A Warning To The Right (UPDATED: February 15, 2008)

I’m tired of it all.

I’m tired of the insinuations about Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) because his dead father was a Muslim. I’m tired of the insinuations about his middle name—Hussein—and the racist/bigoted insinuations that I’ve seen on the Right that flow from there. I’m even tired of the assertion that the senator isn’t even really a black American (whatever that means to a group of people who are demonstrably of mixed-race for the most part) because he has a white mother and a non-American black—i.e. African—father and, yes, since his father and my father were/are of the same tribe and nationality, I take that last bit of information quite personally.

Like me, Senator Obama wasn’t even raised by his biological father* and, though he had an Indonesian step-father who was probably a Muslim, he says that he is a Christian. And, like me, Obama has been long interested in knowing more about his heritage--probably since, like me, Obama was born and raised here in our beloved USA with a zero amount of it, outside of our middle and surnames. And, unlike most black Americans, the senator and I are blessed enough to know at least some part of our African heritage--something that is very prized among the mostly slave-descended black American population.

But Debbie Schlussel determines such interest as something else. Well, guess what. I was raised as a Muslim also. My mother and (black American) step-father subscribed to the creed of the Nation of Islam back in the day. And like Obama, I went to a Muslim school—for longer than he did. I even have a high school diploma from Clara Muhammad Elementary and Secondary School, obtained when I was fifteen, since the school didn’t take summer breaks.

But things change. Both my mom and my step-dad are now Bible-believing Christians, as am I. Dad is now even a Methodist pastor. However, I wonder whether our conversions will be questioned as Senator Obama’s is being even now by Schlussel, who calls the senator’s middle name “a Muslim name.” Well, no. It’s an Arabic name. And there are many Arab Christians who, obviously, have Arabic names. Here’s one. Here’s another one.

In spite of our shared heritage, I wouldn’t dream of voting for Senator Obama, no matter how "well-spoken" and "handsome" he is. (And, in my opinion he isn't "all that.") His stances on abortion, economics and the Global War on Terror--to name a few issues--are an anathema to me, though they are no more Left-leaning than, say, Senator Dick Durbin's (D-IL). However, when I look at many conservative opinions on the man in question--he who appears to be being groomed for the number-two slot for the Democrats in the 2008 presidential election--I see all too much bigotry being put forth as reasons not to vote for the candidate who will probably be Senator Hillary Clinton’s choice for running mate.

Is that how the Right wants to portray itself?

BTW, there are a lot of black Americans with Arabic first names—my youngest sister is one of them. She was born in the late seventies when my parents were still “Muslims,” but she is also now a Christian. She and millions of other black Americans were dubbed names like “Ayisha,” “Amira,” “Jamal,” and “Malik,” but are no more Muslim than is Lt. General John Abizaid (aka "the Mad Arab"). Does the Right want to alienate such people?

Considering that most black Americans vote Democrat anyway, perhaps some on the Right believe that black America is a lost cause as it relates to bringing a substantial portion of that number over to the Republican Party. Well, if some of you keep going down the road you’re going with respect to Senator Obama, you can count on that number approaching 100% and kiss the White House goodbye. As a conservative Republican, I couldn’t bring myself to vote for a ticket with the too-Liberal/Leftist senator on it. However, no group of people can stand having his/her heritage being insulted for very long—an issue for which any person has no choice.

Vote for the person who stands for what you believe in—and leave the bigotry at home.

(Thanks to Hot Air)

* My biological father is an atheist. Note how much that affected my belief in a deity.

UPDATE: Not really related, but since General Abizaid is mentioned here, I'd like to note that he's retiring in March of next year, after thirty-four years of service. Wonder if he's interested in running for president. :-)

UPDATE (February 15, 2008): I notice that as Kenya implodes and as Obama's campaign surges, I'm getting some hits on this year-old post. Well, a couple more items for readers to chew on are here and here. While you're reading these items, remember this axiom: if the rock didn't hit you, don't yelp. --JAO

Comments

[Xrlq]

Debbie Schlussel is, for want of a nicer phrase, a cupid stunt. She doesn't speak for the right, the hard right, or even the Ann Coulter right. She just speaks to hear herself talk.

