Reply to Ben Carson: Islamophobe of the Day

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous]
Nothing wrong with my comprehension of the English language .... despite your attempt to deflect with your rather simplistic reasoning.

My contention is that although Carson is wrong about the constitutionality of a Muslim being president, it would be understandable if people are  wary of a Muslim becoming president given the inclination of many Muslims to bring their faith into how people should live their lives. Someone who has concerns about this is not necessarily bigoted or racist.

Why do you think many Muslim countries are theocracies? How many non-Muslim countries are theocracies?

Being a progressive is all well and good but you need to recognize certain realities. I see the very same lack of reality in your tirade in defense of the kid who went to school with a home made clock. Yes, a white Christian kid would not have drawn the same sort of reaction but how many young white kids or young black kids become suicide bombers? [/quote]

[b]It appears that your prejudices have clouded your thinking. [/b]Many people of all faiths bring their faith into how people should live their lives. Indeed, two of the major issues of our day are gay rights and abortion. Faith plays a major role in the positions many take with regard to these issues. You continue to bring up what happens in other countries. But, should we judge American Christians by what happens in Uganda or Russia where Christianity has resulted in strident homophobia?

Clearly voters should judge candidates by the positions the candidates hold, regardless of whether those positions are derived from faith or otherwise. It makes no sense to judge all members of an entire religion when there are vast differences among those who practice the religion.

You asked about suicide bombings. I am not aware of a single suicide bombing in an American school. How many Muslim kids have conducted mass killings in schools within the US? How many white kids? Moreover, how many suicide bombings have been conducted without bombs? Remember, nobody involved believed this was a bomb. The entire reasoning behind the police interrogation which was clearly stated by the police is that Ahmed did not provide a "wider explanation". He kept saying the device was a clock. 
[b]
But, why are you providing justifications for prejudice when you strongly deny having such prejudices? If you want to hold prejudices against Muslims and feel that you can justify those prejudices, that is your right. But why do you then get upset when called on it?[/b]
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You have a blind spot when it comes to this issue. Let me try one more time to explain it though I will probably not succeed.

My brother-in-law is a Muslim-American. He also has a medical condition which does not allow him to go through the usual scanner at airport security. He asks the TSA to search him instead - in effect, to frisk him. He is asked whether he would like it to be done away from public sight and he declines the offer. So while he is going through the process with the TSA agent he notices other passengers - usually white passengers - gazing his way at the sight of this brown-skinned "foreigner" being closely checked out by the TSA. He often jokes that they are probably wishing and praying that he will not be on his flight.

But ........ and this is the part that you will not understand - your blind spot. He understands why they react that way. As he puts it when 9/11 occurred it was nine Muslim men some who looked like him, who crashed airliners against buildings. So, of course, they view a brown-skinned man being searched by the TSA as a potential suspicious character although the only reason he is undergoing the body search is because he requested it. He does not think those looking towards him with concern are racists or bigots because it is a natural reaction.

Fast forward to the kid with his home made clock. We have all heard of kids who have been suicide bombers outside of the US. There are also news reports that ISIS has infiltrated the US with potential terrorists and it is a major concern of our security services. No kid has been involved in a suicide attack in the US but can one blame a teacher for feeling uncomfortable that a Muslim kid - an innocent kid - comes to the school with a home made clock that she thinks might be a bomb? It does not make her a bigot because she reacted the way she did. I don't think Maher who commented about this kid is a bigot either - he is voicing a legitimate and reasonable point.

Now to your charges of my alleged prejudice: unfortunately, progressives and conservatives use a litmus test of sorts to determine if someone is a "true believer". It is asinine beyond belief. One does not need to subscribe to every item in a progressive or conservative agenda. Life is more complicated and nuanced than some on this forum think.

I don't agree with Carson's contention that it is constitutional to exclude a Muslim assuming he said this. But I can certainly relate to Carson or anyone else saying that he is not comfortable with a Muslim as president given aspects of what some Muslims believe and practice as part of their faith. I don't think Carson is a bigot or prejudiced and given choices I have made in my life, no one who knows me would accuse me of being a bigot or prejudiced.

Everything in life is not as cut and dried as you think - there are nuances and subtleties that have to be taken into consideration.

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