1 In 5 Americans Think Obama Is A Muslim

[Sionnach Glic]

WASHINGTON - The White House insisted on Thursday that President Barack Obama is a Christian who prays daily as it looked to tamp down growing doubts among Americans about the president's religion.

White House spokesman Bill Burton made the remarks hours after a poll showed that nearly one in five people, or 18 percent, said they think Obama is Muslim. That was up from 11 percent who said so in March 2009. The survey also showed that just 34 percent said Obama is Christian, down from 48 percent who said so last year. The largest share of people, 43 percent, said they don't know his religion.

More here.

Alright, I knew there were a bunch of fringe loons during the election period who were spreading rumours that Obama was a Muslim, but 18 percent of the population? What the fuck?

Living across the Pond I've really no idea about much that's going on in the US, so for our American members just where are these people getting this notion from? Is there some sort of movement like the Birthers who are spreading rumours? Is it coming from Fox News and other such TV shows? Talk-show hosts? Just where's all this coming from?


Of course, the unfortunate thing is that his beliefs are even considered relevent to his presidency, but that's another thing altogether.

[Tyyr]

Partly his name, partly his skin tone, mostly people being idiots.

[Sionnach Glic]

So brown skin + "Hussein" + rednecks = Muslim?

Makes sense, I suppose. I just didn't expect such idiocy to be that common.

[Tyyr]

Idiocy is pretty much humanities #1 product. Unfortunately for the US our standard of living is high enough for even the most ignorant amongst us to make their idiotic opinions known.

[Captain Seafort]

Idiocy is pretty much humanities #1 product.

"Pretty much"?

I once had a quote from Einstein in my sig: "Only two things are limitless: the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe."

EDIT: The Beeb gives at least a smidgin of hope, as it points out that "don't know" should actually be "don't know/refused". I suppose it's too much to hope that most of those responses were along the lines of "who gives a fuck"?

[Tyyr]

I've responded to more than one poll in that manner.

I've also made a republican pollster get her panties in a wad because I told her exactly what I thought of the Republican party's "leadership" on health care.

[Tsukiyumi]

I've also made a republican pollster get her panties in a wad because I told her exactly what I thought of the Republican party's "leadership" on health care.

What, "We don't see a problem."?

Yeah, nice position there.

[Tyyr]

Actually their position was, "No."

[Tsukiyumi]

[Captain Seafort]

Actually their position was, "No, unless you're stinking rich."

Fixed it.

[Tsukiyumi]

Yeah, that's about right.

[Mikey]

So brown skin + "Hussein" + rednecks = Muslim?

Makes sense, I suppose. I just didn't expect such idiocy to be that common.

You're giving this portion of the populace too much credit. They don't know his middle name - they just can't (and won't) distinguish between an African name and an Arabic one.

The problem with such idiocy is that it's virulent. The benign benighted population doesn't stay that way - they follow the lead of the louder, more convicted idiots.