Obama: Muslim in Disguise?

A recent pew research poll shows that 18% of Americans believe that Barack Obama adheres to the Muslim faith. Perhaps more shockingly, 43% confess to not being certain of what religion the man follows. These polls reflect increased American uncertainty about the president in wake of the mosque “at” ground zero controversy. Suddenly the question of Obama's true faith seems even more pressing than it had in times past. Conservative media outlets are attempting to use this to whip the public into a illogical fervor about the president's secret Muslim beliefs. Liberals take the defensive, insisting that the conservatives' conclusions are rash, unfounded, and almost exclusively political in nature. Once again both political parties share an identical ideology, surrendered to arguing about the mere petty details.

This situation unequivocally demonstrates to us the wholesale acceptance of collectivism by our dominate political parties. Never is the question asked in the public discourse: Why does it matter? If the public were even to entertain this question it would shake the establishment to its core. Both parties require that the masses' minds remained mired in a primitive sort of tribalism. People must be regarded as soulless vessels filled only with the meaning that their respective labels grant to them.

The Republicans rely on this mentality, despite their supposed defense of individual liberties (how can they exist without acknowledging the individual?), most importantly to support their agenda of perpetual war and the justification that produces for the usurpation of civil liberties. With a rational view of mankind, the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and soon to be Iran, would not be supported by the public. However when individualism is eroded away and replaced by the identity “Muslim”, these wars become instantly justifiable. Muslims are at war with the United States. Muslims are terrorists. Muslims want to destroy our freedom. The equating of “Muslim” with “terrorist” combined with the a collectivist mentality provides the necessary foundation for the Republican platform of perpetual war, a police state, and crony capitalism.

I don't wish to suggest that Democrats aren't equally at fault in this context. One need not look further than any Democrat's opinion of capitalism or big business to see this. However, their faults are outside the scope of this post.

To the question of Obama's religion I give the response: Who cares? Certainly not me. And unfortunately we will not see a free America until the majority holds my position.