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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Internet rumors - chain-letter emails, whatever - are the modern equivalent of a whispering campaign. It's insidious, slippery and wonderfully deniable, since it's hard to prove that it even exists, let alone that it's organized and intentional. How handy for anyone with a dirty-tricks agenda...
"And then they hear what I call an urban legend, and they just sort of take that in as fact."
As a nation, this statement should challenge us to develop the critical thinking skills of ourselves and our children.
This is in response to "Winston," though I'm sure it applies to others also.
Back in the early 90s I had the opportunity to visit several places in Indonesia, and throughout Southeast Asia. The tour included stops at Indonesian "Islamic schools."
Although the majority of Indonesians are Muslims, most leaders since Indonesian independence have been secularists. This was obvious at the schools. The girls did not cover their heads or wear long dresses. The boys, as well as the girls, wore the country's public school uniform. And they greeted visitors with a marching band. Traditional Islamic schools do not have marching bands.
Why waste your time on stupid innuendo. If Obama is or was a Muslim and ended up denying his faith by joining a Christian Church, there would have been a death sentence from some some crazy mulla long ago.
Ignorance is when you play with yourself. Stupidity is when you enjoy it.
The only way to counter these ridiculous rumors is to address them patiently and with facts. Last week my secretary (a strong Hillary supporter) told me that she was relunctant to vote for Obama because he was a Muslim. I said that he was not and we engaged in a wide-ranging, civil, and informative conversation about his life, all the issues in the campaign, and the rumors. My secretary is vehemently against McCain, especially his anti-choice and pro-war stands, and so our conversation quickly turned toward our shared antipathy to the GOP candidate.
I then mentioned the role played by Obama's mother in his life and that truly struck a positive chord with my assistant who is also raising a son as a divorced mother. Together we searched online for a Time magazine article on his mother and were quite moved by the biographical details and the insight we gained into Obama's humane thinking and moral compass.
I know that this is only one voter newly convinced; but I think that ultimately this is the way we will have to combat the GOP slime-machine: hand-to-hand combat from now until November.
I know of several other rumors you could help spread if you put your mind to it, Madden. I won't dignify them by repeating them here. You'll have to dig them up without my help. I would prefer it if you would just put a sock in it about the rumors and find something substantive to write about. That's probably asking too much of you, though.
Is absolutely the right idea, but I don't recommend combat, although it doesn't sound like blacktop engaged in it.
Find common ground, talk about the facts and don't get angry, get educated.
Well, Mr. Obama has a name that sounds Muslim, and he has many relatives that are Muslim, and he was once a muslin, and the internet protrays him as a Muslin, so it's going to be hard to shake the tag. May be he should change his name to John Smith.
I wouldn't be surprised to learn that those who believe Obama is a Muslim are the same guys who blame him for attending the wrong church every Sunday morning.
This head line is sensational and adding to the misconception that Mr.Obama is Muslim-- not that there is anything wrong with that!
Reading about the muslim religion, hearing about it, knowing it, experiencing it and being a muslim gives different answers of who is a muslim. The muslim religion is connected with traditions. They have sets of customs and beliefs that will never change regardless of who you are, where you are etc. Obama was raised, and his father came from a muslim and traditional culture that believes a man's religion is his father'sreligion, a woman's religion is her husband's religion, an under age girl's religion is that of his father untill she is wed. Kenyan[Obama's father's land} WILL NOT accept Obama has a Christian president, for they believed he is a muslim and Obama WILL NOT deny the muslim religion and culture. Obama will say or do anything to be elected{which is understood by his family in Kenya], but deep in his heart he is a muslim. Oh yes his religion matters due to his sets of beliefs which may affects USA after he wins,&becomes MUSLIM.
I've been to Ireland; they're just as stupid as we are.
I get a couple of these emails a day.
I don't think he's the anti Christ nor a Muslim.
I don't think he's qualified for the position either. The latest E-mail is titled:"I AM confused"
Some of the questions in the message are as follows.
HE LATER WENT TO THE BEST HIGH DOLLAR SCHOOLS, HOW?
HE LIVES IN A $1.4 MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE THAT HE ACQUIRED THROUGH A DEAL WITH A WEALTHY FUND RAISER.... HOW?
HE 'WORKED' AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN CHICAGO - HAS NEVER HELD A PRODUCTIVE JOB.
THE PRESIDENCY IS NOT A CIVIL RIGHTS POST, NOR IS IT SUBJECT TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION SET ASIDES
HE ENTERED POLITICS AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THEN THE NATIONAL LEVEL, WHERE HE HAS MINIMAL EXPERIENCE
It goes on with a lot of other "reasonable" questions that need to be answered.
Elephantman
"Make it a hundred...That would be fine with me." -to a questioner who asked if he supported President Bush's vision for keeping U.S. troops in Iraq for 50 years
http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/johnmccain/a/mccainisms.htm
There is a difference between using McCain's statements against him, and outright making shit up.
But then, I suppose you are a Republican and well, to you the truth is relative isn't it?
-- Taliesan
Right?
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
