What's a Muslim to do? What's a president to do?

Sally:

Your column fails to express a single coherent idea.

You replace analysis with risible presumption and contemptible condescension when you argue, "many of the same people who criticized Obama for his affiliation with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's Christian church during the campaign are now calling him a Muslim."

You then contend that those who oppose the Ground Zero mosque are "confused about the idea that this country was based on the belief in religious freedom" even though polls indicate that about 70% of Americans support the religious right of Imam Rauf to build the mosque even as they believe it is insensitive for him to exercise that right.

Finally, you contend that the man who stabbed the Muslim cab driver committed a hate crime was tantamount to a terrorist act even though he was a member of a pro-mosque organization.

Sally, you need to hear the voices of the people “before things really get out of hand." The pseudo arguments in your op-ed piece may make for diverting talk at one of your fat-cat social events in Washington DC. But out here in the hinterlands, we are sick and tired of incendiary talk that regards us as the great unwashed masses. Don’t tell us that we are religiously intolerant about the Ground Zero Mosque when you and your liberal pals venomously attack Beck’s rally to restore Judeo-Christian values in our country.

Instead, let’s just agree to disagree.

The people who are so afraid of Muslims should know that their favorite news channel's second biggest owner after Rupert Murdock is a Muslim, Prince Al Waleed bin Talel. He is the same Muslim who has supported the Imam who is building the ground zero Muslim cultural center. To those who watch Fox news: How do you like being indoctrinated by Prince Al Waleed bin Talel? Maybe you should be worrying about that and let your President do his job in peace.

"Because we want to conserve good cultures and liberalize bad ones."

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That would depend on who define good cultures and bad cultures.

"Cultures" are enriched by interactions with other "cultures". At the most innocous and pleasurable, the adoption and adaption of cuisines. At the most contentious, the frissons of different values and norms.

What is bad "culture" is usually subjective and dependent on whether one defines oneself as a "conservative", a "traditionist", a "liberal", a "progressive" etc.

This is the blinding flash of the obvious and which you know too well.

Conservatives, just as liberals, think they are doing the right thing for society and country, but conservatives do tend to be a bit more local/national rather than global/international in their perspective.
One can see this in their emphasis on their "patriotism" and expressions of their nation's interests.

Never a bad thing to be a patriot, but patriotism morphing into nationalism is sometimes not quite a good thing, for it does tend to be parochialism given the sheen of "patriotism".

But of course, I am from a small country forcing one to understand out of neccesity how interlinked and interdependent we all are on matters of global security, development, enviroment etc.

By security, I don't just mean being safe from terrorists, but also from political, economic, social, religious extremisms of all stripes. By development, I also mean finace, trade and investment, both outflows and inflows.

On environment, much said, and much to be done. Being a conservationist is not so bad even if some of the more passionate conservationists are called "tree huggers".

Do we want to be conservative at all times? Or do we want to find radical, progressive solutions to move societies and countries forward? Being conservative or conservationist of failed ideas and approaches is a negative. It causes stagnation.

Sally, I was just wondering what you have done which makes you an authority on "faith." I think most people remember you as an adultress who broke up Bradlee's marriage. That hardly qualifies you as an expert on morality or anything else for that matter.

It also perplexing when these Americans against "liberals" wears "conservatism" as a badge of pride, as a state of being, thinking and believing that is laudable, when they condemn and deplore Muslims for being "conservative".
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Because we want to conserve good cultures and liberalize bad ones.

Never thought Franklin Graham actually would propound the notion of inherited religious beliefs. Very, very odd. Some Sephardic Jewish communities also believe this nonsense.

Posted by: Martial
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You are confusing the findings of some studies, not limited to Sephardim, which show a congruence of DNA and religious belief, cultural tenets, etc. Similar findings would occur for other populations, no doubt. There are in fact some parallels with studies of another people, but more on them another time. The reason this is of interest is that it demonstrates the reality of the locus classicus of Diaspora. A scattered people retains coherence.

As for the Graham pronouncement re Judaism, no accepted theory among any Jews, Sephardim, Mizrahi (my tribe), Askenazim, et al, demonstrates "genetic Judaism." Of course, one finds this sort of thing among a rather different sort, does one not.

As for the President, Graham, in trying to determine Obama's one true faith, errs in the same way as his fellow Obama faith speculators. If one listens carefully to the president's speeches, one quickly ascertains his Hylomorphism. In all likelihood, he learned the rudiments of his belief from his Aunt Artemis' son-in-law, Fred, aka Freddie H, who was a constant presence in the Obama household as the young future president was growing into his destiny (Hyplomorphically speaking).

