Thursday, March 06, 2008

Obama's grandmother

For some reason Obama's grandmother is in the news. Press accounts have pointed out that 'Sarah Hussein Obama' is not happy with all the shenanigans leveled against her step-grandson. In case you're wondering, the use of her full name wasn't done maliciously but was taken from the story:
A frown replaces the dimpled beam of Sarah Hussein Obama, grandmother of Barack Obama, when asked on Wednesday about recent attacks on her grandson
She's the second wife of Obama's grandfather, who converted to Islam and added Hussein to the family name. That brings up a question as to why granny got tagged with "Hussein" as well. Prudence would suggest the two last names are actually coupled, as in Hussein-Obama. If so, then merely referring to Barack as Hussein-Obama wouldn't necessarily be offensive (although everyone knows the true intentions of some critics--like those in the Clinton camp for example).

But there's something vexing about the Islam thing. It's interesting his grandmother, now a Christian, has a very western (and quite rational) view of whether someone is bound to a particular faith simply by birth as opposed to having the freedom to choose later. While making common sense, to some it's still a form of apostasy. Just ask Robert Spencer or Hirsi Ali.

But Obama is not Muslim, he belongs to a Christian church, and a rather activist one at that. The question is, if indeed some fundamental Muslims still consider Obama a Muslim by birth--no matter what he says--will the American press heap the same level of scorn on them as they did at say Bill Cunningham? Or rather, will we get a sermon on the importance of tolerance and understanding of other cultures and traditions?

MORE 3/6/08

Some are pointing to this New York Times article from April of 2007, and the following excerpt:
Years later, Mr. Obama met his father’s family, a mix of Muslim and Christian Kenyans. Sarah Hussein Obama, who is his stepgrandmother but whom Mr. Obama calls his grandmother, still rises at 5 a.m. to pray before tending to her crops and the three orphans she has taken in.

“I am a strong believer of the Islamic faith,” Ms. Obama, 85, said in a recent interview in Kenya.
Did the woman lie, and if so, why? Or did the Times just screw up another story? That seems to be the only compelling issue here--why the flip-flop. Assuming there is one.

Many liberals are reacting with scornful glee as if it's no big deal, and it probably isn't, but it's rather amusing that some would seemingly rather keep their eyes and ears closed than learn any further background about a man who could be the leader of the free world. It's really becoming the backbone of the entire campaign--just chant O-bom-A and don't ask any questions.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The question is, if indeed some fundamental Muslims still consider Obama a Muslim by birth--no matter what he says--
AND he's engaged in taqqiyah for electoral purposes, what is he going to do about the fundamentalist Muslims who didn't get the memo?
As if there aren't enough reasons for some idiot to try to kill the President of the United States.

A.C. McCloud said...

Why, he'll just have to appease them.

Anonymous said...

I don’t think I care so much if he is a Muslim (since I’m not voting for him anyway), but I think it does matter if he is practicing Taqiyya or hiding the truth for other reasons. If he is not honest about whom he is, then we certainly cannot trust him in high office. This may not be an issue with most people — it is with me, and it applies to every individual who wants to be our president. Now of course, there are those who insist that such questions are inappropriate, citing biases that may or may not exist. Why should anyone be afraid of any question, no matter how politically incorrect it may be, or of an honest response?

Obama has said he is a Christian. Obama has repudiated Louis Farrakhan’s endorsement. Obama has said that he knew Syrian born Antonin (Tony) Rezko and has nothing to say about their relationship other than it was poor headwork on his part. Some argue this is no more than business as usual in Chicago politics. Okay, I can accept that . . . but I am keeping a list of all these pronouncements.

Anonymous said...

Um...About that list, Mustang.
You're not gonna be, like, checking it twice, are you?
Just askin'

A.C. McCloud said...

I don't care about his religion either, but at the same time I don't think we need a Muslim president at this point in time any more than we need a Jewish one. Perhaps that's a widely shared sentiment shared by other knuckle draggers to the point where the Obama camp thought it might be prudent for granny to have a come to Jesus moment.

If true, pretty sad, but at the same time, politics as usual from a man who has vowed to change politics.

Oh, and don't forget the Weather Underground guy, Mustang. ;-)