A black president doesnt mean that many changes will happen. The system is designed in such a way that a status quo is maintained.

We need to work harder than before to overthrow imperialism and injustice around the world

The "politically correct" who claim Christianity was spread by the sword are Protestants or atheists who lump all religions in the same basket. It is telling that Protestants will not admit there is no verse in the New Testament or incident in the life of Jesus to justify any violence. They also conveniently ignore that Christians suffered persecution for over three hundred years, all but one of Jesus were killed as were hundreds and hundreds of Christians in the first three centuries. No European pagan was converted by force. Emperor Constantine who finally stopped the persecution of Christians not converted by force. Some Popes misused their political power in the two thousand year history of the church. Whenever reference is made to the church people go back in history at least four centuries and keep writing about it as if were happening today and had been happening as a rule in accordance with the New Testament teachings of Jesus.

Anonymous claims:
“That force is the message of love, peace, and forgiveness taught by Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.”

If you truly believe the above you don’t know anything about Islam. In other words you could not be a Muslim. This is a new trend on these WAPO threads for Muslims to link their prophet’s name with Moses and Jesus along with their messages to gain their prophet and their religion a measure of acceptance and respect by those whom they describe as “infidels” . It is a naïve effort that will never work because non-Muslims are for the most part well informed , believe in using their brains and are critical minded .

Anonymous tells me:
“No, the Jewish ordeal began at the end of the 14th century when most of Europe started killing and expelling Jews and usurping their property. This ideology continued until the Holocaust.”
Moi:
No doubt some Jews were discriminated against in the West. That was mainly due to the fact that some Jews, may live in Russia or Germany, but never are Germans or Russians; their allegiance is primarily to the Jewish people. AIPAC, for example, puts Israel's interests over that of the USA till this day.
The Jewish ordeal in Muslim societies, on the other hand, started at the time of the “last prophet” because the Jews refused to accept him as their prophet. Hate of and discriminating against the Jews is sanctioned by the Creator, according to your holy book and the tradition and actions of your prophet.

You further say:
“In his commentary published in Chicago Tribune of Sept. 19,(2006) Prof Emeritus, Marty Martin of the University of Chicago Divinity School, wrote:
“But it also must be said that Christians, from the 4th Century to the 18th Century, can match the Muslims one-for-one when it comes to having spread the faith with the sword.”

Moi:
This is a classic example of the adage “grabbing for straw”. Who is this guy and why do you, or us for that matter , should give him any credence? I read the European history back and forth a number of times, and never came across anything that came close to such an allegation. If any so-called Christians had forcibly converted anyone to their faith, they are by definition not Christians. Have you read anywhere that Our Lord incited us to use the sword against the "unbelievers"?

Victoria. It is a good idea to ignore a person like Arif. Isn't he the one who posted the picture of a semi-nude model in a blog on Eboo Patel's column several months ago and teased Muslim by boasting that he drinks beer? Of course, that is his business. Of course, the moderator quickly removed that picture.

Consider this:

Prophet Muhammad said: "Both in this world and in the hereafter, I am the nearest of all people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one."

Muslims, Christians, and Jews around the world are in desperate need of a unifying force of interfaith understanding.

That force is the message of love, peace, and forgiveness taught by Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.

All of us must honor the spirit of tolerance by building bridges of interfaith understanding. `

To Observer: The Holocaust did not occur at the spur of the moment. There is a long history of expulsions, killings , and usurpation of the property of Jews from the end of the fourteenth century to the Hlocaust in Europe.
Before the Holocaust there was a constant effort to demonize Jews all over the world, especially Europe.

Lord Cromer, Britain’s proconsul in Egypt (1883-1907), divided humanity into “governing races” and “subject races”, while T. E. Lawrence called Egyptians “worms”. This is hardly different from “vermin”, the Nazi epithet for Jews.

Lord Balfour, whose 1917 declaration handed over Palestine to Europeans, was intensely anti-Jewish and was so disturbed by the possible mass migration of east European Jews into Britain following pogroms in Russia that as prime minister he had the Aliens Act passed in 1905 to block their migration to Britain. And Mark Sykes (of the Sykes-Picot pact fame) called the Jews “the archetype of cosmopolitan financier, rootless money grubber....contemptible”.

Churchill believed that “atheistic Jews” were behind the Russian revolution, and often referred to the Bolsheviks as “bacillus”— a pet Nazi term for Jews. An article “By the Rt. Hon. Winston S. Churchill” in the February 8, 1920, issue of the Illustrated Sunday Herald, named Karl Marx, Bela Kuhn, Rosa Luxembourg and others among Jews who were behind “every subversive movement” in the 19th century. He also accused Trotsky of attempting to set up a world communist empire “under Jewish domination”.

