Rumors and stories about Barack Obama are running rampant on the Internet, the worlds newest repository for ignorance and general misinformation, all of course sponsored by Google Ads! Here’s a rundown of the Top !0 Barack Obama urban myths, and an analysis of why they have spread so quickly.
1. Myth: Barack Obama is a Muslim. This is false. Just for the record, Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ and has never been a Muslim. Barack Obama was raised a Christian, was married in, baptized his children and attended a Christian Church in Chicago–until the Reverend Wright controversy broke loose. Not only is Barack Obama not a Muslim (not that there’s anything wrong with that) but he was forced to renounce his Christian reverend for not being Christian enough.
So where did this urban myth begin? It is a flashood based on the fact that Obama’s middle name is Hussein. Thats right, not being content to be Stuck On Stupid, now we are deciding who to vote for e based on their middle name! According to Media Matters:
In a December 18, 2006, column headlined “Barack Hussein Obama: Once a Muslim, Always A Muslim,” right-wing pundit Debbie Schlussel argued that because Obama’s middle name is Hussein, his late, estranged father was of Muslim descent, and he has shown interest in his father’s Kenyan heritage, Obama’s “loyalties” must be called into question.
Than came the emails, those frendly little “I bet you didn’t know this” messages from your clueless friends who generally know nothing at all:
From: Clueless@friends.com
Subject: Who is Barack Obama?
Probable Democrat presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHIEST from Wichita, Kansas.
Obama’s parents met at the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia. When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia. Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school.
Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, ‘He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school.’
Obama’s political handlers are attempting to make it appear that Obama’s introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son’s education.
Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta.
Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world.
Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking Major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background.
Let us all remain alert concerning Obama’s expected presidential candidacy.
The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level – through the President of the United States, one of their own!!!!
ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office – he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Kuran (Their equevelancy to our Bible, but very different beliefs)
Please forward to everyone you know. Would you want this man leading our country?…… NOT ME!!
This nonsense has been spread by right wing radio nutjobs like Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage, and in polls over 10% believe Obama is a Muslim. Two questions: 1) Why does it matter?, and 2) Why does the story continue to spread? Answer: Fear. Because too many Americans fear Muslims in a post-tramatic-stress-disorder 9/11 world, this is an easy way of scaring them out of voting for Obama.
The meme: The Boogeyman, the Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood, the monster hiding underneath the bed.
Remember Hillary Clinton’s 3AM TV ad? It played on the same dark themes, playing the fear card without overtly calling Obama a Muslim. It would have been clever if it had worked, but the damage is done, and sometimes even lies find a way to stick around.
2. Myth: Barack Obama refuses to recite the pledge of allegiance and was sworn into the Senate with a Koran instead of the Bible. False. In fact, doesnt ? Maybe the so-called Christians spreading this rumor should re-read he part of the Bible says its a sin to bear false witness against others, because that’s exactly what they are doing to Obama when they spread this (and other) rumors.
3. Myth:cBarack Obama is an elitist. Huh? This is the funniest, and in some ways scariet, urban myth of all. A mixed-race black guy raised by a working class white single mom, who worked his way into Harvard Law and became the first black head of the Law Review and has devoted his life to public service on Chicago’s impoverished and crime-ridden, South Side, while his classmates went off to white shoe law forms and made millions, is an elitist? You mean, the guy he is running aagainst, who married a multi-millionaire elitist
4. Myth: There is a secret videotape of Michelle Obama in which she uses the term”whitey” and it’s going to be released any day now. This rumor has floated on the net for months. If it were out there it would be on YouTube. We’re waiting, but not holding our breath.
5. Myth: Barack Obama has flip-flopped on the issue of drilling for oil in coastal regions. False. Obama has said he will consider a comprehensive energy policy that includes more drilling, but that drilling alone cannot solve our energy problems.
6. Myth: Barack Obama is just a celebrity like Paris Hilton. False. Last time we checked, 200,000 Germans didn’t show up the last time Tom Cruise, Madonna or Michael Jackson came to Berlin.
7. Myth: Barack Obama will be bad for Israel if elected. False. Barack Obama;s grandfather helped liberate Jews from a Nazi concentration camp in World War II. He has stated his full support for the State of Israel many times. This is just another myth designed by those in the Religious Right to scare Jewish voters away. Ironically, the Religious Rights support of Israel is based on their belief that there must be a Jewish state present for when Jesus returns to earth, so that he can wipe out the non-believers, which ironically will include any Jew who does not accept Jesus as their savior.
8. Myth: Barack Obama isn’t black enough. Have you seen Barack Obama lately? Last time we checked, he was still quite black. Enuf already.
9. Myth: Barack Obama used sexism to defeat Hillary Clinton and win the party nomination. Fals.
10. Myth: It’s easier for a black man to get elected President than it is for a woman. That only seems to be true if the man is Obama and the woman is Hillary Clinton running a very mis-managed and unfocused campaign.
11: Myth: Barack Obama is the Antichrist. Don’t believe it? Here’s the email:
Dear Friend,
According to The Book of Revelations the anti-Christ is:
The anti-Christ will be a man, in his 40s, of MUSLIM descent, who will deceive the nations with persuasive language, and have a MASSIVE Christ-like appeal…. the prophecy says that people will flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace, and when he is in power, will destroy everything. Is it OBAMA??
I STRONGLY URGE each one of you to repost this as many times as you can! Each opportunity that you have to send it to a friend or media outlet… do it!
If you think I am crazy… I’m sorry but I refuse to take a chance on the “unknown” candidate.
Spead the word before its TOO LATE!!!
Yours In Christ,
George W.
