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Muslim woman in burka kept from cameras

Campaign people who were deciding who would sit behind the Senator as he spoke at Joe Louis Stadium in Michigan 2 days ago told a Muslim lady in the traditional head scarf (burka) that she could not sit behind him and be visible to the audience/press etc. She demanded an apology and to be allowed to sit behind him at another scheduled rally. So far the campaign has apologized, saying they do not stand for this type of division among people.
Can you imagine a tv video clip of Sen. Obama with a Muslim lady in a burka behind him? That is a real dilemma, to me! The MSM would have a field day, never mind Sean Hannity!

Here's the link to the story: view link

How do you think the situation would be best handled????

posted by Tzumomma

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To hell with Hannity and all the other nay sayers, and fear mongers. Muslim's in traditional dress have every right to be viewed with Barack as anyone else. Remember.... it's about the United States of America.

posted by Tripshaft
3 months ago

First of all, the traditional head scarf is not a burka but a hijab. I think the volunteers were wrong in preventing the woman from sitting there, and indeed Barack Obama apologized saying it was counter to what his campaign was about. I know a number of non-Muslim women who are wearing hijabs on occasion if only in solidarity with their Muslim friends.

Oh for the record, the Burka is the head to toe covering which completely covers the face, found only among the most orthodox of Muslim women.

posted by Labrys3
3 months ago

Sorry-- I overrule Barack on this one. The object here is to get him elected. High ideas are great, but this is not going to play. He public relations folk say nay, and I agree. She should maybe have been offered a set just off stage, in the front row, maybe.

A lot of thought goes into who sits behind the candidate. Ever notice Hil had lots of Blacks behind her, while Obama had very few.She has no right to sit behind him.

PS -- I'm surprised she let got in with her head covered. They made one young blogger take his baseball cap off in order to enter.

posted by obamamama
3 months ago

Sorry I mixed up burka and hijab---the article says hijab but burka was ini my mind
as a person I'd spoken to kept calling the scarf a "burka" -- my bad!
Thanks to everyone who posted their answers to the dilemma so far....I can see both sides and would hate to be the "judge" sitting on the bench trying to decide the
outcome!

posted by Tzumomma
3 months ago

Maybe she was sent there by the Republican strategists, anyone think of that. I don't think this would have been an issue at a John McCain meeting.

I think anyone with an iota of sense in these days when a mountain can be made out of the most insignificant molehills needs to be aware of how the most innocent events can be twisted and presented to the American people as pure propoganda.

This one's a no-brainer. Let her sit in the audience like the rest of us, not behind him where she will be visible to the camera.

posted by Joyous
3 months ago

Too bad. I wonder if she was a "plant"...
Now that something negative has been made of it people will eithr think Obama is racist or that he is trying to hide his 'True' religious back ground.

I think it is too bad a fuss was made over it.

Two sayings come to mind

"Methinks he dost protest too much"

and "least said soonest mended"

There is a good sized faction of people out there ready to believe any wonky thing that comes down the pike. It isn't wise to give them grist for their mills.

Obama '08

posted by KitsuneRed51
3 months ago

Going to be interesting to see how this one is going to play out. I can see both sides, but I am with Obama on it.

She may well have been a plant and I personally know people who would have jumped on it as proof of negative things, but they made up their minds when they were born so it doesn't matter.

Obama for president...

posted by allen42
3 months ago

LOL
It comes to mind that with McCain actually accusing Obama of being a traditional politician on the grounds of Obama NOT taking public funding...........

Anything can be said and believed.

Isn't McCain actually complaining BECAUSE Obama chooses not to receive Election Welfare?

The least of any worries is probably the lady in the Muslim garb.

Man it will be DEEP by NOVEMBER. I guess I'm buying hip waders! lol

posted by KitsuneRed51
3 months ago

She was not a plant. There were three women in a group together. One was Muslim and wore a hijab, the other two did not. Two of the group were allowed to sit behind Obama, but the third was told that she could not because it could look bad on tv.

I will have to disagree here. If we make compromises that play into discrimination against people because of religion, race or whatever, then we have lost sight of what the campaign is about. An argument could be made not to have an entire front row of Muslim women, but the usual mix of all sorts of folks like Obama normally does would not be hurtful. Indeed I would suggest this short sighted action by that volunteer hurt him more than helped. After all, there is a large Muslim population in this nation, and blind discrimination is not the best way to get their votes.

posted by Labrys3
3 months ago

I do hope that in the future the staff does not overprotect Obama.

He is so honest that being political will destroy that.

posted by allen42
3 months ago

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