June 18, 2008
Muslim Women Moved From Obama TV Shot
Campaign Volunteers Prevented Women's Headscarves From Appearing On TV At Event
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Audience members behind the podium cheer prior to the appearance of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and former Vice President Al Gore at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Monday, June 16, 2008. A young Muslim woman Hebba Aref said Wednesday, June 18, 2008, that she and another Muslim woman were excluded by Obama campaign workers from participation in their groups' invitation to sit behind the podium, because, Aref said, they were wearing traditional Muslim head scarves. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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Two Muslim women at Barack Obama's rally in Detroit on Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women's headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.
The campaign has apologized to the women, both Obama supporters who said they felt betrayed by their treatment at the rally.
"This is of course not the policy of the campaign. It is offensive and counter to Obama's commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers."
Building a human backdrop to a political candidate, a set of faces to appear on television and in photographs, is always a delicate exercise in demographics and political correctness. Advance staffers typically pick supporters out of a crowd to reflect the candidate's message.
When Obama won the North Carolina primary amid questions about his ability to connect with white voters, for instance, he stood in front of a group of middle-aged white women waving small American flags. On the Republican side, a Hispanic New Hampshire Democrat, Roberto Fuentes, told Politico that he was recently asked, and declined, to contribute to the "diversity" of the crowd behind Sen. John McCain at a Nashua event.
But for Obama, the old-fashioned image-making contrasts with his promise to transcend identity politics and to embrace all elements of America. The incidents in Michigan, which has one of the largest Arab and Muslim populations in the country, also raise an aspect of his campaign that sometimes rubs Muslims the wrong way: The candidate has vigorously denied a false, viral rumor that he himself is Muslim. But the denials seem to some at times to imply that there is something wrong with the faith, though Obama occasionally adds that he means no disrespect to Islam.
"I was coming to support him, and I felt like I was discriminated against by the very person who was supposed to be bringing this change, who I could really relate to," said Hebba Aref, a 25-year-old lawyer who lives in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills. "The message that I thought was delivered to us was that they do not want him associated with Muslims or Muslim supporters."
In Detroit on Monday, the two different Obama volunteers - in separate incidents - made it clear that headscarves wouldn't be in the picture. The volunteers gave different explanations for excluding the hijabs, one bluntly political and the other less clear.
In Aref's case, there was no ambiguity.
That incident began when the volunteer asked Aref's friend Ali Koussan and two other friends, Aref's brother Sharif and another young lawyer, Brandon Edward Miller, whether they would like to sit behind the stage. The three young men said they would, but mentioned they were with friends.
The men said the volunteer, a twenty-something African-American woman in a green shirt, asked if their friends looked and were dressed like the young men, who were all light-skinned and wearing suits. Miller said yes, but mentioned that one of their friends was wearing a headscarf with her suit.
The volunteer "explained to me that because of the political climate and what's going on in the world and what's going on with Muslim Americans, it's not good for [Aref] to be seen on TV or associated with Obama," said Koussan, who is a law student at Wayne State University.
Both Koussan and Miller said they specifically recalled the volunteer citing the "political climate" in telling them they couldn't sit behind Obama.
"I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me. Are you serious?'" Koussan recalled.
Shimaa Abdelfadeel's story was different. She'd waited on line outside the Joe Louis Arena for three hours in the sun and was walking through the giant hall when a voluteer approached two of her non-Muslim friends, a few steps ahead of her, and asked if they'd like to sit in "special seating" behind the stage, said one friend, Brittany Marino, who, like Abdelfadeel, is a recent University of Michigan graduate who works for the university.
When they said they were with Abdelfadeel, the volunteer told them their friend would have to take the headscarf off or stay out of the special section, Marino said. They declined the seats.
After recovering from the shock of the incident, Abdelfadeel went to look for the volunteer and confronted her minutes later, she said in an e-mail interview with Politico.
"We're not letting anyone with anything on their heads like baseball [caps] or scarves sit behind the stage," she paraphrased the volunteer as saying, an account Marino confirmed. "It has nothing to do with your religion!"
In most work and school settings, religious dress - such as Jewish yarmulkes, Sikh turbans, Muslim hijabs - is permitted where secular clothing like baseball caps is not.
"The scarf is not just something she can take off - it's part of her identity," said Marino.
Photographs of the event also show men with hats in the section behind Obama and former Vice President Al Gore, though not directly behind the candidate.
Abdelfadeel, like Aref, felt "disappointed, angry and let-down," she later wrote.
She was "let-down that the Obama campaign continously perpetuates this attitude towards Muslims and Arabs - as if being merely associated [with] one is a sin."
The two women's friends who witnessed the incidents were disappointed too. Aref's friend Miller said he was "shocked" by the contrast between Obama's message and their experience.
"He was the one candidate who you would expect to stand up for something like that - and behind the scenes you have something completely contrary to what he was running on," said Koussan, Aref's other friend.
