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This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below — responsibility lies with the relevant reader alone.

Posted by Eagle in NYC on September 17, 2008 As an apostate, I think he\'s just very nervous about a Muslim being within arm\'s length of him. If you want to have a spot of fun, yell, \"Allah akbar!\" close behind him as loud as you can.
Posted by Bill on July 27, 2008 I think a little patience is in order here. First of all, the issues in the Middle East are inherently divisive, coming as they are from a history of extreme polarization socially, religiously and politically. For that reason, he must choose one side or the other, until we all find a way to get along. One man, even as president, does not change the world, though he may try, though many expect him to. I think it is clear that the West and Islam will talk past each other until Islam finally liberalizes enough to stop the authoritarian methods and attitudes that thwart compromise in a democratic sense. Methods? Bombs, suicide bombings, hijackings, and other desperate measures that work outside law structures established in the West. These are things that Obama will be working TOWARD, but will not solve, even if that is his intention. But gray areas, compromises and trade-offs are lost on most people, especially traditionalists like Muslims. Obama needs to show which camp he is in, and not visiting mosques is one way to do that. What he is saying is that he agrees with those of us who demand greater things from the Muslim community. The above poster states, \"But that he\'s so willing and able to throw his paternal family down a precipice,\" that he is ignoring his \"genetic memory\". This is the statement of a man who does not accept that an individual\'s life experiences may lead him to different conclusions from his own. Obama was raised in a white family. He does not \"throw\" one side of his family to death. He had to become familiar with them only late in his life, only after he became the core of who he is. And his family is only one small part of a world-wide Muslim community that is diverse. I think Obama should be allowed to be an individual. There will be subtle benefits for Muslims, even if they are not overt.
Posted by Margaret on July 19, 2008 In the begining I felt so politically \"atractted\" to Mr. Obama, maybe because I saw myself in him (the White mother and the Black father story). Today I must admit that\'s as far as our similarities will ever go. He refuses to accept me and my people as rightfully US citizens, and it does not surprises me. He\'s not the first, and probably won\'t be the last. Where I feel sorry for him is how by disowning me and my people, he has disowned half of who he is. He\'s not a Muslim, just an idiot will believe he is. And that\'s exactly the point. He\'s not a Muslim himself, but half of his \"genetic memory\" is. so, in the end, he does not have to like me, I don\'t care. But that he\'s so willing and able to throw his paternal family down a precipice, just for the sake of his political future, tells me a lot. It tells me that he was not, is not and will never be the type of man that deserves to be the first Black president in our history. One last thing, Mr. Obama if no one has told you yet, we Muslims are citizens of this country, and proud of it. This is our home and we\'re here to stay. Because you refuse to \"see\" us doesn\'t mean we\'re going to dissapear. Don\'t worry about us \"going home\", we\'re already there.

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