What’s wrong with having a Muslim for president?

What about other groups? If the idea of a Latino or a Muslim in the White House is beyond belief, what does that say of American society? Either the White House is strictly reserved for those who profess to be orthodox Christians (that excludes Mormons like Mitt Romney) and the whole notion of plurality is a lie, or something has gone wrong.

If the US is the most progressive nation in these matters, what are the implications for western democracies? Is the idea of people being judged on merit, by the content of their character rather than on characteristics like race and religion just an illusion?  >>>>>

Smearcasters – How Islamophobes spread fear, bigotry and misinformation

Smearcasting documents the public writings and appearances of Islamophobic activists and pundits who intentionally and regularly spread fear, bigotry and misinformation in the media. Offering a fresh look at Islamophobia and its perpetrators in today’s media, it also provides four snapshots, or case studies, describing how Islamophobes manipulate media in order to paint Muslims with a broad, hateful brush.  >>>>>

Media has no bounds when it comes to Muslim Bashing

…No. The print media is faltering because the writing in many newspapers over the past decade have turned to the far, ugly right. Conservative neo-fascism disguised as free speech used to bully and intimidate anyone who has a viewpoint that they dislike. And it hasn’t been just one newspaper. It has been most of the major newspapers. The writing has been filled with hate-mongering, and vicious slander of a religion and a people.  >>>>>

Judge warns jury against tendency towards Islamophobia

A judge has warned a jury the Muslim religion is not on trial as they hear the case against a Sydney man accused of producing a Jihad instruction book.  >>>>>

 It’s a clear sign that a society suffers from Islamophobia, xenophobia and bigotry when a judge has to make these distinctions.  If a priest or rabbi abuses a child or commits a crime in general, a judge normally doesn’t have to tell a jury that their “religion is not on trial.” 

Adding Insult to Ignorance

    

"They wouldn't know anything about that."

      On the cover of The New Yorker’s upcoming edition on July 21, a cover that attempts to defy the term “don’t judge a (magazine) by its cover,”  has Americans screaming all sorts of of things.  Don’t get me wrong; I get the attempt at humor and satirical wit from a Western wannabe-elitist’s perspective.  I do get it; and it still brilliantly discloses things I don’t suspect the artist, Barry Blitt, wanted Americans to understand. 

       There is more accuracy in analysis of this drawing than a Rorchach ink-blot interpretation.  It’s very telling.  On the surface, it’s a cartoon of Sen. Barack Obama dressed in what Americans presume are clothing, stereotypically worn by Muslims; and Michelle Obama wearing military-camouflage attire carrying a rifle, (not exactly an AK-47), while standing in the Oval Office – with a picture of Osama bin Laden on the wall and a U.S. flag burning in the fireplace.

       Make no mistake about it; these are more than subtle messages to feed the hate to continue to get Americans behind the still-yet-to-be-proven allegations that Muslims were behind the attacks on 9/11.