Aref and her friends complained to the campaign, and after those complaints and an inquiry from Politico, Obama's director of advance, Emmett S. Beliveau, called her to apologize.
An Obama aide also noted that the campaign has no policy against the candidate's appearing with women in headscarves: The next morning at Wayne State University, Obama posed for a picture with a student wearing a hijab.
Photographs from a Seattle rally earlier this year also clearly show a couple in Muslim clothes behind the candidate.
The administrator of the "Muslims4Obama" group on Obama's website, which is not a formal part of the campaign, also said she had "not heard anything regarding Muslim supporters being steered away from sitting behind Sen. Obama at the event," and noted that he had Muslim supporters present at events in Minnesota, including one at which he stood with a Muslim member of Congress, Keith Ellison.
Aref said she was glad Obama had apologized, but she was not entirely satisfied.
"I think this is a much bigger deal than maybe they're perceiving it as," she said, noting that Obama had placed a personal call to a television reporter he'd dismissively called "Sweetie."
"An apology from him personally would be better," she said, then reconsidered. "If they are true to their word, I think it would suffice to have an invitation to their next rally and have seats behind him and show up on TV."
By Ben Smith
Copyright 2008 POLITICO
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See all 775 CommentsFor the first time in my adult life, I AM embarrassed for my country!
But this is not good.
I have seen the equation of Muslims = Bad too often this year.
The Obama campaign needs to redress this wrong -- and people need to quit displaying such blatant intolerance as I am already witnessing in some of these comments.
.
Another item to add to hussein''s one paragraph resume: HYPOCRITE.
/
The Supreme Court said Obama was right and McCain was wrong last week.
McCain, Bush and the GOP will PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND BIG OIL AND THERE PROFITS SO HELP THEM EXXON! EVEN IF IT MEANS HURTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND SUPPORTING TERROIST BY BUYING THERE OIL!
Obama 08/12 BECUASE I LOVE AMERICA!
The Supreme Court said Obama was right and McCain was wrong last week.
McCain, Bush and the GOP will PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND BIG OIL AND THERE PROFITS SO HELP THEM EXXON/MOBIL!
EVEN IF IT MEANS HURTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND SUPPORTING TERROIST BY BUYING THERE OIL!
Obama 08/12 BECUASE I LOVE AMERICA!
Posted by ZWE453 at 04:03 PM : Jun 18, 2008
Hey!!! I''m in AZ! Why can''t we send all of the aforementioned wackos to YOUR state?
HELL HIS KENYAN FAMILY AND TRIBE ARE FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAMIST JIHADISTS,,,
Obama Sides With Radical Islamists
The magnitude of difference between the two candidates running in our presidential election could not be more stark! After reading the statements of both Obama and McCain regarding the horrible Supreme Court 5-4 decision to allow Gitmo detainees the right to be tried in civilian courts, we can clearly see what a flawed, unfortunate, and terrible direction Obama would take this country if [God forbid!!]elected in November.
Obama''s statement:
Barack Obama statement on the Supreme Court''s 5-4 decision today extending civilian legal protections to terrorist suspects held in Guantanamo Bay:
Um...er...earth to Obama? Foreign terrorists caught in battle against our forces during war have never been eligible for "habeas corpus"! They are not covered by the Constitution of the United States of America. So...what "rule of law" are you referring to?
http://talkwisdom.blogspot.com/2008/06/obama-sides-with-radical-islamists.html
Why...because it''s politically inconvenient?
HELL HIS FLDS FAMILY AND TRIBE ARE FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAMIST JIHADISTS,,,
MCBUSH Sides With FLDS LEADERS
The magnitude of difference between the two candidates running in our presidential election could not be more stark! After reading the statements of both Obama and McCain regarding the great Supreme Court 5-4 decision to allow Gitmo detainees the right to be tried in civilian courts, we can clearly see what a flawed, unfortunate, and terrible direction mcbush would take this country if [God forbid!!]elected in November.
mcbushes statement:
mcbush statement on the Supreme Court''''s 5-4 decision today extending civilian legal protections to terrorist suspects held in Guantanamo Bay:
Um...er...earth to mcbush? Foreign terrorists caught in battle against our forces during war have never been eligible for "habeas corpus"! They are not covered by the Constitution of the United States of America. So...what "rule of law" are you referring to?
http://talkwisdom.blogspot.com/2008
/06/obama-sides-with-radical-islamists.h
tml
obama 08!
As for buying oil from terrorists...if the dems let us drill our own we would not have to. Correct me if im wrong, but didnt the dems threaten to sue opec (ie terrorists) for not producing more oil.
cant have it BOTH ways.
Posted by yankeerebel7
Because people are too judgmental. If he''s seen in a photo with muslim supporters, then that makes him muslim. That''s the mentality of some of the population anyway. By the way, it wasn''t Obama that made that decision. It was some volunteers.
obama 08!
