Cross-posted on MuslimMatters.org
I felt it was absolutely necessary to write on McCain's VP candidate: The story of a hollow (as far as experience or credentials), dangerous woman, someone who seals the case against the McCain ticket for any reasonable American.
There should be no doubt that Palin is on par, rather I contend, right of George W. Bush. Her right-wing views, particularly her religious views, should make any American shudder at the thought of having this person a heart-beat away from the presidency. Any semblance of middle-ground or moderation that McCain was selling has vanished into thin air. All that is left is an orator with a sharp tongue and a sharper and more dangerous ideology.
Palin belongs to the Wasilla Assembly of God, a Pentecostal church, where members
speak in tongues [see this video and article] and are part of a faith that believes humanity is in its 'end times' -- the days preceding a world-ending cataclysm bringing Christian redemption and the second coming of Jesus...
Mr. Kalnins is an enthusiastic supporter of "Governor Sarah," as he calls her, and of President George W. Bush, who, he believes, was put in office by the hand of the divine. "I believe criticisms come from hell. God has placed this man in authority. ... You criticize the authority, you're literally bringing in hell with the criticism. [WSJ]
She called the Alaskan pipeline project part of God's will [video], and that the war in Iraq is a "task that is from God... that plan is God's plan" [video] . In other words, for Sarah Palin, the war in Iraq is a holy war, a crusade, or one variation of the Arabic word jihad. Of course, this is the flip-side of the same coin, with OBL's message that Iraq is a holy war for Muslims.
While we are aware that Osama's power is limited to his rag-a-tag army, the real question is: are Americans prepared to vote in someone, who shares OBL's "holy-war", "war of civilization", "Christian vs. Muslims" world-view, to be a heart-beat away from American presidency and super-power influence?
Palin is free to have her own personal religious beliefs, and talk in whatever language that pleases her in church or home. She is free to believe in whatever end-time prophesies that please her. However, personal beliefs shape a person's outlook, and invariably policies when held by persons who engage in policy-making. And when those beliefs become cultish or wacky enough, they become especially dangerous when the person holding them becomes capable of engaging and implementing policies in light of those extremist beliefs (remember Ashcroft?).
I also wonder why the slightest misinformed link to Islam was a huge "smear" against Obama, yet here we have a radical Christian extremist, with non-recanted views, on the VP ticket? Why were Jeremiah Wright's views so extreme, yet Palin's church that claims that the world will be wiped out except Alaska considered benign?
I will conclude with the following excerpt from Juan Cole, whose article echoes on some of my theme here (though I may not share all his views).
McCain once excoriated the Rev. Jerry Falwell and his ilk as "agents of intolerance." That he took such a position gave his opposition to similar intolerance in Islam credibility. In light of his more recent disgraceful kowtowing to the Christian right, McCain's animus against fundamentalist Muslims no longer looks consistent. It looks bigoted and invidious. You can't say you are waging a war on religious extremism if you are trying to put a religious extremist a heartbeat away from the presidency.
See Also:
- Sarah Palin Wasilla Church Has Kooky Prophecy Sessions [Youtube video]