Polls and Crusading Liars

There’s an intriguing poll out there.

The University of Texas interviewed 600 Americans who call the Lone Star State home.

Barack Obama's religion has been the subject of much discussion in the media. Though Obama is a practicing Protestant, well-publicized emails and word of mouth campaigns inaccurately identifying him as a Muslim have been circulated since the early days of his candidacy. In order to gauge public awareness of Obama's religion, we asked respondents, "What do you believe Barack Obama's religion to be?" A plurality, 45.5%, chose the "Protestant" option, and 28 % couldn't say. Twenty percent, however, said that Obama is a Muslim.
http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu./11_1_2.html

No telling why so many must figure Barack to be a “Muslim.” Don’t suppose it's his name, do you?

The Bush bunch has worked hard to create a rich environment in which to pigeon-hole and then either hate or love, (mostly fear) one another. Wars have a way of doing that, you know.

It seems that too many Americans feel stereotypes are OK, again. It's a short-cut for those who spend more watching NASCAR and sharin' huntin' stories than they do with their kids. Ugly and hateful words, terms and expressions that went away with flat-top haircuts, and others with bell-bottom pants, are back and unfortunately have found a way into the public debate with reactionary, right-wing Republicans.

But, a Muslim as President? Not yet. But, Some day it will happen.

Speaking of names, shortly after his election, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected (so far) to Congress, the religious right began a crusade to prevent him from being seated. Something about not placing his hand on the Bible, instead choosing the Quran, when he was to be sworn in.
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53345

Fortunately, the crusade went no where and Congressman-elect Ellison (D - Minnesota) was sworn in as a member of the Class of 2007.

Actually, Mr. Ellison was not sworn in on the Quran and no incoming members of Congress place their hand on the Bible. Everyone is sworn in together during a private ceremony without any religious text. It’s only during a ceremonial photo-op that a book is brought out.

The Class of 2007 also includes two Buddhists, Hank Johnson (D- Georgia) and Mazie Hirono (D – Hawaii). They did not use a book at the public ceremony, as there is no book in Buddhism equivalent to the Bible or the Quran.

Was there a word of concern about them? Nope. [The crusaders were trying to understand the meaning of “ooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmm.”]

Jews? [I can hear the muttering of the crusaders, "You know, they only hold their hand on the Old Testmaent." Or, "they're OK. After all, I suppose, they aren't Muslims."]

Agnostics and atheists? [They were wily enough to cross the fingers on their left hand.]

So, why followers of Islam? In the article cited above, Judge Moore explains: “ . . . common sense alone dictates that in the midst of a war with Islamic terrorists we should not place someone in a position of great power who shares their doctrine.”

You know: Islam faith = Muslim followers = Islamic terrorists.

[And, for the record, in March 2008, another Muslim, Andre Carson, a Democrat from Indiana was elected to Congress. No word as to which, if any book, he used.]

Perhaps that’s one more reason McCain crusades to wage the wars against terrorism for 100 years: To keep Americans who worship Allah out of Congress, and presumably any other deliberative bodies, too.

The Crusades, seems there were five (some say more)of them (back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back, if you’re keeping score), began in 1096 and lasted continuously for almost exactly 200 years. 200!).

The Christians took the fight to whom? Muslims. Moslems. And, which country is waging a war in two countries that are predominantly Muslim?

[In case you don't know: The Shiites and Sunni (yes, the very the same sects who are at one another's throats these days in Iraq) were fighting between and among themselves during the Crusades even as they tried to ward off invaders from the West, 700 hundred years ago. And, they've have been at it ever since.]


Larry Craig - The Accidental Tourist

For far too long, Americans denied people of color and women the right to vote. In 2008, the R's are crusading to prevent people of color from voting through registration challenges. One by one, the challenges have been turned back by the courts. But, none of this is new.

The United States has a shameful and dismal history on civil rights, both at home and abroad. For the past eight years, George W, like the Christians in bygone days, has attempted to outsource our version of "human rights," while denying basic rights to Americans here at home. Unlike his wars abroad, the President and his adorers on the fringe right have relied on bipartisan 'support' to do so.

It's a sick message that spews from AM talk radio, pounding the airwaves daily with diatribes: We should discrimintate against someone in the workplace because of his/ her sexual preference and deny them basic rights heterosexual couples enjoy.

For years, the religious right demonized Barney Frank, the long-time, openly gay Congressman from Massachussetts (D). It took awhile, but Congress welcomed the “first open lesbian” to be elected, Tammy Baldwin (D – Wisconsin). In January, they will most likely be joined by Jared Polis, a Democrat running in Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, where Democrats in the district outnumber Republicans by 32,000 voters.

[There are an awful lot of "D’s" by these names above each pigeon-hole.]

I wasn’t surprised when Larry Craig, a Republican from Idaho [the first “R” in the list], accidentally “outed” himself at the airport in the Twin Cities. I suppressed the cynic in me and hoped he would not resign, embrace his gay identity, and like other members of Congress before him, find his voice in supporting efforts to approve same sex marriage, outlawing workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation, and eliminating the policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

No such luck. The apple farmer not only remained. So did his strident anti-gay positions.

Despite early, but cautious, optimism and the capable leadership of Frank and Baldwin, bills to ban workplace discrimination have not passed this Congress. This, despite the fact that more than 85 percent of the Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policies, as do 17 states and many local governments.

Same-sex couples still do not enjoy the same constitutional protections that opposite-sex couples enjoy.

And, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”? Don’t ask.

Blame the Republicans? Others say elect Democrats who support gay rights first; then, work on the R’s.

Come January 2009, Democrats will hold larger Congressional majorities and, most likely, the Presidency. The question is: Can Congress approve any type of civil rights legislation with sizable majorities and have it signed into law? Or, will it be more of the same, high hopes?

As the song goes, "When troubles call, and your backs to the wall
There a lot to be learned, that wall could fall." It might someday, but not as long as names and stereotypes guide and cloud the thinking of so mnay members of Congress.

Homophobism is found in both parties, although it is more pervasive within the Republican party.

“There is a longstanding hypocrisy of anti-gay conservatives like Rick Santorum and Mel Martinez employing openly gay senior staff. While in D.C., seemingly anti-gay members of Congress work shoulder-to-shoulder with gays and lesbians and seek their counsel on policy matters. But when back home in their districts, they endorse all manner of anti-gay measures.”

McCain is a case in point. His chief of staff, Mark Buse, is openly gay. And, yet, McCain vigorously supports California’s Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage and, when he been present and voted, has opposed every pro-gay legislation contemplated by this Congress.

If Congressmen Ellison and carson actually have a “Muslim agenda” and can match the successes of their gay and lesbian Congressional counterparts, the religious right has very little to fear in the next Congress.

And, John, you don't have to keep up the expense of an Islamic war for cover.