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by Niall O'Dowd

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comment on article 129 Comments
Posted on Friday, August 20, 2010 at 09:21 PM


Franklin Graham is a disgrace with his comments on Obama


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The Rev. Franklin Graham has disgraced himself as surely as his father Billy did when the old man's anti-Semitism became clear.

Now Graham is proclaiming that Barack Obama is a Muslim because his father was born one.

As the Duke of Wellington used to say 'if a a man is born in a stable does that make him a horse?'

Given that Jesus was born in one according to the Gospels, I'd hardly say so.

Of course not, and Graham is just cozying up to the right wing nuts who have launched a major effort to portray Obama as somehow outside the mainstream in America.

Having failed to convince Americans that Obama was born outside the country the effort is now underway to portray him as some kind of alien, connected in some way to the Islamist extremist world.

It is a sad reflection on American life that apparently about one in five now perceive him as such and believe this claptrap.

Obama has tried to avoid the issu,e saying religion is a private matter between him and his Christian pastor, but the right wingers will not leave this alone.

Now comes Graham, joining the latest crusade with more bullying rhetoric.

For a man of God he should be ashamed of himself.



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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 31, 2010, 10:44 AM EDT
Too complicated lad, the checks and balances should come after they're in office, not before the elections and you are now getting the results. But I suppose it is good with this form of gridlock, at least they can't do anything...Don't just do something, sit there.
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Posted by seanomelbourne on Aug 31, 2010, 06:06 AM EDT
Like the U.S. anyone can stand for office,but we do not have a "first past the post" system. We have proportional representation whereby preferences are distributed. It is possible to obtain majority first preference and loose on 2,3or fourth preferences,even if you garnish 40% of first preference votes.
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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 30, 2010, 01:06 AM EDT
I think you have too many parties me boy, it's real easy to get hijacked by a fringe group like the greens when you spread yourself thin like that and have to build a coalition around their demands. Regarding my liberal friends, it's a program of attraction rather than promotion lad.
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Posted by seanomelbourne on Aug 29, 2010, 08:53 PM EDT
You have me worried Moonsoonman how do you sway your liberal friend. Leave us be their are not many of us left,we cannot afford to shrink our base. Have a hung parliament in Aus 72 Labour 72 liberal(conservative) 1Green I? 4 ind notionally conservative will know by end of week. The Green Party hold the balance of power in the senate they are perceived left of the Labour party.
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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 29, 2010, 08:09 PM EDT
Lad, if I travel down under I will be sure to look you up, you are my favorite liberal minded fellow around here, at least you open your mind... A lot of my associates think like you do, I wouldn't be in business if i shrank my market base down to political beliefs....Besides many of my liberal acquaintances turn conservative after being around me for a short time.
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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 29, 2010, 02:09 PM EDT
Do you see a bead of worry sweat on my brow? What do I say or do to be so misinterpreted?...Do I need to snoke crack in order to be understood by my liberal brethren?
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Aug 29, 2010, 06:33 AM EDT
IF it truly is a nuisance suit it wont get very far what are you worried about??
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Posted by seanomelbourne on Aug 28, 2010, 08:08 PM EDT
Moonsoonman !let us not get ahead of ourselves let the legal system take its course. As a retired hotel owner i can assure you "collared shirts and dress shoes" are not a requirement to enter a bar over here. You are correct you will not see aborigines in native garb working in a five star hotel,nor will you see African-American wearing grass skirts or 25 rings around their collective necks in a bar in the U.S.A. Aboriginal Australians with a bones through their noses!!! I'd like to see that. You have an incorrect stereotype (New Guinea I believe).Maybe you would have a Peruvian bartender wailing around a bar with a severed head from Machu Pichu tied to his waist. Your argument lacks common sense and practicality my man. Come visit I will take you on the tour of your life.
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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 28, 2010, 07:32 PM EDT
I see that you are not a US citizen by asking such a naive question: "If Disneys actions were legal why is she able to sue??"....One of the dirty parts of our society are the rampant number of lawyers who are more numerous than locusts. We were even finding oiled lawyers washing up on the beaches of louisiana and mississippi during the gulf oil spill. If you lived here under our tort system you would know that anyone can sue anyone or anything for any silly reason, it doesn't mean that there is any validity to the suit as countless nuisance suits are filed every hour of every day.
