Faith

Obama’s Brother Finds His Keeper

Sep. 11, 2012 12:37pm

- Executive Director, The Center for Vision & Values

Dr. Paul Kengor is professor of political science at Grove City College, executive director of The Center for Vision & Values, and author of the book, “The Communist: Frank Marshall Davis, The Untold Story of Barack Obama’s Mentor.” His other books include "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism" and "Dupes: How America’s Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century."

President Obama’s Democratic convention speech last week was noticeably God-centered, with blatant references to God, to the “Creator,” to “Providence,” to “churches and charities,” a beautiful Lincoln quote on prayer, and even, alas, anchoring his call for “hope” in a verse from Scripture. “Providence is with us!” shouted Obama in a soaring crescendo, as the delegates jumped up and down in a rapturous joy. “We are surely blessed to be citizens of the greatest nation on Earth! God bless you! And may God bless these United States!”

I have no doubt that Obama’s overture was a carefully crafted response to the very revealing move by the Democratic delegates to exclude God from their party platform—a PR disaster for the president.

That said, in truth, Obama has not been shy about invoking his faith throughout his presidency—and, naturally, with no protest from secular liberals who went wild every time George W. Bush mentioned God. Obama has invoked his faith in support of everything from his healthcare initiative to his advocacy of gay marriage.

And yet, no other aspect of Obama’s faith has struck me quite like his repeated use of the phrase “my brother’s keeper,” the signature line for his public expressions of faith. I know of no other phrase that Obama employs more in talking about his faith and about our faith. For that matter, I know of no other president who has so often used the phrase. My colleague, Dr. Gary Smith, author of the authoritative Faith and the Presidency: from George Washington to George W. Bush (Oxford University Press), reports that the phrase has been used 81 times by presidents since Teddy Roosevelt, with 57 by Obama alone.

“I am my brother’s keeper,” said President Obama in Atlanta in March. “Each of us is only here because somebody somewhere was looking out for us. It started in the family, but it wasn’t just the immediate family…. Our story has never been about what we can do alone. It’s what we do together.”

For Obama, this is an exhortation to help one another, from our literal brothers to our brothers in the wider community and world. The Presidential Papers reveal 17 instances of Obama using the phrase over the last 12 months, 11 of them at fundraisers.

That said, the “brother’s keeper” passage is an odd choice. It comes from the Old Testament remark of Cain after he murdered his brother Abel. God asks Cain where his brother is. Cain replies, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

It is a bad moment, filled with disturbing implications about the nature of man, man’s relationship to man, man’s relationship to God, and more. Given the roots of the phrase—the first murder, of a sibling no less—I find it a strange formulation for making the case of helping our brother, or our neighbor, or the needy. I see a phrase like “love thy neighbor,” a favorite of George W. Bush, as far more preferable, and certainly derived from an infinitely better source.

But even stranger is a situation that has developed between Obama’s literal (half) brother, George Obama, and conservative author Dinesh D’Souza. George is interviewed in D’Souza’s film “2016: Obama’s America,” written and directed by John Sullivan and produced by Gerald Molen of “Schindler’s List” fame. (For the record, I make a brief appearance in the film, speaking about Frank Marshall Davis, a mentor to young Obama in Hawaii.)

As D’Souza’s film shows graphically, George Obama lives in a shanty house in Nairobi, Kenya, surviving on a few meager dollars a month. A couple hundred extra dollars per year would be a relative fortune to George.

George apparently took a liking to D’Souza. Remarkably, he recently phoned D’Souza from Kenya. It was an emergency situation. Obama’s brother needed some healthcare. He explained to D’Souza that his young son was at the hospital, ailing from a “chest condition.” He needed a quick $1,000 for the medical bills.

“Since George was at the hospital I asked him to let me speak to a nurse,” says D’Souza, “and she confirmed that George’s son was indeed ill.” D’Souza immediately sent the money via Western Union.

