) is spearheaded by groups of terrorists and thugs. It is a religion of rage and hate. The rest of the muslims (the so called majority) are cowards for not slapping these people down and denouncing their actions.

A Muslim for president? I don't think so!

[Jason]

Ibu, you say:

"there should be a muslim president in the united states for a change"

And then claim:

"this is after all a democratic state"

And if the people of the United States do not wish to have a Muslim for President? Should they then be forced?

The problem wish Islam is caused by Muslims themselves. Let's assume that Muslim terrorists are a small minority of the overall Muslim believers. It's this tiny percentage that is causing all the problems and making Muslims look bad throughout the world. Ok, fine.

But when there are very, very few Muslims leaders standing up and denouncing these jihadis and calling for an end to the violence, it makes the rest of the Muslims, the so-called moderate Muslims, look as if they are agreeing with the jihadis.

The "moderate" Muslim's refusal to denounce and condemn the terrorism committed by a small percentage of Muslims is making them [the moderates] appear complicit and in agreement with the terrorists.

Muslim leaders could have (and still can) rectify the situation by demonstrating that they vehemently oppose the jihadis, their goals, and their methods. They created the problem, now they have to solve it. Failure to do so is their fault, not ours.

[Ibu]

there should be a muslim president in the united states for a change. considering all the deception and corruption all previous U.S. president had toward its people. this is after all a democratic state, if the government doesn't abide by the people, they have the right to overthrow it. incase of a muslim president, she/he has the ability or higher chance in obtaining a mutual relationship in foriegn islamic countries. also not all the idea and images the media convey to you through the tele... is true about muslim. is best to migrate or interact personally with a muslim, so you may determine that for yourself, becuase in every society there's good and bad people. the U.S. media is censor so that it deliver an unpleasant few to U.S. citizen about muslims, just like the propaganda that was occuring on both side(U.S. & U.S.S.R) during the cold war.hopefully peace comes to the world during such administration

[Debbie]

Right on, Tony.

I just read the snopes article, it still leaves some questions unanswered. I don't think people are really ready for this guy.

[Tony]

NO WAY JOSE......and NO WAY OBAMA with a banjo on my knee!!!

I also agree with "andrea 1-17-07"... he is up to his neck in it!!!!!

[Debbie]

Andrea, that was my thinking exactly. That quote just jumped out at me.

[andrea]

I have many things I could say on this topic, but I would like to point out something about this posting that caught me. Obama said, "there are many paths to the same place..." Okay, niether a Christian or Muslim would ever agree with that statement. (in reference to heaven) Both believe there is only one path and one way. He's full of it.

[StormWarning]

There's only one way to God and that's through his Son, Jesus Christ. And that means that if I don't pray to Jesus I can't go to Heaven, right? THAT religious rhetoric is so old.

As for Obama, I wonder how and why people are suddenly attacking the man (of course, I know the answer...fear). So have you seen this little bit from Snopes?

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp

And I'm a card carrying Republican, and fairly conservative at that (on most issues, especially those relating to homeland and national security).

[Heather]

Barack Obama scares me because he is so smooth and I can see him taking many people in to his ideas. Part of the point is this: if he truly is a Muslim, then he's deceiving us to get himself into the presidency. There is only one God and He only answers to himself. We tend to make him into our own image. There's only one way to God and that's through his Son, Jesus Christ. Obama is already deceived if he thinks there is more than one way. We must educate people about the truth of Islam. It was a religion never grounded in peace. Mohammed was a warrior prophet often using his faith to advance his empire. Look at all the chaos that followed. The true God is not a god of chaos but of order, love, and holiness.
If Obama has the agenda of advancing Islam by allowing Muslims to take over this country, we're in trouble. He may just be the beginning of that whole process. Look at the writing on the wall people: it's coming because we're learning to publicly announce that we welcome Islam into this country. Sure everyone has the right to practice their own religion and sexual preference, but we're being opened up to embracing a religion which often leads to terrorism and imperialism. Time will tell!!

[Jason]

Rob, I would be more than happy to see a muslim as President of the United States. Provided, of course, s/he repudiates everything Islam (via the Koran and Hadiths) has to say about women's rights, freedom of religion, Israel's right to exist, forced religious conversion, jihad, suicide bombings, murder of innocents, lying to non-muslims, etc, etc.

S/he would also, of course, have to meet my standards (in order to get my vote) on certain issues such as abortion, civil rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, public expressions of religion, etc, etc.

Assuming that s/he actually proved, in word and deed, to repudiate all of the first and met my standards for the second, I'd be more than happy to vote for him/her. Though, if they actually did all of that, s/he wouldn't actually BE a muslim...at least not according to the Koran and Hadiths.

[Debbie]

That's funny Night Rider. And the cowboy is right. Thanks for sharing.

[Night Rider]

Hi Debbie, this is a bit of humor just for you and your hubby to enjoy, it's time to kick back and have a good ole jolly laugh.

Cowboys and Muslims

Three strangers strike up a conversation in the airport passenger lounge one day while awaiting their
respective flights. One was an American Indian passing through from the Four Corners. Another was a
Cowboy on his way to Billings Montana for a livestock show and the third was a fundamentalist Arab
student, newly arrived from the Middle East. Their discussion drifted to their diverse cultures. Soon, the two
Westerners learned that the Arab is a devout, radical Muslim and the conversation falls into an uneasy lull.

The cowboy leaned back in his chair, crossed his boots on a magazine table and tipped his big sweat-stained
hat forward over his face. The wind outside is blowing tumbleweeds around, and the old windsock is flapping;
but their flights are late so they just sit there devoid of conversation. Finally, the American Indian cleared
his throat and softly he said, "At one time here, my people were many, but sadly, now we are few."

The Muslim student raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, "Once my people were few," he sneered, "and
now we are many. Why do you suppose that is?"

The Cowboy shifted his toothpick to one side of his mouth and from the darkness beneath his Stetson said
in a smooth drawl, "That’s ’cause we ain’t played Cowboys and Muslims yet, but I do believe it’s a-comin’."

[rob]

This cracks me up to ne end. I agree with you 100% on this issue. We are not ready as a country for this. I am not of this thinking. I believe anyone who is a good leader and can take us in the direction we need should be considered regardless of his/her faith. Now if we here in America still cannot get past these differences how do you expect those in Iraq to do this. You belive that the Iraqi's will eventually get along with each other and have a democracy yet you wouldn't want a Muslim in the White House. Funny how that works.

[Layla]

Thank you Debbie. I am glad that I am not the only one asking questions. And would you be a dear to fix my mistake, it should be Rep. Keith Ellison, not Senator. LOLzzz in my passion writing that post I did not even catch that! Thanks hun!!!