[Mark Coffey]

Yeah, I've had a prior run-in with Schlussel - she's a piece of work, all right. Not worth the energy. As a conservative and a Republican, I'm excited about the fact that two of the most prominent presidential candidates are (a) a woman, and (b) a black American, even if they are on the other side of the political fence. It can only be for the good of America if we get past these divisions...

[Tully]

You said it, Baldi ma'am. My hands hurt from applauding. The wingers need to can the manure spreading and head for the issues.

[ChipDWood]

Where are you finding "all of these comments"...? Got any links so I can see who's making these insinuations besides the one from Schlussel?

And frankly, it'd be difficult to call the curiosity about a man named "Hussein"'s personal faith an 'insinuation'. Nine out of ten in the street would think him a muslim or at least to have come from a muslim background upon hearing his name irregardless of their own prejudices, biases, or upbringings. No 'evil' in that- just reality.

And, frankly again, this is great advice for a lot of the folks in this Country who think of themselves as beyond political and moral reproach:

"Vote for the person who stands for what you believe in—and leave the bigotry at home."

You mean "believe" as in the issues themselves or in the case of religion? I mean, I have the right to know that George W.'s a Christian... right?

Think about it. Links please, since you assert there to be so many of them, so I can sort out this anger myself, berate all of those evil republicans with my own obtuse self-righteousness, and thanks for the effort.

Chip

[Tully]

Try Google, Chip. It's out there. Surely you're capable of mundane research? Obama dropped using his middle name years back. Now that he's getting some traction, the noisier wingers (including some GOP party hacks such as Ed Rogers) started emphasizing Obama's middle name, never speaking his name without speaking it in full. Pretty transparent stuff.

Here's an example of some of the worst of it. Personally I think it's as relevant as an Hispanic politician having "Jesus" for a middle name. So what? Obama doesn't use his middle name in ordinary life. Most people don't. A few examples of people who don't, and silly snipes at their middle names:

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi (must be a cheese-eating surrender monkey!)

George Felix Allen (some on the left used it to imply [gasp!] Jewishness in his background!)

Harry Mason Reid (Mason? It's an Illuminati plot!)

Etc. Thin gruel.

[ChipDWood]

Tully responded:

"Try Google, Chip. It's out there. Surely you're capable of mundane research?"

Nope. Not when I'm not the accusor of said sayings. Was just hoping the writer would be able to give a couple examples of what is so maddening. You know, as examples.

Tully also said: "Obama dropped using his middle name years back."

lol... uhh, me wonders why! Do tell!

Barack HUSSEIN Obama... that's a bit different from "Henry MASON Reid" ya know. His middle name is important, or he wouldn't have dropped it's use. It points to his past as a Muslim, which voters DO, believe it or smurf it, have the right to know about- and for better or worse have a concern or two about.

Pretty far from transparent stuff, in that sense, but clearly transparent in the act of dropping its use.

And just as there are those on the left who would make hay out of anything they could even manufacture THEMSELVES as a concern (ie: Reps are nothing but racist iceholes, etc.) there are of COURSE going to be maroons on the right, who speak for nary a scant percent of the rest of us who lean in that direction, wishing to bring a flat ignorance to any debate.

The tone of the writer's article suggests (or should I say "insinuates") that this is a growingly ubiquitous 'trend'; for those on the right to make a big deal out of the fact that Obama was brought up a muslim- not just a few nutjobs that claim no exclusivity in the political blogosphere.

I see no evidence whatsoever in this 'trend' myself in my daily reading, and just wanted an example or two.

Since I'm a neo-republican myself (2000 was just too, too much for any sane voter to take)- I'll take issue with those in my own party if they're being out of line concerning Barack Hussein Obama and his bid for the Vice Presidency.

After all, it would look entirely weak if I accused the righty blogosphere of this "trend" myself without listing any examples of it. Ya know?

