Wheat-dogg’s world

Just call me Hussein

JISHOU, HUNAN — No-nothings are dragging Barack Hussein Obama’s name through the mud, alleging his middle name, especially, identifies him as an Arab and/or a Muslim.

So I’ve decided we all should — at least temporarily anyway — adopt the name Hussein.

One of the more inspiring stories from World War II comes from Denmark during the Nazi Occupation. The Nazis required all Jews to wear a six-pointed star. Led by the king and queen of Denmark, the Danes responded by everyone, Jew or otherwise, wearing the star. It was at once a show of solidarity, of peaceful resistance, and of rejecting prejudice.

These ignorant anti-Obama Americans (see below) act as if “Hussein” is also some kind of identification badge. Rather, it is a common name — meaning “handsome” or “good” — among Arabs and Arab-Americans, much as my given names, “John” and “James” are common (in a myriad of forms) among Christians worldwide.

But my names do not automatically confer upon me membership in the Christian faith. The fact that John Wilkes Booth and James Ruby were famous killers in US history does not imply I am one twice over. No, my parents honored my heritage by naming me after my father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Similarly, “Hussein” does not identify Obama as an Arab, or a Muslim, and certainly not as a terrorist. It was his Kenyan grandfather’s name. That’s all.

The Danes stood up to ignorance and bigotry. We should, too.

Just call me “Hussein.”

Cross-posted at The Daily Kos.
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If you haven’t seen any of the misinformation and plain bigotry present at the rallies for the god-fearing, Spirit-filled Sarah Palin and her older companion, John McCain, check
this video link. Al Jazeera broadcast it, probably confirming what many Arabs already suspect about Americans.