{"id":151,"date":"2012-11-06T17:51:17","date_gmt":"2012-11-06T22:51:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/HiMY.org\/?p=151"},"modified":"2014-07-11T17:23:49","modified_gmt":"2014-07-11T21:23:49","slug":"barack-hussein-obama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/himy.ca.muslimwiki.ca\/blog\/2012\/11\/06\/barack-hussein-obama\/","title":{"rendered":"Barack Hussein Obama"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

On my 40th birthday, I found myself in the United States booth in the Exhibition Hall of World Urban Forum 5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They used an entire wall to create a photo opportunity for Forum attendess to shake<\/em> hands with The President. So I did.<\/p>\n

Two and half years later, it’s Election Day in The United States.<\/p>\n

For President Obama, it’s Re-Election<\/em> Day… or maybe the U.S. Electorate will vote Tails instead of Heads and The World wakes up to President-Elect Romney.<\/p>\n

Whoever wins tonight, or in the days that follow pending an inconclusive result, it will be a night of nuanced firsts:
\n<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. It is the first time ever an African American Black Man is running for Re-Election as President of the United States<\/li>\n
  2. It is the second time ever that a Catholic, Joe Biden, is running for Re-Election as Vice-President of the United States<\/li>\n
  3. Mitt Romney is the first Mormon to be a major party Candidate for President<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Lewis Lapham’s preamble<\/a>, <\/em>Feast of Fools<\/em><\/a>, in the current Politics<\/em> themed issue of Lapham’s Quarterly<\/em> is a marvelous reminder of the true nature of the choice (or lack thereof) the American People are facing today.<\/p>\n

    To drive home the point either choice is re-inforcing a Plutocracy, Smithsonian Magazine<\/a> reminds us:<\/p>\n

    When Republicans Were Blue and Democrats Were Red<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Lapham followed up with Northern Hospitality<\/a><\/em>, today’s Deja Vu blog post<\/a>:<\/p>\n

    Ever since the Revolution, Americans have had a longstanding tradition of heading for Canada when politics turn sour.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    And perhaps ever since The American Rebellion<\/em> as United Empire Loyalists deem The American Revolution<\/em>, Canadians have been indifferent.<\/p>\n

    [blackbirdpie url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/22_Minutes\/status\/265876036183552000″]<\/p>\n


    \nMarc Weisblott<\/a> has a     quick item<\/a> up on Canada.com<\/a> with a twitter roundup proving the point somewhat:<\/p>\n

    \u2018Who cares about the U.S. election?\u2019 annoyed Canadians ask on\u00a0Twitter<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Michigan’s favourite wanna-be Canadian, Michael Moore, has other things on his mind:<\/p>\n

    [blackbirdpie url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/MMFlint\/status\/265872471704600577″]<\/p>\n

    Before Rosa Parks, there was Susan B. Anthony:<\/p>\n

    [blackbirdpie url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/SteveNiles\/status\/265895118018600960″]<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    140 years later, we’re still talking voter suppression in 140 characters:<\/p>\n

    [blackbirdpie url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/seanfordyce\/status\/265882248748859392″]<\/p>\n

    [blackbirdpie url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/kady\/status\/265893601014317057″]
    \n