Why Bush Could Defend Islam More Easily Than Obama Can
"He gave a speech at a mosque," Rubio said during a town hall meeting in Dover, N.H., "basically implying that America is discriminating against Muslims. Of course there's discrimination in America, of every kind. But the bigger issue is radical Islam. ... This constant pitting people against each other, I can't stand that. It's hurting our country badly."
Say what? That wasn't what Obama said at all. Quite the opposite. Only in today's goofy political atmosphere can the president's call for unity be viewed as an instrument for division.
Yet, as much as Obama has been criticized by some for doing too much for Muslims, he has been slammed by others for doing too little.
The hashtag #TooLateObama streams with accusations of hypocrisy against Obama for "anti-Muslim policies" including his escalation of drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, even though media reports describe the identification of drone target as "an imperfect best guess."
Still it is striking to compare the blowback President Obama has received for visiting a mosque in his eighth year of office with the visit President Bush paid to a Washington mosque six days after the Sept. 11 terror attacks in 2001.
Standing with Islamic holy men, Bush spoke passionately against the harassment of Arabs, Muslims and Sikhs, who often are mistaken for Muslims. He also spoke about the need to respect Islam and fight those who try to hijack Islam for violent purposes.
Many Muslims and others have called on Obama to make a similarly public act of leadership and statesmanship. But Bush's speech came during a moment of unusual national unity, the aftermath of the biggest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor.
Members of both parties in Congress stood together that week and sang "God Bless America" on the Capitol steps. A similar attack today would probably bring an impeachment bill from the president's right wing opponents.
Sure, Obama should have stood up sooner against anti-Muslim discrimination. Still his voice of reason is welcome, even when it's late.
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(E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@tribune.com.)
(c) 2016 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