[Tanya]

I was actually thinking about the other end of the scale. If he was raised Muslim and renounced it, doesn't that put a big ol' target on his forehead, according to radical Islam? I mean, there are countries where they kill you for converting.

He's far too liberal for my blood, but I don't like the idea of his extreme newfound celebrity putting his life in danger, either.

[negronova]

Wow!!!!
DarkStar CHEERS LOUDLY for Baldi!!!

[Tully]

I said they were silly snipes--as is sniping at Obama's middle name. Equally as silly, but turning to sleaze when it's blatantly used simply to stoke religious/ethnic bigotry.

Barack HUSSEIN Obama... that's a bit different from "Henry MASON Reid" ya know.

Why? He didn't name himself that. He was named after his grandfather--by his self-professed agnostic father. A grandfather I don't believe he ever met.

His middle name is important, or he wouldn't have dropped it's use.

LOL. Do you know how many current Senators officially use their middle name, or even their middle initial? I do. Exactly one. "Ben" Nelson, whose real name is Earle Benjamin Nelson. There must be something seriously wrong that the other 99 are hiding, eh? Oh, wait. Ben Nelson never uses his first name. It doesn't appear on his official web page, anyway. Wonder what HE'S hiding! (LOL)

It points to his past as a Muslim, which voters DO, believe it or smurf it, have the right to know about- and for better or worse have a concern or two about.

Excuse me? Since when was Barack Obama a Muslim? He's a Christian, though I think it's somewhat irrelevant. His Kenyan father (who left when he was 2) was a self-professed agnostic with a Muslim father. His Indonesian step-father, with whom he only lived from the ages of 6 to 10, was a "non-practicing" Muslim.

From 10 on he was raised by his (Kansas white Protestant Christian) grandparents in Hawaii, attending the elite Punahou Academy, a Protestant Christian prep school founded by missionaries.

The tone of the writer's article suggests (or should I say "insinuates") that this is a growingly ubiquitous 'trend'; for those on the right to make a big deal out of the fact that Obama was brought up a muslim not just a few nutjobs that claim no exclusivity in the political blogosphere.

The problem being that he wasn't brought up as a Muslim. The closest he ever came was attending a Muslim school for kindergarten and first grade, that being the school available to his family in Indonesia. Then he spent 2nd and 3rd grade in an Indonesian Catholic school when they moved to a new area and That was the school available. Doesn't make him a Catholic.

IOW, no, it's NOT relevant except to an attempt to stoke bigotry. And that's something that should be called out, no matter who's doing it.

[Beth]

This is the dumbest s**t I've ever heard. I guess since he went to kindergarten and first grade at a Muslim school, he's been faking Christianity his whole life (just like you must be, Juliette! I'm surprised you didn't frag the officers in the military! LOL).

Just watch, if he gets in the White House he'll show he's really a Muslim! Then we'll have sharia! And we'll be holding hands with Hamas and al-Qaida! And we'll let them push Israel into the sea!

Isn't that REALLY what Schlussel and her idiotbots are afraid of? He might have a flare-up, as if it were literally cancer? (Yes, I think Islam can be called "a cancer," but not in the LITERAL sense.)

Schlussel is a moron. There's almost nobody she doesn't fear and loathe. Everyone's a leftist, a Muslim, or Muslim sympathizer, to her. (Including me--LOL!)

BTW, if Obama dropped mentioning the "Hussein," I'd consider it a plus. Who wants to be associated with Saddam? Would you Schlusselbots keep a middle name like "Stalin" or "Hitler?" And if your parents were silly enough to give you such a middle name, would it mean you were a genocidal maniac? Or, more likely--what if your parents were moron liberals who named you after JFK/LBJ/McGovern/Dhimmi Carter? OMG! You must be a leftist infiltrator! Purge them!

[Cassandra]

It says a lot about La Schussel that she has an entire blogroll of people who think she's an a**hat.

