Obama's Denial that Radical Islam Exists Is Ridiculous and Dangerous

A sign held up by a protester outside the White House yesterday stated the problem starkly : "Just say it." The whole world understands. ~~~~~ Inside, President Obama was addressing representatives from 60 nations attending a three-day event he called on "violent extremism" - another Obama euphemism - following attacks in Denmark and France. Obama said the world has to confront the ideologies that radicalize people. He said those heading groups like ISIL and al-Qaeda were not religious leaders but terrorists. He said associating Islamic State or al-Qaeda with Islam would be buying into their propaganda. He challenged critics of his refusal to describe recent attacks as the work of "Islamic radicals." He added that there are Moslems around the world who do not "necessarily" subscribe to the violent tactics of IS, but who "buy into" the notion that Islam has been "polluted" by Western values. ~~~~~ The White House has avoided the question of whether deadly terror attacks in Paris and other Western cities amount to "Islamic extremism." Perhaps the White House is afraid of offending a major world religion or of validating the "war on terror" that Obama's predecessor, President George W. Bush, waged. Obama said "we should not grant them [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and al-Qaeda-linked groups] the religious legitimacy that they seek." He said that militants masquerade as religious leaders but are really terrorists -- and he appealed directly to prominent Moslems to do more to distance themselves from brutal ideologies. He said all have a duty to "speak up very clearly" in opposition to violence against innocent people. Concerning the notion that terrorists like ISIL genuinely represent Islam, Obama said Moslem leaders need to do more to discredit the notion that our nations are determined to suppress Islam." ~~~~~ And then President Obama gave his new version of his own state of self-denial, saying : "We are not at war with Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam." As Obama uttered those words, he added that "some in Moslem communities have bought into the notion that Islam is incompatible with tolerance and modern life." ~~~~~ President Obama is more and more isolated in his insistence that the world is not confronted with radical Islam. Today, a well-known news magazine cover shows Obama blindfolded, with the caption "I just don't see it." But the rest of the world, and America, does see it -- the cries of "Allah akbar," the forced conversions of Christian and other religious minorities to Islam, the destruction of "non-pure" statues and writings, the distribution of the Koran to hostages, the beheadings and burning alive of those hostages and others, the massacre of journalists practicing democratic freedom of speech because it offends ISIS' view of the Prophet, the targeting of Jews, the declaration of an Islamic caliphate. That is radical terrorist Islam. Common sense alone refuses to accept Obama's fairytale version of what is happening. ~~~~~ And one of the cornerstones of Obama's argument -- that "some in Moslem communities have bought into the notion that Islam is incompatible with tolerance and modern life" -- is also flawed. Beheading for some crimes, flogging for other crimes such as exercising free speech rights, suppressing women's human rights, refusing to let a Moslem leave Islam - calling it apostacy punishable by beheading, making all children of Moslem fathers Moslems themselves with no hope of leaving Islam on pain of being declared apostates subject to beheading. These are not "notions." They are practices current in Islam, especially in the Middle East, that are definitely intolerant and incompatible with modern life. They could easily be described as terror in themselves, and deserving of President Bush's "war on terror." ~~~~~ President Obama is just plain wrong. Why? We could make the argument that his position is political, a facet of his desire to fundamentally change America by taking it out of its world leadership position. This is certainly provable by an analysis of Obama's foreign policy moves, but I'm not sure this is the basis of his self-denial about the existence of radical Islam. ~~~~~ In a letter, which I cannot confirm as authentic, from Barack Obama to the Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc. on his Moslem heritage, Obama, while still a Senator seeking the presidency, wrote : "My father was a Moslem and although I did not know him well, the religion of my father and his family was always something I had an interest in. This interest became more intense when my mother married an Indonesian Moslem man and as a small child I lived in Indonesia and attended school alongside Moslem pupils. I saw their parents dutifully observing the daily prayers, the mothers covered in the Moslem hijab, the atmosphere of the school change during Ramadan, and the festiveness of the Eid celebrations. The man my mother was married to was not particularly religious; but he would attend the mosque on occasion, and had copies of the Quran in different languages in the home, and books of the sayings and life of the Prophet Muhammad. From time to time he would quote Islamic phrases....Growing up in Hawaii with my mother and her grandparents Islam largely escaped my mind. My mother installed in me the values of humanism and I did not grow-up in a home where religion was taught. It was later while I attended college at Columbia University and Harvard Law that I became reacquainted with Moslems as both schools had large Moslems student populations. Some of them were my friends....The background I had from my early childhood in Indonesia helped me get to know them and learn from them and to me Moslems are not to be looked upon as something strange. In my experiences up until college a Moslem was no less exotic to me than a Mormon, a Jew, or a Jehovah's Witness. After college I settled in my adopted hometown of Chicago and lived on the South Side and worked as a community organizer. Chicago has one of the largest Moslem populations in America (estimated to be around 300,000) and Moslems make-up some of the most productive citizens in the area. I met countless numbers of Moslems in my job as an organizer and later on in my early political career. I ate in their homes, played with their kids, and looked at them as friends and peers and sought their advice. Therefore, when the tragic terrorist attacks of 9-11 occurred I was deeply saddened with the rest of America, and I wanted justice for the victims of this horrific attack, but I did not blame all Moslems or the religion of Islam. From my experience I knew the good character of most Moslems and the value that they bring to America. Many, who did not personally know Moslems, indicted the entire religion for the bad actions of a few; my experience taught me that this was something foolish and unwise. Later I had the chance to visit the homeland of my father and meet Moslem relatives of my including my grandmother. I found that these were people who wanted the same things out of life as people right here in America and worked hard, strive to make a better way for their children, and prayed to God to grant them success. This is what I will bring to the office of the Presidency of the United States. I will deal with Moslems from a position of familiarity and respect and at this time in the history of our nation that is something sorely needed." ~~~~~ This may be as close as we can come to Barack Obama's internal conflict about Islam. We also know that he told New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof that the Moslem call to prayer is “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.” Perhaps he was just fondly recalling his childhood days in Jakarta. But maybe this is an indication of what is going on in his heart. I don't want to re-open the question of Obama's religion. It's too late. I accept that he is being truthful in saying he is a Christian. But as the son of a Moslem father, Barack Obama was born a Moslem under Moslem law as it is universally understood. It makes no difference that, as Obama has written, his father said he renounced his religion. Likewise, under Moslem law his mother’s Christian background is irrelevant. Obama is regarded by Islam as Moslem. And so are his daughters. There is no way to change this. And it has to be a source of internal conflict that prevents President Obama from accusing Islam of having a radical terrorist element within it. If Barack Obama were a private person, we would leave him alone to sort out his beliefs. But he is not a private person. Barack Obama is President of the United States and the leader of the world. He tells us as Christians to be open toward Islam. We all try. And it is now time for President Obama to be open about Islam. Just say it, Mr. President. It will free you to be the leader you want to be. Radical Islam exists. To deny it is to be ridiculously and dangerously wrong.