Words Like Locusts Flew From Her Fingers

I Am Not Now, Nor Have I Ever Been, A Muslim

Obama, Being Called a Muslim Is Not a Smear – CommonDreams.org
Of course Obama must correct the record, but he doesn’t have to stop there. What is disturbing about the campaign’s response is that it leaves unchallenged the disgraceful and racist premise behind the entire “Muslim smear”: that being Muslim is de facto a source of shame. Obama’s supporters often say they are being “Swiftboated,” casually accepting the idea that being accused of Muslimhood is tantamount to being accused of treason.

Alas, an alarmingly large number of Americans believe Muslims are, by their very nature, violent extremists. There are lots of factors at play: fear of “the other”, fear that’s been whipped up by extremist right-wing media, and let’s not forget plain old ignorance. These are the same people whose kids use “queer” and “gay” as insults against their playmates.

I’d love it if we lived in a world where Obama could come right out and say, “Look, people, if I were a Muslim it wouldn’t mean a thing in terms of my ability to be a good President.” We don’t live in that world, though. There are too many stupid people. Sometimes you have to tiptoe around the stupid people in order to get through the door and THEN, once you’re in, you can work on educating them. I get the sense that’s Obama’s plan.