Republican Demonization of Muslims and Absence of Democratic Response, a Letter to Barak Obama

By Timothy Stinson

ccun.org, January 27, 2008

 
Dear Senator Obama,
 
As you are well aware, America’s mistrust and fear of the Muslim community has
become even more entrenched and widespread than at any time since 2001.
 
This is due in large part to the overwhelmingly negative images of Muslims in our news media and unfortunately, the Republican party has used these negative images to reinforce the idea that, the way to display one’s toughness on national security issues is to fire hostile rhetoric at the Muslim community or denigrate Islam.  What the Republican party has done in effect is turn Muslims into its new Willie Horton.
 
What I find equally troubling however, is the way in which the Democratic party has chosen to distance itself from the Muslim community in the wake of this virulent and widespread demonization.  Despite your willingness to openly discuss the issue of race, neither yourself, Senator Clinton or Senator Edwards has confronted the issue of religious tolerance.
 
The message that this sends to Muslims world wide (including those of us who have and continue to serve in this nation’s Armed Forces) is that, even with a change of administration, the U.S will continue to view Islam as an enemy of the U.S and that fundamental change to U.S actions in the region will remain unchanged.
 
The President of the United States represents the interests of all Americans, not only those of one specific faith, ethnicity or gender which was something that Bush did not understand.
 
Change in the truest sense, comes with understanding and embracing the concept of inclusion not continuing the practice of exclusion or the divide and conquer strategy of President Bush and his supporters.
 
Sincerely,
 
Timothy Stinson

Barak Obama Contact Page
http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/contact2