US Republicans shamefully shred the constitution

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
US Republicans shamefully shred the constitution
The Nation

Castigating Islam has become a vote-getter for the American Right. Should it become government policy, the world's troubles will only worsen

BANGKOK: -- The way Islam and American Muslims have been treated in the current US presidential race is deeply disturbing. Opinions nurtured and policies formulated in the run-up to the election just over a year from now are bound to have a far-reaching impact both within the United States and across the world.

Thailand is not unaffected, having sent troops to fight in the Middle East as part of the US-led military coalition. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were not against Islam, of course, but many Muslim regarded them as assaults on their faith nonetheless, a view widely shared in the Thai South.

It's apparent that most, if not all, of America's Republican candidates for president are denigrating Islam to gain support from the conservative voters who must choose the party's nominee from among a glut of hopefuls. Perhaps they are personally tolerant of Islam and merely espousing bigotry for now. Perhaps they will dampen their rhetoric if chosen as nominee, after which they will have to appeal to a broader electorate. Regardless, there is no justification for their recent rash of prejudice.

America has always been touted as the world's beacon of democracy and we've come to expect better from its leaders and would-be leaders. Addressing the far-right segment of the polarised republic, however, we witness the likes of Donald Trump castigating an entire Muslim world when he clearly does not understand the fundamental elements that make it so complex.

Trump, a brash property tycoon, does not know the difference between Hezbollah and Hamas but, since the US government considers both "terrorist" organisations, he is inflammatory in his condemnation. He is unwilling to recognise any distinction between them, even if one is an extension of a government with which Washington has been negotiating a nuclear deal.

Candidate Ben Carson has said a Muslim could never be elected president because Islam and the US constitution are incompatible. In fact, that very document counsels that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States". It effectively raises a barricade between church and state, which Carson prefers to ignore.

How could an educated man like Carson, retired basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has responded, get the facts so wrong, to the detriment of millions of American Muslims like him, the vast majority of whom are law-abiding citizens? Carson is an African-American as well, and yet he slurs the legacy of the black leaders of America's civil-rights struggle.

Candidate Mike Huckabee has criticised President Barrack Obama for undercutting Christians and Jews in giving "support" to Muslims. Huckabee previously railed against letting Muslims rent activity rooms in Christian churches because they regard the followers of Jesus as "infidels". In fact, the historical Prophet Muhammad considered Jesus a genuine messiah (Judaism does not).

The Republicans are of course "preaching to the converted". Trump was not about to correct a speaker at a town-hall meeting last week who insisted that Obama is a foreign-born Muslim. Trump, who finally admitted that Obama was born in the US after investing a fortune in efforts to prove otherwise, is for now only interested in benefiting from American fear and intolerance.

Trump and his ilk want to slam the door on immigration, forgetting their own origins abroad. Carson fires verbal barbs at Muslims, forgetting that the same hurtful language was widely used against black Americans not so long ago.

America's first European settlers left their homelands to escape religious persecution, a fact enshrined in the all-embracing constitution. It is appalling that greed for power now subsumes democracy's best-laid plans.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/US-Republicans-shamefully-shred-the-constitution-30269430.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-24

[NeverSure]

And.. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech. The writer apparently has no concept of the Constitution but says it is being shredded. To the contrary.

The author should stay in a country where there is no right to free speech like Thailand which would give him an attitude adjustment for talking about leaders like that.

Freedom of speech, The Nation. Freedom of speech.

[Loptr]

Oh please, since when does The Nation participate in US partisan politics? This is becoming ridiculous when a 3rd rate rag takes a shot at republicans on this topic, especially when you consider how the current DEMOCRATIC administration has shit all over the Constitution for the last 7 years... Get a grip, then get a life...

[Credo]

It would also seem that the Democrats have the occasional pop at Evangelical Christians and almost everybody has the occasional pop at Mormons. Oh, and when JFK was running there was a lot of comments about Catholicism. It's called politics.

Unfortunately for the media in Thailand there is so very, very much that they can't write about and even more that they don't dare to write about and that doesn't even touch on what they can write about, but it must be written in a very biased manner. It would seem they are left with very little except the silliness of some of the comments from US politicians.

[chingmai331]

Yeah, Nation. Start sweeping your own floor. It is damn dirty.

[Seastallion]

"The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were not against Islam, of course, but many Muslim regarded them as assaults on their faith nonetheless,"

What do you expect when the fool Bush announces that it's a "crusade" and "you're either with us or against us"?

