My Middle Name is Hussein Too

Barack Obama, as the frontrunner in the presidential election of 2008 , has attracted more than his share of nasty attacks. Republicans are becoming desperate. Unable to attack Barack Obama’s politics or qualifications, which are both strong, they’re going after superficial nonsense, like Barack Obama’s middle name. They’re actually attacking Barack Obama for the middle name that his parents chose to give him, as if that has anything to do with Obama himself.

It’s become a mantra for the radical right: Barack Hussein Obama . The suggestion that they're trying to make is that because Barack Obama's father came from Africa, Barack Obama isn't qualified to be President. Also, they like to suggest that the middle name Hussein somehow makes Barack Obama a hereditary Muslim.  These right wingers believe, sadly, that no one but a Christian can be allowed to be President.  It doesn't matter to them that Barack Obama is actually a Christian.  All they care about is making a big fuss.

The movie you see below deals with this ridiculous name bashing rather well, I think. The idea is this: If people are going to engage in the religiously bigoted and racist attack that Barack Obama can’t be President because his middle name is Hussein, well then, my middle name is Hussein too.

Think of it as the “I am Spartacus” of the 2008 election. They’ve put it on a bumper sticker too, which you’ll see in this video.