The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Obama burned in effigy by Muslims

    By Oxy Mora on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 11:20am |

    Mitt Romney, our Christian President, Barack Obama, is as we speak being burned in effigy by angry Muslims across the world. In a flag draped coffin, no less. Don't you want to jump in with both feet and claim once again that Obama is coddling them? Pretty effective isn't it? Where is your outrage that our country has been demeaned and insulted by the angry Muslims? Perhaps you might want to have your five sons enlist in the military and go over to Pakistan and elsewhere to protect some American real estate---you might actually own some of it. What about you, perhaps you should personally visit the area, tell them again why they shouldn't be coddled. And by the way, you might mention that we won't tolerate any such actions as burning our President in effigy. Cat got your tongue? It's tough being out there in the ring, isn't it? Any of those white towels left over from the plan level at the Ritz Carleton?

    John McCain, you like to jump right in there and announce to our enemies that we are divided at home, we're weak, we're withdrawing from the area---some more of that would be helpful right now, it might even embolden them.

    Paul Ryan. Well forget it, no one gives a damn how you feel.

    The Tea Party Republican base which claps at the mere thought of executions, boos a gay soldier on active duty, please speak out on this abuse of our Christian President by angry Muslims. Go to your pulpits, open your windows and yell out---we will not tolerate angry Muslims burning in effigy our Muslim President.

    Our Evangelical friends, a large share of whom believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim. Ask yourself a simple question. WHY would Muslims across the world---if they thought Barack Obama was one of their brothers---why would they be burning the man in effigy right now?

    Michelle Bachmann. Which of your Sharia Law and Muslim Brotherhood investigators should examine why the Muslims are burning in effigy one of their own? 

    John Boehner. Where is the outrage of our President being burned in effigy?

    Senator McConnell. Where is the outrage?

    Jim DeMint, where is the outrage?

    Values Voters. where is the outrage?

    Sheldon Adelson, that great foreign casino operator American patriot, where is the outrage?

    The Koch Brothers. where is the outrage?

    The 46% who remain with Romney. Any thought about outrage over unbearable insults to our country?

    I guess I am sick to death of the constant underlying theme of Romney and the Republican base trying to define Barack Obama as "other", as "un-American" "a sympathizer with our enemies" "a man who doesn't have the proper birth certificate" "not a Christian"---a brand of epithets which are new and especially minted for this President.  I suppose it's too much to ask those who want to defeat him to speak out in his defense when such acts are committed overseas as burning him in effigy---which, if we were talking about a John McCain, Mitt Romney, or George Bush---would be considered intolerable by the right wing of this country. Where have all the fair and balanced Republicans gone? My God, where have they gone?

    And by the way, have Democrats been brow beaten to such an extent that they are too intimidated to speak out?

    Well, I'm not intimidated. Burning our President in effigy is an intolerable act. Every American should speak out.

     

     

    Comments

    You're looking at this the wrong way. The effigization of Barack Obama presents a historic opportunity for a meeting of minds between Islamic extremists and Terry Jones.


    by Michael Wolraich on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 12:48pm

    FWIW, the Google knows nothing of any "effigization". Genghis is thus in competition for this year's "truthiness". Neologisms R us.


    by jollyroger on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 12:50am

    Just as the group of extremists who declare themselves to be  'Christians' (i.e. Terry Jones) of the same ilk in our country and around the world, who choose to participate in hate, do not represent the majority, neither do these Muslim extremists. 

    We need to be discerning in our outcry to ensure we do not contribute to the chaos and destruction as we wrongly cast aspersions that further harm the 'real' Muslim community members.

    I no longer have any expectations that many, if any, members of the GOP will stand up and speak out when it is President Obama who is the target - no matter what entity is responsible. 


    by Aunt Sam on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 1:21pm

    I'm pretty sure from my reading that most of the types you are addressing feel this is happening to the president and our country because he has coddled "them" from day one, speaking softly and not using the big stick enough, going for diplomacy and not using the big stick enough, that the only thing "they" understand is fear of force. (It usually goes without saying by them, though some still say it, that this is after all, how "Reagan won the the cold war"--they eventually come over to your side beggin' when you look and act tough and scary enough.)

    Many of the types you are addressing have been bitching about this from day one and I'm pretty sure some of them will be saying they predicted this would happen, and that it's all because you can't make friends with "them," which is what they have continually complained he was trying to do. I know they are saying right now that he is doing it again by not standing strong with Bibi Netanyahu, and instead dissing Bibi.

