"Is it no wonder that most black alumni ignored her racist questionnaire? Only 89 students responded out of 400 who were asked for input."

So, among other things, the writer of this screed is ignorant of the basic principles of random sampling and survey response. In my line of work, if I got a 22 percent response rate, I'd do a little happy dance.

When smear chain letters cite their approval in order to stop people from actually going to Snopes and finding out the truth.

It reminds me of the fake "Virus Warning" emails that went around a few years ago -- after a while they all started to include bogus references to McAfee or Microsoft or some other antivirus company.

Fortunately, on the Internet, Snopes is only a click away. Unfortunately, these emails seem to be circulating among people who are only slightly more skillful than John McCain with the Google.

Only very ignorant,stupid,racist voters believe this stuff, and they will not vote for Obama anyway. Most of this is racism.

I am sick to death of these right wing political Christians. Their views do not represent the majority of Christians.

I never heard of putting your and over your heart during the national Anthem. It's something new to me. Since this came up I noitce every one is doing it. I learned to put my hand on my heart when we said the Pledge of Allegiance. When I first learned the pledge in 1951 there was no "under god" in the pledge either.

It was... "one nation, indivisible"...

GET GOD OUT OF POLITICS!!!

You see, this is how nasty stuff is spread. Some evil morons crap and distribute this stuff and then "Legitimate" media broadcasts and magnifies it for free.

It doesn't matter if you pretend to critique it, you have put it out there and planted it in peoples minds. The emotional impact is far more significant than rationalizations or comments AND YOU KNOW THIS.

You are not stupid.

These are sales techniques.

You are planting memes and lies.

Crass propaganda like one would expect from American Media, Inc.

Thanks pal!

Americans are stupid because they are religious and believe almost anything without proof therefore Americans are stupid because they are religious and believe almost anything without proof therefore Americans are stupid because they are religious and believe almost anything without proof therefore Americans are stupid because they are religious and believe almost anything without proof therefore Americans are stupid because they are religious and believe almost anything without proof therefore Americans are stupid because they are religious and believe almost anything without proof therefore...

The story referred to a "Universal Church of Christ". The correct term is "UNITED Church of Christ".

"There are some fundamentalist Christians who have decided that Allah is actually a pagan moon god who was worshiped on the Arabian peninsula before the rise of Islam."

This line cannot be factually accurate. Anyone who would make that make claim is clearly NOT interpreting the Bible literally. Muslims, Jews and Christians all share the same religious beginnings according to the Bible, so anyone claiming otherwise is not a true fundamentalist.

I said in the summer of 2000 that George W. Bush would be the worst thing that could possibly happen to Christianity and he has not let me down. George Bush has turned more people off to God than anything since perhaps the Inquisition. "Fundamentalism" is now a dirty word to most of the country.

But it doesn't have to be so. Much of what is called "fundamentalism" is no more a true reflection of the Bible than the teachings of Osama bin Laden are of the Koran. One can believe that the Bible is the literal Word of God, passed down through men and reject the hatred of the religious right. The Bible is not incompatible with science or liberalism.

There are far too many "preachers" who are nothing but GOP operatives pushing their political views from the pulpit, selectively quoting (or misquoting) the few passages in the Bible that reinforce their politcal views. This liberal fundamentalist firmly believes that a lot of the so-called "fundamentalist preachers" are going to be rather hot in the afterlife.

I was in an absolute snit when I heard Franklin Graham give his invocation at Bush's inauguration. His opening statement was to some god who was "sovereign" over all of this nation. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and virtually all of the surviving debate that went on during the Constitutional Convention and its subsequent debates during ratification all clearly demonstrate that the revolutionary concept of this nascent republic was that it derives its sovereignty not from God - as manifest in the devine right of kings - but from its people.

By the argument put forth in this e-mail regarding Muslims, American Christians who believe America derives its sovereignty from God rather than its people do not good Americans make. Heh.

...when people decided that simply pointing out the existence of racism in the US was itself a racist act?

Sorry, I'm not good on spelling words related to spooky beliefs.

Honestly emails like this just haven't gotten old and boring. My reaction is always strong; I laugh but wonder if I should cry. I suppose this is the downside of the modern, rapid communications. Thanks for the rebuttal. Maybe readers on Salon should forward this to those that send these emails. I recommend adding "In Christ" as your valediction, to ensure it's read.

One minor objection to the article: you call the idea that Muslims cannot be good Americans "racist", but I think that is incorrect. As Muslims are not a race, but a religion (of course you know that already), it is more accurate to call that idea bigoted, or religiously intolerant. I hear myself and others use the term racist when they mean bigoted, and it's a bad habit. I think if we label all hate as racist, it removes the power of labeling something racist. Just a thought.

Or reguritating?

To: Oprah Winfrey

From:David Edenden

Dear Oprah,

Like many men in your life, Obama will disappoint you ... because you see ... he is not really promising a "new kind of politics", but he is a "business as usual" ... "pay to play" ... "pandering politician".

Obama has supported the Greek oppressor, in the Macedonia - Greek "name" dispute over the the right of ethnic Macedonians to determine their own ethnic identity. He has pandered to the Greek lobby for the purpose of gaining votes and donations at the expense of human rights.

The Trials of Father Tsarknias

The Greek position is that ethnic Macedonians have no culture , history,and language (a bunch of "n -words" you see).

Macedonian "Abecedar" re-published in Greece after 81 years (1925)

They demand that ethnic Macedonians change the name of their Republic of Macedonia, their Macedonian language, their Macedonia Orthodox Church. Finally, they are demanding that the Macedonian government change Macedonian history.

The Greek government has denied their ethnic Macedonian minority the right to schooling in their own language , radio and TV programs and even the right to sing songs in the Macedonian language at weddings. Finally, they deny importation of Macedonian language text books.

Obama has enthusiastically adopted the Greek position as his own ... because Greek voters outnumber Macedonian voters 10 to 1 (on the advice of the saintly Samantha Power).

Oprah, hear the Macedonian cry!

Oprah, be on the side of the angels. At least do a show on the plight of the Macedonians in Greece as part of your reparations for supporting Obama for president.

Many groups have worked for human rights for Macedonians in Greece including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, The US State Department on Human Rights , and the European Free Alliance political party, with the "Rainbow Party" as its Macedonian affiliate in Greece.

Invite these people and then invite Obama as a "surprise guest" so he can kneel down and apologize for supporting Greek racism against the helpless ethnic Macedonian minority in Greece.

Oprah, this is not going to make you happy, but below are some more links about Obama and Macedonians. Barack Obama and "The Banality of Evil"

I'm Not in Love With Obama

Robert Redford: Listen Up!

Obama Ignores Macedonian Cry, Accepts Greek Gifts

Will the Macedonian-Greek Dust-Up Sink Barack Obama

Samantha Powers, Obama's Advisor

More on Samantha Power

Samantha Power - One More Ti