None so blind...

I don't blog politics. But I will give a political disclaimer to this post. I'm a political liberal who is rarely satisfied by any of the options presented by our political system. I voted for Clinton the first time around but was too disgusted to go with the viable candidate the second time round. And I voted for Obama but do not consider that he has lived up to promise and doubt I would vote for him a second time around. Other than those two, no one I've ever voted for has been elected to national office. So with that out of the way...

By now every American who cares to know anything about anything knows that growing percentages of Americans either believe Obama to be a crypto-Muslim or state that they do not know what his religion is. And any American who did not consciously choose not to know the truth has known since early in his presidential campaign that Obama is a Christian. Thus, it is safe to say that an enormous and growing number of Americans have chosen to believe a lie.

In that scenario, our explanations and presentations of truth will have no effect. You cannot change the mind of the person who effectively says, "I don't care what the facts are, I believe X."

So, if all our explanations and protestations are not going to have the reasonable effect we hope for, why not change tactics? When people go off about Obama being a Muslim, why don't we reply in the affirmative: "Yeah! Isn't that great! We live in a country that is able to look past a candidate's religion and vote based on their political record and promise."

I hate sloganeering, but perhaps a campaign of slogans is in order? Something like:

AMERICA! CHRISTIAN ENOUGH TO ELECT A MUSLIM PRESIDENT! ARE WE CHRISTIAN ENOUGH TO LIVE UP TO THE POTENTIAL?

OK. OK. Of course, my "Christian" is in quotes there. The point is, if there is little or no chance that we can use reasoned discourse and sound evidence to convince our fellow Americans that they believe a lie about the President, maybe we need to proclaim how wonderful it is that their lie is "true."

I mean, most of us who are reasonably progressive in our thinking would never vote for a candidate solely because of identity issues. But we do long for the day when it is equally possible for a woman or a Jew or a lesbian/ gay/ bisexual/ transgender person or a Zoroastrian or an atheist or a non-lawyer/ non-rich person or a Muslim to become president. So let's approach it from that angle! If a legitimately elected official is cast into doubt by lies being spread about their identity, I say the proper response is to celebrate the goodness of that identity's finally being represented in that office.

This is not just a political issue here. It is ethical and religious. Among the seven principles Unitarian Universalist congregations covenant to affirm and promote as members of the UUA, the first six are explicitly applicable here:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;

Muslims, we affirm, have equal worth and dignity to every other person. We know there is not justice where untruth prevails, and the growing numbers of Americans who accept lies about Obama's identity do so in concert with those would would undermine equity between members of of various religious identity groups. The aim of claiming Obama is Muslim is the demonization of that seen as Other. Those promoting and accepting lies about individuals, in this case a sitting president, are irresponsible and act to restrict people's access to the truth. Obama was elected democratically, but these smear campaigns attempt to undermine his ability to fulfill the duties of his office, while also rejecting the right of the individual (religious) conscience of the elected leader. And finally, if we affirm and promote world peace and liberty and justice for all, we cannot accept the hate- or fear-filled promulgation of lies.

For UUs and for anyone who agrees with the intent of those covenanted principles, what is going on in the US right now is a travesty and an abomination. And being unable effectively to oppose it in a head-on assault because of the psychological realities involved, let's do what we can. Let's celebrate the identity that is being smeared.

I'm an American, and I'm proud of my Muslim president!