"No, ma'am. He's a decent family man"

"No, ma'am. He's a decent family man"?? That's all?
Few commentary I found interesting.


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Los Angeles Times
Opinion
'Muslim' shouldn't be a slur
Both McCain and Obama should condemn implicit attacks on Muslims and Arabs.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-rice15-2008oct15,0,5744288.story


That was a good step one -- until McCain blew it. A woman stood up in the audience and said that she just couldn't trust Obama because, as she put it, "he's an Arab." McCain shook his head, took the microphone and said: "No, ma'am. He's a decent family man, citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues."

So, what is he saying? Arabs aren't decent family men? They can't be citizens?
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CNN
October 14, 2008
How Being Called An Arab Became A Slur
http://edition.cnn.com/CNNI/Programs/middle.east/blog/2008/10/how-being-arab-became-slur.html

What if the woman had said she didn't trust Obama because he is Black? Would there have been outrage then? Would McCain's answer had been different?

The truth is that, throughout this campaign, the term Muslim or Arab has been routinely used as a slur. And both parties are playing the game.

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Huffington Post
October 11, 2008
Is Muslim The New Queer?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hanna-ingber-win/is-muslim-the-new-queer_b_133870.html

Just yesterday an elderly woman at a campaign event with John McCain rambled into the microphone about how she doesn't trust Barack Obama and then said, as if it were her kicker, "HE'S ARAB."

McCain took the microphone back, shook his head, and acting like he is suddenly better than gutter politics, said something along the lines of, "No, no, mam. He's a decent, family man."

What?! That old lady did not say Obama is a terrorist. She did not say he is a murderer or a rapist or a drug dealer to little children. She said he is "Arab." And yet, McCain automatically understood her point and equated "Arab" with "bad man."
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CNN
By Campbell Brown
Commentary: So what if Obama were a Muslim or an Arab?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/13/campbell.brown.obama/index.html

So what if Obama was Arab or Muslim? So what if John McCain was Arab or Muslim? Would it matter?

When did that become a disqualifier for higher office in our country? When did Arab and Muslim become dirty words? The equivalent of dishonorable or radical?
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