US News
Obama defends patriotism amid persistent rumours (Roundup)
Jun 30, 2008, 18:22 GMT
Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Senator Barack Obama speaks to supporters during a speech on patriotism at Truman Memorial Building in Independence, Missouri, USA, 30 June 2008. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH
Washington - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke out against ongoing rumours questioning his religious beliefs and heritage in a broad speech on patriotism Monday ahead of US Independence Day celebrations.
Speaking from the aptly named town of Independence, Missouri, Obama directly addressed the series of false rumours that have plagued his campaign, including that he is of the Muslim faith and refuses to pledge allegiance to the US flag - a daily practise in most schools across the United States.
'At certain times over the last 16 months, I have found, for the first time, my patriotism challenged - at times as a result of my own carelessness, but more often as a result of a desire by some to score political points and raise fears about who I am and what I stand for,' Obama said.
'I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign, and I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine,' he said.
Obama's campaign has set up a website (www.fightthesmears.com) to counter rumours that have spread mostly through email and the internet, but have since gained a foothold among voters in many US towns.
Obama's first television commercial since clinching the Democratic nomination in early June also highlighted his patriotism and Christian faith in an effort to reshape the narrative.
Polls have shown that about 10 per cent of Americans believe Obama is Muslim. He is in fact Christian, though was only baptized as an adult, but some of the rumours have spread in part due to his complicated heritage.
The Illinois senator was born to a Kenyan father and white mother from Kansas. He would be the first ever African-American president.
Obama also criticized the use of patriotism as a 'political sword or political shield' to attack opponents of the ongoing war in Iraq and other government policies throughout US history.
'The question of who is or is not a patriot all too often poisons our political debate in ways that divide us rather than bring us together,' Obama said.
Obama said he considered as patriots those who expose government errors, such as the soldier who uncovered detainee abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
'Patriotism can never be defined as loyalty to any particular leader or government or policy,' he said. 'When our laws, our leaders or our government are out of alignment with our ideals, then the dissent of ordinary Americans may prove to be one of the truest expressions of patriotism.'
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in US
- 1. Mitt Romney Addresses Tea Party Summit Pictures
- 2. Seven injured as US Navy plane crashes into apartments
- 3. At least three injured in US Navy plane crash
- 4. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, others to face death penalty trial
- 5. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, four others to face death penalty trial
Older Talkback
page: 1
From Danial Pipes: (Abridged)
Obama’s Kenyan birth father: In Islam, religion passes from the father to the child. Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. (1936-1982) was a Muslim who named his boy Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. Only Muslim children are named “Hussein”.
Obama’s Indonesian family: His stepfather, Lolo Soetoro, was also a Muslim. In fact, as Obama’s half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng explained to Jodi Kantor of the New York Times: “My whole family was Muslim, and most of the people I knew were Muslim.” An Indonesian publication, the Banjarmasin Post reports a former classmate, Rony Amir, recalling that “All the relatives of Barry’s father were very devout Muslims.”
The Catholic school: Nedra Pickler of the Associated Press reports that “documents showed he enrolled as a Muslim” while at a Catholic school during first through third grades. Kim Barker of the Chicago Tribune confirms that Obama was “listed as a Muslim on the registration form for the Catholic school.” A blogger who goes by “An American Expat in Southeast Asia” found that “Barack Hussein Obama was registered under the name ‘Barry Soetoro’ serial number 203 and entered the Franciscan Asisi Primary School on 1 January 1968 and sat in class 1B. … Barry’s religion was listed as Islam.”
The public school: Paul Watson of the Los Angeles Times learned from Indonesians familiar with Obama when he lived in Jakarta that he “was registered by his family as a Muslim at both schools he attended.” Haroon Siddiqui of the Toronto Star visited the Jakarta public school Obama attended and found that “Three of his teachers have said he was enrolled as a Muslim.”[...]
Koran class: In his autobiography, Dreams of My Father, Obama relates how he got into trouble for making faces during Koranic studies, thereby revealing he was a Muslim, for Indonesian students in his day attended religious classes according to their faith. Indeed, Obama still retains knowledge from that class: Nicholas D. Kristof of the New York Times, reports that Obama “recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them [to Kristof] with a first-rate accent.”
