CS Monitor

By Tim Sebastian

May 1, 2009

Washington – This story began – as so many do – with a lunch.

While attending a conference in 2004 in the tiny Gulf state of Qatar, I was invited to break bread with the ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and his wife, Sheikha Mozah. As a bewildering array of courses came and went, the royal couple talked of their vision for reform and openness and asked me if I had any suggestions.

It was the start of a journey, now entering its sixth year, that led to the formation of the first global free speech forum in the Middle East – The Doha Debates – and last month to a highly controversial session in Washington.

My suggestion to Qatar’s ruler was to stage a series of town hall debates in the country, get people arguing without fear of censorship or repercussions and tackle the hottest political topics in the Arab and Islamic worlds. The key condition was that my team would retain full editorial independence – with no interference of any kind from the state.

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Recently there was an uproar among Christian conservatives over Obama’s statement stressing the point that the United States is not a Christian nation.

The argument that is created by the statement is in itself antithetical to American governance. Should a Jew living in the United States be obliged to think he lives in a Christian nation? What makes the United States a Christian nation?

Looking back on the history of this nation, one cannot overlook the Puritans. Better known as the Pilgrims they came here searching to not only find a place where they can escape religious persecution but also a place where their strict form of Christianity would not be challenged. Their oppressive form of worship was so offensive to non-Puritans, many fled the Plymouth colony and established splinter colonies. In the pre-Revolutionary days there were but three religions that held any sway: Protestant Christianity, Roman Catholicism and a smattering of Jews. (Islam was found only in a few groups of slaves brought over from Africa in bondage).

It is true, Christianity was an influential element of the history of this country. But those who drew up the foundations of this nation were not using the Bible as a blueprint for law. In fact, the founding architects of the United States were using principles that were running perpendicular to religious concepts. The Enlightenment was in full bloom when America declared Her independence (1776) and when the Constitution was written (1787). Thomas Jefferson, an avowed Deist penned the Declaration of Independence and James Madison, the chief mind behind the Constitution spoke about religion:

Experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution. [James Madison, A Memorial and Remonstrance, addressed to the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1785]

Does that mean there were others influential to the establishment of this great nation that were devout men of the Christian faith? Surely. But to say this nation is a Christian nation simply because the primary religion historically has been Christianity misses the mark. If you believe America is a Christian nation do you also believe it is a White nation? After all, the founders were all White. Most Americans, conservative and liberal, would be uncomfortable with this question. To a Jew or a Muslim or a Buddhist the statement America is a Christian nation has exactly the same sting. Identifying the US with a religion  runs contrary to the tenants that makes this nation so great. To do otherwise foments exclusiveness.  Therefore, President Obama was correct. America is not a Christian nation. It doesn’t belong to Christians, it belongs to the citizens and we will be a better nation the sooner we all see it is a such.

The far left has rightfully been vilified for their antics. For example, it is common for the loony left to shout down  right wing speakers at college campuses or to degrade  those who proudly wear the US uniform. But we are seeing there is an element on the right that is as equally dubious. As the presidential campaign enters its final phase, the McCain-Palin rallies have attracted some Republican party faithful with some hateful and inherent bias that is indeed troubling. It begins with those who choose to highlight Barack Obama’s middle name. What is the insinuation? Is it that he is a closet Muslim or is it simply to equate the notion that anything associated with the Near East is unworthy? Obama = Osama and Hussein = Saddam. It is the word association of the ignorant, of those who have never stepped one foot beyond this hemisphere or Europe and who have been insulated behind the walls of American bias and infused with a sector of the media that caters to an insular world view.

I would like to tell a story that occurred to me recently.  In the late 1980s I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Yemen. I taught in a small village named Oozla that was serviced by a single lane dirt road. The classes were huge by American standards; often well over 60 kids in a room with benches as seating and their laps as desktops. I left in 1990. Last week I received an e-mail out of the blue. It was from an ex-student of mine named Mohammed who went on to study English and became a productive member of society there. Though his English is not perfect I would like to share an e-mail he sent to me:

It`s nice to hear from you.Is Yemen mentioned in the history subject you teach?I hope a great future for your daughter.
I want to know where do you live in the States.
Mudir Abdulwahab lift the school in 1992 and replaced him Mr. Ali AL-Duais.He has now  a grocery in Oozla and his son got top 7 in high school certificate in Yemen and left for Germany to study university.Regarding your crazy neighbor he kicked the bucket 15 years ago.Of course I do know Mohammed AL-Omary,he taught me geography at high school.He is also my friend and his hair still like monkey`s.I promise to provide you with pictures for Oozla and all your friends when I go there.
Actually, the economy is going bad everywhere and hope you cope up with these bad situations. For Yemen, there is a massive raise in prices and we are suffering from unemployment.However Yemen was developed during the past 10 years, but the live is still hard.
My personal life, I am engaged and getting married in January 1st 2009. You are invited for my wedding in Oozla and hope you come with your family.I am wondering for the srtong memory you have got because you still remember funny characters from Oozla.Say hello to your family for me.
my best,

Mohammed

Mohammed is in his mid 30s now and despite all that has happened since 9-11 there is still that bond that links people not by their names or what their governments do but what is inside all of us. In January I could go back to Oozla to Mohammed’s wedding and be welcomed as if I was a member of his family. So when you see people single out Obama’s middle name, know they possess the ignorance that is the worst that America has to offer, a bias that is not based on one’s character but on the implausibility that his father was African, gave him an Arabic name and that he had the ability to perhaps be the most powerful man in the country despite that fact. And that is what is best about the American spirit.

This part of my blog appeared before under “Burning Sage” but after realizing that Jim Rome has a TV show entitled Rome is Burning I decided to change it. I can’t stand Jim Rome. Also, I like the title Raging Sage better.

Worthless Degree

The country is most likely in a recession. The components of today’s financial mess are complicated. From the mounting debt which has devalued the dollar to the mortgage crisis which has caused Wall Street to retreat. Of course this is just a quick summary but what is interesting and most people aren’t talking about is the fact that our current President holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. Not only has this MBA recipient done little to forestall the recession he has failed to articulate the nature of the woes to the nation. I wonder how drunk Bush actually was during his years at Harvard. Here is a list of classes that one is required to take at HBS along with the list of electives:

Required Courses at Harvard Business School Term One

Required Courses at Harvard Business School Term Two

Elective Courses at Harvard Business School

I understand small business growth. I was one.

George W Bush  February 2000

Go Forth and Multiply, Frere Jacques

So Muslims have now passed Catholics in total population. Isn’t it about time the Catholics allow their priests to marry? If the Catholics don’t do something quick you can say goodbye to any chance at winning the next Holy War.

Honey Did You Pay the Electric Bill?

Sounds like Hillary might just know what it is like to be poor in America after all. It seems her campaign is stiffing some on the trail. How do you recover your money when the person that owes it to you is never in one place for more than two days? Will this affect her FICO score? For some reason I think not. The big question , however, does Hillary have to stay in the race to acquire enough money to pay off her campaign debts?

The words of Reverend Wright? No. Actually these are the sentiments of those radical White preachers. You know, the ones that had (or have) national audiences to spew their vitriol. It was the damn secularists teaming up with the radical eastern monotheists that caused 9/11.

Every politician has interesting bed fellows. By what rules are we playing? Why did McCain accept Falwell’s endorsement? It was done to garner votes from the religious right. When this story makes headlines, and it surely will, will McCain denounce Falwell and an eventual Pat Robertson endorsement? Stay tuned.