Knowledge conquers ignorance. The founders intended for the United States to be a secular state: including those who most people would consider the "religious right". This was because they knew the effects of governmental interference and entanglement with religion.
Showing posts with label muslims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muslims. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Saturday, November 29, 2025
How to insult an Arab, from a real Arab
Comedian Amar Zahr to set you straight on a few things. And, yes, the Quaran does mention Jesus and Mary.
Monday, April 4, 2016
John Oliver correctly identifies what is wrong with Trump on Nukes Use
The right consistently goes with emotion over reason.
The right is belligerently anti-intellectual; they are at best antagonistic to knowledge and to people who have knowledge. They call them elites and intellectuals, they distrust these people who know more than they do, and they resent any need on their part to acquire knowledge and skill in critical thinking.
This is why they like simplistic answers, no matter how wrong they are. Remember the Ebola scare, where the right wing nuts were running around like a character out of Chicken Little claiming the sky was falling? The simplistic - but WRONG - solution they demanded was to ban travel from Africa. This was widely popular among the base on the right, and it was broadly articulated by prominent right wing populist leaders. While it was a solution that medical experts insisted would not KEEP people safer from an epidemic, it made the right FEEL better that they would be safe.
The right consistently goes with emotion over facts and reason.
Obama did not do that, and as a result we had a couple of cases of Ebola, that were well managed, except for that one case in Texas. Swaggering, inept, cheapskate Texas - enough said.
And conservatives were persuaded that if we did not ban that travel, we were all going to die, en masse, with blood gushing from every orifice in an apocalyptic nightmare.
It did not happen. It did not happen because the person in power - President Obama - made his decisions based on knowledge and reason and the advice of medical science experts.
The anti-Muslim and anti-Europe positions of the right, as articulated by right wing leaders and propagandists, FEElS good to emotion driven conservatives. They don't want no stinking information, they don't want to have to think critically, and most of all they don't want the advice of thoughtful and informed experts on the subject.
Which is why Trump and Cruz and the rest can say stupid, irresponsible things on foreign policy and military strategies, and they will be embraced by the right wing nut base.
John Oliver calls it wonderfully.
The right is belligerently anti-intellectual; they are at best antagonistic to knowledge and to people who have knowledge. They call them elites and intellectuals, they distrust these people who know more than they do, and they resent any need on their part to acquire knowledge and skill in critical thinking.
This is why they like simplistic answers, no matter how wrong they are. Remember the Ebola scare, where the right wing nuts were running around like a character out of Chicken Little claiming the sky was falling? The simplistic - but WRONG - solution they demanded was to ban travel from Africa. This was widely popular among the base on the right, and it was broadly articulated by prominent right wing populist leaders. While it was a solution that medical experts insisted would not KEEP people safer from an epidemic, it made the right FEEL better that they would be safe.
The right consistently goes with emotion over facts and reason.
Obama did not do that, and as a result we had a couple of cases of Ebola, that were well managed, except for that one case in Texas. Swaggering, inept, cheapskate Texas - enough said.
And conservatives were persuaded that if we did not ban that travel, we were all going to die, en masse, with blood gushing from every orifice in an apocalyptic nightmare.
It did not happen. It did not happen because the person in power - President Obama - made his decisions based on knowledge and reason and the advice of medical science experts.
The anti-Muslim and anti-Europe positions of the right, as articulated by right wing leaders and propagandists, FEElS good to emotion driven conservatives. They don't want no stinking information, they don't want to have to think critically, and most of all they don't want the advice of thoughtful and informed experts on the subject.
Which is why Trump and Cruz and the rest can say stupid, irresponsible things on foreign policy and military strategies, and they will be embraced by the right wing nut base.
John Oliver calls it wonderfully.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Betcha didn't know he was an Arab!
Danny Thomas was an Arab (Lebanese, to be precise) from Detroit.
But how many people know that Casey Kasem was as well? Another Arab from Detroit (at one time, Detroit had the largest population of Arabs in the US).
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is known for his being a DJ who presented America's top 40. In addition to his radio shows, Kasem provided the voice of many commercials; had done many voices for Sesame Street; provided the character voice of Peter Cottontail in the Rankin/Bass production of Here Comes Peter Cottontail; was the voice of NBC; helped out with the annual Jerry Lewis telethon; and provided the cartoon voices of Robin in Super Friends, Mark on Battle of the Planets, and a number of characters for the Transformers cartoon series of the 1980s. In 2008, he was the voice of Out of Sight Retro Night which aired on WGN America, but was replaced by rival Rick Dees. After 40 years, Kasem retired from his role of voicing Shaggy in 2009, although he did voice Shaggy's father in the 2010 TV series, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.
