And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.
-Barack Obama, Cairo
While the media, mainstream, mid-stream, and off the deep end included, is still stuck in it’s traditional, preliminary “suck up to the Pretendident” mode in their coverage of his “suck up to Islam” speech, we’re still at least a couple of days, if not weeks, from anything approaching objective journalistic analysis. Since I never pretend to bother with such restrictive standards in the first place, being equally inordinately fond of my own opinion as the best (and, worst) of them, I figured I might as well jump into the fray with my pontifications on the ObaMessiah’s Sermon On The Nile.
Rather than start out with his shout out to the brotherhood, which of course could not have been a shout out to the brotherhood since Obrother is not a Muslim, but a committed, never verifiably baptized Christian who’s been to church maybe once since he kicked his pastor of nearly 20 years, (whom he had embraced after the Catholics and Jews he fronted for as a community organizer encouraged him to join some kind, any kind, of church, in order to better pimp the poor) to the curb in return for unearned delegates at the Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting nearly a year ago, I’d like to start with the latest episode in the now characteristically Obambivalent assault on womanhood he likes to engage in. In any classic example of Obambivalence, the ObaMassah puts forth a seemingly even-handed nudge to the position he favors, cleverly disguised as a condemnation of it. Or vice versa.
In this instance, Obiteme slams people who would fault Muslims for not allowing women who choose to cover their hair to go to school.
I know there is debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well educated are far more likely to be prosperous.
Now let me be clear: issues of women’s equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, we have seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. Meanwhile, the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world.
Our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons, and our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity — men and women — to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams
So, does that sound like equality for Muslim women to you? They should be able to go to school and get a job, (good) or, live their lives in traditional roles, (wtf?) but where’s the entrepreneurial/non-traditional roles option? How is that substantially different from 50’s American women going doctor/lawyer husband shopping at colleges where they could learn how to maximize their “put him through school while you breed” earning potential? What about her right to cut her hair short and become a bungee jumper if she wants to? Or dye her hair blonde and join the Circus? Or, take on the boys in a pickup game of H-O-R-S-E? Or, become President, roll herself up in a rug, and have it delivered to Obuffmo at the White House? Does he even know who Hapsetshut was? Hathor?
And, in case anybody missed it, the “microfinancing” reference was a shout out to his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham Obama Sotero, who used her grants from the Ford Foundation to promote issuing small dollar loans to impoverished women to buy pots and cows and stuff in order to promote their “independence.”
Given that the non-Muslim guy who was not giving a shout out on the downlow to his Muslim brothers who he’s not at war with, and would stand with if he were, has (allowed ? encouraged? demanded?) his wife in her (?) decision to abandon her career and become Mom-in-Chief, bare-armed FLOTUS, has, through the clever use of his patented Obambivalency, been declared the Face of Feminism, without actually doing anything, besides paying lip service, to promote feminism, much like he is SuperFly the Hero Guy to the black Americans he calls Popeye’s eating Pookie Boyz, his words bear close scrutiny. Look for it, or what passes for it, in the next few days, sometime between the moment the Greatest Speech Ever In The History Of Speeches Since The Philadelphia Speech On Race KoolAid high begins to fade and Axelrod gets back to mix up a new Just Wait For The Next Greatest Speech Ev-ah batch.
Or, check back here later.
moderation?
I’m slow Swannie, but I’m here.
As always a pure delight to read…and sometimes I think you are in my head …
and he still doesn’t go to church much , just the big photo op holidays for window dressing ; because he is a such a do as I say guy … and because he is such a devout muslim/christian .. well what ever he is THIS week..
In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, we have seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. Meanwhile, the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of American life…
Yeah, we’re familiar with the struggle…we tried to elect a woman here ourselves and got the crap beaten out of us for it. Oh yeah, you were there.
Women in power from 2000:
http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower2000.htm
And Women in Parliament:
http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm
It’s interesting to study the etnicity/race of the women in power in your link, Cinie. White women don’t seem to do so well, and I wonder if there is an explanation to that?
Also notice their age. Many – if not most – are “boomers”.
(And lol, what is the younger Swedish princess Madeleine doing on the list?)
I didn’t really do the research necessary to draw any conclusions about the site I found, or the one you posted, so I haven’t really evaluated anything about the women named. I just thought it was interesting enough to put out there even before I could get around to doing a proper post. Also, that was just the most recent women in power list. Their homepage breaks up women leaders throughout history into manageable chunks of info. Seems like a good couple of resources, though.
One of your best ever Cinie.
Actually, I think Obama is quite sympathetic to religious fundamentalism from any quarter. It punishes gays, women and Jews (except for Jewish fundamentalism), which he is totally down with.
All the lip service towards the tolerant side of the aisle is just that, words and nothing else. Look at his actions. He is expanding the faith-based initiatives from four (Bush-era) to 120…and putting an anti-abortion radicals in charge.
