How Low We (Well, Some of US) Have Sunk

I received an email the other day from a relative who wanted to illustrate the sort of unspoken (usually though not always) fear and bigotry that continues to haunt this society of ours. Here is the text:


Who is Barack Obama?

Probable U. S. 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 ATHEIST 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 he is not a radical. 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. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran. That should be a WARNING sign in itself!!!!

Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegiance nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches.

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!!!!


Need I say none of this is true, that none of this is factual?

The author of this offense is, of course, unknown. But it and other similar internet "rumors" are widespread enough that Newsweek last week saw fit to devote seven online pages, bearing the title "Sliming Obama," to debunking them.
One of the "rumors" meriting attention (by Newsweek as well) was put forth a year ago by Insightmag.com, a publication that Newsweek reports is "owned by News World Communications, which also owns the conservative Washington Times newspaper."
Note the language used in this site's "article" on Obama:
Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a Madrassa as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage?
This is the question Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s camp is asking about Sen. Barack Obama.

How clever! This is the question the Clinton camp is asking! It wasn't asked by the conservative Insightmag.com, no sir.
The entire hit job attributes the "research" to the Clinton campaign.
And who picked this up? Not surprisingly, CNN's Glenn Beck who, as reported by Media Matters, said:

"In today's political climate, it's wise to air your dirty laundry before anybody else does. But the decision to release this absolutely unsubstantiated claim that Barack lied about his past, to imply somehow or another that he's been indoctrinated in radical Muslim ideals, is not only irresponsible, but it reeks of desperation.
Now, who's that desperate? You know, no matter who leaked this statement -- a Democrat, a Republican, a yeti, the Tooth Fairy, I don't know -- there are a few characters out there that have a lot to gain. And there is no one with more to gain than Hillary Clinton.
Now, I am not in any way saying that she released this. Remember, it came from a conservative blog. But if her campaign did smear Obama, then they have set a new high in low blows. Hillary is in old-guard politics, I believe that's the way she is perceived. And a sketchy move like this is even more dated than her hairstyle."

Conservative blog? Note that he didn't mention the Washington Times' ownership, nor that he acquired the language of the site's piece with "now, I am not in any way saying she released this."

Beck's comments and the initial controversy are nearly a year old, but the pervasiveness of such disinformation is such that it has merited coverage last week by Newsweek and today by the NY Times. The Times reported that "the leaders of nine Jewish groups released an open letter on Tuesday condemning what they called 'hateful e-mails' that they said spread lies about Senator Barack Obama’s religious beliefs and his intentions."
The paper added, "the e-mail has been so persistent that Mr. Obama was asked about it Tuesday at the Democratic presidential candidates’ debate in Nevada. He replied: 'I am a Christian. I have been sworn in with a Bible. I pledge allegiance and lead the Pledge of Allegiance sometime in the United States Senate, when I’m presiding.'"

It's disgraceful that these tactics continue. But, as Newsweek observed, the same sort of thing worked in South Carolina against Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in 2000: "Before the South Carolina primary in 2000, for example, phone calls were made to voters in which the callers claimed to be taking a poll, asking: 'Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for John McCain for president if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?' McCain had done no such thing. He and his wife had adopted their daughter Bridget, who has dark skin, as a baby from Mother Theresa's orphanage in Bangladesh. A professor at Bob Jones University also had sent an e-mail message telling South Carolinians that McCain had 'chosen to sire children without marriage,' which wasn't true. McCain lost the 2000 primary, and the Republican nomination, to George W. Bush."

The target audience for these things seems clear--conservative Christian Republicans. I can only hope they look upon what George Bush has wrought in his presidency and think twice about that standard bearer of truth, justice and the American way.