Obama’s Kenyan Roots

[BobbyVan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/opinion/24kristof.html

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: February 24, 2008

KOGELO, Kenya

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Mr. Obama’s late grandfather is said to have been the first person in the area to wear Western clothes rather than just a loincloth. For a time he converted to Christianity and adopted the family name Johnson.

Later he converted to Islam, taking four wives. Senator Obama’s father, who apparently converted to Catholicism while attending a Catholic school, was also polygamous in keeping with local custom, taking an informal Kenyan wife who preceded Mr. Obama’s mother but remained a consort, according to accounts by local people and the senator himself.

The father, also named Barack Hussein Obama, was as much of a pathbreaker as his son. He went from herding goats in Kogelo to studying in Hawaii and at Harvard, even if his career as an economist was frustrated in part by ethnic rivalries.

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Frankly, I worry that enemies of Senator Obama will seize upon details like his grandfather’s Islamic faith or his father’s polygamy to portray him as an alien or a threat to American values. But snobbishness and paranoia ill-become a nation of immigrants, where one of our truest values is to judge people by their own merits, not their pedigrees. If we call ourselves a land of opportunity, then Mr. Obama’s heritage doesn’t threaten American values but showcases them.

[anonymous171]

1. Yes. That is how Obama should frame it.

[cliffordu]

2. We thank you for your concern.

[democrattotheend]

3. They've been trying to use his father's Islamic roots for months

And yeah, it's going to cost him some votes. I'm not sure what we can do about it, but it's not a new revelation.

[NYCGirl]

4. I appreciate your concern and will give it all the consideration it deserves. NT

[Bright Eyes]

5. "Obama’s heritage doesn’t threaten American values but showcases them."

:applause:

[OzarkDem]

11. Yeah, polygamy will resonate w/ Midwestern voters

Its so predominant in American culture. :eyes:

[ashrob123]

13. I don't know about you

but where I come from if Obama's father wasn't married the woman at his side is his girlfriend. When he does marry, she becomes his piece on the side. So, by US standards, Obama senior was either a player or a cheater. Neither of which has anything to do with the son he didn't raise.

[K Gardner]

6. Frankly, your concern is touching. Anything else? One OP left, by my count.

[Bucky]

7. How can people be snobbish against an elitist?

[thewiseguy]

8. Concern...LMAO. You try to smear Obama and sound concerned about RW hacks using your info

:rofl:

[OzarkDem]

9. They won't make it an issue unless he's the nominee

Then "Katie bar the door" all hell will break loose.

Obama supporters need to keep in mind, some of us think beating McCain should be our primary goal.

[Jersey Devil]

10. Thanks for you concern - Why not stay and have some pizza?

[2008]

12. Oh it's bad! All this on top of Obama's secret partnership with

...Matt Drudge.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4763918

:silly:

[genna]

14. Isn't this as unfortunate as Clinton's mother's past behavior and the discussion of Bill

as being less than because his parents (Roger Clinton's biological father) had 'bad overtones?'

At some point, we can't blame children for the decisions their parents make.

I'm not sure anyone should worry about what the parents did because they can't do anything about it.

How many people over the years have tried to say that Bill's women issues related to his childhood to no avail?

I think it is a bogus argument to damage someone with. Better to stay on what we can do something about.

[FredScuttle]

15. Your concern is duly noted

n/t