“He’s An Islam”

By John Goerke
Contributing Writer

The best way to infuriate someone is to use the words “mosque” and “ground zero” in the same sentence.

The controversy surrounding the potential construction of an Islamic center near the site of the 9/11 terrorist attacks has turned the most unlikely people into protesters. I am referring to the scores of older conservative Americans who are living examples of the phrase “This is America”; Americans who sat quiet during such atrocities as the Vietnam War and the fight for Civil Rights but now come out of retirement homes in droves to rally against a community center many miles from their home.

President Obama maintained a neutral stance for much of the summer, but has come out in favor of the Islamic right to build a center and practice their religion. The reasons he gave were all right wing catch phrases. “The writ of the founders must endure,” he said at a recent Ramadan dinner at the White House.

I’ve found, however, that most conservative Americans tend to glance over the first amendment and jump right to the second.

“The first Muslim Ambassador was hosted by President Jefferson… more than 200 years ago.” I like that he’s drawing from the same era as the now-booming Tea Party, which tends to dismiss anything Jefferson did or didn’t do as out-of-touch liberalism.

“This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable,” the summary phrase for the entire speech. I have to admire the President’s guts for using the phrase, “This is America.” a phrase that has come to mean, “This is a [Christian, Capitalist, Caucasian] nation” to so many ignorant Americans.

In the same vein as ignorance of the meaning of our Constitution and its amendments, is ignorance of the true nature of religion in politics. The Pew Research Center released a poll this week saying that 18% of Americans believe that Barack Obama is Muslim.

The figure wasn’t much of a surprise to me. See, I happen to be a bleeding heart liberal with some socialist ideas splashed in. But my grandparents are in the group of Americans that consider the Tea Party to be moderate. Whenever I visit them or vice- versa, I am reminded that our freedom is being threatened by Barack Obama and his cronies.

“He’s an Islam, you know.” my grandmother said with a look of apprehension in her eyes. “If he’s elected we’ll all be Islams by law.” I considered informing her that the correct noun would be “Muslim” but she was full of political heat and I couldn’t stop the rant.

“I hope you all remember our warnings when we become Russia.” I was told with a pointed finger in my face. This whole speech was started because it was pre-election 2008, and I said that Sarah Palin was a little kooky. Since my grandparents hear what they want to hear, to them I had said, “Burn the flag and elect the Islam because I hate freedom.”

My grandparents and people like them, who make up that 18%, love the Fourth of July almost and much as they love Christmas. It’s their chance to show us all how to express our freedom. They show their love of freedom by dressing like the store catalogues tell them to and shooting off mild to moderate explosives because they don’t want to be outdone by their other “free” neighbors.

In the past my grandparents have taken us children to see these fireworks and listen to bad country covers by local bands. This year they thought we were old enough to really, “Experience the true spirit of this Great Nation.” So, they took our whole family to a patriotic breakfast at a Mega-Church.

It was more patriotic than breakfast. My first impression of the venue was that Uncle Sam had thrown up all over the walls, ceiling and floor. There were banners, plastic eagles, giant flags, the emblems of all the military branches and a screen showing a slide show of pro-American images, such as a soldier standing in the rubble of an Iraqi town waving a flag.

“I just feel so proud here.” My grandmother said. “Like I am right there with those soldiers fighting for our freedom.”

Thanks in part to the processed eggs and the heaping pile of patriotic BS, I became physically ill at this rally. I had to go lie down in a corner and pretend to be in my happy place, which was anywhere but there.

The rally included crowd sing-alongs of nearly every Lee Greenwood song, speeches from American heroes like the local NRA representative and retired military reserve officers, plus free American Flag shirts.

Due to this traumatizing experience, I was not the least bit surprised that 18% of Americans think our President is a Muslim. Half of that 18 % was probably in that huge room. What’s scarier is that those people think the President’s religion matters.

It hasn’t been since the JFK election that a candidate’s religion has mattered so much. They said JFK would take orders from the Pope. I don’t think the Pope could have handled the Cuban missile Crisis very well.

Ironically, my grandparents were in favor of the Pope having some influence in American politics. Since we are a “Christian Nation.” The Pope is fine, but the heads of the Islamic religion having any influence at all would be the end of the world as we know it.

So here we are, fighting among ourselves, throwing rhetoric back and forth. We’ve made such a scene that an acquaintance in Russia mentioned that there has been some discussion over there as well.

They’re discussing what to do with an old Burlington Coat Factory in Manhattan. What we all should discuss is why some Americans choose to ignore certain parts of the Constitution. As soon as America stops being a melting pot where every nation, religion, color and creed is welcome, then we aren’t America anymore.

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