I wonder what Salman Rushdie, Ayaan Hirsi Ali et al would say to what Franklin Graham said about "inherited religious belief".

By the reasoning of Mr. Franklin Graham, Salman and Ayaan would still be Muslims then, not Indian not Somalian.

It never fails to surprise to see some Americans using "liberal" as a slur towards fellow Americans when they also complained about all Muslims as being "illiberal".

It also perplexing when these Americans against "liberals" wears "conservatism" as a badge of pride, as a state of being, thinking and believing that is laudable, when they condemn and deplore Muslims for being "conservative".

And certainly, it is confusing for them to be against "politically correctness" when they spew out colourful inventive invectives, and then accused Muslims of being "insensitive" or "hyper-sensitive" or "over-sensitive" in reactions to matters Muslims consider "sensitive".

It does sounds like bigotry to accuse the President of not being a true, a real American, that he's Kenyan or Indonesian, and to bray for Muslims and Hispanics being prevented from immigrating to the States.

And certainly, there is a difference between pluralism and multiculturalism, but quite a number of Americans not quite distinguishing those two.

The world in reality, is plural and more and more nation-states are multicultural and plural. How people and nations monoculturalised their plural and multicultural societies by education, by law is always contentious be it for secular or religious reasons.

Let's hear the voices of our leaders on this before things really get out of hand.

- Sally Quinn

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Good point.

People expect leaders, be they head or religious organisations or head of states.governments, to be above and beyond the fray, to diffuse tensions, not be the cause of it, or to agravate it.

No one in the Muslim world really cares what Pat Robertson says on Islam, Muslims and the Prophet. If the Pope do, it matters for obvious reasons. No one in the Muslim world really cares what Newt Gingrich says on Islam, Muslims and the Prophet. But if the President does, it matters for apparent reasons.

The President has said just enough and just right. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else needed to be said, but others to ruminate.

This Ameican domestic row is not going to affect the reputation of the United States in the Muslim world. It rest primarily on its bilateral relations, multilateral endeavours, and leadership in addressing issues from transnational crime to the global economy to the enviroment to the Middle East Peace Process to countering international terrorism.

As for what a Muslim is to say and do..nothing. Easier for a non-American to say so, but harder for American Muslims who have live in this current climate of fears and suspicions and loathing in the States.

Hope they won't have to give up their plane seat nor give up their flight (as Mansoor Ijaz did just after 9/11) because other Americans thinks they look swarthy enough to be a terrorist. Nor do they have to walk to the back of the buses, planes and trains to be sensitive to their fellow Americans wary of Muslims. Nor do they fear to pick up drunk Americans as passengers in their taxis.

After all, they did leave their countries of origin behind to move to America for a better life be they the best and brightest or the poor and marginalised to pursue the American Dream too - that every man or woman is judged by not the colour of his or her skin, gender or religious belief, but what he or she say and do.

I may be getting the American Idealism, the American Dream, American principles wrong here, as only a foreigner can and surely do.

Never thought Franklin Graham actually would propound the notion of inherited religious beliefs. Very, very odd. Some Sephardic Jewish communities also believe this nonsense.

"End Dalit trafficking. Make slavery history."

Dalit Freedom Network
http://www.dalitnetwork.org/
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There are three hundred million Dalit, most of them in India, but many in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal. The Dalit (trans. "oppressed") were formerly called the "untouchables." Click on the link. Help.

Sally Quinn: "Although Obama's father was born Muslim, ...". Why do people use the phrase "being born Muslim"? People are born without any religious belief. They become Muslims, Christians, etc. only later through indoctrination by their parents and teachers.

Dear Jealous George Town University Agents (of the pedphile infested Vatican & Co.) O' Drunk Eucharist-Lovers, O' Jealous Cathoholic Sister "eLizabeth Tennety, [one's who cunningly Deletes and blocks then Steals & shares that which was deleted; i.e. me ESSAY, work, not yours & O' ye super Jealous other Sugar Daddy, Dave Waters, Huffington et al. How can ye/yo Stolen Ideas get Credit? Ye stink of Jealousy!