Actually, with all the anti-Muslim rhetoric, many Westerners thought it was all about fighting Islam. No doubt the seed of today's crazy increasing Islamaphobia.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Seastallion

[KarenBravo]

When most of the world's terrorist acts are perpetrated by muslims, then Islamophobia becomes a natural reaction.

[alfalfa19]

This is actually a pretty intelligent and well written article. Certain politicians are appealing to the basest instincts in their electorate, i.e. ignorance, bigotry, intolerance, jingoism, etc. Demonize and vilify a huge group of people, in order to get votes. For many, it's so easy to buy into this, so they can be "one of the boys" or whatever is today's flavor of the day.

[Seastallion]

When most of the world's terrorist acts are perpetrated by muslims, then Islamophobia becomes a natural reaction.

I do take your point, that's why I said "seed". It all began with Bush's false "crusade" though. The propaganda at the time to justify Afghanistan included revving people up against bhurkas etc. "We have to save Afghani woman, blah blah". There were many instances of anti-Muslim rhetoric and propaganda.

[fvw53]

even if Free Speech becomes Free Slander ...Free insult..Free Cruelty ?

Do you belong to the people singing "I am Charlie"?

http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2015/09/167835/charlie-hebdo-mocks-the-death-of-syrian-child-aylan-kurdi/

And.. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech. The writer apparently has no concept of the Constitution but says it is being shredded. To the contrary.

The author should stay in a country where there is no right to free speech like Thailand which would give him an attitude adjustment for talking about leaders like that.

Freedom of speech, The Nation. Freedom of speech.

[Emster23]

Should be "Shamelessly" not "Shamefully" shred Constitution. Although that might require they have a copy lying about to shred. More like they are grossly unfamiliar with actual content, so perhaps "ignore" more appropriate.

Those guys are not only going after Muslims, they also denigrate anyone who does not put their idea of God first. Hence Huckabee at rally for Kim D refusing to uphold law of the land and register gay marriages. The fundamentalist view of the world is not all that different from jihadists: my way or the highway, God or Allah only thing that should be listened to, secular society is satanism... fill in the rest....

[Seastallion]

And.. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech. The writer apparently has no concept of the Constitution but says it is being shredded. To the contrary.

The author should stay in a country where there is no right to free speech like Thailand which would give him an attitude adjustment for talking about leaders like that.

Freedom of speech, The Nation. Freedom of speech.

I think if you read between the lines, the piece is a snide elbow into the side of a certain General, for exactly the reason you allude to.

[ggt]

Talk is cheap on the campaign trial...

No one holds a candle in shamefully shredding the US Constitution like our sitting President...IMHO

[KarenBravo]

Talk is cheap on the campaign trial...

No one holds a candle in shamefully shredding the US Constitution like our sitting President...IMHO

Examples please.

I think Dubya ignored it more.

[Berkshire]

And.. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech. The writer apparently has no concept of the Constitution but says it is being shredded. To the contrary.

The author should stay in a country where there is no right to free speech like Thailand which would give him an attitude adjustment for talking about leaders like that.

Freedom of speech, The Nation. Freedom of speech.

Oh please. Freedom of Speech to defender of bigots means speech that they agree with. The minute these same people or their cause is attacked, they squeal like little piglets.

Hate speech may be allowed in our constitution, but it certainly isn't encouraged...nor should it be condoned.

[klauskunkel]

And.. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech. The writer apparently has no concept of the Constitution but says it is being shredded. To the contrary.

The author should stay in a country where there is no right to free speech like Thailand which would give him an attitude adjustment for talking about leaders like that.

Freedom of speech, The Nation. Freedom of speech.

The Nation does not understand Americaness

[KarenBravo]

And.. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech. The writer apparently has no concept of the Constitution but says it is being shredded. To the contrary.

The author should stay in a country where there is no right to free speech like Thailand which would give him an attitude adjustment for talking about leaders like that.

Freedom of speech, The Nation. Freedom of speech.

The Nation does not understand Americaness

Nor do I.

Please explain it.

[Pinot]

I love the comments. The Republicans have only one thing they offer the electorate...fear. Ohhhhh scary...the Muslims are coming to rape and kill your family. Elect me...I'm your only hope.

The lunatic fringe is now the Republican base.

[Loptr]

Talk is cheap on the campaign trial...

No one holds a candle in shamefully shredding the US Constitution like our sitting President...IMHO

Examples please.

I think Dubya ignored it more.