    Some of the wackier of this group also believe that he doesn't only coddle them, but  that he sympathizes with them, and wants to bring more of their societal ways to our country. (In this particular alternate reality, you cannot be a true Christian and trust Muslim nations. If you act like you could trust Muslim nations, you might be a covert one yourself. Likewise, Russkies and the Chinese; they used to be commies, therefore you cannot trust them, if you act like you could trust them, you might be a commie sympathizer yourself. )

    To follow this narrative, they must tiptoe around the drone war thing. They don't like the drone war thing and small special ops thing as a solution (see Jimmy Carter trying to rescue hostages, Bill Clinton lobbing a few missiles at tents in the desert, etc.) They think sufficient shows of force, owning and brandishing lots of big military stuff and threatening to use it, being top dog not a diplomat, makes the rest of the world behave. That if you are having anti-American troubles, you just haven't been scary enough. But they can't dis the drone war stuff because that would also be dissing the military executing it.

    (BTW, some of them recommend  raising children the same way--spare the rod and spoil the child; hang that rod up prominently in the kitchen. )

    Finally, you have to keep in mind that Mitt may not be saying this clearly, but that's only because he mangles almost everything he's trying to say, not that he's not a genuine, certified FOB (friend of Bebe.)


    by artappraiser on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 2:23pm

    Alas, the child rearing practices to which you alluded in passing serve to reinforce the underlying stupidity as it echoes from one generation to the next. Indeed, it explains a lot. Parenthetically, "bebe" is who *I date in France. "Bibi ", Israel's PM, once said he never really was much of a friend of Willard. (hint: Jews/Mormons, oil/water...) *prudently using a universal name avoids embarrassing exclamations in moments of passion...

    by jollyroger on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 3:04pm

    It's good to keep in mind that there are cynical politics going on elsewhere in the world regarding this problem; for example, I believe the following headline and lede are quite accurate:

    Pakistani leaders play religious card as protests boil

    * Pakistan government plays religious card

    * Elections approaching

    * Clerics whip up anger over film

    By Katharine Houreld

    ISLAMABAD, Sept 21 (Reuters) [....]

    For the Pakistani state or elite, this is not really about the US, or about state-to-state anti-Americanism, it is about keeping the crazies busy with distractions, and also keeping them voting for you even though you don't really agree with them.


    by artappraiser on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 4:09pm

       A commentator at Elder of Ziyon said that Obama only cares about Muslim lives, not American lives. But he also blamed Obama for killing Muslims. Go figure.


    by Aaron Carine (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 12:16pm

    Meanwhile, radical religious extremists in the U.S. are lynching empty chairs meant to represent Obama.

    Crazy peeps all over.


    by Michael Maiello on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 2:51pm

    I was just going to link this!

    People all over the world are pissed off about something.

    We have our own right wing Christian terrorists and always will.

    But we have a structure in this country that does not do that bad a job--although gangland shootings go into the tens of thousands each year.

    We just seem to spread out the terror.

    NBC had a thing on last night about right wing radio terrorists.

    I do know this.

    The Islamic nuts can hang any act of terrorism on any number of books and pix and movies and blog comments.


    by Richard Day on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 3:38pm

    We expect politicians and plutocrats be silent on the lynchings. The real question is whether politically active right wing pastors will speak out. Will Mike Huckabee, John Hagee or Pat Robertson defend the President?


    by rmrd0000 on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 11:03am

    Oh sure they will, because they embody the Christian teachings of love, charity and kindness.  wink

    Seriously, they'll speak out, they always do, but seldom with the above cited 'ingredients'.  (I'm sure this has been reported, but do these politically active and vocal 'preachers' enjoy the benefits of being exempt from taxes?  Because if so, it needs to be curtailed IMO.)

    They'll no doubt blame the President as they also condemn all Muslims.  Sadly, that is their shtick and they'll continue clinging to it with all their might 'right'eous fervor.


    by Aunt Sam on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 11:14am

    It's amazing to me that these Fundamentalists are supporting a man who is a member of what they consider to be a cult. A core belief of Mormons is that man can become God. Other religions were considered abominations by Mormons. They also believe that there are recurrent revelations that transform prior beliefs. Mormons changed their belief about Blacks being unable to be clergy on the spur of the moment after the church leader made the decision. We have Pat Robertson cheerleader for something he would have called a cult months ago.

    The core belief of Christianists is not Biblical, but access to power. 

    (note: I am not anti-Mormon, anti-Muslim, etc. We all find our path to the "truth"). I am just pointing out that the Christians who tell those Christians with more of a Left world view, that they are not true Christians, have shown their willingness to make secular compromises. They have lost their "moral" arguments against those who don't hold up to their "Biblical" standard.


    by rmrd0000 on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 12:18pm

    mrd. Take this as you will, but too many self-avowed 'Christians' rationalize 'shaking hands with the devil' when it serves their agenda. 

    Whether Mormon or Christian, organized religion entities skew and distort the biblical messages and commandments everyday in everyway.  Their 'moral compass' is defective if present at all.


    by Aunt Sam on Mon, 09/24/2012 - 12:33am

    Well, I'm not intimidated. Burning our President in effigy is an intolerable act. Every American should speak out.

    Presidents getting burned in effigy is a pretty routine occurrence, isn't it?


    by Dan Kervick on Mon, 09/24/2012 - 12:06am