# Stupid Republican idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897 "2009-03-26T18:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 750
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14981 "2014-06-03T02:34:39Z")
Allan West is apoplectic because Bowe Bergdahl’s father [spoke a few words of Arabic at the White House press event](http://allenbwest.com/2014/06/bombshell-first-words-bergdahls-father-white-house-arabic/)about the release of his son. West is sure "by uttering these words on the grounds of the WH, Bergdahl (the father) sanctified the WH and claimed it for Islam. " ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14982 "2014-06-03T03:06:25Z")
HA ! Joke’s on him, Them Choos already claimed the White House, Hollywood AND the International House of Pancakes ! ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14983 "2014-06-03T03:28:57Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Allan West is apoplectic because Bowe Bergdahl’s father [spoke a few words of Arabic at the White House press event](http://allenbwest.com/2014/06/bombshell-first-words-bergdahls-father-white-house-arabic/)about the release of his son. West is sure "by uttering these words on the grounds of the WH, Bergdahl (the father) sanctified the WH and claimed it for Islam. " :rolleyes: What horseshit. The “few words of Arabic” in question were the universal and routine invocation known as the basmala/bismillah, _bism allah al-rahman al-rahim_, “In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful”. Pious Muslims traditionally are supposed to begin everything with the basmala, from setting out on a pilgrimage to copying a manuscript of a geometry treatise. The basmala is not some kind of magical Muslim Protego Maxima or territory marker that somehow “Islamicizes” the locale where it is uttered. ---
**Author:** ![nani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58956e/32.png) [@nani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nani)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14984 "2014-06-03T03:46:48Z")
Come on, **Kimstu** , everyone knows that the bismillah is [the Islamic equivalent of a flag.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6RhIx6US6Q) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14985 "2014-06-03T04:12:33Z")
:eek: Why, those diabolically sneaky Islamics! :mad: Can we re-claim the White House for Murrica by having a prayer meeting or a keg party there or something? Or should we have one of the Marine honor guard standing with crossy-fingers at all times just in case somebody tries an invocatory takeover so it won’t count? ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14986 "2014-06-03T04:49:23Z")
Actually, no. The Allahmic laws of the Universe are such that the basmala is more-or-less ‘finders, keepers, losers, weepers’ in terms of finality. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14987 "2014-06-03T04:55:55Z")
Oh well. Silver lining department: since the President and his family are Muslims too, we won’t have to shell out to relocate them from the now Islam-contaminated White House! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![nani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58956e/32.png) [@nani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nani)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14988 "2014-06-03T05:06:30Z")
I’m afraid it is already too late. Once CAIR certifies that the building is free of geckos, it will be turned into a Victory Mosque. And then, oh, and then we will all have wished we had listened to Allan West and _Carrie_d the whole place every time a Muslim visited. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14989 "2014-06-03T05:19:43Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Oh well. Silver lining department: since the President and his family are Muslims too, we won’t have to shell out to relocate them from the now Islam-contaminated White House! 🙂 Heck, half your neighbors are probably already Muslim and you didn’t even notice, preoccupied as you were with watching the hippies and libertarians go at each other. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14990 "2014-06-03T06:22:44Z")
Hippies don’t hate libertarians, hippies hate clowns, clowns hate mimes, and _mimes_ hate libertarians. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14991 "2014-06-03T06:39:03Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > clowns hate mimes [Cite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5srwCNx2Ti0&feature=kp) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14992 "2014-06-03T06:53:06Z")
I don’t even have to click that link; I know exactly what it leads to! Shakes the Clown totally fucking rocks! ETA: I knew it! ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14993 "2014-06-03T10:39:57Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Allan West is apoplectic because Bowe Bergdahl’s father [spoke a few words of Arabic at the White House press event](http://allenbwest.com/2014/06/bombshell-first-words-bergdahls-father-white-house-arabic/)about the release of his son. West is sure "by uttering these words on the grounds of the WH, Bergdahl (the father) sanctified the WH and claimed it for Islam. " It was explained that it was the bismilla, but he will not let it go (let it go!) will not let it go (let it go!)… ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14994 "2014-06-03T11:04:14Z")
> [@Double\_Foolscap](#): > > It was explained that it was the bismilla, but he will not let it go (let it go!) will not let it go (let it go!)… He should just turn away and slam the door now that the WH is hopelessly contaminated. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14995 "2014-06-03T12:58:10Z")
> [@Double\_Foolscap](#): > > It was explained that it was the bismilla, but he will not let it go (let it go!) will not let it go (let it go!)… Oh mama mia! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14996 "2014-06-03T13:39:23Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Allan West is apoplectic because Bowe Bergdahl’s father [spoke a few words of Arabic at the White House press event](http://allenbwest.com/2014/06/bombshell-first-words-bergdahls-father-white-house-arabic/)about the release of his son. West is sure "by uttering these words on the grounds of the WH, Bergdahl (the father) sanctified the WH and claimed it for Islam. " It’s actually amazing when you realize how many levels of stupid this is. 1. It’s just the bismillah as already pointed out 2. Even if it wasn’t, it’s the White House, not goddamn Hogwarts. Magic spells don’t actually work. 3. What were they supposed to, have Secret Service agents trained to recognize magic invocations and tackle the guy before he gets to the final abra-cadabra? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14997 "2014-06-03T13:55:11Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > It’s actually amazing when you realize how many levels of stupid this is. > > 1. What were they supposed to, have Secret Service agents trained to recognize magic invocations and tackle the guy before he gets to the final abra-cadabra? Don’t be silly. They whip out their wands and perform a counter-curse. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14998 "2014-06-03T13:59:12Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Don’t be silly. > > They whip out their wands and perform a counter-curse. No, it’s the Secret Service. There was this scandal with call girls a few years ago . . . Look, let’s just say they’re no longer allowed to whip out their wands, OK?! :o ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/14999 "2014-06-03T14:53:41Z")
> [@Double\_Foolscap](#): > > It was explained that it was the bismilla, but he will not let it go (let it go!) will not let it go (let it go!)… I have a five year old, so don’t. Just don’t. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897/15000 "2014-06-03T15:10:38Z")
[Teabilly home schooling “expert” Marjorie Holstein](http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/education/home-schooling/homeschooling-expert-claims-sex-ed-will-ruin-marriages-help?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+opposingviews%2Fmain+(Opposing+Views+-+Issues%2C+Experts%2C+Answers)) says sex education leads to broken marriage and voting Democratic. But it gets better: > [@](#): > > “If the teacher doesn’t teach that Obama’s the messiah, the children aren’t going to answer that question as desired by the Common Core grading system and so the teacher might not be able to retain her grade,” stated Holsten. “So really we need an uprising.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=749) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day/490897.md?page=751)