Who started the 'Obama is a Muslim' smear?

Who started the "Obama is a Muslim" smear?

One of the prominent features of this Presidential election camapign will be the privatised War Room.

In 1992 the Clinton campaign determined that Michael Dukakis had let too many unreasonable attacks go unanswered. So they established a rapid response unit in their War Room designed to rebut allegation within a single news cycle.

During the last election bloggers joined in the fun. Using the collective wisdom available to them through collaboration on the internet, they brought down Dan Rather by shredding his report on George Bush's army service.

During this election I expect an explosion of this sort of activity.

An early example is the work bring done to trace the source of the so-called smear about Obama's religion.

I call it a so-called smear not because I am suggesting for one second that Obama is a Muslim but because, if you think about it, it is odd to call suggesting someone is a Muslim a "smear", isn't it?

Well, Matthew Mosk in the Washington Post makes clear why the smear label is well merited. From the beginning the allegation was less that Obama was some sort of Islamist than that he was a liar. The idea, the smear, was that he was attempting to conceal his religious background.

It is rather similar to the reason why Holocaust denial is anti-semitic. The numbers who died are a matter for historical research, the suggestion that the Jews are engaged in a conspiracy to cover up the truth is a smear.

Mosk attributes the uncovering of the truth about the Obama smear to political theorist Damielle Allen and a Google search she conducted using phrases from an attack email on Obama's religion:

That search showed that the first mention of the e-mail on the Internet had come more than a year earlier. A participant on the conservative Web site FreeRepublic.com posted a copy of the e-mail on Jan. 8, 2007, and added this line at the end: "Don't know who the original author is, but this email should be sent out to family and friends."

Allen discovered that theories about Obama's religious background had circulated for many years on the Internet. And that the man who takes credit for posting the first article to assert that the Illinois senator was a Muslim is Andy Martin.

Martin, a former political opponent of Obama's, is the publisher of an Internet newspaper who sends e-mails to his mailing list almost daily.

The same conclusion has been reached by Chris Hayes in The Nation.  Ben Smith says Hayes got there first.

Whatever.

But it looks like they've got their man.

Comments

[Tom Freeman]

"it is odd to call suggesting someone is a Muslim a "smear""

I think it's definitely a smear - and acknowledging that doesn't require us to think that actually being a Muslim is in any way bad. We just have to note that a fair number of voters would steer clear of a candidate who was a Muslim. It's a lie designed to turn voters away from Obama. It's a smear.

[Desmond Taylor]

According to Muslim law he is a Muslim. His father wasa Muslim, therefore he is too. To deny this is apostacy.

[r.b. glennie]

It isn't a "smear", of course, to be labelled a Muslim - but neither is it "smear" to call Obama a liar for the contradictory stories as to his youthful religion.

His campaign says he never was a Muslim, but others say that he was... if the religious background of McCain's supporters is fair-game (as it is), so it is with Obama's own religion.

[JOHN CHUCKMAN, TORONTO]

Sorry, but the much larger question is why anyone's being a Muslim is regarded as a smear.

[JL Ronish]

I agree, being a Muslim is no smear and the sooner BO makes this clear to the American voters the better.

[Marty]

It is a smear in that it is intended to plant suspicion amongst a chunk of the electorate, and decrease his chances of winning.

It's one of the amazingly childish and provably false rumours, along with claims that he was sworn into the Senate on a Quran.

[interest]

He is an islamo-"christian". The church he belonged to for 20 years has the greatest respect for Farrakahn. The preacher is a devotee of James Cone. The Black Liberation Theology that comes from the pulpit should scare anyone with a functioning brain. BHO threw the church under the bus only after seeing that it would be a problem in his campaign. He and Wright had discussed this beforehand.
Moslem? He may as well be, 6 0f one - half dozen of the other.

[John]

I really do believe he is and thats my opinion, something I'm entitled too

[Al Shaw]

Hey, John, you're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
Try doing some serious reading/studying on the issue of Obama's religion.

[Ian Thorpe, Lancashire, UK]

I don't know about his being a Muslim but he is loking more Republican every day.

[gator]

The "rumore" was actually started by Obama, when he wrote how he studies the Koran and attended a muslim school in Jakarta. Hew wrote that way back in 95.

[Robert Sellinger]

To be or not to be a muslim is not a matter of free choice, we should remember. There is nothing like free will in Islam. If his father was born a muslim he is too. "Quitting" islam means, the death penalty could wait for him.

[Nick B]

John of Toronto asks why anyone's being a Muslim is regarded as a smear. Perhaps he hasn't heard of the Koran, and how it refers to Jews and Christians as "pigs and monkeys." Perhaps he does not know the fact that in almost all schools of islamic jurisprudence, the thought-crime of apostasy is punishable by death. Maybe he has not read how muslims felt the need to create their own, watered-down declaration of human rights, as the Helsinki "Universal" declaration included too many rights for women. There are many, many reasons to be suspicious of allowing muslims too near the heart of power. These are but three.

[Abe]

Obama told us he was a Muslim in his book. Why is it a smear?

[Joy]

You can never convince the racists and morons on the right of several well-known facts such as:
Saddam Hussein was not behind 9-11.
Obama is not a muslim.
Iraq did not have WMD's.
(The school that Obama attended in Indonesia at an early age taught boys and girls together and the teachers were both male and female in western dress, no head coverings. It followed a national curriculum, with religious classes once a week for christians and muslims. LOOK IT UP.)

FYI: we need a really brilliant guy to run this country, not someone like McCain who finished 894 in a class of 899 at the military academy.

[(8?»]

Who started the smear is one thing, but who continues to keep the idea alive by talking about it all of the time is another.

Yes, I'm talking about you, Daniel Finkelstein (and the rest of your kind).