Mosque attendance: Obama’s half-sister recalled that the family attended the mosque “for big communal events.” Watson learned from childhood friends that “Obama sometimes went to Friday prayers at the local mosque.” Barker found that “Obama occasionally followed his stepfather to the mosque for Friday prayers.” One Indonesia friend, Zulfin Adi, states that Obama “was Muslim. He went to the mosque. I remember him wearing a sarong” (a garment associated with Muslims).
Piety: Obama himself says that while living in Indonesia, a Muslim country, he “didn’t practice [Islam],” implicitly acknowledging a Muslim identity. Indonesians differ in their memories of him. One, Rony Amir, describes Obama as “previously quite religious in Islam.”
Obama’s having been born and raised a Muslim and having left the faith to become a Christian make him neither more nor less qualified to become president of the United States. But if he was born and raised a Muslim and is now hiding that fact, this points to a major deceit, a fundamental misrepresentation about himself that has profound implications about his character and his suitability as president.
www.catholicexchange.com/2008/05/01/112459/
From Robert Spenser: (Abridged)
I believe it is most likely that the media and Obama’s campaign will ignore the apostasy law altogether, and tar anyone who brings it up as a “bigot.” The propagandists of CAIR, MPAC et al are quite savvy at portraying themselves as victims in response to presentations of uncomfortable aspects of Islam. And it is virtually inconceivable that there will be protests in the Islamic world over his apostasy, calls for his execution, etc. Remember that the Cartoon Rage and Pope Rage riots were orchestrated from above. The people who orchestrated them know enough not to shoot themselves in the foot. They (as well as Obama’s campaign) have a chance here to portray Obama as someone who was raised as a Muslim and thus has a keen understanding of the Islamic world and the Islamic mind — rather like the positioning of Bill Clinton as our “first black President.” Given Obama’s politics, it will not be hard to present him internationally as someone who understands Islam and Muslims, and thus will be able to smooth over the hostility between the Islamic world and the West. Muslim leaders worldwide will not be saying, “He was raised a Muslim. Isn’t that terrible?” Rather, I suspect that both Obama’s campaign and Muslim leaders worldwide will say, “He was raised a Muslim. Isn’t that wonderful? At last, someone who can see our point of view.”
In short, I will not be surprised if Obama’s Muslim upbringing becomes the linchpin of an attempt to present him as the only candidate who can end the war on terror — which, of course, he will propose to do by means of various varieties of appeasement.
www.jihadwatch.org/archives/015222.php
that the rabid dog is at it again, posting his fecal matter and thinking it is valid and that it will persuade people over to his brand of blinkered thinking.
''I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign, and I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine,' he said. '
That is just great, how could any one question McCains patriotism?
Obama meanwhile associates with anti American terrorists William Ayres and Bernadette Dohrn. (William Ayres is the one who thinks it is cute to step on American flags) Has taken money from Pro-PLO Rashid Khalidi. Went to 'church for 20 years listening to how horrible the USA is from this guy:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2QDpBRFVAA
Married a woman who resents the USA, and has used a culture of grievance and the USA in order to fashion a political career.
It is sooooo nice of him not to question John McCain's patriotism:
cache.daylife.com/imageserve/03zE0Ds5hbeE1/610x.jpg
But it is obvious that Obama has contempt for the country he wants to 'serve':
mklasing.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/obama-pledge.jpg
...a pretty picture.
...too bad about his domestic terrorist weatherman buddies.
...or his campaiging with the wife of a president who pardoned Puerto Rican Terrorists?
Truly a litmus test for religion. The United States Constitution is a piece of paper without meaning. U.S. citizens have trampled on it with their filthy boots of religious hatred and intolerance. Shame on you. Who the hell cares what religion he is ... let him be a voodoo witch half-breed, it doesn't matter one bit.
The United States Constitution - Article VI
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
'posting his fecal matter and thinking it is valid and that it will persuade people over to his brand of blinkered thinking. '
I see that you have no counterargument other then lame insults. If he 'was patriotic he wouldn't be so quick to sell out American sovereignty to international organizations who have shown nothing but disdain for this country. If he 'was patriotic he wouldn't be talking about surrendering our missions in Iraq and Afghanistan to the miserable islamist terrorists who murdered 3000 Americans on 9/11. If he 'was patriotic he wouldn't be contemplating selling our allies out to sit down and talk to the most dangerous and ruthless dictators on earth today without any pre-conditions. Etc, Etc...
No, He doesn't love the USA, he only loves himself.