Like Danny Thomas, Casey was an American icon.
It makes me sick to think that white, right wing assholes get a pass while Arabs are fingered as terrorists.
Especially when you think of the Arabs and Muslims who have contributed to US culture.
What do Ray LaHood, Tony Shalhoub, and Selma Hayek have in common? They’re each Arab American. As are Sen. George Mitchell, Diane Rehm, Doug Flutie, and Frank Zappa. And the CEO of Del Monte Produce, the founder of Farouk Systems hair products, and the inventor of the heart pump.
Arab Americans' accomplishments are as diverse as our community itself. Arab Americans have distinguished themselves in science and medicine, academia and sports, the arts and politics—in every aspect of American life.
I am sorry to hear of Casey's passing. We really need more people like Casey and Danny these days to fight the hate and ignorance.
See also: Famous Arab Americans
But how many people know that Casey Kasem was as well? Another Arab from Detroit (at one time, Detroit had the largest population of Arabs in the US).
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is known for his being a DJ who presented America's top 40. In addition to his radio shows, Kasem provided the voice of many commercials; had done many voices for Sesame Street; provided the character voice of Peter Cottontail in the Rankin/Bass production of Here Comes Peter Cottontail; was the voice of NBC; helped out with the annual Jerry Lewis telethon; and provided the cartoon voices of Robin in Super Friends, Mark on Battle of the Planets, and a number of characters for the Transformers cartoon series of the 1980s. In 2008, he was the voice of Out of Sight Retro Night which aired on WGN America, but was replaced by rival Rick Dees. After 40 years, Kasem retired from his role of voicing Shaggy in 2009, although he did voice Shaggy's father in the 2010 TV series, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.
Like Danny Thomas, Casey was an American icon.
It makes me sick to think that white, right wing assholes get a pass while Arabs are fingered as terrorists.
Especially when you think of the Arabs and Muslims who have contributed to US culture.
What do Ray LaHood, Tony Shalhoub, and Selma Hayek have in common? They’re each Arab American. As are Sen. George Mitchell, Diane Rehm, Doug Flutie, and Frank Zappa. And the CEO of Del Monte Produce, the founder of Farouk Systems hair products, and the inventor of the heart pump.
Arab Americans' accomplishments are as diverse as our community itself. Arab Americans have distinguished themselves in science and medicine, academia and sports, the arts and politics—in every aspect of American life.
I am sorry to hear of Casey's passing. We really need more people like Casey and Danny these days to fight the hate and ignorance.
See also: Famous Arab Americans
Sunday, May 19, 2013
You have a problem if Barack Obama is a Muslim.
Not a question, but a statement since the Constitution that some people claim to respect and all that says (Article VI):
You might have missed that bit since that paragraph comes right after:
But, maybe some of you aren't the strong supporters of the Constitution that you claim to be.
Or, maybe you just need to brush up on what exactly it is that you are supposed to be defending.
The US is a secular nation: understand that fact.
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.Repeat that last part just to make it clear to you who don't get that the US is a SECULAR Society (like it or not):
no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.That means it doesn't matter what religion Barack Obama (or Mitt Romney or anybody else for that matter) happens to be.
You might have missed that bit since that paragraph comes right after:
This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.And if you don't think the founders would support this: guess again:
"Both House and Ground were vested in Trustees, expressly for the Use of any Preacher of any religious Persuasion who might desire to say something to the People of Philadelphia, the Design [purpose] in building not being to accommodate any particular Sect, but the Inhabitants in general, so that even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a Missionary to preach Mahometanism [Islam] to us, he would find a Pulpit at his Service. "As I said, you have a problem because the Constitution isn't on your side if you are trying to make someone's religion an issue in US politics. In fact, religion would not intrude in US politics given the US's being a secular state--I only wish more people would be disgusted by this trend.
But, maybe some of you aren't the strong supporters of the Constitution that you claim to be.
Or, maybe you just need to brush up on what exactly it is that you are supposed to be defending.
The US is a secular nation: understand that fact.
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