During our time, an attempt is being made to demonize Muslims by portraying them all to be terrorists.
The neocon and the theocon unholy alliance often cherry picks negative news about Muslims from around the world to demonize Muslims in general. Various terms have been invented to make an impact on the minds of the people. Examples of these emotionally charged terms are "jihadists","islamicists" etc.A constant maligning of all Muslims is going on for the acts of few.

Correction: Sept. 19, 2006.

To Observer:

(1) No,the Jewish ordeal began at the end of the 14th century when most of Europe started killing and expelling Jews and usurping their property. This ideology continued until the Holocaust.

(2) In his commentary published in Chicago Tribune of Sept. 19, Prof Emeritus, Marty Martin of the University of Chicago Divinity School, wrote:

" I know I'll get hit for suggesting "equivalencies" here, though I am always clear in stating that there is no equivalency between today's radical and extreme Muslims and today's ordinary Christians. But it also must be said that Christians, from the 4th Century to the 18th Century, can match the Muslims one-for-one when it comes to having spread the faith with the sword. Read the history of the Christianization of Europe, and you have to go hunting for that minority of the faithful who spread the faith without the sword, merely by witness and works."

If my hand has touched your heart, do as I command, hear me, and answer me, to build and plant, then you will find joy.

fig tree, pomegranate tree, palm tree, apple tree, almond tree

If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:
Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:
He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.
He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;
He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.
If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.
If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

“the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews”

The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of man.

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

“all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy”

All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.
And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.
Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.

“cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins”
“there was joy in Israel”

Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

“David the king also rejoiced with great joy”
“Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father”

And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

“anointed Solomon”
“and rejoiced with great joy”

That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord.
And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.
And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.
For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

“Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people”
“all the congregation of Judah” “the fig tree”
“the priests and the Levites” “the pomegranate tree”
“all the congregation that came out of Israel” “the palm tree”
“the strangers that came out of the land of Israel” “the apple tree”

So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;

And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;

Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.
Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.
Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;

This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;
And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.
Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.
Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.

They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of man.

“even all the trees of the field”

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
Then the Lord put forth his hand, And touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

John Lennon's "Imagine" is great inspiration too. It sounds so similar to Senator Obama's speech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOkxRLzBf0

Anonymous said to me:
“You couldn't exactly deny European colonialism, Rwanda, the Christianization of Europe by force from the 4th century to 18th century, the Holocaust, the genocides of Rwanda, and Cambodia”.
Moi:
I did not deny the European colonialism, but I see no reason to apologize for it, because I am not European and more importantly, European colonialism have opened closed societies to the enlightened societies and drove them out of their Dark Ages.
In my post I said” let the Indians and others list their martyrs”. That should include Rwanda and Cambodia.
Christianization of Europe by force? You must mean by that how the Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity after the Roman Empire persecuted the Christians for over 300 years. The majority of Europeans embraced Christianity on their own first and the Emperor followed suite to maintain a connection with his subjects.
The Holocaust of the Jews was carried out by a madman, unlike the holocausts carried by Muslims which are carried out as a service to the Creator for which the perpetrators are promised Paradise.

Anonymous also said that limiting my comments to Muslims violence is an “unwinnable argument”.
Moi:
The reason I limit my comments mainly to Muslim violence is because I am replying to a Muslim’s allegations

You couldn't exactly deny European colonialism, Rwanda, the Christianization of Europe by force from the 4th century to 18th century, the Holocaust, the genocides of Rwanda, and Cambodia.

You have failed to admit that by listing the killings by Muslims and not acknowledging the killings by people of other faiths throughout history is not a winnable argument.

You keep repeating what Muslims have done without acknowledging what others have done.

Anonymous tells me:

* Some journalists have portrayed Islam as a religion of war and conquest. If so, why didn't Muslims participate in most of the wars, conflicts, or genocides of the bloodiest century, i.e. the two world wars, the Korean War, the Viet Nam War, the Holocaust, and the genocides of Cambodia and Rwanda?
Moi: It is a basic tenant in Muslim religion to spread the faith “by any means feasible" which includes, and not limited to, discrimination, segregation, humiliation, excessive taxes and the sword.
The Muslim caliphate which was headed by Turkey and included all the Arab countries, entered the World War I, but was knocked out early in the conflict.
Holocaust of non-Muslims by Muslims is a time honored tradition since the birth of that cult. The genocide of the Jews of Arabia was carried out by your prophet….In the very near future there was the genocide of the Nubians, Armenians, the tribes of southern Sudan, Darfur ,etc.