'... let him be a voodoo witch half-breed, it doesn't matter one bit.'
The point is he is lying. Perhaps Taqiyya... You know that word, don't you lance?
What a joke. Speaking of great 'Patriotism' which he claims to have, while ignoring the comments made by Mr. Wesley Clark concerning John McCain's ordeal. Obama and Clark combined can not even come close to the man that John McCain is. I will go along with the comment made by Bill Clinton as to what Obama can do to me also. McCain has my vote all the way. If you vote for BO you have nothing but hot air.
'The point is he is lying'
Maybe true. But, if that were a test for being a politician then he would pass with flying colors.
How can you tell when a politician is lying: Their mouth is open.
Anyways, this is not about lying ... it is about religion and religious hatred and intolerance.
First Obama goes to Unity, then to Independence. At the rate he changes his positions, I'm guessing he won't be visiting my town this year...
Xavier, Hones(t)dale PA
Vote for the HONEST leftist. Vote Obama.
People that claim honesty in the election system simply have not thought about their claim.
If candidates were honest then all they need do is post a position statement on an Internet web site for $25/year and that would be the total cost of a campaign. The fact is: They spend hundreds of millions of dollars trying to dupe their opponent, cover up facts and buy votes and cronies. Obama isn't the only one doing it, it is the status quo.
..left out a picture of John McCain but put the pretty picture of OBama nd the flag right in!
If I understand the idiot neocons belonging to the republican dirty trick department ,posting here with the persistent goal to slander and damage Obama on false grounds,Obama is a muslim even if he denies it .Is this a new pinnacle of ridicule ?Is anybody realy believing this that does NOT belong to these groups of posting morons ?Contnue throwing mud duys,perhaps the american electorate will finally see what is happening:an orchestrated internet campaign fom the republican party full of lies becase you simply cant beat him otherwise.Great fun to counter if ever I can stop laughing .Is that the republican view of democracy?If so it goes well with the torture,the paranoia,the human right violations,abu graibh,guantanamo and other embarrassing derailments from your president.
Go to youtube and type in 'Obama and the Two Mad Hot Headscarves.' Its hilarious.
Ok if John McCain's military and nonMilitary experiences don't matter then, by comparison, Wesley should classify Obama's qualifications as nonexistant. As such, Wesley should publicly disavow and withdraw his support to Obama. That is if this guy believes in fairness. Further, Wesley should ask Obama: what change are you proposing? From what to what? Against NAFTA (while you secretly tell the Canadiens that your posturing is just that, for the sake of getting elected.) Uniting all people (while you remove the Muslim women from your backdrop because they are wearing headscarves and that might cost you votes). Embrace your preacher (but throw him under the bus only when the public outcry reaches crescendo). Refuse and belittle wearing of the American Flag pin (but display it prominently when touring blue collar states such as Michigan and its auto factories because your support is weak among them and you need their votes in Michigan and Ohio). Formulate a foreign policy and make populist statements on Iraq and Afghanistan without ever having been anywhere outside this country in any official capacity (then hastily arrange a foreign trip to plug this gap so you claim authority and personal intelligence for your views inorder to gain credibility and get votes). Affirm, reaffirm and then reiterate your belief in source of election-funding (then abandon that belief and promise because you suddenly find yourself rich beyond your wildest imagination and you can spend these riches to get votes). Give lofty speeches and paint a utopian destination you want to take the country to (and then negotiate the price of Hillary's support in exchange for millions of dollars). Paint yourself as the humble and pure savior (and then display hubris by affixing an approximation of a seal of the President of the US) and on and on it will go... With McCain we know at least what we are getting...a maverick-warts and all. Tried, true, tested and imperfect but exactly what the country needs after 8 years of Bush. Wesley, the man has a record and does not claim to be a savior. Deal with that, pal.
Well said Wolfgang.
If I understand the idiot neocons belonging to the republican dirty trick department ,posting here with the persistent goal to slander and damage Obama on false grounds,Obama is a muslim even if he denies it .
sp4 - If so, why will Obama not appear at a muslim function? They have, repeatedly asked and he has declined...
Is this a new pinnacle of ridicule ?
sp4 - no, all of your neocon comments are that, Tonny. Now, it's your turn to turn...how's it feel?
