^{(C) 2010 Schwartz} 

My wife, Mary and I were discussing the recent Pew poll that revealed how many Americans think President Obama is a Muslim. Many, apparently.  Mary said, “You know, what that poll really says is, people are using the word ‘Muslim’ like kids use the word, ‘Gay.’”

So if you don’t like Obama, he’s a Muslim. You don’t like his policies, he’s a Muslim. You think he’s not an American, he’s a Muslim. You think Michelle spends too much on clothes, he’s a Muslim. I think I get it now; lots of people don’t like Obama, his policies, his family or anything about him. All right, I can deal with that.

I still like Obama. He’s exactly what I expected: a middle-of-the-road Democrat. And I understand that at least half the electorate doesn’t like him. Fine. They’re entitled to whatever political and social issue positions they choose to hold, no matter how misguided and/or ignorant I might think they and their opinions are. But I won’t tolerate these Obama haters perverting the use of the word, Muslim.

Saying ‘Muslim’ when you mean ‘stupid’ or ‘anti-American’ or ‘not white’ or ‘Liberal’ or ‘Socialist’ or ‘satanist’ or ‘anti-Christ’ or whatever you would really like to say but are too lazy to bother enunciating not only reflects badly on you, it slanders Muslims. It wasn’t that long ago when people used ‘Jew’ the same way. These days, nobody with any class uses the word ‘Jew’ as a pejorative or as slang for cheater or cheapskate. After centuries of persecution, Jews have earned some measure of civil respect, despite the occasional bad apple like Bernie Madoff (may he rot in jail forever).

Yet here we are in the twenty-first century with millions of Americans using ‘Muslim’ as code for bad, evil, deceptive, terrorist, anti-American and all the rest. We need to put an end to this disgusting, xenophobic trend right now. The next time you hear someone describe Obama or anything they oppose as ‘Muslim,’ call them out on it. It’s not too late to stop the hate.