Rev. Franklin Graham and "The Other"

UPDATE:  As Franklin Graham backtracks today from last weekend's statements, he only offers more proof that he believes there really isn't any difference between being a Muslim, and being something other than a Christian.  They both equal being un-American.  And un-American = Obama.

______________________________

Last Sunday morning, as President Obama and members of his family were attending Easter services at Shiloh Baptist Church, in Washington, DC, ABC's This Week host Christiane Amanpour interviewed Franklin Graham, the evangelical leader and son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham.

You might remember Franklin Graham for his musings on the "very evil and wicked religion" that is Islam.  Or the fact that the good pastor got himself disinvited from speaking at the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer service last year because of his comments about Islam.    Or his recent interview with newsmax.com where he asserted the Muslim Brotherhood, with the complicity of the Obama administration, has infiltrated the U.S. government at the highest levels and is influencing American policy. 

Well, now he has gone all-birther on us.  From David Corn, writing about the This Week interview, at Mother Jones.  The emphasis is mine:

Amanpour eventually raised Graham's "controversial comments about Islam," without noting what they were. To which he responded, "I love Muslim people. I don't believe that Muhammad can lead anybody to Heaven." She did not press him further on this front. She devoted more time to whom Graham fancies among the potential 2012 GOP candidates. After Graham remarked that celebrity mogul Donald Trump might be his candidate of choice, Amanpour asked whether Trump's unrelenting advocacy of birtherism bothers Graham. Not at all, Graham replied, adding that the president "has some issues to deal with here" regarding his birth certificate. Graham also questioned whether Obama was truly a committed Christian—though he did acknowledge that "God is the only one who knows his heart."

And that was it. Amanpour allowed Graham to drop a birther bomblet without forcing him to defend his remarks, as well as squeezing in some doubt about the authenticity of the president's Christian beliefs. The interview was an Easter gift to those on the right who believe the president is a secret Muslim plotting the end of the United States of America. ABC News had provided a much-coveted platform to a fellow who has publicly said Obama's government is riddled with Muslim Brotherhood agents at the most senior levels—that is, someone who promotes conspiratorial crackpottery.

By now we all know the birther movement is not so much about proving the President is not American, as it is about (constantly) reminding he is un-American. Different. Not like the rest of us. He is foreign. He is black. He grew up in Hawaii, of all places. His father was African. Having a birth father born into Islam makes him, well a Muslim. He step-father was Indonesian. Where else could he have studied when he lived Jakarta as a child, but a madrassa?  His sister's married name is Ng. He is after all, you fill-in-the-blank...

He is the quintessential, "other."

And while the Obama-as-Muslim dialogue has done wonders to push forward the Obama-as-un-American narrative, nothing quite does it like reminding us that being a Muslim means NOT BEING CHRISTIAN. And nothing quite defines the "other" in our society, in the way NOT BEING CHRISTIAN does. Especially on Easter Sunday morning. Even while the President is worshiping with his family at one of Washington, DC's most historic black churches.

But of course, Franklin Graham's comments would have been the same if the family had chosen to worship at the National Cathedral that morning with white folks.  But it sure does highlight the racist element of the birther movement. If you're black you will always be "the other" in our society, even the REAL CHRISTIANS sitting in the pews last Easter Sunday morning with the Obama.

There is no winning. Thanks for reminding me, Rev. Graham.