Is anybody realy believing this that does NOT belong to these groups of posting morons ?
sp4 - ridicule??? After 8 years of having everyhting thrown at Bush, I hardly think this is equal...they would need to do it for 7 more years, have a major news network get caught in the act of forging documents, make up every kind of crap about his past, call him stupid, crazy and radical, then try and impeach him...only then would any of your outrage have meaning...I mean YOU GUYS ARE GOOOOD!...we have a lot of catching up to do!
Contnue throwing mud duys,perhaps the american electorate will finally see what is happening:an orchestrated internet campaign fom the republican party full of lies becase you simply cant beat him otherwise.
sp4 - like you have at the republicans for 8 years? Personally, I think it will not matter, but that is just me...needless to say, we'd need 7 more years of it to equal what has been done for Bush...but by all means we'll try!
Great fun to counter if ever I can stop laughing .
sp4 - me too. Is Obama posing as a Christian, and Actually a Muslim or vice versa...I can never tell...after all, he is the one throwing out the vibe here...
Is that the republican view of democracy?
sp4 - Not at all. It's called payback...and there is 8 more years to get even. We're starting now to avoid the rush.,..
If so it goes well with the torture,the paranoia,the human right violations,abu graibh,guantanamo and other embarrassing derailments from your president.
sp4 - Or Obama's involvement with Big Coal, Tonny 'the knife' Rezko, Countrywide Investment, hypocritical stance on free trade, his personal relationship with a former domestic terrorist(the one we KNOW of), and campaigning with the wife of a former President (Clinton) who pardoned Puerto Rican terrorists...I would honestly like to know what Obama REALLY believes...what are the chances of that?
This candidate has a record and a history and now, it's going to go on trial, Tonny. Watch the greatest nation in the world pick a leader.
John MCCain, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have any questions about where his loyalties lie, no matter how many fact-finding trips the DNC makes to Vietnam. On trade, Iraq, Afghanistan, he is honest about his positions. He has leveled with the American public and the paradox is, he probably will NOT get elected for it!
Quoting Senator Obama:''Patriotism can never be defined as loyalty to any particular leader or government or policy,' he said.'
One need read no further to understand Senator Obama. Again I will ask. What about the Constitution you swore to uphold and defend Senator? Is that not act of loyalty to a particular government and, more importantly, to a means of governance?
We already know that you are not particularly fond of a few parts of the Bill of Rights. For instance, we know you do not really like this one at all:
||A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.||
But I wonder how staunchly loyal you might be to this one, Senator:
||No person shall be held to answer for any capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.||
Will you, Senator, favor the fallacious rights of the ivory billed woodpecker over the proper rights of a landowner? Will you favor punitive taxation levied strictly as a form of punishment or to satisfy the jealousy of those who are not compelled to comply with such levies?
Personally, Senator, I don't think you like the Constitution at all and I think you are inclined to arrogate to yourself the prerogatives of Deity and will choose favorites among our citizenry who are entitled to these rights and who are not.
This is why, Senator, I hope you win. The Republicans have fallen down on this particular job repeatedly. I think you are the perfect bomb, Senator. I think that once you are done we will no longer use the term left for anything, not even to say 'left handed.'
all in all mccain and sp4 are still the biggest pricks.
after king george that is.
RCP Average 06/15 - 06/29 -- 47.5 40.4 Obama +7.1
Gallup Tracking 06/26 - 06/29 2656 RV 47 42 Obama +5.0
Rasmussen Tracking 06/27 - 06/29 3000 LV 49 44 Obama +5.0
Time 06/19 - 06/25 805 RV 47 43 Obama +4.0
LA Times/Bloomberg 06/19 - 06/23 1115 RV 49 37 Obama +12.0
Franklin & Marshall 06/16 - 06/22 1501 RV 42 36 Obama +6.0
Newsweek 06/18 - 06/19 896 RV 51 36 Obama +15.0
FOX News 06/17 - 06/18 900 RV 45 41 Obama +4.0
USA Today/Gallup 06/15 - 06/19 1310 LV 50 44 Obama +6.0
Better get your old guy back up on the horse.
'Better get your old guy back up on the horse.'
That is a terrible way to talk about Michelle obama. She may be ugly, dim and resentful, but she could never pull a plow.
throw out the highs and you are stuck in a tie....I think MCCain is doing pretty well, considering...
''Obama defends patriotism amid persistent rumours''
Not rumours at all. Every bit of it is not only true but it is well documented. Also, Obama leans so far Africa, we are incredibly stupid to even consider him for any office.
