In the 1950's, at the height of the Red Scare, people would be asked "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?" Now, we have the Green Scare where even presidential candidates are asked, "Are you now or have you ever been a Muslim?"
Barack Obama has been asked this question multiple times throughout the campaign (you can see 60 Minutes asking him this question in the video below). For the record, he isn't. He's a good Christian (as opposed to a bad Muslim, I suppose). But what if he was Muslim? Well, that would automatically disqualify him, wouldn't it? The sad thing is that there's no question that it would.
Americans might vote for a woman or a black candidate, but a Muslim is out of the question. Not even close. In fact, it's now considered a smear to call a candidate a Muslim. I don't know if people know this, but Muslim-Americans are just as American as Christian-Americans. I know that seems ridiculous, come on, they're Muslim! But no, if you check the constitution, amazingly enough, all Americans are in fact supposed to be equal.
So, why am I so animated by this? Wait a minute, am I now or have I ever been a Muslim?!
I better answer those charges before you take my opinion on this seriously. What if I'm a closet Muslim trying to infiltrate the United States? You know there are real Muslims who are trying to undermine this country. We have to be careful. They're a threat to our way of life. Just like those communists were ... oh yeah.
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The Green Scare
Posted Mar 8th 2008 2:00PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Young Turks, Barack Obama, Islam, Video
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 4)
1. "I don't know if people know this, but Muslim-Americans are just as American as Christian-Americans. I know that seems ridiculous, come on, they're Muslim! But no, if you check the constitution, amazingly enough, all Americans are in fact supposed to be equal."
No, many Muslims are Muslims first and American second, and I'm pretty those who fit into this category would resent your statements. The same is true for many Christians. The fact that an ideology is religious does not exempt it from the laws of non-contradiction, and a number of tenets of the Muslim faith as interpreted and held by the majority of Muslims are contradictory to some of the philosophical underpinnings of the United States. Therefore, it is perfectly valid to ask a presidential candidate if he/she is/has been a Muslim, and if so, what sort of Muslim. Sharia law is incompatible with US Constitutional law, and so a Muslim presidential candidate who would seek to establish sharia law in the United States would, by definition, be an enemy of this country and therefore unsuitable to the Office of the Presidency. The same standard could/should be applied to a Christian candidate who holds to Christian Reconstructionism, the idea that the Old Testament's civil laws should be instituted in this country. Sorry, your argument fails Basic Civics 101. Remind me again, how did you get a job commenting on political issues?
Jay at 3:52PM on Mar 5th 2008
2. "Americans might vote for a woman or a black candidate, but a Muslim is out of the question."
I don't think America will elect either a woman nor an African-American to the presidency.
Bob at 3:56PM on Mar 5th 2008
3. Sadly, Muslim today's turned into just a rubber stamp saying 'okay to distrust', 'okay to fear', 'okay to hate.' It doesn't matter how often Muslim organizations denouce the actions of radicals in the middle east, they are always drowned out by the clips and soundbytes of the violence perpetuated by an extremely small minority.
Oh, but before we get further... the Koran commands genocide? According to popular myth. But by the same treatment, the bible and all christians are slave holders. I mean the does encourage the ownership of slaves. We can't take it in a historical context... no, we have to treat christians of today as if they were christians of 2000 years ago! Or could is be, like countless christians who denounce slavery, there are equally countless muslims who denounce genocide? Could be.
If even ten percent of all muslims... forget it. If even one percent of all muslims wanted to be bombers you would literally have hundreds of millions of suicide attacks around the world. And yet, we don't see it. In Iraq and Afganistan certainly, but there are muslims in every nation on earth. If violence against non-believers was intrinsic to the faith, shouldn't there be more killings and bombings and beheadins and what not?
Or is it that the violence that gets labeled to every muslim the result of an extreme minority? Less than a hundreth of a percent organized in a group called Al Quida that uses a remote and extreme interpretation of Islam to justify its violence? Could it be that the roots of violence are not in Islam, but in socio-economic problems rife through out the world and in nationial conflicts that all demogogues to turn faith to violence?
Probably.
Somber at 3:59PM on Mar 5th 2008
4. I thought the "Green Scare" was the man made global warming fallacy!!! Shame on me, Dumb Conservative!!!!!!!
Paul Sparcello at 4:04PM on Mar 5th 2008
5. No Jay. As a matter of fact they are Americans first. The constitution says so. It does not allow the government to make any preference for one religion over another. Of course it's kind of hard to read through the brown streaks.
