So I keep hearing about how egalitarian American society is.

Lets check it out.

I think in the current state of the world, not a chance in hell. Would I however vote for a muslim candidate? Yes, if I thought they were the best man/women for the job.

Also I could not vote for any deeply religious conservative no matter what religion they were.

I wouldn't vote for anyone that is a professional politician. No matter who or what they believed in. Now if a plumber, cook, or barmaid would run , I'd vote for them more than likely but I still would be very cautious about them as well. :(

Now? No. The end.

Ask again in 50 years... (assuming that in these 5 decades we already had a female and a minority president)

At the current rate of conception, in less than fifty years muslims will be able to out vote "westerners". Then they would have to beat the mexicans.

That would be interesting, when all the liberals have to adapt to Sharia. Cant wait for that.

At the current rate of conception, in less than fifty years muslims will be able to out vote "westerners". Then they would have to beat the mexicans.

your stripe is showing :rolleyes:

No they wouldn't right now, but it's not forbidden. They could certainly try. Giving people a chance is all that really qualifies as "egalitarian", the political reality is a different matter entirely.

your stripe is showing :rolleyes:

And what stripe is that?

Sure - why not? As long as we have someone in office who's competent and has America's interests at heart.

I would vote for a Christian president. Islam is exactly equally as retarded as Christianity, so yes.

So I keep hearing about how egalitarian American society is.

Lets check it out.
Prior to 9/11, sure. No prob. But not right now. I mean, would we have elected a Japanese president in WW2? Of course not. But, on the other hand, the fact that Baraq Husain Obama is doing so well in the polls suggests maybe we would. I know he's not Muslim, but if Americans really hated Muslims, he'd be close enough.

Prior to 9/11, sure. No prob. But not right now. I mean, would we have elected a Japanese president in WW2? Of course not. But, on the other hand, the fact that Baraq Husain Obama is doing so well in the polls suggests maybe we would. I know he's not Muslim, but if Americans really hated Muslims, he'd be close enough.

exactly ;)

We are not all as horrible as you make us out to be SAM.

Not in the current atmosphere, no. But like someone earlier said, 50 years done the line? I wouldn't be too surprised.

exactly ;)

We are not all as horrible as you make us out to be SAM.

I'll ask the Iraqis ;)

I'll ask the Iraqis ;)

You mean some are still alive? You better hurry, SAM. It's full blown genocide over there. *sarcasm*:rolleyes:

You mean some are still alive? You better hurry, SAM. It's full blown genocide over there. *sarcasm*:rolleyes:

I believe in karma. :shrug:

So do I. America hasn't had one terrorist attack since the war began. The longest period in 30 years.

It is like everything else in our politics, it is a matter of timing. There was a time when a person of African heritage could never realistically dream of becoming president and there was a time when a woman could not dream of becoming president. And there was a time when a Catholic could not dream of becoming president. We have had a Catholic president and are likely to get a president of African heritage this time a round.

drop it, sam

I'll ask the Iraqis ;)

Your like a broken record..and a bad one at that. ;)

Your like a broken record..and a bad one at that. ;)

I'm sure they'll have all good things to say about y'all. ;)

I'm sure they'll have all good things to say about y'all. ;)

Im sure theirs is the only opinion that matters....oh and yours of course. ;)

Don't worry, nobody cares what I think :D

Don't worry, nobody cares what I think :D

Dont worry you do, and thats all that matters.:D

People vote for the most efficient person for the job; as long as the leader has a good sense of morality and tradition and fairness, then so be it.

People vote for the most efficient person for the job; as long as the leader has a good sense of morality and tradition and fairness, then so be it.

Thats exactly how I feel :p

You guys have weird ideas about what constitutes efficiency

/cheap shot

india is soooo efficient, isn't it


how's that for a cheap shot?

india is soooo efficient, isn't it
how's that for a cheap shot?

No problem. We got enough people already. :D

efficience != demographic growth

efficience != demographic growth

Dont forget widespread diesease and poverty! :D

don't be so judgemental shichi... some people like dwelling with rats

Yeah keep out everybody, its a terrible place!!!!

As to the question posed in the poll:

"Would Americans vote for a Muslim Presidential candidate?"

That would have to be a resounding yes. There must be Muslims who are American. Many would vote for a Muslim Presidential candidate.

As to the title question:

"Would Americans elect a Muslim President?"

Would he get the Muslim vote? Yup.

Would he get the Christian vote? Not likely.

Would he get the Jewish vote? Again...

Would he get the Atheist vote? Maybe...

Whoever is leftover won't make much of difference.

