Imagined community

[misslaura]

I personally feel the Obama campaign has been damn near perfect, this article talks about their one glaring mistake. It's hella long, I bolded some parts

Imagined community

• Last Updated: October 31. 2008 6:19PM UAE / October 31. 2008 2:19PM GMT

Comments

[winniechili]

Obama HAS said in the past that it's a slur against all Muslims and Arabs and Muslim/Arab Americans to put that label on him and treat it as though it's a bad thing.

I don't know why that hasn't gotten much play.

[spiffystuff]

Obama's certainly better, but even he seems to be playing it pretty close to the vest with the Muslim thing... only Colin Powell's really come out against it.
There was that set of incidents a while back where some muslim women weren't allowed to sit near (within television shots) Obama while wearing their head coverings, etc. Obama apologized and said it was an overzealous staffer (people aren't supposed to be disguised near Obama for security reasons or soemthing)... but I get the feeling it wasn't really a mistake...

[ex_londonso]

No. It's not difficult to know how to act. Asking girls in headscarves to move is not acceptable or excusable.

[___closetome]

he gave O'Reilly one less talking point and Hannity one less clip to play in his "documentaries."
not an excuse or a valid reason, just the sad truth. :|
I absolutely agree with you though.
It reminds me of how I feel about Obama-Biden being against gay marriage, of course I wish that they were vocal supporters, but I also know that they could never win if that were the case.

[ex_londonso]

This was really interesting.

"A smaller - but significant, vocal and growing - minority rejects the idea that Washington will ever be an “honest broker” between Israelis and Palestinians, and points to the abject failure of 15 years of negotiations."

That's how I feel.

[ladypolitik]

Yep, I consider it a hard fact.

[ladypolitik]

I pretty much agree.

And I love the piece's title, which I bet is an explicit homage to Benedict Anderson, especially since concepts such a nationalism and constructs of who does and does not belong to the American construct ("imagined") community perfectly describes the general alienation of Americans of Mid-Eastern descent in "post-9/11" political discourse.

[mushymonkey]

I'm Muslim, I wear hijab, and I'm a huge Obama fan. But I'll be honest - I've actually avoided doing canvassing because I'm afraid people will see me as proof that Obama really is some evil terrorist Muslim. I know it's stupid, but I've stuck to working in the phone banks and doing work that isn't so public because I'm afraid I'd hurt the campaign more than I'd help.

I fail.

[univgurl]

Awww bb. **hugs**

And no, you do NOT fail.

[butterflyrei]

Aww..you don't fail, you rock! Working the phone banks is a great thing! I wish I could have volunteered myself. :D

[___closetome]

that's so unfortunate but at the same time very noble of you. you absolutely do not fail.
"it's not lying if the only truth they can accept is their own."