Obama is going to corrupt this country, turn it into another Muslim country, bring us all to our knees to the point where we will be begging for mercy to be let out of our misery - good god!!! I wonder what the age of the posters is who are going off the deep end??
'Obama defends patriotism amid persistent rumours[sic] '
How could anyone get the idea that Obama wasn't patriotic with people like this launching his career:
mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/Ayerssucks.jpg
Or people like this preaching to him:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2QDpBRFVAA
Just look at the fellow, Pure patriotism:
mklasing.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/obama-pledge.jpg
A black man for a President?
Only fifty years ago in the USA you were tarring and feathering negroes and lynching them on trees....then along came Martin Luther King.
The sorry fact is ,if Obama was ever elected President he would be shot by some KKK Redneck within a week.
So much for the LAND of the Free Where all Men are Created Equal.
Its all to do with the colour of your skin.
Shame, Shame! Shame!.
' All animals are Equal,
But some Animals are more Equal than others'
Animal Farm
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chosen by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels (1923 to 2005)[1] and was number 31 on the Modern Library List of Best 20th Century Novels.
The short novel is an allegory in which animals play the roles of the Bolshevik revolutionaries and overthrow and oust the human owners of the farm, setting it up as a commune in which, at first, all animals are equal; class and status disparities soon emerge, however, between the different animal species. The novel describes how a society's ideologies can be manipulated and twisted by those in positions of social and political power, including how a utopian society is made impossible by the corrupting nature of the very power necessary to create it.
' Racism speaks freely here on on M&C'
Vote for Obama or you are a racist. Yeah, heard it before and am not buying it. He is a dangerous, lying incompetent and he would be regardless of his 'race'.
'So much for the LAND of the Free Where all Men are Created Equal.'
Such jealousy. Obama's lousy ideas and lousy character are the subject. But of course that is just another excuse for a sanctimonious foreigner to ankle bite.
Let him speak. That kind of speak takes courage.
Obama ist ein schwarzer Moslemischer Klumpen der Scheiße, nur passen, um ein Baumwollpflücker oder ladender Banane-Boote zu sein. Er braucht das Desinfizieren.
Wenn er irgendwo in der Nähe vom Weißen Haus kommt, ist Amerika durch diese tückische Bedrohung unserer harten verdienten Freiheit und Staatssicherheit verloren
WOW ! The Desperate Dems HAVE upset our German - Americans.
They have never been so pissed off since poor old General Von Paulus threw in the towel at Stalingrad and condemned 500,000 German soldiers to certain death. Adolf blew a gasket.
Use an on-line translator. It is a rather accurate character assessment of this extreme example of the seemingly unstoppable rampage of Civil Rights abusive infection of our society.
the lynchings and the 'tarring and feathering' of american negroes?
I also bet you have never heard of the term
'selective editing'?
page: 1
Obama is a liar.Jun 30th, 2008 - 19:18:15
According to Islamic Tradition Obama IS a Muslim. This is from the NY Times:
Senator Obama is half African by birth and Africans can understandably identify with him. In Islam, however, there is no such thing as a half-Muslim. Like all monotheistic religions, Islam is an exclusive faith.
As the son of the Muslim father, Senator Obama was born a Muslim under Muslim law as it is universally understood. It makes no difference that, as Senator Obama has written, his father said he renounced his religion. Likewise, under Muslim law based on the Koran his mother’s Christian background is irrelevant.
Of course, as most Americans understand it, Senator Obama is not a Muslim. He chose to become a Christian, and indeed has written convincingly to explain how he arrived at his choice and how important his Christian faith is to him.
His conversion, however, was a crime in Muslim eyes; it is “irtidad” or “ridda,” usually translated from the Arabic as “apostasy,” but with connotations of rebellion and treason. Indeed, it is the worst of all crimes that a Muslim can commit, worse than murder (which the victim’s family may choose to forgive).
With few exceptions, the jurists of all Sunni and Shiite schools prescribe execution for all adults who leave the faith not under duress; the recommended punishment is beheading at the hands of a cleric, although in recent years there have been both stonings and hangings.
www.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/opinion/12luttwak.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref =slogin
So going to the 'Jeremiah Wright circus of hate' is irrelevant. The people we are fighting against see him as a Muslim who left islam.
Report this comment