Obama's headscarf dilemma

Obama is reportedly skipping a trip to India's Sikh Golden Temple. Is he avoiding the visit because he doesn't want to look like a Muslim?

A 2008 New Yorker cover depicted Obama in religious headgear to mock conspiracy theorists who believe the president is a Muslim.
(Image credit: NewYorker.com)

President Obama's November trip to India probably won't include a visit to Amritsar and its Golden Temple, the spiritual center of the Sikh religion, reportedly because of a dispute over headgear. According to temple officials, the White House advance team decided against a visit because the photos of Obama in the required headscarf would feed the conspiracy theories that he is a secret Muslim, even though Sikhs aren't Muslims. (The White House says Obama's schedule is still in flux.) What does this say about Obama — and Americans? (Watch a report about the cancellation)

This is the wrong way to handle the Muslim smears: Obama should visit the Golden Temple, and wear the damn headscarf, says Andrew Sullivan in The Atlantic. The only way to beat the "liars, bigots, and charlatans" at Fox News and the GOP is to "stare down" their conspiratorial Muslim "propaganda" and "never let them see you afraid."

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