* Did Muslims colonize the world in the previous two centuries and brought death and destructions to millions of people around the globe? If not, who did?
Moi:
Not in the last two centuries, but up to then. The Muslim Arabs colonized all of North Africa, the Middle East , Spain and parts of Eastern Europe. They ran out of steam and now the tide is turning against them.

* Was it Muslims who killed hundreds of thousands of the people of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations?
Moi:
The Muslims of North Sudan slaughtered two million Africans in South Sudan between 1955 and 2000. I shall let Indians and others tally their martyrs.
Besides there no basis for the above allegation about the South American tribes.

* Three innocent Christian girls were killed recently in Indonesia? Were those killings state-sponsored? In contrast, was the massacre of thousands of Muslims in Bosnia, State sponsored?
Moi:
Why the massacre of Armenians and Sudanese were not state sponsored? In fact all the pillaging, destruction, enslavement , and killing of non-Muslims by Muslims have been committed throughout history in the name of Allah and His prophet.

I'm glad Obama would like Jews, Christians, and Muslims to get along. I'd add Hindus, Bahais, and some other religious as well as ethnic identities.
These wishes of his are not unique.

I'm also glad he makes good speeches. Why not? His fashion flair appears to be developing as well. Nice. What disturbs the hell out of me is the celebrity culture that the media is promoting around him. For some of us, this endless ooohing creates no end of anxiety. Know why?

Observer and Janephil:

In the past, America has experienced ethnic targets like "all negroes are criminals", "all Italians are mafia", "all Japanese-Americans are the enemy" (during the second WW), "all polish people (called pollocks) are stupid. Now, after 9/11, all Muslims are being targeted as terrorists. Some journalists and writers have chosen to target Muslims for anything that happens even remotely connected with Muslims.

The following questions come to mind that anyone concerned about the welfare of humankind must examine and analyze.
(1) French riots: Why did the Moroccans and other North Africans come to France ? What is their connection with the French and what is relevant history behind it? Were these riots in the name of Islam or were the conditions of those people reached a boiling point which suddenly exploded like a pressure cooker?
(2) Why did the Los Angeles Watts riots take place? What were the social, political, and economic factors that account for those riots?
Were there any similarities of the human condition between the two riots.
(3) Why are the Indians, Pakistanis, Bagladeshis, and Nigerians in England ? What is their connections with the British ? Are these minorities treated fairly there?
(4) Some journalists have portrayed Islam as a religion of war and conquest. If so, why didn't Muslims participate in most of the wars, conflicts, or genocides of the bloodiest century, i.e. the two world wars, the Korean War, the Viet Nam War, the Holocaust, and the genocides of Cambodia and Rwanda?
(5) Did Muslims colonize the world in the previous two centuries and brought death and destructions to millions of people around the globe? If not, who did?
(6) Was it Muslims who killed hundreds of thousands of the people of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations?
(7) Three innocent Christian girls were killed recently in Indonesia? Were those killings state-sponsored? In contrast, was the massacre of thousands of Muslims in Bosnia, State sponsored?
(8) Why and (by whom) were the Jews persecuted in Europe since the end of the 14th century? At the time, the Jews strove and yearned to settle themselves in a safe land. This promised land was offered to them by the Islamic Ottomans, who welcomed the migrating Jews, protected them, granted them communal autonomy, and allowed them to practice their faith?

Could Muslims then be all that bad as some journalist and writers like to portray?

Is the system back?

Janephil says:
“The Arabs are not the enemy. Islam is. Islam only teaches hate and encourages its followers to kill …. There cannot be peace between Islam and the rest of the world until Muslims renounce violence.”

Renouncing violence by Muslims is akin to renouncing their faith, since Jihad, or violence to defend and spread their faith is an integral part of their ideology.

Obama had nothing substanstive to say. As usual his speech was full of hot air.

The Arabs are not the enemy. Islam is. Islam only teaches hate and encourages its followers to kill those believers who want to leave the faith. There cannot be peace between Islam and the rest of the world until muslims renounce violence.

I would love to say that this is a fair judgment of where Obama really stands on the issue of faith and other host of issues. Good Job Ebo.

It's funny how many conservatives want us to be so cowed by the notion of a well-spoken President, as if the dude they were blindly loyal to, that will be most famous for tripping over his own words gave them anything of 'substance,' in the first place.

Look at the crowds Obama drew, ...the hope he represents to the rest of the world for an America that will *help,* instead of being the biggest *problem.*

The media keeps presenting McCain as 'stronger on foreign policy,' but he can't even *remember* the foreign policy.

