I'm Not Muslim (Obama)

Yet again the word “Muslim” has been smeared across news sites and -not surprisingly- it isn’t good news. It was a shock to read the outcry received from rumours that Democrat Barack Hussain Obama, running in the 2008 Presidential elections, is a Muslim.

Like an instant knee-jerk reaction, Obama pulled up his hands and swore the rumours were false, assuring everyone he wasn’t from the Muslim faith.

“I think it ’s very important for people not to buy into the kinds of dirty tricks that we’ve become so accustomed to in our politics, and people need to understand I’m not and never have been of the Muslim faith,” he told CBN’s David Brody.

The latest political smear-campaign is a means to create fear and apprehension in the American public. The scene is all too similar to rumours calling a public figure a homosexual or even a patient with a contagious, fatal disease. The word “Muslim” now falls in line with those dark labels, with Obama frantically trying to reassure his voters that he is a “committed Christian”.

It’s not a concern that Obama is a committed Christian, this is his belief and it must be respected. What isconcerning is the fact that someone chose the word “Muslim” to ruin Obama’s reputation, probably because of ties to his Kenyan background which led to his middle name “Hussain”. But in truth Obama was never a Muslim and was baptised at an early age.

Still, does this recent political smear-campaign against Obama reflect the strong Islamophobia tendencies the majority of Americans have and the confusion they have between ‘radical Islam’ and the true, peaceful Islam?

Interesting to note, whoever is spreading these rumours could have said that Obama was a drug dealer, or an alcoholic, or even a serial killer. But they opted to attack his religious beliefs, knowing well that the public would turn against him for being a Muslim, because it takes no genius to know that Islam is not on the American public favourite list.

Taking a diplomatic stance, Obama does not disrespect the 6-8 million American Muslims with his speech; he clearly needs their votes. He told reporters: “I think that those who are of the Muslim faith are deserving of respect and dignity, but to try and feed into this fear-mongering and try to question my faith commitments and my belief in Jesus Christ, I think is offensive,” Obama also said. “And I want to make sure that people are absolutely clear about what’s going on with this, and if they get another one of these e-mails that they’re deleting it and letting their friends know that it’s nonsense.”

Is there a written rule that the President-elect cannot be from a certain faith? Not according to this: “No religious test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or Public Trust under the United States.” (The Constitution of the United States of America, Article 6). Furthermore Section 4 of Article I of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, written in its original form by Benjamin Franklin and others state: “No person who acknowledges the being of a God and a future state of rewards and punishments shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth.”

So what is all the fuss about? The fact that the majority of Americans see Islam as a threat to global security and do not want an insider, their very own president, to be associated with that world.

Whatever the consequences of these rumours, it is evident that the word “Muslim” is on the American blacklist and it is to be avoided like the plague. The latest tactic to destroy Obama’s reputation just proves that Islamophobia is on the rise, with moderate Muslims looking on and feeling disheartened that so many have misunderstood their peaceful, hijacked religion.