Bill Clinton: U.S. no longer dominated by Christians and Jews

[Ret10Echo]

Bill Clinton: U.S. no longer dominated by Christians and Jews
Christine Simmons - Associated Press Writer - 6/14/2009 5:55:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Former President Bill Clinton has told an Arab-American audience of 1,000 people that the U.S. is no longer just a black-white country, nor a country that is dominated by Christians and a powerful Jewish minority

In a speech to the group on Saturday, Clinton said that given the growing numbers of Muslims, Hindus and other religious groups here, Americans should be mindful of the nation's changing demographics, which led to the election of Barack Obama as president.

Clinton said by 2050 the U.S. will no longer have a majority of people with European heritage and that in an interdependent world "this is a very positive thing."

Speaking in a hotel ballroom to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee during its annual convention, Clinton also praised Obama's speech in Cairo, Egypt, that was focused on the Arab world.

Clinton told the audience that it's important that they push government leaders for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He cited an experience in 1993 when he failed to persuade many Jewish-American and Arab-American business people to invest in the Palestinian areas because violence and bombings had deterred them.

"It just took one more bus bomb or one more rocket or one more incident and then people got scared of losing their money," he said.

As the U.S. continues to push for peace in the area, "I think it's really important to give the Palestinian people something to look forward to," Clinton said to loud applause.

Clinton, who wasn't paid for his speech, spoke in a wide-ranging 35-minute address that focused on people's identity in an interdependent world. He said the U.S. can't rely on its military might in global relations. "It has to begin by people accepting the fact that they can be proud of who they are without despising who someone else is," he said.

[Richard]

Guess the title of having been the first Black POTUS has worn off now that Obee's on the throne - so now he's going for the first Arab POTUS?

As the U.S. continues to push for peace in the area, "I think it's really important to give the Palestinian people something to look forward to," Clinton said to loud applause.

Yeah - me, too - more a$$ whuppin's if they don't get their collective sewage under control.

Geezz - when will it end with these political cockroaches.

Richard's $.02

[Saoirse]

Clinton, who wasn't paid for his speech, spoke in a wide-ranging 35-minute address that focused on people's identity in an interdependent world

...oh but I am sure somebody received a hefty donation! Clinton doesn't do nothing for nothing.

[echoes]

Originally Posted by Ret10Echo

He said the U.S. can't rely on its military might in global relations. "It has to begin by people accepting the fact that they can be proud of who they are without despising who someone else is," he said.

This is one of the most absurd statements ever uttered, IMHO. Okay Mr. Clinton, if this is how you really feel...how about moving your happy ass on over to the Middle East, and walk yourself around the villages solo, reciting this aloud, over and over!

Originally Posted by Saoirse

...oh but I am sure somebody received a hefty donation! Clinton doesn't do nothing for nothing.

Saoirse,

Excellent point! My thoughts exactly.

Holly

[Firebeef]

"Americans should be mindful of the nation's changing demographics, which led to the election of Barack Obama as president."

It wasn't the "changing demographics" that got Obama elected. It was Media induced psychosis and liberals and uninformed peoples collective "white guilt"

[PRB]

So Bill thinks OB was elected by non whites alone...what a stupid comment that is totally unsupported.
The underlying point is that now with people of color in the US it will be more 'like you' as if we have no Constitution, treaties, National interests, predominant Judeo/Christian heritage... we'll just all get a long neck.
What a boring as**ole

[Utah Bob]

"It has to begin by people accepting the fact that they can be proud of who they are without despising who someone else is,"

Good luck on that.
Reminds me of a "Kung Fu" quote.

[echoes]

Originally Posted by Utah Bob

Good luck on that.
Reminds me of a "Kung Fu" quote.

Sir,

Agreed! And the mental picture of Him walking around Taliban infested areas chanting this aloud is so hilarious, makes me wonder if His speech writer didn't have the same thoughts?

Mr. Clinton needs to STFU, IMVHO!

Holly

[Box]

...sadly a country always gets the government they deserve.
If the voters and citizens are happy, then this is what we should have.

As long as I get some free government services I'll be happy; Isn't that what Gen. Colin Powell (US Army-Retired) has stated? The only people on a national scale to speak out are the "radical talk radio" pundits. Politicians liberal, conservative and moderate all want to apologize for WE the citizens of the United States and nobody seems to care.

My vote wasn't heard and my letters aren't answered...
All is well, nothing to see here, move along.

[Sigaba]

The article quoted in the OP has a headline that seems different than the comments indicated in the text of Ms. Simmons's report for the AP.

The headline suggests that Clinton is saying that America, once dominated by Christians and Jews, no longer is dominated by either of those two groups. That statement is offensive because it activates awful stereotypes.

Yet, from Ms. Simmons's report, I wonder if President Clinton said something else. Ms. Simmons paraphrased Clinton's remark:

nor [is America] a country that is dominated by Christians and a powerful Jewish minority[.]

If Simmons is accurately representing what President Clinton said, he's telling the audience of Arab Americans that America has never been theocracy and that America has never controlled by Jews.

The "no longer" may be a phrase added by the editorial staff at OneNewsNow . This artful spin, commonly seen at drudgereport.com, may serve to catch readers' eyes and to shape perception of Clinton's speech.

While a transcript of President Clinton's speech is not currently available, other news outlets do not suggest that he said anything as controversial as the headline of the OneNewsNow story indicates. (For example, Haaretz.com's coverage here presents Clinton's speech in a different light.)

[Pete]

"....a country that is dominated by Christians........"

Sigaba, I must take you to task for quoting Clinton and then explaining what he meant . We must first find out what "is" is.

Does he mean "Christians" in the broad sense of they believe in God but ain't very good at ever making it to church or "Christians" in the born again, burn 'em all sense?

If the first then this country is still dominated by Christians as we have Christians on both the left and the right. If the second then it would be a little more true.

[Sigaba]

QP Pete--

Sorry about that.

The answer to your questions are "I don't know." I have failed thus far to find a transcript of the speech.

My question is did Clinton use any tense of the verb "to dominate" to indicate that Christians have undue influence in America because of their faith, i.e., a theocracy (in the corrupted meaning of that word that is in vogue these days)?

To me, such a statement would be hostile regardless of Clinton's definition of Christians. IMHO, "influence", "shape", "inform", are more appropriate terms to use when discussing the role religious groups may play in contemporary America politics.

I've looked at about five versions of the story and the whole concept religious domination seems to have been missed by other outlets.

[Saoirse]

"It has to begin by people accepting the fact that they can be proud of who they are without despising who someone else is,"

THAT'S interesting! If l am proud of being a White, Female, Christian, Army Veteran, gun-owning, anti-aboration... (you know the rest of this since we all read the same B.S. DHS report from Janet Reno' windowlicking, mentally challenged look-a-like)......THAT'S ok?
Well, if Bill said it, it must be ok!