You *bet* we need those kinds of leadership skills. But remember that fixing our problems, and the colossal mistakes of the previous administration, aren't just about a leader. They're about *us* doing the work.

Some conservatives will be determined to do like they did even to the conservative Democrat Clinton: Obstruct. It will take *our* support for Obama to make good on all the hope.

He's inheriting an awful mess, and no mistake about it.

LOL- He totally NAILED the Pink Floyd vote!

I wonder why the author, a Muslim, seems to be indirectly saying that it is the American Foreign Policy that needs to be changed to bring peace in this world. He just needs to read the daily newspapers to see who is blowing up whom.

Before Mr. Obama addresses the world on eradicating prejudice, he may want to consider addressing his own wife about erecting walls between the masculine and feminine with her insulting, male-alienating comments in the New Republic. (http://www.tnr.com/story.html?id=1fabbb3c-5efa-4b6d-a613-9220d1a652a9&p=2)

My dear Fellow Americans, and world citizens,

It pains me to no end to witness once again the failure of democracy.

The American Presidency is not about a popularity contest, nor is it about regurgitated speeches.

History is full of examples of Pied Pipers and Tent Charlatans with the great gift of gab who have seduced their audiences into horrid circumstances… Can’t you think of any?

While in rhetoric we can fancy tearing down walls, I invite everyone do so in their daily lives and put into practice what they hear from the “star-struck” pulpit.

Let the lion lie down with the lamb…pray tell what should the lion eat? What will you eat come dinner time?

Let’s pretend that every country out there is a victim of the United States, and if we change our “evil ways” all other countries will simultaneously join us at the great feast of nobility.

Let’s assume that all nations, big and small, care about America, and will seek our welfare as if we were their flesh and kin.

Let’s tear down the wall of security, walk without secret service, or police protection, turn off our home security, and leave our doors unlocked! Can’t do it? Then why should we ask our nation to do so? I invite anyone to go sit down with those who may have threatened to harm us and offer them incentives, carrots and diamonds so that they may change heart and love us…

Oh, speaking of harm? Let’s do break down our immune system as it is such a formidable wall against those who wish to plague our flesh as it’s their fundamental right to existence to do so…

And Islam will break down the wall and declare that all Christians and Jews are welcome beyond the walls of Paradise…no questions asked. The other two will return the favor as well.

Let’s break down the wall of racism: If we support Mr. Obama, then we’re progressive and open minded; however should we choose not to elect him, then that would be a dark racist statement about America, Mr. Obama’s character and principles notwithstanding.

Speaking of principles, let’s do breakdown the wall of choice we erect against every new life we deem unwanted. Our president-elect, Mr. Obama is hereby authorized by his profound wisdom to pass decree that we erect bio-medical walls against illegal immigrants into the definition of living America…Wall, indeed!

Mr. Obama and his family should also break down the wall of wealth and start by donating their commodious appointments to the less fortunate in the world… Surely, such act, and I say Act, would reverberate and resonate much deeper than hollow speeches and would certainly benefit a poor village in a developing country in great measure. Now wouldn’t that be messianic and immanently presidential worthy of the proponent of “change”?

Enough with the speeches Mr. Obama…we’ve already tired of them… On with action! Stop talking and demonstrate if there is substance beyond the fluff you’ve deluded so many with.

Iliad Terra
www.alfa8.com

The soft/kind approach to defeating radicalism is obviously failing. You just need to see the latest round of bombings in India, Istanbul and Iraq. Just so we even things out a bit, let me throw in the church shooting in Tenn.

This is my suggestion. It is somewhat Gandhian and you may even like it. For every religious atrocity done, a thousand people from the offending religion should convert to the victimized religion. If it is the same religions involved, then a thousand people should become atheists. What a wonderful world we will have then!

DOES anyone have the impression he/they have to listen to any Obama speech?

What are you, sooo fascinated with his speeches you can't reach the dial? Turn it off! SAVE yourselves.

(I mean, break loose the chains and duct tape and all the knotted ropes...and turn off the tv.

There now, problem solved, jealous silly idiots.

Thank you so much for reporting on the great leader of this movement so eloquently.

YES WE WILL CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGE AND MOVE FORWARD FOR AMERICA AND THE WORLD!

Debbie Fischer, Colorado Women for Obama Volunteer Coordinator

Obama is the best candidate we've got. He can bridge the divide and is a symbol of all the differences. In him, all the differences find a common ground. Vote for Obama! please visit WhyOBama08.org!

Senator Obama is in the news because he is MAKING news.

Once Senator McCain starts MAKING news, rather than spouting the same old rhetorical, "Obama just doesn't understand," maybe Senator McCain will be in the news also.

