Michael Gaynor
What's the truth about Barack Obama's Kenyan connections?
By Michael Gaynor
Is "Grandma" Sarah Obama a genuine convert to Christianity, a religious flip flopper or a Christian impersonator with a political agenda?
Whatever it is, the whole truth about Barack Obama's Kenyan connections should be known, especially his ties to Raila Odinga, the radical Kenyan presidential aspirant who identifies himself as Barack cousin's and named his first born after Fidel Castro.
The March 5, 2008 Associated Press story by Katharine Houreld titled "Obama's Grandma Rips Campaign Tactics" raised questions about "Grandma."
The article's lead sentence is "American shock jocks, dirty tricks masterminds and political bloggers: Beware the wrath of an 86-year-old Kenyan villager."
That's immediately followed by: "A frown replaces the dimpled beam of Sarah Hussein Obama, grandmother of Barack Obama, when asked on Wednesday about recent attacks on her grandson that include the spreading of rumors that he is secretly a Muslim and the repeated use of his middle name — Hussein — by a radio host at a rally for presumptive Republican nominee John McCain."
Is this Sarah Hussein Obama really Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.'s grandmother?
By general American understanding, no.
If a reader reads the LAST sentence of the article, he or she will discover that the article's title, lead sentence and two, fifth and twelfth paragraphs referred to Sarah as Barack Jr.'s grandma or grandmother without quotations marks.
But Sarah is NOT Barack Jr.'s biological grandmother.
THE AP ADOPTED KENYAN VOCABULARY!
By Kenya's Muslim-influenced standards (Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was a Muslim with multiple wives), apparently Sarah is considered Barack Jr.'s grandmother.
That last sentence: "Sarah Obama was the second wife of the candidate's late grandfather, so she is not his biological grandmother. But Auma Obama said: 'By our definition, in our culture, she is his grandmother,' she said."
Ironically, the article quoted Sarah as saying (in the local Lao language), "Untruths are told that don't have anything to do with what Barack is about."
Sarah is "very against" that, but apparently fine with charging for interviews and people thinking she really is Barack Jr.'s grandmother.
Sarah was very distressed that a posed photo showing Barack Jr. dressed in African garb and AP reported that, as follows: "'Bringing such pictures that are trying to imply that not only is he a foreigner, he is a Muslim, is wrong, because that is not what he is,' scolded Sarah Obama."
According to AP, Sarah said that "Obama's grandfather had converted to Islam from Roman Catholicism and taken the name Hussein...but his children had inherited only the name, not the religion."
AP also reported that Sarah is Christian, but is that true?
Andy Martin, executive editor of www.ContrarianCommentary.com and the person who first called public attention to Barack's Muslim "roots," is questioning whether Sarah abandoned Islam for Christianity.
Mr. Martin on Sarah's alleged conversion:
"The reports are not clear; contradictory facts mandate an explanation from the candidate."
"If the Associated Press and the Obama campaign are going to use Granny Sarah to launch attacks on people who question Obama's background and religious heritage, we have a right to know if she is mentally competent at this time or if the AP is guilty of sloppy reporting (which has been picked up by virtually every major American newspaper web site).
Mr. Martin on himself: "I have been writing about Barack Obama's religious roots since 2004. It was my news conferences in Chicago and London that first presented the original research concerning Obama's father's religion (Barack Obama, Sr.) as well as his grandfather's religion and overall family heritage within Islam. Obama's hesitancy to openly and honestly discuss his religious roots intrigued me, and I have pursued the topic for four years."
Mr. Martin identified some possible explanations: "Obama's step-grandmother...may be experiencing sloppy reporting by the Associated Press, or failing memory, or bad translation."
Mr. Martin on Sarah:
"When last heard from, 'Granny' Sara Obama was demanding cash ('outstretched palms') for interviews, from Nick Kristof of the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/opinion/24kristof.html?scp=3&sq=Kristof&st=nyt
"In an extended story on Obama's religious beliefs, the New York Times in 2007 reported a statement by Obama's step-grandmother, 'Granny' Sarah, in which she stated: 'I am a strong believer of the Islamic faith,' Ms. Obama, 85, said in a recent interview in Kenya. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/us/politics/30obama.html"
Is "Grandma" Sarah Obama a genuine convert to Christianity, a religious flip flopper or a Christian impersonator with a political agenda?
Was her alleged conversion real or feigned, sincere or "politically convenient"?
Mr. Martin:
"What is the truth? Obama owes us an answer. He has shamelessly exploited his Kenyan relatives for political advantage, claiming a 'family visit' in 2006 is part of his 'foreign policy' experience. I have previously asked why millionaire-Barack does not send his 'granny' the money to connect indoor plumbing and electricity, and the response was that Sarah wants to live under primitive conditions.
"So what has happened? Is Sarah losing it? Is AP guilty of sloppy or erroneous reporting, for not even bothering to fact-check the Sarah Obama story? Did AP use an incompetent translator? Or is it true that Sarah has abandoned Islam for Christianity?"
In the fairy tale about the emperor's "new clothes," it turned out that they were imaginary.
