The sad truth is that for too many people, it comes down to "Obama sounds like Osama." It's sad, and it's ridiculous, but it's true.
Thanks for helping to get the truth out. I'm amazed at the number/type of people who have fallen prey to this deception (not, as you say, that it would matter even if true).
Maybe he's not Muslim, but I've heard a rumor that he's black!
I don't think it would matter much in the election if he were Muslim. I think Americans by and large now more than ever focus first on the qualities of the individual--sometimes to the detriment of making good judgments informed by policies, but at least getting away from stereotypical racial or religious or regional bigotry.
And yet I don't think the little lady is wrong to consider Obama's religion. If someone is Muslim--or Mormon or Evangelical or whatever--and they are running for office, you have to ask yourself how their background will shape their actions and how that might affect you and other citizens, both in the context of your belief-system (or non-belief) and policy, if they are elected. And put that up against whether they are a sincere, fair-minded, and capable individual. And study policy. That to me makes up a fully rounded, informed decision.
(It does strike me as ironic to hear so much talk of females voting for Hillary just because she is a woman or youth voting for Obama just because he is black. I suppose good reasons and bad reasons will balance out and hopefully, the best candidate will prevail...)
I don't think it would matter much in the election if he were Muslim.
I have to disagree. I'm sure you've seen the Gallop poll (scroll down) showing that the majority of the country would would not vote for a well-qualified atheist for president. The question isn't asked of a Muslim, so there are no numbers, but I'd suspect a Muslim to fair at least as bad as an atheist possibly worse (of course that is conjecture on my part). What the poll DOES show us for sure is that religious bigotry isn't dead in America and it IS affecting people voting decisions. It's the main reason I have long said that Mitt Romney CANNOT win the presidency (not that I'm complaining about that). He's focused his campaign on courting the Evangelical Christian, but the reality is that is the very group least likely to vote for a non-Christian.
argh, forgot to close mt link...
That is a very interesting question you raise, whether Americans would be less supportive of an aetheist than a Muslim. But is it religious bigotry if one discriminates against aetheists?
I don't know. Bobby Jindahl is a Catholic, but he is Indian, and I figure if he can get elected governor of Louisiana, just about anything is possible.
The sad truth is that for too many people, it comes down to "Obama sounds like Osama."
Whatchumean "for too many people"?
It's not the commoners. It's the enablers who, when Faux's debate falls apart, insist on raising the fallen standard of horseshit and rumour without a journalistic thought in their heads.
At what point does Brian Williams get kicked to the fucking curb for this?
I think it's really sad that people would not vote for a Presidential candidate because of some dumb email.
I personally won't vote for Obama because he is too right-wing for me. But that has nothing whatsoever to do with his religion.
Oh, and here's another one that I've heard . . . this person is very worried about having to vote for Obama as the democratic nominee because after all since he's black he just might let all the blacks rule everything. UGH UGH UGH
after all since he's black he just might let all the blacks rule everything.
Well, dang. That's atrocious! I say why not let the blacks rule, us white folk have certainly made a mess of everything. They couldn't do any worse.
Sheesh. People are messed up.
I think it's really sad that people would not vote for a Presidential candidate because of some dumb email.
I think you realistically have to take into account the dumbshit vote. It has become a viable force. Sadly, the Republican party has this very important voting bloc all but sewn up.
My Hillbilly coworker forwarded an email to me, which detailed all of that nonsense. He's a Muslim, he took his congressional oath on a Koran, he won't wear an American flag pin because he hates America. The whole bit. I deleted it, so I don't know where it originally came from.
I deleted it, so I don't know where it originally came from.
I suspect Fox News.
There's a big difference between race, gender and religion. Race and gender - after all - are things you have no control over. You're born that way.
You may not have control over what religion you were born into, but you must either accept or reject it. You will have either made an active choice or decided to lazily let it wash over you.
Religion is a set of beliefs - i.e. thoughts. What could be more relevant to public office than what you believe? A set of beliefs so important that it will color every decision you make.
Will I vote for someone who doesn't believe in evolution? Not if I can help it. Equally, I'm not going to vote for someone who believes that a woman's testimony is half that of a man.
A high school biology instructor with a Doctorate told me the same thing today. When I explained that Obama was a Christian he was shocked. He just couldn't accept it.
That he is a Muslim is the law around Knoxville, especially among the far right folks.
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