I think in the current state of the world, not a chance in hell.Americans are still grieving over 9/11. That wound has not healed and it will heal slowly. The world's most outspoken Muslims, i.e. the ones we hear, are doing their best to make us believe that the perpetrators of 9/11 represented Islam fairly, and that the world's Muslims as a community want to destroy America. In this climate it's understandable that many of our people are a little ill at ease with Islam and Muslims. So no, there's no way that the next decade or two will be an era of increasing political power for Muslims in America.

If Iraq were a Christian country the pacifist movement would have already prevailed and our troops would be withdrawn. The reason they're still there is that a lot of Americans still don't quite trust Muslims.At the current rate of conception, in less than fifty years muslims will be able to out vote "westerners".Nativist Americans have said that about absolutely every new ethnic group that's come here, for the ostensibly valid reason that they have higher fertility rates. What they conveniently ignore is that every one of those ethnic groups assimilates. Some faster than others, but even the "conservative" East Asians intermarry with us at the astonishing rate of around 30%. As soon as any immigration wave ends, the people it brought blend into the population and that ethnic community disappears. My mother grew up in a Bohemian ("Czech") ghetto and remembered Polish, Croatian and other Slavic ghettoes. When I was young there were Italian neighborhoods. Where are those people now? They're still here inside people like me, of typically mixed American ancestry.Then they would have to beat the mexicans.The only reason there is a Mexican community in America is that there is still a high volume of immigration from Mexico. Mexicans intermarry so enthusiastically that it's almost impossible to find anyone you can identify as a third-generation Mexican-American. The Mexican barrios are populated by immigrants and their children, not their grandchildren.

The same will happen to the Muslim immigrants. Their children will find the beat of our music, the taste of our food, and the freedom of our lifestyle irresistible. Their girls in particular will be the first to defect from their strict traditional families, as the girls of every preceding immigrant group have invariably been. Like my own mother. She didn't learn English until she entered school, but she put tremendous effort into speaking perfectly and losing her accent. By the time I was born she was thoroughly Americanized.

Most of the Muslims arriving here are from Africa, not the Mideast. Their children quickly learn unaccented English and fairly scamper to join the existing African-American community and embrace its culture. It will be interesting to see if there's a rapprochement between America's "black Muslim" splinter group and the "black" Muslims from Africa.

Some related questions and my guesses:

Would a Jewish candidate get elected?
Not likely, though a better chance than a Muslim.

Would an atheist get elected?
Not a chance in hell.

Would someone in a wheelchair get elected?
Small chance, but possible.

Could a person who is not married be elected?
Very, very unlikely.

Could a vegetarian get elected?
I truly doubt it.

How about a pagan or a Wiccan?
Fundanmentalist Christians would be calling the Muslim guy back.

Someone who described themselves as left-wing?
If their opponent was an atheist and they weren't?

A candidate who said they were right wing?
Their PR people would get upset, but such a candidate has a chance.

A gay person?
What was that atheists name again, Harry?

A gay atheist?
would have as much chance as a smashed windshield spontaneously returning to an unbroken state.

Am I suggesting there is a mathematical relationship between homosexuality and entropy?

I have no idea.

in america, a muslim can run for presidency
in muslim countries, christians are persecuted and killed

just sayin

That's inaccurate... :O

Are people elected by their faith or by their skill? Of course, good faith is a sign of a good man (good faith), but ultimately leaders are elected for their skill, while observing morality and perserving what needs to be perserved.

However, people will be people, and therefore people will be biased; I do not think a Muslim American would have much chance of becoming President.

That wound has not healed and it will heal slowly.

Get over it. Not only was Osama innocent of masterminding the plans, but it was only 3,000 people who died. Do you realize how many people have been killed throughout the course of this, and the pipeli - ahem, Afghanistan - war?

The reason they're still there is that a lot of Americans still don't quite trust Muslims.

No, the reason Americans are still there is to ensure the government they've created is strong enough to crush the nationalists and revolutionaries. No governing body other than the one currently in power will allow American interests in Iraqi oil to prevail.

Would someone in a wheelchair get elected? Small chance, but possible.Duh? FDR???Could a person who is not married be elected? Very, very unlikely.Duh? James Buchanan???A candidate who said they were right wing? Their PR people would get upset, but such a candidate has a chance.Goldwater broke that barrier by running and losing.in america, a muslim can run for presidency. In muslim countries, christians are persecuted and killed.That's not true and it's a rather inflammatory thing to say in the current political climate. It should be challenged in the interest of a balanced discussion.

