Obsession

Exchanging fire is fair game in political competitions. At their own risk, candidates might opt to go with personal attacks, as well. Nevertheless, this US election calls for more than the usual sensitivity because it is fundamentally different from the others in the following sense: For the first time, a white presidential candidate is challenged by a black one. Plus, this black man has a familiar Muslim middle name with many negative connotations for the American public: Hussein (as in Saddam Hussein). In a country where official anti-black racism is only half-a-century in the past and negative biases on Islam and Muslims have surged following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, one would hope politicians would refrain from playing such identity politics for the sake of public harmony. That seems not to be the case in this election season.

I am not suggesting that the McCain campaign is in the business of directly attacking Obama for his skin color and blurry Muslim cultural experiences from early childhood. That would be too politically incorrect. Instead, they play with some information in such a clever way that they stay just above engaging with racism, but at the same time appeal to those who are prone to the fear and/or hatred of the "other." Put the words "radical," "terrorist" and "Hussein all together in a context, link them together and implicitly relate them to Obama. That's the latest technique of pro-McCain propaganda.

Here is how it works: Gov. Madame Palin, the attack pit bull vice presidential candidate, constantly raises Obama's ties with a formerly "radical" fellow Chicago liberal William Ayers, who was engaged in domestic "terrorist" activities during the Vietnam War era. A uniformed speaker at a pro-McCain rally mentions his middle name "Hussein" to the jubilation of the crowd. Senator McCain asks the ultimate question: "Who is the real Obama?" And someone in the crowd connects the dots and shouts him the answer: a "terrorist." Mission accomplished!

Wait a minute. Where do I remember this stereotyping technique from? Put the words "radical," "Islam" and "terrorist" together as frequently as possible, add a politically correct disclaimer that you really don't think the majority of the world's more than 1 billion Muslims are extremists, but in the end reach the desired effect -- that is, fear and suspicion of Islamic culture and Muslims. That was the technique used in the so-called "documentary" film "Obsession" that was recently distributed to 28 million American homes as a promotional DVD attached to their subscription newspapers. It should be no surprise that many of the same people who are involved in the "Obsession" project also spread obsession about Obama's middle name, whether he has prayed at a mosque or not, etc. They are clearly Zionists, McCainists and bigots.

Isn't it interesting that many of the "Obsession" contributors are heirs of a nation that has historically suffered from fabricated stereotypes and societal obsessions. They are afraid Jews may face a second Holocaust if Iran gets nuclear weapons. Frankly, given the distribution of the world's current nuclear arsenal, you tell me: Are Muslims or Jews and Christians more likely to get annihilated if things go that far?

Such people obsessed with Islam have been instrumental in influencing the zealous post-Sept. 11 policies of Western countries by pumping anti-Muslim biases. They provided ammunition to aggressive actions, such as the invasion of Iraq and torture at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. Who knows whether one day they won't persuade their decision makers to get rid of Muslims overall, be it pre-emptive or self-defense.

Desperate with the recently plunging poll numbers -- mostly thanks to Americans unwilling to leave the moribund economy in the hands of another Republican after Bush -- "otherization" is perhaps the only tool McCain campaign is now left with. I must tell you, the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign may have energized the obsessive base of Republican Party, but they have lost many sensible conservatives who are ashamed of these tactics.

Otherization creates counter-otherization. Obsession creates counter-obsession. Negativity creates counter-negativity. Wise leaders are the ones who keep their nations from falling into such vicious circles. Senator McCain could have done much better than this. But obsession with power can cause us humans to do terrible things, don't you think?