There’s a joke floating around the Internet that asks:
Has anyone wondered about the coincidence that Obama is on vacation during the month of Ramadan?
At least I’m assuming this was sent as a joke, because it’s a flawed implication.
#1. Congress and the President have been vacationing in August almost since our country’s inception, which is no surprise given how oppressively hot it is in D.C. In 1970, finally facing the reality of long sessions, Congress mandated an August summer break as part of the Legislative Reorganization Act. The President has also traditionally vacationed during this time.
#2. Because Ramadan is based on the lunar calendar, it begins about 11-12 days earlier each year. This year Ramadan started on August 21st. Wait about 15 years, and Ramadan will coincide with Easter. So does that imply Jesus was a Muslim? I think not.
#3. Obama took his vacation at the same time of year as George W. Bush did during his presidency. If Bush was still in office, do you think people would be asking about this coincidence?
#4. The implication is that Obama is a Muslim. So what if he is? The comment smacks of religious bigotry and intolerance. Which is ironic, considering that’s a complaint often leveled against Muslims.
Now if you want to tell a Muslim joke about Obama that’s funny and intelligent:
A Christian, a Jew and Barack Obama are in a rowboat in the middle of the ocean. So Obama says, "This joke isn’t going to work because there’s no Muslim in this boat."
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