Bear in mind that the four largest Muslim countries on this planet are Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, not any of the Arab, Turkic or Persian states. With a total of about 700 million people, these countries are home to roughly half of all Muslims.Are people elected by their faith or by their skill?No. At the lowest levels of our democracy, sure people sometimes get elected to town councils and school boards because they can do a good job. But the problem with our electoral machine is that as they progress to the higher levels, all traits become irrelevant but two: 1. They lust for power; 2. They will do just about anything to win a competition. In case you haven't noticed, these are not exactly the traits that make good leaders.

Duh? FDR???Duh?
Duh does not become you. But I'll duh you right back. FRD is prehistoric, pre TV and the image vs. text domination we have today. Me remembered FDR, me stand by thinking it is unlikely TODAY! Duh.

James Buchanan???
Duh. That was then. This is now. I don't see any serious candidates who are single. I don't think there has been one in my getting rather long lifetime. You know, you should really reserve your duhs for where they're useful.

Goldwater broke that barrier by running and losing.
So, he, uh lost. OK. So I could still be right on this one. As with the others.

I see your duhs and raise you three duhs.

edit: also FDR's disability was generally hidden from the public in ways that would be impossible now. Consider that it was thought necessary even then for him to take measures to hide it:

.... the various ways Roosevelt handled his disability with the public, allowing no photographs of his wheelchair, arriving hours early to speeches and events in order to avoid the public eye, and using his bodyguards and his sons as crutches so he could stand while delivering his presentations.

Few pictures are known to exist of Franklin D. Roosevelt in his wheelchair

I promise to vote for SAM if she promises to stop posting here. A win-win situation...

I promise to vote for SAM if she promises to stop posting here. A win-win situation...

I second the motion.

~String

People vote for the most efficient person for the job; as long as the leader has a good sense of morality and tradition and fairness, then so be it.

You assume people are rational.
They are not.

People vote for whoever makes them feel the best.

If people really voted for the best person for the job, none of the presidents in the last 30 years would have been elected. Hell, none of them would have even made it to the primaries

I promise to vote for SAM if she promises to stop posting here. A win-win situation...

1) must be citizen
2) must be born in US or as US citizen (some small chance this will change so that Arnold can be king, I mean president. But the first..fuhgetaboutit.)

Perhaps not a majority will vote for a Muslim president but I can promise if a Muslim ran for president he or she would get some other Americans to vote for them.

As soon as any immigration wave ends, the people it brought blend into the population and that ethnic community disappears. My mother grew up in a Bohemian ("Czech") ghetto and remembered Polish, Croatian and other Slavic ghettoes. When I was young there were Italian neighborhoods. Where are those people now? They're still here inside people like me, of typically mixed American ancestry.The only reason there is a Mexican community in America is that there is still a high volume of immigration from Mexico. Mexicans intermarry so enthusiastically that it's almost impossible to find anyone you can identify as a third-generation Mexican-American. The Mexican barrios are populated by immigrants and their children, not their grandchildren.
The only problem with your argument is when do you see the current wave of Mexican immigration ending? When all of Mexico is here? As Carlos Mencia has said, once that happens, all the rest of the countries will just move up one and the tide will continue. You don't think there's a point where unending/uncontrolled immigration becomes colonization? There's already a movement to "reclaim" the southwest (The Reconquista or Azatland).

What if we just invaded Mexico, fixed their corruption problems, and let them work all our dirty jobs? They got a ton of oil.

They got a ton of oil.

Those are the magic words!

~String

What if we just invaded Mexico, fixed their corruption problems, and let them work all our dirty jobs? They got a ton of oil. The people who arrange such invasions for us already have basic control of Mexico's oil, already have Mexicans doing their dirty jobs, and depend on the corruption of Mexico to maintain that comfortable situation for them.

Americans would elect a non-fundie Muslim (fundies of any stripe run out of support outside their base - Huckabee, say) who had the common touch - was comfortable around other people eating pork or drinking beer, had one wife who wore shorts in public, etc.

It would probably take him (or her) a couple of campaigns, though - and face time intervening.

And there aren't very many Muslims like that.

I thought we were electing Obama - isn't he a Muslim? I mean some people say if your father was Muslim then you are too.

What if we just invaded Mexico, fixed their corruption problems, and let them work all our dirty jobs? They got a ton of oil.

I think we should fix our own corruption problems before trying to spread our culture to Mexico.

I think we should fix our own corruption problems before trying to spread our culture to Mexico.

Plinko!

~String

Not likely. Given Fox and the tenacity of the republican pundits, I doubt if the soft fat middle class can handle that. Plus, the rich will not allow it.

What if we just invaded Mexico, fixed their corruption problems, and let them work all our dirty jobs? They got a ton of oil.

You know shit. As Iceaura pointed out, we are already getting their oil and they are already doing the dirty jobs. Also they are actually running out of oil...

But the US would get its first Hispanic president....