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Aug 28, 2010, 06:47 PM EDT
I have never seen an aborigine with a bone in their nose!! Grasping at straws going with the stereotype there!! THere is a difference between freedom of religious practice in line with the Federal Law of the land! Indigenous Australians are frequently seen in Parliament house in their traditional dress. If Disneys actions were legal why is she able to sue??
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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 28, 2010, 12:03 PM EDT
Lad, lad, lad!!!! It is a theme park where the employees are actors dressed up in the outfits of cartoon characters, where the public can go and escape into another reality. Employees know this ahead of time and can choose to work here or not. Do you let your native aboriginal people dress in traditional garb(naked, body painted, bone through nose and unwashed) when they work in your 5 star hotels? Or fly your Quantas aircraft? I understand many bars and clubs have strict dress regulations, such as requiring collars and dress shoes for men....seems a bit extreme and unreasonable to me to not let people express themselves freely, lad. Can you tell me how you can live in such a "racist" and "repressive" society and yet throw stones at Disney because it has an employee dress code? ...can you offer me logical frickin' reasons why? Thanks in advance.
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Aug 28, 2010, 04:36 AM EDT
sorry for the spelling mistake but the hypocrisy gets me a bit upset!!
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Aug 28, 2010, 04:35 AM EDT
Jamielm and monsoonman I hope you remove your cross or crusifix before leaving the house I do not want to be bombarded by your religious belief!!!!!
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Posted by seanomelbourne on Aug 27, 2010, 10:48 PM EDT
Now Monsoonman! give the dog a bone. She is not enforcing Sharia law, but using the "American legal system" to justify HER religious beliefs. Mman no need to loose it. I have been to Disneyland I never noticed what the staff were wearing. In the fifties it was a red under every bend and that proved fruitless and counter productive. Now the fear masters see a Burkha round every bend, how history stupidly repeats itself and the same types foolishly follow it's crazy mantra. Freaking! Moonsonman I'm hurt.
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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 27, 2010, 10:50 AM EDT
Has anyone been in Disneyland on Ash Wednesday? Did you notice any of the cartoon characters sporting a smidge of ash on their foreheads? Jes askin'.
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Posted by jamieLM on Aug 27, 2010, 09:46 AM EDT
NO ONE forced her to take a job where there were uniforms and restrictions on hair and jewelry, etc. Disney has always tried to promote a "clean-cut" mage. People go to Disney to see the characters and to be entertained - not to be bombarded with every employee's religious and political beliefs, no matter what they are. Disney has always tried to promote a clean-cut image with no political or religious agenda. Now a Muslim expects the entire Disney company to change their rules to accomodate her, making an exception for her when all the Christians, Jews, and non-religious employees have followed Disney's rules for decades. Typical.
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Aug 27, 2010, 06:01 AM EDT
NO ONE is forcing america into Sharia law an employee of an american company wants to exercise her democratic right to freely follow a religion!!!!!
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Aug 27, 2010, 06:00 AM EDT
All the carry on about building a mosque? all the carry on about migration? All the carry on about what religion the president is?? All the fear of muslims and the automatic acceptance of Israel's illegal acts!! States of America passing laws in violation of Federal laws based on Fear!! I remember 1 further line of american history "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself"
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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 27, 2010, 12:23 AM EDT
Lad??? She is suing on behalf of all muslims to bend Disneys longstanding company rules and policies regarding the wearing of uniforms that enhance the ambiance of the parks. They want to force Disney to submit to sharia law. You're a freaking atheist and a non US citizen me boyo, you really don't have a dog in this game.
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Posted by seanomelbourne on Aug 26, 2010, 11:47 PM EDT
Moonsoonman "they" ;;; one person is suing Disney for the right to wear a veil,an American citizen i might add. Why blow minor scenarios out of proportion,is it because it is Muslim?.I do believe that Mairead was a little over zealous, maybe she should have said that she was referring to the 40% of the GOP who are racist bigots.
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Posted by hancock on Aug 26, 2010, 11:04 AM EDT
Sorry, why dont you check with moderate Moslem countries aropunf the world and see their concepts of freedom.
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Posted by hancock on Aug 26, 2010, 10:08 AM EDT
As far as I can tell America is bending over backwards for miroities. Why dont you check with moderate
