Modern American Bigotry

Dear editor:

This morning I was having blood drawn for a test for a small procedure I was to undergo later in the day. While doing this, the lady with the needle in her hand and I were remembering that today, June 6th, was the 64th anniversary of D-Day, symbolizing the landing of Allied troops at Normandy and the beginning of liberating Europe from the Nazi occupation of the continent. We both agreed that it was a sad fact that so many in the younger generation had not learned in school about this important date in history. But, she added one more “fact” that I had not counted on when she said, “But now they will have to learn how to pray kneeling on a carpet.” When pressed by me for an explanation, for which I already knew the answer, she explained that with Barack Obama in the White House we all would have to learn the “Muslim way.” I tried in vain to correct her.

I knew from past research on the subject that Obama, despite his middle name of Hussein (named after his father,) had never been a Muslim and had in fact was a life long Christian, as is his mother. His grandfather had been a Muslim. Obama was born in Hawaii with a mother that came from Protestant Midwestern stock and a father who he has described as an agnostic. He describes himself as a “devout Christian,” and has never been a Muslim. Also, he has said “I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power.” When confronted with this information the nurse was very skeptical, as it was a “good friend” who had supplied her with this so called knowledge.

The past two years has seen a proliferation of emails and lies about Obama’s faith and all have been proven to be lies and distortions. And even if he was a Muslim, the question truly is ‘so what?’ He is not a terrorist and these horrible attacks are an insult to all the good God fearing Muslims of our multi-religious country. This all sounds familiar and is a repeat of the hatred and accusations against John F. Kennedy and earlier against Al Smith in their campaigns for the presidency of the United States. Both were lambasted by the bigots for being Catholics and would take direction from the Vatican. Smith was destroyed by the KKK, but, as we all know, Kennedy was not.

All of this is part of the modern bigotry fed to us by the likes of the KKK, White Supremacists, neo-Nazis, Skin Heads and any other extreme religious fanatics who hide their hatred of people of color under a new blanket. It is today’s form of modern bigotry. They don’t love America, they just want to use it and remake it into their own religious delusion.

And for those who are curious, I have not been a supporter of Obama but rather of Hillary Clinton. But, bigotry and danger to America has to be called out no matter where it sticks up its ugly head.