Obama Fights False Links to Islam

WASHINGTON (AP)— For Barack Obama, it is an ember that he has doused time and again, only to see it flicker anew: links to Islam fanned by false rumors, innuendo and association.

The Democratic presidential front-runner and his campaign reacted strongly this week when a photo of him in Kenyan tribal garb began spreading on the Internet. And the praise he received Sunday from Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the black Muslim group Nation of Islam, prompted pointed questions during Tuesday (Feb. 26) night’s presidential debate and in a private meeting over the weekend with Jewish leaders in Cleveland, Ohio.  

During the debate, Obama repeated his denunciation of Farrakhan’s views, which have included numerous anti-Semitic comments. And, after being pressed, he rejected Farrakhan’s support in the presidential race.

The Democratic candidate says repeatedly that he is a Christian who took the oath of office on a family Bible. Yet on the Internet and on talk radio, and in a campaign introduction for Republican candidate John McCain this week, he often is depicted, falsely, as a Muslim with shadowy ties and his middle name, Hussein, is emphasized. 

“If anyone is still puzzled about the facts, in fact I have never been a Muslim,” he told the Jewish leaders in Cleveland, according to a transcript of the private session.

The photo of Obama wearing Kenyan tribal raiment, taken by an Associated Press photographer during his 2006 visit to the country where his father was born, resurfaced on the Internet amid unsubstantiated claims that it was being circulated by members of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign. Clinton and her aides said they had nothing to do with it. The Obama campaign accused them of “shameful, offensive fear-mongering.”

On Tuesday McCain denounced the introduction he got in Cincinnati that criticized Obama in vivid terms. Talk show host Bill Cunningham referred to Obama three times as “Barack Hussein Obama” and called him a “hack, Chicago-style” politician during Cunningham’s introduction of McCain.

The Obama campaign is closely attuned to the rumors and insinuations. Information on Obama’s Christian faith is prominently available on the “Know the facts” page of his Web site. The campaign has distributed flyers to churches in states with presidential contests. It encourages supporters to flag any attack that may make its way into cyberspace.  If there is confusion, and opportunity for political mischief, it derives at least in part from Obama’s rich cultural background. His mother was a white woman from Kansas, his father was Kenyan, and he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, a largely Muslim country. Obama has become careful in denouncing the links, lately noting that some rumors about him also have been insulting to Muslims. Jim Zogby, founder and president of the Arab American Institute, said many Arab Americans are drawn to Obama because of his cultural background.

Keeping Up with the Jones’

So first Nas was releasing a CD called “Nigger” …then his label said that they didn’t know anything about the alleged project, then Nas and Kelis showed up to the Grammy’s sporting the word “nigger” adorning their inappropriately casual attire, then there were rumors (and a bad review of the alleged “Nigger” album in Maxim magazine to match) that the CD was in jeopardy and may in fact never be released but by then we realized that we didn’t really care either way. For those of you who were left in limbo and actually do care, here’s the update:

A representative said that the album is still slated to be relased on April 22 under the current working title “Nigger.”

…now what the hell to expect off of this album is another story, let’s all keep focus here- just because you have an inflammatory title to your album, doesn’t mean it’s any good. Nas: please just let us know when you’re ready to release the first single thanks…

As for the wifey, Kelis is actually set to release “Kelis: The Hits” a compilation of all the hit singles she’s produced during her 10 year career. It drops March 11.

 Yeah…if you’re thinking what I’m thinking please view the following list of  so-called “hits”:

1. Caught out there

2. Milkshake

3. Got Your Money (Ol’ Dirty Bastard)

4. Trick Me

5. Lil’ Star (Cee-Lo Green)

6. Get Along With You

7. Young, Fresh N’ New

8. Truth or Dare (N.E.R.D.)

9. Bossy (Too $hort)

10. In Public (Nas)

11. Millionaire (Andre 3000)

12. Finest Dreams (Richard X)

13. Suspended

14. Good Stuff

** 

If you haven’t heard some of these “hits,” it may be because of few of them are from her “Wanderland” CD which was released only overseas… and the rest are anyone’s guess. I love Kelis to death but a hits album, can we say “premature”?