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Posted by Monsoonman on Aug 26, 2010, 09:59 AM EDT
Just who is getting "persecuted" here in the USA? You people throw these inflammatory words around without any thought. How much more tolerant can this society get for its minorities, we have a negro as president, bulldykes on the supreme court, the presidents cabinet looks like the bar scene from Star Wars, have you been into a post office lately?....How can anyone dare say the US is persecuting minorities and have an ounce of believability? I am incredulous. Now the muslims are suing Disneyland, for their civil "right" to wear burkhas during their work hours as employees. Just what I want to see when I visit Disneyland a burkha wearing Daisy Duck....Head hurt!
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Aug 26, 2010, 06:07 AM EDT
Hancock, isnt that the name of a signatory to teh Declaration of Independence, a document talking about how all people are equal. A founding document of america wants all to be treated equal, so therefore why are americans continually persecuting those who are different, religion, race belief???? I am sure the original signatories are rolling in their graves!!
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Posted by hancock on Aug 24, 2010, 11:48 PM EDT
Yeah thats never happened before, glad to see you're only sensible when you agree with Obama and the Aussie
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Posted by seanomelbourne on Aug 24, 2010, 08:31 PM EDT
Nice common sense article Irishlassred.Unfortunately the naysayers are waiting to pounce on anyone with a sensible point of view. they are not interested in doing what is best for the U.S. only in demonizing the President and his administration. "Rather he fail and we gain power" is their mantra regardless of the consequences for the American public.
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Posted by Irishlassred on Aug 24, 2010, 12:57 PM EDT
The article posted earlier - wondering if America is becoming a third world country - makes its point in the comments written here. What a sad, depressed and demoralized lot of people we've become where you can't even have a discussion without name calling and bashing. Me, personally, I don't care who the President prays to, just so long as he prays. To me all religions, at their core, are the same. How has it that one man - one man! has become such a lightening rod? Is it more because we, as a nation, became comfortable with our cars, houses, toys, etc. and lost sight of what America really means? Now we're afraid of everything and everyone. Doesn't this remind anyone of the 1930's and all the madness that followed? How come people who post here so profoundly dislike the editor, but keep posting and reading (and posting and reading?) If you don't like these opinions (and no one, Mr.O'Dowd, should call anyone names, starting with you) why do you both to read and then post? Surely there are sites more comfortable for you and your opinions just as easily found as this one. The name calling and trashing is exactly what this country's enemies are counting on: we can't keep a civil discourse going, how in heavens name are we suppose to keep up an defense - against anyone - when we can't keep a civil tongue in our heads? I read this site because I relish all that is Irish in me. Except for this: I disliked the former President intensly but I never, ever, called him a bad name. (or an alien or anything else). You don't have to respect the person in office but you must, as Americans, respect the office. That's the ONY way we'll survive any attack from aliens or anyone else.
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Posted by hancock on Aug 24, 2010, 11:30 AM EDT
Which way do you want it? i cant tell.
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Posted by maireadinmelb on Aug 24, 2010, 08:28 AM EDT
So americans attempting to conquer Iraq, Afghanistan, taking land from Mexico, taking parts of the carribean, vietnam AND attempt to convert them to be american ( I cannot say democratic cause teh discussion forums here make me question the commitment of americans to the basics of democracy) is OK!! But if any one else wants to conquer or convert well that's bad?? WHich way do you want it guys!! What is good for the goose is good for the gander!!
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Posted by IrishAndProud on Aug 24, 2010, 05:15 AM EDT
And thank goodness Reagan did what he did in Afghanistan. Perhaps you were not born at that point in time susanna and/or you're just a bit unaware of the reality back then, but Afghanistan in the 1980's had been invaded by over 100,000 Soviet troops to prop up its communist government (that happened in '79), and the mujahadeen were the resistance to it. Reagan was not content to merely 'contain' the cancer of Soviet expansionism but to actually fight it and roll it back -- which he did. The mistake the USA made was in abandoning Afghanistan after the Soviets left and communism fell...and the Taliban eventually filled that vacuum. I'm no neocon but the USA could have at least supported a more moderate Muslim government there (like, for instance, composed of those who'd fought the Soviets) and then the Taliban -- and bin-Laden -- wouldn't likely have had the opening that they did, and the USA might not be there, today. American short-sightedness in the post-Soviet world is largely to blame, here.




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