Giuliani was signaling Obama 'not one of us,' says Muslim lawmaker

The Hill's Briefing Room ^ | February 23, 2015 | David McCabe

[2ndDivisionVet]

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) was "dog whistling" when he said President Obama does not love America, a Democratic congressman said Monday.

While appearing on CNN's "New Day," Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) was asked how he, as a person of color, responded to the comments, which some have criticized as being motivated by Obama's race.

"I’ll put it like this: I believe he was dog whistling," Ellison said. "And what I mean is, you know, he was signaling that, ‘He’s not one of us,” and that had to do with some factors that the former mayor should not be trying to play off of."

Asked if he was specifically referring to race, Ellison said he thought that Giuliani might have been implying other questions about Obama as well.

"Is he an American? Is he a Muslim? Is he a socialist? Is he this? Is he that?" said Ellison, who was the first Muslim elected to Congress.

Giuliani made the comments at a dinner for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) last week.

"I do not believe, and I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America," he said.

Giuliani has brushed off criticism of his comments as racially motivated, and said in an op-ed published Sunday that he could not "read President Obama’s mind or heart." He has, however, continued to criticize the president for what he says is an overly critical view of America.

Some possible Republican 2016 presidential candidates have criticized the former mayor's comments — though many did not do so right away.

But Ellison said he didn't blame politicians who waited to respond to the comments.

"It’s so silly and stupid and ridiculous that I could see how someone wouldn’t take it seriously until asked," he said. "That’s just how low those comments were."

[matthew fuller]

That’s kind of scary, but obama proved anything can happen.

[ScottinVA]

Oh, Obama is most assuredly of Ellison’s ilk.

[Garfunkel Oates]

Rudy was auditioning for the veep spot.

[I want the USA back]

All the America-hating bastards are having a cow over Rudy saying that 0 hates America.

[knarf]

I’d seen the fence photo before, but not with a guy standing in front with his finger up ... and I’m not familiasr with the event that prompted the muzzie faggot to lift HIS finger ... Help me out ... link me to what is going on, please

[Dqban22]

The American people did not want to listen to those who denounced Obama's Marxist and Muslim background, and on the other hand, the media covered up Obama’s radical past ridiculing anyone who dared to expose the true Obama.

[EEGator]

I thought it was from the prayer breakfast, but now I’m not so sure. I’ll have to do some searching and get back to you.

[knarf]

Here's what I found;

THIS page has all of what I excerpted below

American Thinker The Associated Press took this astonishing photo as the African dignitaries joined Obama, who hosted the event, in a State Department auditorium for a group photograph. It was published in an article in Britain’s Daily Mail, and it was the only use ever of the photo.

The one-finger display is the distinctive Muslim gang sign (most notably the sign of ISIS): The index finger points straight up while the thumb wraps underneath and presses against the digital phalange of the middle finger. The remaining fingers are squeezed against the palm in order to highlight the extended forefinger.

The extended finger is symbolic of the one-God concept of Muhammad and is understood by all believers to be a symbolic shahada, the Muslim affirmation of faith: There is but one God and Muhammad is his messenger.

Thus when believers stick their index finger in the air, they demonstrate they are partisans of Muhammad’s God concept. And they also affirm their belief in Muhammad’s claim he was the interface between God and man. They also demonstrate they are part of the umma, the exclusive transtribal supertribe of believers that Muhammad started 1,400 years ago.

[Pearls Before Swine]

About the salute: It was discussed on FR last week. Here's a link to an article with a photo: Obama gives the Islamist gang sign

[PIF]

The one finger salute, as you put it, is an Islamic affirmation of Islamic faith: the finger of shahada.

[Eagles6]

Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for.

[Jabba the Nutt]

He ignores the possibility that Rudy is right; Obama is not one of us. Obama’s views represent a tiny minority of Americans and are unfathomable to the rest of America.

[EEGator]

Excellent work.