How to Deal with Jewish Or Muslim Roots: Candidate Case Studies
On election eve, one more point on the whole Obama is a Muslim thing. I still remember not too long ago, when George Allen and John Kerry both found out about their Jewish roots, and how gracefully one had handled it, and how poorly the other had. There's an irony to what's happening now.
Kerry had known for 15 years before he ran for President that his maternal grandmother's side of the family was Jewish, and apparently hired a genealogist or someone to investigate his father's side, and that's when he discovered they were Jewish too. He embraced this past, called it exciting and interesting and sought to learn more about it, or said he was going to. I have no idea whether or not he ultimately did.
George Allen denied the heritage, lied about it, called it a "slur," then when he had to admit it quickly added it wouldn't change his eating a ham sandwich. Which of course wasn't the point, nobody was expecting Kerry to convert, only to embrace this past. Allen paid a price, Kerry did not, and that's precisely the way it should be. Learning one's roots, and how the horrors of World War II might have changed them is a noble task, there's no "slur" in this, it's not embarassing or something to be hidden or played down, we are a mosaic multicultural society, it's the very essence of America.
The irony though is that Obama has to play the George Allen in large part, and his friends emphasize the George Allen response. The John Kerry part is played by his enemies.
Listen to the John Kerry side played out in this case: my grandfather was Muslim, how exciting, how interesting, what I'd like to do is learn more about his faith, and how it excited him and drove him, and what it is about the Qur'an so many Muslims find exciting. I just bought a copy of it myself to read through. I invited a local imam over to talk about Islam with him. I'm obviously a committed Christian, but this is learning about my roots, it's like when I go to Kenya.
That's fodder for the right wing grist mill. So to counter it, Obama does what George Allen did, when the evidence became irrefutable in his case. Downplay, deemphasize, point out you are not a Muslim, point out your father wasn't much one either, emphasize the white Christians who raised you, point out the faith and the church and the Christianity of it all, and relegate the Islam to as far away as it could be. Oh, and use the term "slander" when they call you a Muslim. That's classic George Allen, except the term was "slur" in his case.
I know, it's not all Obama's fault, it's not he who keeps calling himself a Muslim after all and making all sorts of silly connections. Still, as a proud Muslim and a proud American, I do find it somewhat distressing that to become a President, a man has to treat his Muslim heritage as George Allen would have.
HAH
Kerry had known for 15 years before he ran for President that his maternal grandmother's side of the family was Jewish, and apparently hired a genealogist or someone to investigate his father's side, and that's when he discovered they were Jewish too. He embraced this past, called it exciting and interesting and sought to learn more about it, or said he was going to. I have no idea whether or not he ultimately did.
George Allen denied the heritage, lied about it, called it a "slur," then when he had to admit it quickly added it wouldn't change his eating a ham sandwich. Which of course wasn't the point, nobody was expecting Kerry to convert, only to embrace this past. Allen paid a price, Kerry did not, and that's precisely the way it should be. Learning one's roots, and how the horrors of World War II might have changed them is a noble task, there's no "slur" in this, it's not embarassing or something to be hidden or played down, we are a mosaic multicultural society, it's the very essence of America.
The irony though is that Obama has to play the George Allen in large part, and his friends emphasize the George Allen response. The John Kerry part is played by his enemies.
Listen to the John Kerry side played out in this case: my grandfather was Muslim, how exciting, how interesting, what I'd like to do is learn more about his faith, and how it excited him and drove him, and what it is about the Qur'an so many Muslims find exciting. I just bought a copy of it myself to read through. I invited a local imam over to talk about Islam with him. I'm obviously a committed Christian, but this is learning about my roots, it's like when I go to Kenya.
That's fodder for the right wing grist mill. So to counter it, Obama does what George Allen did, when the evidence became irrefutable in his case. Downplay, deemphasize, point out you are not a Muslim, point out your father wasn't much one either, emphasize the white Christians who raised you, point out the faith and the church and the Christianity of it all, and relegate the Islam to as far away as it could be. Oh, and use the term "slander" when they call you a Muslim. That's classic George Allen, except the term was "slur" in his case.
I know, it's not all Obama's fault, it's not he who keeps calling himself a Muslim after all and making all sorts of silly connections. Still, as a proud Muslim and a proud American, I do find it somewhat distressing that to become a President, a man has to treat his Muslim heritage as George Allen would have.
HAH
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