Freedom of Religion? Try Modern Inquisition

Barack Hussein Obama is not a Muslim; he is a practicing Christian. How ironic that the right-wing media, such as Fox News, could simultaneously claim that Obama is a Muslim terrorist and criticize him for his relationship with his Christian pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The e-mail hoax that spread the erroneous rumor that Obama attended a madrassa and is actually a radical Muslim terrorist (see http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp for a debunking of the rumor) has spurred considerable controversy since January 2007. Some Americans continue to believe that the Democratic presidential nominee is a Muslim terrorist, despite solid evidence to the contrary. His attendance at a school in a predominantly Islamic country CLEARLY means that he is a Muslim, and his knowledge of the Koran and Islamic teachings CLEARLY means that he is a terrorist. That's just standard American logic.

The main focus in this issue has been refuting the rumors; instead, the Obama campaign and the media should question why it would be so horrendous if Obama actually were a Muslim. Our country claims religious freedom, and although the government does not condone blatant acts of discrimination against people based on their religion, the lack of religious diversity in the political arena reveals a more insidious de facto religious intolerance. Certain members of the public were enraged when JFK ran for office, simply because he was a Catholic. They claimed that his religious orientation would hinder his ability to rule autonomously from the Pope's influence. Keep in mind, this outrage stemmed from a different denomination of Christianity.

The idea that a non-Christian would run for or even (GOD FORBID) reach a political office is apparently out of the question for the media and Americans. Just imagine what could happen if a non-Christian were elected president: we might have to reconsider our constant declarations of "One nation under God," "God bless America," our Judeo-Christian-based ethics, and even (GASP!) our support of Israel (a nation that has committed unspeakable atrocities and terrorist activities against Palestinian civilians, but hey, Judaism is closer to Christianity than Islam, so it must be justified). In fact, a president who has a comprehensive understanding of all religions, particularly Islam, would improve our domestic and international policies and potentially improve our relationship with people around the world. Politicians should be aware of multiple perspectives, even if they do not personally adhere to a particular viewpoint. Obama's knowledge of the Koran is one of his most valuable assets in a time when few U.S. politicians understand where Muslims are coming from. Barack Hussein Obama is not a Muslim, but what if he were?