What's the truth about Barack AND Sarah?
© Michael Gaynor
Is "Grandma" Sarah Obama a genuine convert to Christianity, a religious flip flopper or a Christian impersonator with a political agenda?
Whatever it is, the whole truth about Barack Obama's Kenyan connections should be known, especially his ties to Raila Odinga, the radical Kenyan presidential aspirant who identifies himself as Barack cousin's and named his first born after Fidel Castro.
The March 5, 2008 Associated Press story by Katharine Houreld titled "Obama's Grandma Rips Campaign Tactics" raised questions about "Grandma."
The article's lead sentence is "American shock jocks, dirty tricks masterminds and political bloggers: Beware the wrath of an 86-year-old Kenyan villager."
That's immediately followed by: "A frown replaces the dimpled beam of Sarah Hussein Obama, grandmother of Barack Obama, when asked on Wednesday about recent attacks on her grandson that include the spreading of rumors that he is secretly a Muslim and the repeated use of his middle name — Hussein — by a radio host at a rally for presumptive Republican nominee John McCain."
Is this Sarah Hussein Obama really Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.'s grandmother?
By general American understanding, no.
If a reader reads the LAST sentence of the article, he or she will discover that the article's title, lead sentence and two, fifth and twelfth paragraphs referred to Sarah as Barack Jr.'s grandma or grandmother without quotations marks.
But Sarah is NOT Barack Jr.'s biological grandmother.
THE AP ADOPTED KENYAN VOCABULARY!
By Kenya's Muslim-influenced standards (Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was a Muslim with multiple wives), apparently Sarah is considered Barack Jr.'s grandmother.
That last sentence: "Sarah Obama was the second wife of the candidate's late grandfather, so she is not his biological grandmother. But Auma Obama said: 'By our definition, in our culture, she is his grandmother,' she said."
Ironically, the article quoted Sarah as saying (in the local Lao language), "Untruths are told that don't have anything to do with what Barack is about."
Sarah is "very against" that, but apparently fine with charging for interviews and people thinking she really is Barack Jr.'s grandmother.
Sarah was very distressed that a posed photo showing Barack Jr. dressed in African garb and AP reported that, as follows: "'Bringing such pictures that are trying to imply that not only is he a foreigner, he is a Muslim, is wrong, because that is not what he is,' scolded Sarah Obama."
According to AP, Sarah said that "Obama's grandfather had converted to Islam from Roman Catholicism and taken the name Hussein...but his children had inherited only the name, not the religion."
AP also reported that Sarah is Christian, but is that true?
Andy Martin, executive editor of www.ContrarianCommentary.com and the person who first called public attention to Barack's Muslim "roots," is questioning whether Sarah abandoned Islam for Christianity.
Mr. Martin on Sarah's alleged conversion:
"The reports are not clear; contradictory facts mandate an explanation from the candidate."
"If the Associated Press and the Obama campaign are going to use Granny Sarah to launch attacks on people who question Obama's background and religious heritage, we have a right to know if she is mentally competent at this time or if the AP is guilty of sloppy reporting (which has been picked up by virtually every major American newspaper web site).
Mr. Martin on himself: "I have been writing about Barack Obama's religious roots since 2004. It was my news conferences in Chicago and London that first presented the original research concerning Obama's father's religion (Barack Obama, Sr.) as well as his grandfather's religion and overall family heritage within Islam. Obama's hesitancy to openly and honestly discuss his religious roots intrigued me, and I have pursued the topic for four years."
Mr. Martin identified some possible explanations: "Obama's step-grandmother...may be experiencing sloppy reporting by the Associated Press, or failing memory, or bad translation."
Mr. Martin on Sarah:
"When last heard from, 'Granny' Sara Obama was demanding cash ('outstretched palms') for interviews, from Nick Kristof of the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/opinion/24kristof.html?scp=3&sq=Kristof&st=nyt
"In an extended story on Obama's religious beliefs, the New York Times in 2007 reported a statement by Obama's step-grandmother, 'Granny' Sarah, in which she stated: 'I am a strong believer of the Islamic faith,' Ms. Obama, 85, said in a recent interview in Kenya. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/us/politics/30obama.html"
Is "Grandma" Sarah Obama a genuine convert to Christianity, a religious flip flopper or a Christian impersonator with a political agenda?
Was her alleged conversion real or feigned, sincere or "politically convenient"?
Mr. Martin:
"What is the truth? Obama owes us an answer. He has shamelessly exploited his Kenyan relatives for political advantage, claiming a 'family visit' in 2006 is part of his 'foreign policy' experience. I have previously asked why millionaire-Barack does not send his 'granny' the money to connect indoor plumbing and electricity, and the response was that Sarah wants to live under primitive conditions.
"So what has happened? Is Sarah losing it? Is AP guilty of sloppy or erroneous reporting, for not even bothering to fact-check the Sarah Obama story? Did AP use an incompetent translator? Or is it true that Sarah has abandoned Islam for Christianity?"
In the fairy tale about the emperor's "new clothes," it turned out that they were imaginary.
What's the truth about Barack AND Sarah?
© Michael Gaynor
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(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