I don’t know about you all, but I think it’s pretty clear where Obama’s loyalty really lies. The fundies are taking over the Obamacratic Party. Operation American Theocracy/Corporatocracy is in full swing, with a melanin-enhanced “liberal” in charge.
You know how obvious the clues were in hindsight when they interview people on the news about their neighbors who go on some kind of rampage? I get the feeling something similar is coming.
Obama continues to continue his charade of “world savior” without actually doing anything. A few things he said made sense but are no longer controversial, a two state solution to the Palestinian/Israeli problem but no detail.
When it came to women he was, as usual, pathetic. How to appear to support women in their domestic roles as mothers and wives without delivering a scintilla of recognition of their low caste status everywhere in the world. The “right” to wear a hijab? Puleeze! How about the right to NOT wear the hijab, or the right to not be beheaded, sold into sexual slavery or be buried alive. Duh.
Any woman who is not certifiably insane who still thinks that Obama is anything but the worst piece of crap ever made needs to leave the island immediately!
The little nudge in favor of micro-finance? Dredging up the campaign meme that his mama was a feminist? Gag me! His mother was an intelligence agent handing out desperately needed dollars in exchange for influence. Did she ever condemn or make public the suffering of women in Asia as a result of genocide and fascist oppression, even in the academic treatises that she would have needed to write for her M.A. (but no one has ever seen?) NO! Not a peep.
Like mother like son, only a whole lot worse.
I figured anybody following the links would understand your point about S. Ann Sotero. Thanks for spelling it out to those who didn’t. And, thanks for all your research on the subject.
He is not cool, but cold and calculating. His father abandoned him at a young age, then his mother dumped him with his dysfunctional grandparents. I believe he is still very angry, and emotionally challenged. Boy, is the world in trouble.
crazy horse — not too mention he seems hell-bent on looking favorable to that stolen side of him from his father’s side, the Muslim world. Whether he thinks it’s his destiny to heal these relations or not all stem from his childhood. He seems lost that others can and will manipulate this desperateness he puts out there.
Y’know, I am getting damn tired of Prezidents working out their Daddy issues on my dime. There ought to be a program for guys like BO and Bushie boy.
By the way, just so you know the truth, according to this article,
In his speech in Cairo today, he put the number of Muslims in America at 7 million.
“According to the CIA World Factbook, there are only 1.8 million Muslims here. President Einstein miscalculated by almost 400%.”
you may read the article here if you missed it or are even interested…
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/06/05/obama%e2%80%99s-christian-muslim-double-standard-our-first-dhimmi-president/
Religion of Peace, this statement was released after his Cairo Speech? Senseless Violence…not a man made disaster, move a long folks, nothing to see here.
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0609/628585.html
This is a very dangerous experiment in which our president is engaged. I believe he is trying to appeal to moderate Muslims, in the hopes that they will rise up and tamp down their more extremist brothers.
But, we have seen no evidence that they want to do this. And we don’t even know if they are capable… should they want to.
Extremely dangerous pandering. That’s how I see it.
“I believe he is trying to appeal to moderate Muslims, in the hopes that they will rise up and tamp down their more extremist brothers.”
Very true! And I suspect it will work about as well as trying to appeal to pro-choice Christians to tamp down the extremist “Christians” who kill doctors that perform abortions.
Why should it be the responsibility of pro-choice Christians to “tamp down the extremist ‘Christians’ who kill doctors that perform abortions?” How would you suggest that the Episcopal Church, or the Lutherans, say, “tamp down” the extremists in fundamentalist or evangelical groups over whom they have no authority and no influence?
We have law enforcement for “tamping down” murderers, both in fact and wannabe.
Number one, Obama imposed his threat to Israel for the world to see. You will do this, you not do that, and dammit, America wont let you. Number two, Muslims are the rock of the world and have contributed to the wonderful place we are today! Yep, gave them credit for just about everything from toilet paper to sliced bread.
O brother where for art thou?
For a President who represents a country that proposedly stands on “seperation of church and state” he show do preach from a religious perspective doesnt he? He sounded like he was quoting from Rev. Wright’s weekly sermons to me. Pure and simple.
I am not a limbaugh fan, but i will agree with him on these things he said.
“Some say Obama is cool, I think he’s cold. I think he is an angry young man. Look at those he chose to hang with from his past everybody ingnored those relationships during the primaries, but they are starting to become his main focus”
well, you know what, damned straight they are.
“I think he is an angry young man.”
I often get the feeling, that he mentally never exceeded the age of 5!
Cinie, in all fairness, Teh One admitted to BBC that
It takes several speeches, silly until he’ll solve all the problems in the world. Just be patient
Cinie-
I have read the text of the speech. I tried very hard to imagine Hillary’s voice saying the words since the sound of his voice makes me wretch. I did pretty well and was thinking well of the speech until I got to this section on women.
I also noticed the side-swipe at American women who think equality is only about education and choosing not to cover their hair. And his swipe about Americans are also struggling with this issue. (As if it’s on the same level as being required to wear a burqa or to be accompanied by a male relative when leaving the house.) I was also pissed that he even DARED to mention women elected as leaders in Muslim countries.
