Here We Go Again

Posted on February 21, 2012 at 1:23 pm by Bob Cesca

The thing with the completely race-driven “Obama is really a Muslim” thing isn’t just the statements themselves, it’s the subtext — or the completion of the statement added by the wingnut-prone listener immediately following. “Obama could be a Muslim”… and so he’s probably a terrorist or a terrorist sympathizer.

But very few people actually go there. On the other hand, Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son, kind of did.

“I can’t say categorically that [Obama is not Muslim] because Islam has gotten a free pass under Obama.”

What does it mean to give Islam a “free pass”? I’m not away of any reason why the Islamic religion, in general, needs to be regulated and restricted. Is Graham suggesting the president who killed Bin Laden and shattered al-Qaeda is soft of radical Islamic terrorism? Yes, he is. He’s saying the president hasn’t sufficiently restricted the Islamic religion here and abroad, but what he’s really saying is that President Obama is helping terrorism. The first thing shouldn’t be done in the first place and the second thing, the implication, is an outright lie.

The broader point here is once again we’re going down this road. A total repeat of 2008. Back then the excuse was “we don’t know a lot about this guy since he’s new to the scene.” Today, he’s been president for more than three years and everyone knows exactly who he is. There are no more excuses. This is Southern Strategy racism, with a touch of post-9/11 McCarthyism in there. And nothing more.

UPDATE: So it looks like it’s really Two-For-Tuesday, as they say on really bad radio stations. Ashby and I unknowingly posted the same item at roughly the same time. I swear we didn’t plan it that way. But now you’ll get both of our takes on this heinous Graham quote. Enjoy.

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  • http://www.politicalruminations.com/ nicole

    “There are no more excuses. This is Southern Strategy racism, with a touch of post-9/11 McCarthyism in there. And nothing more.”

    Exactly so. Thanks for clarifying this “Obama is/could be a Muslim.” crap, Bob.

    • Scopedog

      Reading this reminds me of something Chez said on a past Bob and Chez show….they should just get it over with. “Have some balls, call him a lazy ni**er, and be done with it.”

      Honestly, enough with the code words and dog whistles. We get what they’re saying; there’s no more need to hide it.

      • mrbrink

        “Have some balls, call him a lazy ni**er, and be done with it.”

        How many ways do they have to say it?

  • JMAshby

    Hey, this isn’t a bad radio station! I think we’re pretty good!

  • http://twitter.com/KQuark KQµårk™

    As long as a majority of the GOP will buy this nonsense the more they will push it. This is why I want Santorum to be the nominee. Having Romney as the nominee is like the GOP lying about what it is because we all know Mittens is a phony. Obama needs to face a true believer so America can see how nutty this version of the GOP is. Even if Santorum wins then we all know what America is all about once and for all and that we are doomed for good.

  • Zen Diesel

    It’s mighty un Christian of Graham to put out such a dog whistle. I am beginning to think 2012 should be called the year of the Christian Hypocrite.

  • mrbrink

    In all fairness to the now totally 100% confirmed mentally-disturbed klan-preacher, president Obama has taken the Holy out of War.

    But how many slow drawl, smiley-faced-lynchings does it take to get to the bottom of Jesus’s message of love and forgiveness? Because we’ve seen this movie before and Franklin Graham is every pulpiteer-villain who’s ever been unmasked.

    And Rick Santorum, as well as Newt fucking Gingrich, are in fact real Christians because… they said so! whereas president Obama is not a real Christian even if he says so? Not good enough for Franklin Graham: False witness– unforgiving sinner.

    Feed the homeless, feed the poor– not your goddamn culture war!

    “Fiscal conservatism exposed.”

    • JMAshby

      how many slow drawl, smiley-faced-lynchings does it take to get to the bottom of Jesus’s message of love and forgiveness?

      Point not lost

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Norris/1597765442 Michael Norris

    I continue to find out the hard way (One would think I would just shut the heck up…) that it is impossible to have intelligent dialogue with Republicans and right wing thinkers. It is as if they want and need to be terrified of something all the time. They have absolutely no solutions to anything–and they are afraid and paranoid of everything. After three years the same old rhetoric: He’s a muslim; he is not an American citizen; He’s a socialist.

    It is time for us (progressives I mean…) to realize a couple of things here. One, The President is not going to change, convert, or even connect with people with an ideology this strong. There is nothing he or us can do to change the rhetoric, not matter how stupid or paranoid it becomes. Seriously, I have lost friends and ended relationships over this stuff.

    The second thing goes along with the first: Intelligent dialogue is no longer possible. If a person believes that a doctor should have their licensce revoked and jailed for performing an abortion, then they do. If they believe that marriage is between a man and a woman and anyone who thinks otherwise–or wants to marry their same sex partner–should be ostrasized, then they do. If they are preaching an ancient and outdated catholic doctrine and screaming that the President subscribes to a “false” theology, then they are dangerous people. Progressives need to stop believing that intelligent and respectful dialogue is possible.

    Or am I just preaching to the choir?