That's quite an achievement :p

[C. Jane Stewart]

Like rational, thoughtful Conservatives should, you laid it all out rather dispassionately and your arguments are tight and well reasoned. We are too easily swayed into taking pages from the Left's racist play book because its *easy*. Thank you.

[Noel]

I've had a little fun with it, but only because I do not regard it as a serious issue, just like his big ears.

As Kaus just noted, Obama has a tendency to naval-gaze; that is, focus on his own angst, not the country's. But his problem is not an exotic past, but his hum-drum present. He is a completely conventional lock-step liberal. *yawn*.

I don't have a problem with using the Koran to swear an oath as Congressman-elect Ellis says he will do. I do have a problem with the oath, however--I don't think he means a word of it, as he is a terrorist-enabler who huddled with the Flying Imams before their seditious stunt.

[pacwaters]

Untwist your knickers Baldi. He has a lot more defenders on the muslim score than detractors. A blog comment just doesn't leave room for an analysis of why I don't trust Obama. Suffice it to say that he is much too slick. His politics are the politics of "understanding", not a political position that fosters great faith in his ability to perform the job of president. (And no I don't think Bush has done a great job.) The platform he will run under, if he does, will be the democratic platform. That should be sifficient to vote against him.

[pacwaters]

Oh, and by the way, I do have a problem with using the koran. by using the koran as the book on which you swear your oath you are acknowlding your fealty to islam, no matter what your words say. I'm not concerned about a jew or an atheist not swearing on the bible. I haven't seen too many jews or atheists attempting to right perceived wrongs by suicide bombing.

[og]

I don't trust devout muslims becaause of what their creed commands they do. Obama is a socialist, and that's my beef with him, not his religion.

[beth]

The problem with Frau Schussel's focus on Obama's name, his heritage and his upbringing is that it completely changes the subject from the real issues.

Those issues are plenty reason for him to never become president. He's the flavor of the month with the media, but it's two years before the election and a lot can happen in 2 years.

Meanwhile, the man's voting record and stance on issues is being lost in the argument about his name, heritage, etc.

Is he a leader with the experience, strength of character and will to lead our nation in the Global War on Terrorism? That's what I'm looking for - and I don't see it in Obama.

As og pointed out, he's a socialist and THAT should be the issue.

When you are not able to give a coherent argument on an intellectual level, I guess you focus on gossipy arguments over one's ethnicity and family connections.

I read the Frau's post and frankly - it seemed to me to lay out a few facts of the man's life and draw some broad conclusions from those few facts.

(Oh - I can call her Frau can't I? Isn't Schussel of German derivation? By her own reasoning, that would mean ..... what?)

[Tully]

He's the flavor of the month with the media, but it's two years before the election and a lot can happen in 2 years.

Exactly. There are plenty of sound legitimate and relevant reasons to criticize Obama--namely, that he's a left-liberal of small experience who's never faced a tough election. "Rock star," not. More like "pop tart."

Flogging the bigot reflex is low. Making things up to flog bigot reflex is even lower.

[Ken T]

Very good post Ms. Ochieng.

The whole reason we are fighting the long slog in Afganistan and Iraq is out of a belief that Muslims can be perfectly compatible with modernity. Otherwise, we'd simply carpet-bomb.

I'm sure the POTUS is really concerned about his barber and dentist.

Of course this whole line of reasoning is moot given that Sen. Obama is a Christian.

Just like Jimmy Carter....

(Oh Noes!)

[Albertanator]

Good post Baldi and very interesting about your own background!

Indeed, it really isn't fair of us Conservatives to make insinuations about a person because of his name...

The Fact is is that Obama is indeed an apostate from Islam and under True Islamic law, can be killed for leaving that brutal ideology....

The real issue for us is not a person's past but his present...what does the person believe now?

And what Obama believes now is brutal...is a radical liberal and a staunch supporter of late term abortions...

I do not like this what this man stands for ...not because of his past but of what he believes now...

My best freind's name is Fareed....he is also an Ex Muslim.....

We are to judge by the content...not the outside....

Thanks