Note: Also Shaame on Catholic Berkley Center's agents via Patheo.com's Leo & K. Brinnick's, puppets, plagiarizers & fronts via Deepak Chopra

Notice: Fact & Reality: IT is WE[i], of the prophesied Apocalyptarian Nationals, US, the JyOKTAN people" of America (unlike Ye/Yo wannabe PELEG people imported from abroad) whom will rightly receive, instead Ye, & due diligently Get The Noble Peace Prizes & other Humanitarian Prizes near & in Future; Never are any of Ye NICOLATIANS! aka JiNNS! KALI's! and by many other rightful Evil Names/titles! PS: Ye via Bishop John Sponge et al also deleted, then plagiarized me essay on real meaning of Nicolatian's Reveal-ations. SO Folk like You (E Tenety) & D Waters are the NICOLATIAN's. Even Mr. Jesus & diciples "HATE" ye Nicolatians. aka Loyalists to Vatican, Mecca, Jerusalem, Tibet et al, all foreign Nations; zero Amerika/o!.

O' Cathohlics! O' Mormon's; May EKLAH foil ye Religious Jealous plans in USA & on S.pace-S.hip Earth & tame ye Pre-Apocalyptic vices of yore & lore.! O' Jealous Witches/Wicaan/Pagans.

Nice Try 'Little-Sister Liz Tenety & Co:

WE [i] & Ye/Yo'th As Audience; How do yo know that god-Player; Imam Rauf (with Daisy Khan's Blessings & secret/silence) Does Not have a 9 Year Old Wife in the Offings somewhere HIDDEN (unlike the HIDDEN 12 Imam) in any of the O.rganization of I.slami Council (1969) or Arab League Nations (1935)??

The President Of The [Todays] United States should secretly Fly To Mecca, Kiss the Hand Of King Faisal, King Abdulla of Saudi, GCC, & Jordan et al; THEN

Obama & SATANIC-VERSUS lovers, Should, Like All the Ayatollah's, like All the Wahhabi Theocrats + Wahhabi Monarchs & like muHAM-MAD & Followers, should Marry a 9 Year Old Girl(s).

Fact: King ABDULLAH & FAISAL's & Iran's Big-Mouth Ahmadinijahd are All quietly Married to 9 Year Old Girls! Includes TURKISH big Mouth Erdogan & Co, ASSAD of Syria too & Mihammad KARZAI of Afghanistan..??????????? P-E-D-O-P-H-i-L-E Leaderships, practices, imported from Abroad here???

Borak Hussein Obama should secretly marry-off his Daughters to the House of Wahhabi or Co.,. Note: Obama can get paid for his Daughters in PETRO (say 10 Million Barrels each Daughter). He Should Tell Michelle, Shuut-up! And the rest of KAFIR American/o's "It's Allah's (not gods) Will"?

PS: Prez Reagan's [pbuh et al] old saying, "EVIL EMPIRE" is now more appropriate for The ISHLAMI-Scare Ummah-Invasion within KAFIR Nations. Beware the SINO + Neo-Ishlami Axis great future-Looking & plan on taking over & spliting S.pace S.hip Earth between SINO's Ummah + ISHLAMI Ummah. NOt Xrtian Orthodox Russia & CO.!

Secret: Many Many ISHLAMi Citizenz here; Have dual Citizenships; Plus Duel Wives. And Many many Also Have 9-Year Old Wives Hidden Abroad. Not Even Customs or U.S. Immigration Folks know this.

O' Stupido Ammmeerrrricano's! O' Gringo's!

Previously I write, "Our left liberal news media will look really stupid should this turn out Enright is simply mentally disturbed."

Last night, Enright is transferred from Rikers to Bellevue. Enright is moved from an infamous jail to an infamous loony bin. Enright's sanity is being questioned.

Had our left liberal lamestream news media spent the past month going on about Kermit the Frog knocking up Ms. Piggy, this nutcase Enright would have been hunting down talking green frogs.

Nonetheless, our Bellevue bound left liberal lamestream news media is spinning this up as conservative Americans are racist murderous maniacs.

As to your question, Ms. Quinn, "What's a president to do?" What Obama can do is join Enright at Bellevue; they are both nuts, both have been behaving Obama "stupidly".

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation

God help us if there are more than 25% of Americans who can't see through this issue as a Fox News smear and another Atwater/Rove political wedge issue.

Sorry, but the only evidence that Obama isn't a closet or secret Muslim are his own statements that he's a Christian. If so, he's the weakest ever in the White House, giving speeches dissing Christianity and the Bible, snubbing Christian leaders like Franklin Graham, and throwing the White House and the gates of the U.S. open to Muslims, even Muslim Brotherhood members in the White House, while giving speeches painting Islam as the ideal religion, which at the same time he claims to be too dumb to embrace. Maybe he's not too dumb to embrace it, just smart enough to hide it while in power. See for yourself how deep Obama's Muslim rabbit hole goes with the Historyscoper's free Obamascope that lays out all the evidence pro and con with links to check facts: http://tinyurl.com/obamascope

the seed of intolerant white "Christianity" is passed through the father to Rev. Franklin

Charles Krauthammer said it better today than I did below.

