A Religious Demographic Ignored for Too Long?

As he details “Why Obama Should Visit a Mosque,” New York Times Op-Ed columnist Roger Cohen notes that as of yet, the Democratic nominee for the 2008 election has failed to do so, despite many visits to churches and synagogues. In his article, Cohen finds the root cause for this fact in an anti-Muslim stigma that is not only ubiquitous but also shameful for its ignorant nature. Some may argue that American categorization of Muslims as backwards and radically violent is justified by tragedies such as 9/11. Ultimately, though, an entire religion, despite its many facets, has been put on trial in a manner that urges us “in numberless ways to equate Islam with terrorists plotting Armageddon” and thus bars the Senator from entering the Muslim sphere.

Consider the so-called whisper rumors that falsely cast Obama as a radical Muslim. For Cohen, the heinous aspect of that situation is not that these emails have been targeted at specific and crucial voting blocs, such as the undecided, elderly Jews of Florida, in order to discourage their loyalty to the Senator. Rather, the tragedy lies in the damning power of such accusations. The fact that such questions about Obama’s association with Islam are so catastrophic to his campaign proves that Americans are light-years from acknowledging the “wonders of hospitality and generosity and wisdom that seem to well from Islam.”

If “fear-mongering about Islam is a global industry” that “thrives on ignorance,” how can we overturn a religious prejudice so powerful it may ruin a political career? Only with a powerful instrument of change—one like Barack Obama, in whom Cohen sees the resources needed to break down, once and for all, the barriers that exist between Muslims and the rest of the country. He writes, “Obama has a unique power to break the cycle, not least by emboldening moderate Muslims to denounce terror. Nothing would do more in the long run security of the world.” Who better to show, once and for all, that Islam is not a violent religion than a man whose very presence within the election is a force against prejudice and disenfranchisement? Who better to acknowledge and accept Islam’s many diversities and virtues than a man with diverse roots and a power for words and diplomacy? Obama’s is the voice that will finally separate the multitudes of Muslim faithful from the rare, radical perpetrators of violence, freeing them speak out against terrorism and work as agents of peace themselves.

Cohen’s article captures the sentiment of inspiration, hope and change that permeate Obama’s campaign. Still, his vision for a new America and his expectations for the leader at its helm are lofty, lacking much substance or concrete means for implementation, a fault for which Obama has been criticized. Thus, Cohen sounds a bit like an impassioned, motivated politician attempting to pledge supporters to his cause. And perhaps this is all part of his aim to capture the interest of Obama supporters and then impress upon them the importance of the Muslim demographic. After all, if enough of those pledged to the Democratic candidate can realize the value of Islam as both a religion and a positive political force, Obama may have no choice but to finally open the door to a Mosque.