Here is the very simple truth. There are twenty million Muslims in the US. How many of those twenty million have blown up buildings or beheaded other people? How many have performed "terrorism acts" that were not affiliated with Al Quida? What you cavailerly dismiss as a religion wide problem is infact the product of an extreme sect. There are roughly two billion muslims in the world. Two BILLION. That's almost a third of the world's population.
And you are quite right that Sharia law is incompatible with the American consitution. So are the ten commandments. In fact, if it weren't for coveting our economy would be in the toilet. Just like it's incompatable with Hindu principle protecting beef... I mean, cows. The point jay is that there are many many perfectly legal tenets of Islam you can follow and regard yourself as a muslim without requiring you to embrace them all. The Koran follows a similar tenet as the Bible: give Caesar his due. And in America is it no different.
Somber at 4:05PM on Mar 5th 2008
6. Wow! What hypocrisy!
The PUNK JERKS are using the u.S. (read the original Declaration of Independence's text for the "u") Constitution to guilt-trip people with differing opinions, but treasonously don't uphold its Article 2 of the Bill of RIGHTS.
The PUNK JERKS are, for possibly the first time ever, using the words "good" and "Christian" together, in order to assist their PC but hollow candidate.
Sorry, but no more "White guilt" effect's going to benefit you ever again, and it is rejected as unsustained and unarguable.
Lon Horiuchi V at 4:52PM on Mar 5th 2008
7. Notice: as of today I will no longer be identified as Julie.
From here forward I will be referred to as Juliebama.
I've been Bamatized. Allelujah! Thank you Jeezus
(approved by the National Organization for advancement of Straightforward Honest politicians with Integrity and Truth)
acronym - NO SHIT
Julie at 5:42PM on Mar 5th 2008
8. If only there was something in the Constitution about not requiring a religious test for public office.
Imagine how great America would be if we had one of those?
Dan at 6:01PM on Mar 5th 2008
9. The 'brave' marine should be thrown off the clift too.
jbond1038nc18 at 4:08AM on Mar 6th 2008
10. I completely oppose discrimination against Muslims and can't even begin to comprehend what many of them have had to endure being profiled in the post-9/11 U.S.
Additionally, the term "Green Scare" has already been coined to describe the efforts of some congress members and various industry strategists to link mainstream environmentalists to radical environmentalists whose actions are being labeled "terrorist." http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Scare
Part of the logic of the "Homegrown Terrorism" Bill that is now in the Senate Homeland Security Committee is the idea that "jihadists" and "antiglobalists" and "radical environmentalists" will unite to overthrow the U.S. government. I'm not kidding.
Kyeann at 8:35AM on Mar 6th 2008
11. So what's the answer,Cenk, are you a muslim or not?I know you are a Turk which is disgusting enough but are you a Muslim Turk?
IRONBLUEEYES at 2:00PM on Mar 6th 2008
12. 11. So what's the answer,Cenk, are you a muslim or not?I know you are a Turk which is disgusting enough but are you a Muslim Turk?
IRONBLUEEYES at 2:00PM on Mar 6th 2008
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IRONBLUEEYES, are you really a native American? Are you a Christian native American? Are you a Muslim native American?
Captain Negative at 2:15PM on Mar 6th 2008
13. He's an asshole native American
BOB JOHNSON at 4:06PM on Mar 8th 2008
14. http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com
FORMER ATHEIST at 5:27PM on Mar 8th 2008
15. While there are certainly millions upon millions of peaceful Muslims, the ones who aren't are a real problem because they can't be assuaged or mollified. They know what they know about America and the West: We are evil and have to be destroyed.
And when people like Theo Van Gogh eloquently raise their voices in opposition to Islamic Radical barbarism, they are summarily dispatched with 100 stab wounds to the heart and left to bleed to death.
And Sharia Law in the West? Honor killings? What could be a greater affront to women? "Embarrass" our family in some way and you die. I'm sorry, but barbarism is barbarism.
Like Israel, America is infinitely more tolerant of Muslims than they are of us. There are mosques throughout America. We have freedom of religion and that's how it should be. But, if we're slightly concerned about Muslims in general, can you blame us? It's that whole crashing-planes-into-buildings thing that's got us a little jumpy.
Dave at 6:12PM on Mar 8th 2008