Another part of the speech that made me see red was his talk about the internet as a valuable tool—–although it brings offensive sexuality.
Another thing I noticed was from the few clips I saw, was the audience male only? Maybe just segregated, but I saw only men in the reaction shots. Then again, I am not willing to watch one minute more.
And the MSM was DESPERATE to proclaim the awesomeness of the speech last night. DESPERATE, I tell you.
Thnak you for another wonderful commentary.
I have the same reaction as you to Obamas voice, his intonation, his cadence, his pronunciation. And what he says seems to mostly consist of banalities and clichés.
What I will never understand is the eternal praise of his oratorical skills – not just in the US media, but here in the European as well.
And when they compare him to Martin Luther King, I feel like screaming! He is not worthy of being mentioned even in the same sentence as Martin Luther King! Let alone being compared to him!
Here, here Pips! When I read MLK’s speeches I get chills up my spine, when I read Obama’s I’m about ready to fall asleep except for the times when I get incensed.
This speech was no different. Aside from some weird things about Islam he mentioned, like them having a “golden rule” equivalent, his speech was mostly how great I am so don’t be mad at me. His comments about Iran without preconditions was typical flip flopishness. His allusions that only the western world and Israel is at fault for their prejudices was weird. & he talked about providing more aid (pay-outs) and helping them get more access to the internet without realizing that this is some of the things that the Muslim leaders are pissed about in the first place. The question is who was this speech really directed to? A article on HuffPo from an Al-Jazeera female correspondent was that it was more a target to what he thinks about Islam and not Muslims themselves.
Don’t even get me started on the comments he made about women. Where was the “women shouldn’t be stoned” remarks, nothing about gays, nothing about how the concept of all non-Muslims being treated as second class citizens. I am pissed.
& he can he please stop making gd actions of bowing his head to these Muslim leaders? One thing Obama doesn’t understand is that bowing his head is nonverbal communication that he considers himself lower than them. Or perhaps he does all too well. Either option naivete or manipulation is gonna backfire.
Oh FembotsForObama, that’s exactly how I feel reading or just hearing words quoted from MLK’s speeches. I instantly hear his voice, and his personal, natural cadence – and I choke up every single time. Isn’t that amazing!
You know, as for the bowing, as much as I don’t want to excuse anything Obama does, his airkissing to the left and the right of the person he greets, can be explained as what is to be expected, when greeting an Arab. And the bowing comes natural when you greet a person, that is smaller than yourself. (Though it annoyes me, that he apparently is better versed in Arab customs than in say, European!)
Why didn’t he bow to the Queen of England, Pips? By your logic, he should be bowing to just about every head of state he meets, since he’s about 6′ 1″.
Cinie, I know that didn’t come out right.
I meant to say that when you airkiss another person, which seems to be the custom in Arab countries, you have to bend down towards a person, that is smaller than yourself, to do so.
Maybe Obama shouldn’t have greeted the Saudi King and Mubarak that way at all, but I guess some degree of protocol has to be observed, not to offend. (Like not putting your hand on the back of the Queen!)
I admit I had no problem with the airkissing – as much as I would have loved to.
The actual bowing that took place in London on the other hand was deplorable.
(And my pet peeves when it comes to Obama and behaviour: Don’t put your hand on every damned person you greet! And take you hands out of your pockets!)
And as a side note let me add, that I prefer and admire the way Hillary Clinton keeps her private space! She doesn’t hug, embrace or airkiss when meeting with her foreign colleagues. She looks them in the eye and shake hand – a firm handshake I’m sure!
So when someone like Simon Peres gives her a hug, you know that really means something.
Make that mentioned on the same page with Dr. King, Pips. Some of us are old enough to remember what the real deal sounded like–and he didn’t sound a thing like Barack W. Obush.
Cinie, if it weren’t for you – and bostonboomer and Murphy – I wouldn’t have known of this outrageous bs about women!
I haven’t read the speech yet, and honestly don’t think I care to now, but have watched the anticipation before and the reaction after the speech on the news and in debates on several European tv-channels.
(And in doing so taped as much as possible, in order to be able to go EFF [Extremely Fast Forward] through the actual speechifying! Witnessing it once was more than sufficient!)
My overall take on the reaction was:
“He reached out his hand, yeah! He greated them in Arabic, yeah! He quoted the Koran, yeah! But … well … actually nothing new, he didn’t really say much. And he didn’t offer any new lead.”
So mostly I sensed disappointment by the lack of any new approaches – but they still looove THE MAN with the great oratorical skills.
And if anyone can bring peace to the ME, HE is the one!
When, oh when, will they ever see?!
Pips, luckily, it’s getting harder and harder to maintain the charade. Early this morning, all the initial reports worked hard to be glowing, even though a few, “it wasn’t that great” comments and tweets got in. As the day went on, though, more and more “that sucked,” or, “screw him” type responses got through. Usually, it takes a few days, and they can drown out the negative with manufactured positive. But, it seems like that’s getting harder to do.