Good point... Both parties in the US have shat all over the Constitution since 9-11-2001... Dubya began with the Patriot Act, which the original drafts were created years before the "terrorist attack" in NYC and DC... It would almost appear that there is an agenda from within to subvert American sovereignty...

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/12/ron-paul-%E2%80%9Cthe-patriot-act-was-written-many-many-years-before-911-and-the-attacks-simply-provided-opportunity-for-some-people-to-do-what-they-wanted-to-do%E2%80%9D.html

[klauskunkel]

And.. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech. The writer apparently has no concept of the Constitution but says it is being shredded. To the contrary.

The author should stay in a country where there is no right to free speech like Thailand which would give him an attitude adjustment for talking about leaders like that.

Freedom of speech, The Nation. Freedom of speech.

The Nation does not understand Americaness

Nor do I.

Please explain it.

"Americaness", the American equivalent of Thainess. Largely a mystery.

[KarenBravo]

And.. They are exercising their Constitutional rights to free speech. The writer apparently has no concept of the Constitution but says it is being shredded. To the contrary.

The author should stay in a country where there is no right to free speech like Thailand which would give him an attitude adjustment for talking about leaders like that.

Freedom of speech, The Nation. Freedom of speech.

The Nation does not understand Americaness

Nor do I.

Please explain it.

"Americaness", the American equivalent of Thainess. Largely a mystery.

A pretty crappy answer.

How would you know that the Nation doesn't understand Americaness, if you don't understand it yourself?

[DisparateDan]

Americaness ??? Supposing this means an insight for us non-Americans..

I get a lot of info from youtube.

I won't give any links but have found that viewing stuff about..

The Federal Reserve Bank ( Apparently most people think this is a Goverment Bank )

Christopher Hedges

The Four Horsemen

Relevant Intelligence Squared Debates

just to name a few.

I exclude popular viewings about Obesity, AFC cover-ups on the brain damage issue, the role of lobbyists etc.

[klauskunkel]

The Nation does not understand Americaness

Nor do I.

Please explain it.

"Americaness", the American equivalent of Thainess. Largely a mystery.

A pretty crappy answer.

How would you know that the Nation doesn't understand Americaness, if you don't understand it yourself?

A pretty crappy attitude this fine morning. Apparently you don't understand a post that is meant to be lighthearted. Not everything in this world should be taken so seriously. Sorry, my fault I should've used one of them smiley icons...

[NeverSure]

-snip- No doubt the seed of today's crazy increasing Islamaphobia.

Nooooooo..... I'll tell you why I'm always ready...

[spiritrace]

NeverShure......you got it spot on.

[NeverSure]

This is actually a pretty intelligent and well written article. Certain politicians are appealing to the basest instincts in their electorate, i.e. ignorance, bigotry, intolerance, jingoism, etc. Demonize and vilify a huge group of people, in order to get votes. For many, it's so easy to buy into this, so they can be "one of the boys" or whatever is today's flavor of the day.

The article is neither intelligent nor well written. The headline leads off about "shredding the Constitution."

The Constitution guarantees the right to free speech. That's what these guys are exercising - upholding and using the rights in the Constitution.

Guess what?

1. The right to free speech is the right to be disagreeable.

2. Otherwise you wouldn't need the right.

3. End of.

Edited September 24, 2015 by NeverSure

[HerbalEd]

Politicians have no shame. Wether they believe Muslims are evil or not isn't the point. If bad mouthing Muslims wins votes then that's just what they'll do.

[Traveling Sailor]

Oh please, since when does The Nation participate in US partisan politics? This is becoming ridiculous when a 3rd rate rag takes a shot at republicans on this topic, especially when you consider how the current DEMOCRATIC administration has shit all over the Constitution for the last 7 years... Get a grip, then get a life...

I agree! What an idiotic, lame-brain headline! An article clearly written by someone who has no concept of American politics and decided to create a headline that has nothing to do with the content of the article. In my five plus years here, I have met quite a few smart, intelligent, well-read Thais. This reporter is clearly not one of them. I am not a Republican lover, but this article is truly trash.

[DisparateDan]

"Those who don't care about free speech, generally have nothing to say"

[quandow]

I just saw a number of Muslims living in America being interviewed about the question "Would you consider Shariah law above the U.S. constitution?" An alarming number of them said "Yes, the law of Allah would ALWAYS supersede ANY laws created by man."

This is a valid concern - if a Muslim became president, would he (she?) be able to put aside their religious convictions and rule objectively?