But here’s the kicker, which cuts to the heart of that “brother’s keeper” thing. As D’Souza states, “Before I hung up, I asked George, ‘Why are you coming to me?’ He said, ‘I have no one else to ask.’ Then he said something that astounded me, ‘Dinesh, you are like a brother to me.’”

That’s touching. In fact, however, D’Souza is not a brother to George Obama. Barack Obama is. And Obama surely makes more money as president of the United States than D’Souza makes as president of King’s College. Obama is a multimillionaire, one of those “wealthy millionaires” he talks about all the time.

Why didn’t George go to his real brother for support? Better, why doesn’t Obama go to him?

Sure, Obama is obviously incredibly busy. But George is family. Other presidents have had brothers, half brothers, estranged brothers—and downright bizarre brothers. Recently, there was Bill Clinton’s troubled brother, Roger. There was Billy Carter, Jimmy’s brother. And these presidents were their brother’s keepers, no matter how problematic. These brothers did things to embarrass their presidential brothers. Jimmy’s brother was on the front of everything from the New York Times to beer cans. Nonetheless, Jimmy, the Georgian Baptist, was his brother’s keeper. And neither of these two presidents flagrantly employed the phrase “my brother’s keeper” as the crux of a constant faith-based message.

Who’s President Obama’s brother’s keeper? Right now, it’s Dinesh D’Souza—not Barack Obama. And that’s why, for many of us, the president’s talk about God, charity, prayer, Scripture, and, above all, being his brother’s keeper, falls a bit flat.

Paul Kengor’s books include “God and Ronald Reagan”, “God and George W. Bush,” and “God and Hillary Clinton.” His latest is “The Communist: Frank Marshall Davis, the Untold Story of Barack Obama’s Mentor.”

Comments (35)

  • gigalynx
    Sep. 12, 2012 at 1:59pm

    @ Dora,
    Hurry up and drink more koolaid please, Jonestown fool!

    Report this comment

    gigalynx  
  • Do The Right Thing
    Sep. 12, 2012 at 12:52pm

    Who really believes George really is baracks brother? Perhaps barack is simply using him as another tool in the smoke and mirror game, so long as he doesn’t cost him anything. Back in the eighties, I used to fly in and out of Nairobi quite frequently, seemed to me that the women there that I met had the same interpersonal interests that Stanley Ann did.

    Report this comment

    Do The Right Thing  
  • DOra Glasberg
    Sep. 12, 2012 at 10:17am

    You can only get things – if you ask.
    George never asked.
    What’s your point – but conjecture.
    Besides, George is an author with a book CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
    Buy it.

    Report this comment

    DOra Glasberg  
  • Chi-Fawn
    Sep. 12, 2012 at 9:08am

    It’s hoped George Obama doesn’t start thinking that Mr. D’Souza is a bank. Awfully odd that there is a book out with a picture of George Obama with the caption reading that George wrote a book. But yet we find out he lives in a hut and asks a stranger for money. Very weird!

    Report this comment

    Chi-Fawn  
    • G-WHIZ
      Sep. 12, 2012 at 12:56pm

      Try to find out [where] all the book-money is goeing…and who really wrote the book and for who’s actual finacial gain (obviously not George’s)… .

      Report this comment

      G-WHIZ  
  • sbenard
    Sep. 12, 2012 at 2:47am

    Barack Obama says he’s a Christian, but he’s no follower of Christ!

    Report this comment

    sbenard  
    • DOra Glasberg
      Sep. 12, 2012 at 10:19am

      And, more importanyly, had no idea his long lost 1/2 brother needed help.
      Is there something wrong with you people? Really.

      Report this comment

      DOra Glasberg  
    • DOra Glasberg
      Sep. 12, 2012 at 10:22am

      These are not the Carters.
      These half brothers live on 2 different continents and have no contact.
      Kengor sounds is just another right wing con artist preaching to the choir.

      Report this comment

      DOra Glasberg  
    • LadyMZih
      Sep. 12, 2012 at 10:55am

      This is for Dora.