I haven’t been a great lover of the media over the last 10 years or so, but on this subject, the critics are absolutely wrong.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah -- pretty speech. It's one that a president would make -- not a candidate.

Obama's is not a story that could only happen in America. There are plenty of examples in Germany alone where goatherding tribal boys make good in a western country.

That Obama is setting himself up as an American success story to end all success stories is offensive and, once again, speaks volumes to the arrogance that both he and his mouthy wife pour out on us.

I don't know who he thinks I think he is: he ain't no JFK, that's for sure.

Obama will be elected. I mean, Jesus -- look at the fossil he's running against. But I am dreading, oh so very dreading, the next few years of listening to his lame brain excuses as to why his stellar past has not kept pace with his ability to lead this nation. Obama is a good candidate. He will be a failure as a president."

My Response: Man, you are one funny cat... lol Although I'll be voting Obama (No, I haven't drunk the Kool Aid), I must admit you made some very insightful and outrageously humorous insights: "I mean, Jesus -- look at the fossil he's running against." Priceless! lol LMFAO!

It would have been a great match if Obama had travelled with Hannah Montana on his EU tour. They would draw about the same level of adulation, have the same banal platitudes, the same attraction to "youth," and have the same level of intellectual import.

Interesting that "breaking walls" is viewed as the most effective part of Obama's Berlin speech and considered his most effect speech in an article on faith. This was also the part of his Berlin speech that most caught my attention as I listened.

Why? Because perhaps 10-15 years ago, I was in a church where we sang a song of prayer, entitled, "Break Dividing Walls" and the words Obama spoke in his speech paralled many of the words of that song. Not so much to make me think that he might have heard this song himself, but enough to think, "Christians you need to be listening to what this man is saying." I've found that truth can often be heard from the most unlikely sources if our ears are tuned to hear it.

Eboo Patel has written hate speech against Kradazvic, Modi (Gujarat in India) and other anti-Islamists. But why does not he speak out against Islamic terror: Last 24 hours toll (many in Islamic nations). India (Gujarat), Turkey, Iraq

All cases: Muslims target and blow up innocent men, women and children. But the "moderate" Muslim- Patel and others are silent on this.

Dear American Citizens and the Press

As a concerned citizen, I consider it is my duty to bring following message to you all.

"We the citizens of the United States of America have the ultimate responsibility to elect the " Right Candidate" to lead our nation, out of our huge present and future internal and external challenges as well as opportunities. This is to prevent depression and isolation in-spite of being the only superpower in the world morally, democratically, economically, and militarily.

We need to consider the "critical qualities and characteristics" of our presumptive presidential nominees at the time we vote.

In my personal and professional opinion the critical considerations are as under:


1. Calm, cool, and collected " temper " [ Presidential Temperament ].
2. Sound and sustained "Judgment and Caliber".
3. "Thought-fullness and togetherness" of purpose and positions.
4. Minimum "ex-poser and exploitation" around "Washington and Washington insiders".
5. Renewed " Vigor and Vision " for our Greatgrand Nation.
6. Foreign policy based on " American Values, Virtuous, Vastness".

Stay informed, stay involved, and stay engaged. Do not allow some partisan media, pundits, pollsters, and perpetual political opinion makers effect your vote in the wrong direction.

Don't be effected and duped by "Psychological Terrorism" that is directed at common American people without their full consent and awareness.

Long live U.S.A and its diverse but democratic people.

Col. A.M. Khajawall [Ret] MD., ABFM., ABDA.
Chief Consultant: World Wide Porfessional Consultants[WWPC]
Colonel, USAR/MC Combat Stress Control[Ret], Disabled American Veteran and Freedom team.
Consultant Psychiatrist: CA State, Medical Board of California, and Los Angeles Mental Health Department
Address: 7642 Eaglehelm Court Las Vegas NV 89123

srtu

Yeah, yeah, yeah -- pretty speech. It's one that a president would make -- not a candidate.

Obama's is not a story that could only happen in America. There are plenty of examples in Germany alone where goatherding tribal boys make good in a western country.

That Obama is setting himself up as an American success story to end all success stories is offensive and, once again, speaks volumes to the arrogance that both he and his mouthy wife pour out on us.

I don't know who he thinks I think he is: he ain't no JFK, that's for sure.

Obama will be elected. I mean, Jesus -- look at the fossil he's running against. But I am dreading, oh so very dreading, the next few years of listening to his lame brain excuses as to why his stellar past has not kept pace with his ability to lead this nation. Obama is a good candidate. He will be a failure as a president.