Posted by lilvinnyb
Bush hasn''t been going after OBL. Didn''t he say a few years back "it''s not our priority"?
Today, John is now for oil drilling off U.S. shores. Yesterday, he was against it.
This has been John McCain''s flip-flop of the day.
obama 08!
HELL HIS FLDS FAMILY AND TRIBE ARE FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAMIST JIHADISTS,,,
MCBUSH Sides With FLDS LEADERS
The magnitude of difference between the two candidates running in our presidential election could not be more stark! After reading the statements of both Obama and McCain regarding the great Supreme Court 5-4 decision to allow Gitmo detainees the right to be tried in civilian courts, we can clearly see what a flawed, unfortunate, and terrible direction mcbush would take this country if [God forbid!!]elected in November.
mcbushes statement:
mcbush statement on the Supreme Court''''''''s 5-4 decision today extending civilian legal protections to terrorist suspects held in Guantanamo Bay:
Um...er...earth to mcbush? Foreign terrorists caught in battle against our forces during war have never been eligible for "habeas corpus"! They are not covered by the Constitution of the United States of America. So...what "rule of law" are you referring to?
Posted by yankeerebel7
Because people are too judgmental. If he''''s seen in a photo with muslim supporters, then that makes him muslim. That''''s the mentality of some of the population anyway. By the way, it wasn''''t Obama that made that decision. It was some volunteers.
Posted by Displeased at 04:27
------
Right, so it was a political move to distance himself from his Muslim supporters? Since when is it honorable to play to the lowest common denominator or racists, etc? Where is the integrity...this guy''s supposed to be a unifier. I can gurantee you he will be a divisive president, like Bush.
Posted by ZWE453 at 04:33 PM : Jun 18, 2008
...............
Very few if any are solders caught in battle against our forces, they are mostly civialians suspected of terrorism by association or heresay. If the bushies could convict a single one of them of terrorism they would have been tried years ago.
"Except the two chicks behind me"
Posted by yankeerebel7 at 04:38 PM : Jun 18, 2008
Come on!
If a photograph showing the two women in headscarves had been published, you and your kind would have been first to call him a Muslim lover.
His volunteers were only attempting to protect him from those who attempt to read what is not there, into anything they can, to gain a political advantage.
I honestly see this guy losing big in November.
If a photograph showing the two women in headscarves had been published, you and your kind would have been first to call him a Muslim lover.
His volunteers were only attempting to protect him from those who attempt to read what is not there, into anything they can, to gain a political advantage.
Posted by rheola at 04:56 PM : Jun 18, 2008
What about courage of conviction!!?? I would given him big time kudos for being in the picture with these women. What could anyone really say without revealing thier bias?? But if this is how he shows his colors (no pun intended) I have now lost a bit of respect for him.
You don''t have courage of conviction, so don''t imagine others don''t.
Probably not, because all of the Xtians pretend to love Jews.
Quit pretending.
Posted by ddhinnyc at 04:41 PM : Jun 18, 2008
Perhaps they thought you shouldn''t be getting paid by your employer for you''re blogging at work, and wanted you to see it when you got home.
Ugly is as ugly does, and you sure is ugly and I don''t even care what you look like. You are also a coward, as you sink to the level of going after his wife.
Posted by rudy654
.. .. ..
Well put.
"Except the two chicks behind me"
Posted by Questionnews at 04:51 PM : Jun 18, 2008
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LOL
.. .. ..
Well put.
Posted by bhoogren
Yep - all the people so indignant about it here would have been crowing about how the muslims support Obama, and they got preferential seating because he''s a muslim. They''re just p*ssed they''re not able to do that now.
Posted by ddhinnyc
.. .. .. ..
Last I heard he was a Democrat running for President.
Are you sure you are on the right forum? I thought the "Lets Prove Obama is a Muslim" forum was on the KKK website. http://www.kkk.com/
You don''''t have courage of conviction, so don''''t imagine others don''''t.
Posted by rudy654 at 05:01 PM : Jun 18, 2008
Nice come back there Potsie! Care to explain or can you only pop off with unsupported one-liners? Do you think that he should hide the concept that all citizen are entitled to recognition from the leader of the US??
Yep - all the people so indignant about it here would have been crowing about how the muslims support Obama, and they got preferential seating because he''''s a muslim. They''''re just p*ssed they''''re not able to do that now.
Posted by nanc12
.. .. ..
That''s my take too.
Re: "Campaign Volunteers Wanted To Prevent Women''s Headscarves From Appearing On TV"
What a bunch of reactionary fools.
Posted by darnedsocks
.. .. .. ..
It''s very simple. The ones here are here because of the same reasons everyone else is.
Born here, escaping persecution, wanting a moderate Islam, etc. etc. All the same reasons everyone else were motivated by.
Care to explain why Obama is Dammmed if he does, or dammmed if he doesn''t by the likes of you? Of course not hypocrite.
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