Thinking About Islamaphobia

Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men were created equal' We now practically read it, 'all men are created equal except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal except negroes, and foreigners and catholics.' When it comes to this, I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty--Russia,  for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, without the base alloy of hypocrisy." 

  --Abraham Lincoln, 1855 as quoted in Ronald White's book, A. Lincoln


I wonder if this Islam bashing will go away once the November election is over? Probably not. I really think  all this hoopla is indirectly pointed toward our President. Is he really who he says he is? Is he really one of us? I have never seen his birth certificate. (I thought about writing an article on how we all ought to be forced to take our birth certificates with us at all times. But I will save that for another day.)


Flannery O'Connor the writer said one time, "You shall know the truth and the truth will make you odd." I am beginning to feel a little odd in my own country. Fact and fiction afre scrambled these days. Fear does crazy things to people. (I remember a little German history.) Is this country we call America for everyone or just some? We fought that battle with the Irish, the Italians, the Jews, the Japanese--not to speak of the African-Americans  (Which, by the way I think is part of this whole problem.) With president Obama's election I thought we had turned a page--but I wonder. Change, I know is always hard. I wonder if Jackie Robinson couldn't tell our President about those early days when he stepped on the ball field? I bet he was called worse things than a Muslim.


The hate Merry Go Round keeps going around and it stops now with the Muslims in our country. How frightened many of them just feel. I call your attention to two wonderful articles that speak to this subject. The first is written by Martin Marty, very wise Church historian. He responds to Franklin Graham's charges about Obama's background and faith. It is worth a read.


The second article is by one of my favorite commentators, Eugene Robinson. His articles appear in many papers thank goodness. This particular article talks about President-in-waiting Newt Gingrich's remarks about Obama's Kenyan connections being suspect. I  recommend.


Civil discourse ought to be civil. And I know looking back through the years this is far from the first time we have dragged our principles through the mud. Vision and task are often unfortunately poles apart. But I keep remembering that verse from the Psalms: "He gave them their request; but sent leanness to their soul." (Psalm 106.15)