PRIDE AND PREJUDICE IN AMERICA

HANTU LAUT

Presidential hopeful, Sen.John McCain made a home truth statement that America is a Christian nation and that he prefers the President to be a Christian, short of saying that he must also be white.

He said “I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation,” . Senator Joe Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew, defended him and said “I have known John McCain very well for many years and I know that he does not have a bigoted bone in his body,” said Lieberman, according to The Associated Press. “I know that he is fair and just to all Americans regardless of their faith.” Except for several Jewish and Muslims organisations, McCain's statement had little impact on the American populace in general.

Later McCain clarified his remarks while campaigning in Hollis, New Hampshire and said “What I do mean to say is the United States of America was founded on … Judeo-Christian values, which were translated by our founding fathers [and are] basically the rights of human dignity and human rights,”

What McCain had said was not far from the truth.America is a Judeo-Christian nation under the pretext of practising pluralistic faiths.Although, America has no religious requirement for public office, it is an unwritten law and by convention that the President should be white and preferably Christian. If Obama, who is half black, thinks he can be President, he must be having a dream. Just like Martin Luther King "I have a dream", he has to wait his time, and that time may not have time for him during his lifetime.

In a hypocritical mode, McCain went on to say “But that doesn't mean that I’m sure that someone who is Muslim would not make a good president,” he added, saying he would vote for a Muslim if the person was “best able to lead the country and defend our political values.”. This is hard to believe, coming from a Christian hardliner. If Black African, who had been there, as long as the Whites, couldn't reach the highest office, would anyone honestly believe Muslims have a chance ? What McCain had just said was pure lip service just to be seen to be politically correct with the American populace. It was not 'an honest to God' statement.

John McCain, was born in Panama, was assured of his US citizenship by both jus sanguinis (right of blood) and jus soli (right of soil) as both his parents were American and he was born on American-controlled soil.If McCain wins the 2008 Presidential Election, he would be the oldest President to ascent to power and the first one to be born outside the 50 states. Would McCain have a chance? Most likely, because he is white and a Christian.Would Barrack Obama have a chance ? Most unlikely, he may be Christian but he is not white.

America may be a melting pot, but it is still the fiefdom of the white race with major control of almost everything, first and foremost political power. To think that Muslims and Blacks can be President is a 'dream'. To the uninitiated, America is the biggest democracy in the world.It may seems so but it's certainly not the truest form of democracy. There are still many un-institutionalised racism and discrimination. Take the case of presidential hopeful Mitt Romny, a Mormon by faith.

Where ever Mitt Romny goes, the question was whether his faith would hurt his quest for the Republican presidential nomination. His response was that only members of the media brought up his religion as an issue.In spite of his denial, the feeling on the ground shows that most royal Republican would not vote for him because of his religion.A Newsweek poll shows that 28 percent of American would not vote for any member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.There still exists deep prejudice against Mormonism.

Romny would make a perfect Republican candidate, good looking, able to raise fund,conservative and promised not to raise taxes. Would he have a chance ? Some Republican insisted that Mormonism is a cult. Romny may not make it due to religious discrimination.

Would the current President, George Bush fits the typical 'red neck' image. Bush won the first presidential election not on popular vote but on an electoral vote. Due to his not so great popularity, Bush decided to go to war to regain the peoples' support and confidence.After Sept 11, 2001, in October the same year he ordered the invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban regime and declared global war on terrorism.In March 2003, he ordered the massive invasion of Iraq.The Gallup poll recorded his approval rating soared to 90% immediately after he launched the war.He was re-elected in November 2003.A Newsweek poll taken in June 2007 shows Bush approval rating had plummeted to 26%, the lowest ever recorded for a sitting president in 35 years. Have the American people grown sick of him, his lies and his incompetence. He practically pays good money to chase bad money.

It is almost seven years since he first launched his military adventure into Afghanistan. Today, the Taliban have regrouped and launched new offensive against the American backed Kabul regime and against American forces in the country.Osama and Al-Qaeda have regained strenght and declared war on General Musharraf's Pakistan. Pakistan has to bear the frequent suicide bombings and terrorist attacks from Al-Qaeda.

Almost five years, there is no end in sight on the war in Iraq. It's has gotten worse with the daily killing and bombing of innocent civilians.

Is Bush the pride of the nation?