      I find it very bad that anyone has a brother whether it be 2 miles or two continents away and knows nothing that is going on in their life. Suspect at best. If that is how we all treated family it would be a pretty sad world.

      Report this comment

      LadyMZih  
    • izzy1127
      Sep. 12, 2012 at 12:57pm

      Keep you head in the sand Dora. We really don’t need you. But someday, chances are you will need us. And most of us who speak in a positive manner are truly our brothers keepers. Also, thank you for providing the info on how much George made for writing that book. Really cleared things up and made your story credible. NOT… Sounds like you need another shot of the “Obama Kool-Aid.” Want to see what a true “Brothers Keeper” looks like? The stories are coming soon.

      Report this comment

      izzy1127  
    • kenboo1
      Sep. 12, 2012 at 7:07pm

      Dora – If you view the movie you will understand why President Obama doesn’t help his brother… George is a conservative… Yes there are poor conservatives. People that believe that nobody owes them a single thing. That is up to each one of us to make it on our own… The problem with George is he lives in Kenya where there is little economic opportunity.

      President Obama doesn’t really get along with conservatives, and it appears that neither do you… I think November and December are going to be very difficult times for you and President Obama…

      Report this comment

      kenboo1  
  • sbenard
    Sep. 12, 2012 at 2:46am

    D’Souza says in the move “2016″ that perhaps Obama doesn’t help his brother because George doesn’t hold the same anti-colonialist worldview that Barack Obama has. George believes in American capitalism. Barack doesn’t!

    Report this comment

    sbenard  
  • AnAmerican111
    Sep. 12, 2012 at 12:22am

    OBAMA is a LIAR!
    Born a LIAR, is a LIAR, and always will be a LIAR!
    What an embarrassment to have him as a President!

    Wow! Just shows how many stupid people exist in the Country that vote for this CLOWN!

    Report this comment

    AnAmerican111  
  • dodgedart1966
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 8:05pm

    If George lived here he would have a subsidised apartment and an EBT card like Aunt Zituni Obama in Boston. When Obama says “I am my brothers keeper”, he means “The taxpayers are my aunts keepers, and if my brother lived here they would be his keeper too”

    Report this comment

    dodgedart1966  
    • ron2win
      Sep. 11, 2012 at 9:45pm

      Evidently aunt Zituni knows nothing ,where is his half brother george must know everything .That is why obama is letting him rot in a piece of crap hut .Brothers keeper my arse !

      Report this comment

      ron2win  
    • mharry860
      Sep. 12, 2012 at 12:09am

      DODGEDART1966, I seriously doubt he would. He’s actually a very outgoing and energetic individual. If he couldn’t find a job, someone would find one for him. You should watch the interviews.

      Report this comment

      mharry860  
  • MAX0O1
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 8:04pm

    LOOK THIS NARCISSISTIC BAS***D is no ones brothers keeper. AND IF Mrs OBAS***D
    should actually really actually TRUELY GET RELIGION HE would throw her under
    the bus.OF COURSE Visversa!!

    Report this comment

    MAX0O1  
    • db321
      Sep. 11, 2012 at 10:24pm

      Max- if what you are saying is true, it would mean that all Welfare, Food Stamps and Birth Control people are in for a big surprise in Obama’s second term.

      Report this comment

      db321  
  • SandyfromChesterfield
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 7:30pm

    When obama talks about his brother’s keeper he is talking about “collective salvation.”

    Report this comment

    SandyfromChesterfield  
  • Solexander
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 6:48pm

    I’m reminded of a line from an Epistle–something like: “If anyone does not provide for his family…he has disowned the faith & is worse than an unbeliever.

    Report this comment

    Solexander  
  • bankerpapaw
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 6:08pm

    Obama doesn’t give a flying flip about his brother living in a hut in Africa and he certainly doesn’t care
    about America or Americans. Obama’s Christian faith. Don’t make me laugh. I’d love to be able to
    talk to a Secret Service agent at the White House and ask him how often Obama goes upstairs to pray
    to his false god, Allah.

