Evidently, even a few folks with functioning brains believe this.
Yesterday, I was shocked and awed when someone I do business with admitted that she thinks Obama might be a Muslim.
I can’t make this stuff up.
This person, who occasionally reads this blog, might be offended by my “How Stupid Are We?” post, where I pretty much said that anyone who believes lies like this is stupid. I hate to offend people I like, so I’m writing this post. I don’t think she’s stupid. I think she’s just fallen into the Web of lies and innuendo woven by the conservatives who want to keep Republicans — even if it means John McCain — in power.
So I’ll say something here that I never thought I’d have to say. (Frankly, I thought my readers were smart and well-informed enough for me to skip a statement of the obvious.)
The whole “Obama is a Muslim” rumor can be traced back to Andy Martin. You can read all about it in — dare I suggest it? — the New York Times: “The Man Behind the Whispers About Obama.” Here’s an excerpt:
An examination of legal documents and election filings, along with interviews with his acquaintances, revealed Mr. Martin, 62, to be a man with a history of scintillating if not always factual claims. He has left a trail of animosity — some of it provoked by anti-Jewish comments — among political leaders, lawyers and judges in three states over more than 30 years.
Is this the kind of guy you want to believe?
Of course, he appeared on FoxNews, which “…allowed Mr. Martin to assert falsely and without challenge that Mr. Obama had once trained to overthrow the government. ” I guess if it’s on FoxNews, it must be gospel (pun intended).
Anyway, all this upsets me to the extreme. I don’t mind people voting for the candidate I don’t support. But I do mind them making their decision based on vicious lies and innuendo — especially those made by a man with a history of lying and accepted by a news organization with a track record of bias.
I want people to know the truth and make decisions based on that.
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I think you bring up a bigger point: how do we weed out fact vs. fiction on the tubes? Just because someone says one thing is true, doesn’t mean it is, and just because someone says it’s false, doesn’t mean it is, either. Several things upset me about this entire fiasco:
First, simply stating the fact to be true should not work. I don’t need convincing, but if I did, I’d want more proof than “Obama is Muslim, because I know he’s a Muslim”. I want to see more places bring up the Rev. Wright frenzy a few months ago, because if he was Muslim, he wouldn’t be caught in a church, listening to Rev. Wright. I don’t think people should both be offended by Rev. Wright’s comments, and afraid that he’s Muslim.
Times like these, I actually miss those [citation needed] tags on Wikipedia that were aggressively added by a frustrated editor. Eek!
Second, I stand by what I had previously implied: I don’t care whether or not Obama is a Muslim, because it’s his choice and freedom. What I do dislike is the stigma that somehow if he was Muslim, he’d definitely do bad things to this country.
Third, so many people in the “national media” aren’t calling it out like it is: lies. Dirty, dirty lies. They should follow what the blogs do, and just call it out. I guess “lie” is a forbidden word, so I just stop listening to them.
Finally, probably indirectly related to the fiasco, a couple of my friends are simply not voting, citing that no candidate makes them completely happy (“that Muslim vs that old guy”). Facts aside, in my point of view, no one person will have the exact same positions as you do, and there is no point on waiting until one comes. It doesn’t mean you should settle and be done with it, but if you don’t vote, then you have little basis to complain later on.
In the end, I know who I’m voting for, and why that candidate is getting my vote.
Alas, Maria, this is the typical behavior of a certain kind of politics: if you lie enough, for a long time, repeating the lie time and time again, that lie will be embeded (in the weaker souls?! in less informed people?!) as truth. And, yes, it’s plain clear that Obama is not a muslim (eck, even Republicans say it when no-one is paying attention; very hush-hush!).
On this matter, what I find most appaling is the way ALL the muslims are taken as terrorists and enemies of USA. Even when trying to do better — like McCain did, when he denied Obama was muslim, by saying he was a good family man — it’s implied that a muslim can NOT ever (but ever) be a good family man.
I think that most americans don’t have a clue how this is damaging to a healthy society. And let me tell you about the reverse (i.e., Americans being the hated ones): my partner is American and, imagine what, we spend much of our time explaining that US is not all the same. (We live in Europe, as you know.) Not all Americans are like Bush. Not all disregard the rights of prisoners and freedom of speech. Alas, this is the image that US has all over the world, not only Europe or Portugal. I’ve seen English, Spanish, Italians, Irish, Brazilians, Australians, French, Dutch and Germans saying it.
If someone can change that image, for the better, is Obama. We are seeing it already. Seldom times did an American election raised such interest in Europe as this one… People are divided in between (a) it doesn’t matter who wins because Americans are all the same (see paragraph above) and (b) people that believe Obama can change the face of US for the better, thus also making a better world. Alas, many of these latter (like me) still have doubts Obama will win. Why? Because we know that many Americans live in a bubble of white, dominating americanism. In a way, we maintain a certain skepticism because we are so afraid that during the next 2 weeks something will happen; or that there will be biased decisions on the election, putting the wrong person in power again. (Have you seen the movie «Recount»? My partner and some of my American friend refuse to see it; they cannot stand reliving it again, even if only in the movies.)
On my part I shall say this (like I said so many times): US has the best and the worst. It’s a divided country; many nations inside one country. This election will either restore US faith on itself, reuniting it, or condemn it to diverge further apart.
In any case, I have faith in human spirit. American or otherwise. If your business colleage is reading this… I hope she can get better informed. She can know the truth if she seeks it. And if she doesn’t vote for Obama, let it be for informed reasons (like not liking his economic plans, or his foreign policy), let it not be because of a lie.
MariaJ said: “On this matter, what I find most appalling is the way ALL the muslims are taken as terrorists and enemies of USA. Even when trying to do better — like McCain did, when he denied Obama was muslim, by saying he was a good family man — it’s implied that a muslim can NOT ever (but ever) be a good family man.”
THIS is the topic for a whole new post. It sickens me that there’s a complete LACK of religious tolerance in this country — a country that was settled by “the white man” as a place for religious freedom!
The Daily Show even mocked this. Here’s the link: http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=188474&title=An-Arab-Family-Man
Religion: For the last time: NO, Obama is NOT a Muslim: It’s not often that I bookmark.. http://tinyurl.com/6hgmtr
An apostate perhaps, but I don’t believe for one second that he is muslim.
However, in the circumstances, a most unfortunate choice of middle name.
steve at the pub’s last blog post: What a Cute Little Doggy Woggy!
On the name issue: how about this bloke, General Omar Nelson Bradley? A surefire Muslim if ever there were one. Read all about him here, http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/omarnels.htm
Really, to make any comment at all about a name as ordinary as Hussein popping up in America seems absolutely mad from the view point of England where American names are so often characterised by sounding most peculiar – “Randy” anyone?
Now if Obama had a middle name like Mahatma that would clearly signal real problems; world peace might break out at any moment. Far better to vote for someone with a ‘normal’ name and a white skin who will carry on giving everyone exactly the same deal we’ve already had. Global recession, looming mass unemployment and unwinnable foreign wars.
Prospero, you are placing your “savvy” credentials at severe risk.
Omar is a French christian name. Half the farmers in northern Alberta are named Omar (or so it seems).
Randy is a shortform of Randolph. I’ll agree thought that USA has some really odd sounding names, including boys branded with girl’s names & vice versa.
However, contrary to your assertation, Hussein is NOT a generic name that “anybody” could have. The number of men worldwide branded “Hussein” who are not muslim could be counted on one hand.
Hence the speculation about Mr. Obama’s past.
Steve at the Pub’s last blog post: Home Sweet Home