Obama's Campaign refuse Hijab'd women to sit behind the Podium!

[Faarax-Brawn]

WTF!, I am pissed off @ the Obama team. Is someone undermining him?

 

Read here....

 

June 18, 2008, 3:07 pm

Obama Camp Apologizes to Muslim Women

By Sarah Wheaton

 

Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has apologized for keeping Muslim women wearing headscarves out of a key shot at his Detroit event.

According to Politico’s Ben Smith, campaign volunteers told at least two Muslim women that they could not join friends in special spots behind the candidate unless they removed their religious headwear.

Friends of Hebba Aref recounted to Mr. Smith what happened when they were invited to sit behind the stage at Monday rally:

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 her 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.

A volunteer told Shimaa Abdelfadeel, according to Mr. Smith’s report, that no headcoverings, be they baseball caps or religious pieces, were allowed to be worn behind the candidate.

The people standing behind the candidate – in full view of the camera – are almost never accidental, and candidates often speak a diverse, albeit clean-cut crowd. And given that Michigan is a center of Arab-American culture, it is unlikely that potential turnout by this group did not occur to Mr. Obama’s advance staff. However, Bill Burton, the campaign spokesman, said in a statement that keeping Muslims out of the background “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. We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers.”

Mr. Burton was also quick to point out that Muslims have been in the shot at previous Obama events. “This is obviously an anomaly, but we have apologized and are going to indeed work to ensure that this situation doesn’t happen again,” he added in an e-mail message, without elaborating on what specific measures would be taken.

Both Ms. Aref and Ms. Abdelfadeel have yet to return calls requesting comment.

The news comes at an awkward time for the Obama campaign, which has worked to portray him as post-racial. He has constantly had to deny rumors that he is Muslim (but pointing to his now-former church, and his spiritual mentor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., has not been particularly helpful either) and fight an underground smear campaign suggesting he has ties to terrorists. He has also been trying to assuage Jewish voters’ concerns without alienating those who sympathize more strongly with Palestinians in the Middle Eastern conflict. This advance snafu risks tipping the see-saw again.

[Nephissa]

Who he's seen with is something that should be taken into consideration; given all the suspicion and fear of his Muslim background. I don't blame him for not wanting in-lagu sawiro those with the most defining symbol of Islam at a time when the public mind is stained. Hijaabis sitting behind him is going to be a tough sell, no matter what.

[The Zack]

Obama spokesman Bill Burton issued a statement saying such actions are "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. We sincerely apologize for this behavior," the statement read.

[money]

they should avoid being on the spotlight. Half of America is islamaphobic. There are those, specially in the south who wouldn't vote for Obama if they see any Muslims around him. What Obama like to do is attract those who aren't comfortable with him as the so-called working white men and catholics. In the podium should be nuns and rednecks not hijab-wearing muslim sisters. He is an American politician who has to deal with FOX, right-wing groups and pro-Israeli extremists. You can't win an election in America if you don't kowtow to some influential and vocal groups. Muslims are not vocal, don't have any influence and don't control any media outlet, so keeping them aside is convenient and practical.

[Pujah]

It was a volunteer that made that call and frankly I don't blame her/him. But the Obama campaign apologized for the incident and emailed reporters some pictures of the candidate, where he is posing with a lot of Muslim women wearing the hijab and sitting behind him in various rallies so it's obviously not a campaign policy. It just goes to show how sensitive they are to the whole islamaphobia thing.

[Fabregas]

This is the same guy that didn't attend the memoria ceremony of Martin Luther King, who wasn't a radical type mazlem negro! Seems like he goes over-board in trying to please white America.

[N.O.R.F]

FB, are you really surprised?

[Ducaysane]

I think Kadafi had a point, when He said Obama has inferiority complex.

[Faarax-Brawn]

Puja & Neph & money...I know this was a volunteer,but the volunteer would not just wake up one day and say "no hijab women behind him", there had to be a policy somewhere?

 

I understand the need to manage a campaign,especially when those images can be used against him by the republicans. However,i think when a volunteer can just do and say anything,shows some lack of discipline on the campaigns side.

 

Northerner,yes i am actually suprised,especially how much volunteering & donations i made...i expect respect...otherwise my vote goes to Ralph Nader

 

Duceysane,adiga dhexdhexad maba lihid,bamba lee tuurose meel walba

[Ducaysane]

Faaraxow.

kani in uu Bush ka daraadaan u meleyn. siduu cadaan iskaga dhig u lee yahay.