    Report this comment

    bankerpapaw  
  • bdandsl
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 6:00pm

    Yea, obama has the words down but hasn’t learned actions have to follow.

    Words may show a man’s wit but, actions his meaning. B. Franklin

    Report this comment

    bdandsl  
  • BasketFullOfPuppies
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 5:18pm

    I really hate that the GOP people brought up the fact that the DNC left God out of their platform. Why didn’t they just let it lie, until after the convention? Then, people would’ve seen who they really are, and they wouldn’t have had a chance to spin it off as “just an accident”.

    Report this comment

    BasketFullOfPuppies  
  • MrKnowItAll
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 3:51pm

    How long do we have to put up with the Beardo-Weirdo Ads?

    Report this comment

    MrKnowItAll  
    • Mil Mom
      Sep. 11, 2012 at 5:06pm

      @MrKnowItAll
      Posted on September 11, 2012 at 3:51pm

      How long do we have to put up with the Beardo-Weirdo Ads?
      ***
      I’m told the ad agency buys the space, then through their target audience studies, and cookies on you computer, the ads are targeted for each individual person? Somebody must think you love them. Maybe Google’s mapping thing got crossed between your computer and somebody Else’s. Try deleting cookies in your browser and see if that helps any.

      Report this comment

      Mil Mom  
  • ksmike
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 3:45pm

    By their fruits ye shall know them. Obama is his brothers’ keeper–he wants to keep all his “brothers” on the government reservation, pay them pittance to stay there and keep their blind votes.

    Report this comment

    ksmike  
  • bhilton2665
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 3:44pm

    Make no mistake about, this man is not a believer! As a Christian you can discern those her are and those who simply claim to be. It is by their actions that they reveal themselves. Christianity at it’s core is about love. God does not hate “****”. Anyone who claims that he does is a fool. Saying that, we do not have to accept other peoples actions, but we can respect their beliefs and love them just the same. So to promote gay marriage and abortion as Obama does reveals his true self. He is a man out for his own gain and who will say whatever it takes to get elected. In the end it is those who voted for him that are the true fools.

    Report this comment

    bhilton2665  
  • grams09
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 3:42pm

    He’s not his brother’s keeper because it’s not on the tax payer’s dime.

    Report this comment

    grams09  
  • HollyRye
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 3:10pm

    I remain confused how people will discard clear action such as this in favor of empty words. A friend of mine was at the Gators Dockside Restaurant in Dr. Phillips (Orlando) last Saturday when the president happened in.. She proudly posted a photo of herself with him on facebook along with this comment: “Last night, I asked the President (ZOMG) about his position on Israel, since the DNC seemed to be sending mixed messages. He was unequivocal in his support and cited the recognition of his administration by Ehud Barak, Israeli Defense Minister: http://politi.co/MuN1hQ“. This friend is a research librarian by trade, yet she chooses to disregard his actions in favor of his words. Again, I am mystified.

    Report this comment

    HollyRye  
  • evilhatemonger
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 3:03pm

    You can tell a lot about a person by watching how they treat people who can do nothing for them.
    The part I find interesting is that BHO hasn’t managed to throw enough money/resources to his brother to make him vanish off of the radar, at least until the election is over. Seems like a am odd omission for these people. I can only assume that there is serious baggage there.

    Report this comment

    evilhatemonger  
  • 13Lena
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 2:49pm

    I’ll bet you his brother has Obama’s real birth certificate or knows about it.

    Report this comment

    13Lena  
  • Angel_light
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 2:31pm

    this goes to show people what kind of person Barack is and what kind of person Dinesh is.

    Report this comment

    Angel_light  
  • betsyyoung
    Sep. 11, 2012 at 2:26pm

    You are spot on Dr. Kengor! But then……narcissist Obama only cares for himself!! That is blatantly obvious!

    Report this comment

    betsyyoung  

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