What do liberals do when their programs aren't popular? Accuse the populace of bigotry:

-- Resistance to the vast expansion of government power, intrusiveness and debt, as represented by the Tea Party movement? Why, racist resentment toward a black president.

-- Disgust and alarm with the federal government's unwillingness to curb illegal immigration, as crystallized in the Arizona law? Nativism.

-- Opposition to the most radical redefinition of marriage in human history, as expressed in Proposition 8 in California? Homophobia.

-- Opposition to a 15-story Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero? Islamophobia.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/26/AR2010082605233.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

I'm not surprised by the Rev. Franklin Graham rather ignorant comments
The president's problem is "he was born a Muslim, his father was a Muslim;
the seed of Muslim is passed through the father like the seed of Judaism is passed through the mother.

What asinine ignorance. You may be able to inherit racial characteristics from your parents but no one inherits language, culture or religion. Those are learned behaviors. My parents were Asian but since grew up in the United States, I neither inherited their native language , religion or customs. Like any other American...I grew up American.

I've never had anyone tell me I inherited the "seed of my father's culture, religion or language"

How ignorant to make such simplistic arguments. Apparently Rev. Graham inherited his father's position but not his intellect.

"By denying he was a Muslim, he has made it seem as if there were something wrong about being Muslim."

Sally that is weird logic. Any choice of identity is an implicit statement that one's choice is the best for oneself. Why does one choose Buddhism over other religions? Has to be that the convert considers Buddhism to be the most suitable. I am an apostate of Islam. I have chosen to be non-religious. I left Islam because I do consider that there is something fundamentally wrong with Islam. Muslims are being hampered and restricted by Islam in the modern world. It no longer servers their needs as a community. It is suicidal on Americans part if we are unable to speak freely and express what we think because so silly "politically correct" notion of that since all religions are the same that it is "bigotry" to examine religious beliefs openly. Christianity, Judaism, the Chinese Beliefs, the Indian Beliefs, can all take criticism and open examination. Why can't Islam? Why is it that OIC countries feel the need to go to the UN to attempt to circumscribe free speech globally to limit examination of Islam?

What's a President to do? His job.

Way I see it is, his job is to guarantee our liberties and justice and lead.

Even recognizing 'opinion,' his *job* should be clear, as it would for anyone holding that office.

Sally Quinn writes, "Presumably many of the same people who criticized Obama for his affiliation with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's Christian church during the campaign...."

Careful, Ms. Quinn. The good reverend's church is not such. He and his followers are an undeclared hate group. Obama confirmed this through his breaking off his two decades long relationship with this alleged man of God, Jeremiah Wright.

Sally Quinn closes, "Monday night a man entered a cab in Manhattan and asked the driver if he was a Muslim. When the driver responded "yes," he was stabbed...what the difference is between this man and a terrorist?"

You are practicing "guilty until proven innocent". This is in direct contradiction to our right to due process and fair trial. This suggests to me you do not honor our Constitution.

While this "appears" to be a hate crime, there is information coming out suggesting this was not a hate crime. We know this Michael Enright committed this violent crime, this is obvious. However, we Americans are never to pronounce a person guilty until after due process and judgment by a jury of peers.

I am noting our left liberal lamestream news media is running wild with this, is typing out inflammatory headlines, "Stabbing! Slashing! Hate Crime Against Islam!"

Our left liberal news media will look really stupid should this turn out Enright is simply mentally disturbed.

None of us know why Enright did this yet our left liberal lamestream news media has already hanged him to death.

This is clear left liberals have rendered this a political football, and equally clear left liberals have no respect for our Constitution.

Enright is presumed "innocent until proven guilty". This is not the view of left liberals.

While I know this Enright is guilty, I value more our Constitutional rights which must be fiercely guarded, regardless. However, I am not a left liberal rather I am a patriotic American.

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation

Barack Obama is a citizen of the world, who believes religions are more the same than different.

Unfortunately, he thinks the same about cultures, and wouldn't see anything wrong with importing more low-skill illegal immigrants, third world anti-feminists, or religious fundamentalists who reject our secular knowledge.