Good Jorb!

[HUGH BRENNAN]

"Barack Hussein Obama" I guess might have something to do with the impression that he has a Muslim connection. His dear Daddy was a Mulim. His step-father was a Muslim. He lived in a Muslim nation, studied Koran in school- not comparative religion class, but religious instruction- he was registered in at least one primary school as a Muslim- and that school a Catholic one.
Islamists are at war with Western Civilization and the USA is the bulwark of our defense. Perhaps it would be a good thing to have a Pres with a feeling for Islam- too bad he's a radical leftist and a racialist. Those are the real problems.

[Zubaira]

I just can't understand how can anyone believe or think that BO is Muslim when he is saying he is not. Just because his father was born into a Muslim family doesn't make any of them Muslims. If it were that easy, none of the muslims would need to do anything else to believe that they are all ready for heaven. Anyway, as a Muslim, I can't ever agree that being Muslim can anyway bad or shameful. However, trying to say that BO is secretly practicing Islam suggets that he is somehow a supporter of terrorism. That is definitely a smear. Anyway, please know that not all the Muslims are terrorists.

[Julianne Wiley]

Above is a photo of Asisi Primary School in Jakarta, Indonesia the Catholic school that Barack Hussein Obama attended prior to attending Besuki Primary School.

Well there's this, if you're interested. Barack Obama actually attended a Catholic school in Indonesia, Franciscan Asisi Primary School, where he was registered as "Barry Soetoro". School documents listed Barry Soetoro as an Indonesian citizen born in Honolulu, Hawaii on 4 August 1961. Barry's religion was listed as Islam.

On this basis he was released from classes so he could study the Koran and say the Shahada, recitation of which makes one a Muslim.

Google is your friend. Look it up.

[Fiona]

Of course it's a smear. The US voters deciding this election cannot distinguish between a muslim and terrorist airplane pilot.

[Danny]

Desmond Taylor are you an expert on Islamic Law?
Let me quote you what Eteraz says on the point you raise: "Islamic law recognizes abandonment by the biological father. Obama's Kenyan father abandoned Obama. As such, any religious imprimatur he may have had over Obama -- which is already a stretch since the man was an atheist -- is null and void. In such a situation, Obama's mother's religion is controlling. She was not Muslim. Even if someone makes the argument from patriarchy: that Obama's paternal grandparents were his rightful guardians, that would fail since they also constructively abandoned him."

[John]

Al Shaw, I have done checks which is why I have come to my conclusion. I suggest you read-up some more and stop trying to bully people with your liberal views!

[Sophia]

A muslim is only a muslim if he or she believes in the One God and his final messenger Mohammed.
One cannot be a Muslim through parental descent. It is a free will which makes a person a Muslim.
I do wish ignorant people would not try and distort my religon.
Obama is not a Muslim.

[haralambos]

Do you think his name might have something to do with it?

[Yaz B]

The USA needs a Muslim president. The present right wing neo cons are much worse!!

[haralambos]

Isn't Obama's Muslim connection America's way of brown-nosing the Islamists?

[Mark]

Al Shaw, I'd suggest you do some result on his former church, the same church he only distanced himself from after running for the Presidency. I would also suggest you look up the meaning of "Taqiyya" if you don't already know........

[haralambos]

Can you imagine a Christian trying to lead a Muslim country?

[haralambos]

I'm not concerned if he's a Muslim cryto or otherwise - what concerns me is that he is a snake oil salesman - yes all politicians are - it is the nature of the animal and the nature of the business they are in - but for him to have overcome the obstacles or his race, his inexperience and his religion to get this far makes him in my eyes almost inhumanly slick and oily.

[jgraves]

Mr obama is not a muslin. Up until he recently when he withdraw his membership from trinity church in chicago,which is part of the larger protestant demonination of the united church of christ. The ucc forbearers have been around since the founding of america in 1620 by the new england purtian congregationists. One choses to become christian by a belief in the trinity - the father. son and holy spirit. His baptism into the christian faith symbolizes this. .

[Heath]

In response to Desmond Taylor.
first,what you mentioned is according to tradition & views of muslim Scholars not Islamic law.
second, Apostasy in Islam meant reverting from islam to paganism & idol worshipping. furthermore, there is not penalty for apostasy in the Quran, again what you will find is views of scholars who lived 12 centuries ago in different times, their views are not Islam.
Third, according to the Quran, anyone who believes in God the creator & the day of judgment, irrespective of the messenger he follows, is a muslim.
Whether or not Barack Obama is christian or muslim or atheist, all that matters are his policies.

[WAWA]

The fact that any of your parent is a muslim does not make you a muslim unless of course you have embraced the faith. My grand father was a muslim, my father a muslim at some point till his teens before he decided it wasnt for him. Does that make me a muslim - No! Obama is not a muslim because his father was.

[Hermit]

Does it actually matter what his religion is ? This is the 21st century, when even people with the most bigoted views must accept that different is not necessarily worse.

[Dr Cahill]

I am a Christian, but I hasten to add that Muslims are people too!
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once eloquently said that a man should be judged by the content of their character and not by the colour of their skin. To this I will also add "and not by their religion". With so many religions on this planet, who is to prove emphatically that their "brand" is right and all others are wrong! Many calling themselves Christians fail miserably when it comes to the test of turning the other cheek.
A man's religion is his own personal business - and should be between him and his creator, period.
At the end of it all, we are all the offspring of a single human couple. We are brethren and 99.9% identical to each other physically. It's the 0.1% difference that has caused all the world's problems - with some falsely hoodwinked into believing they are more superior, and therefore carry a weird sense of entitlement about themselves.
If Obama were a Muslim, I would still vote for him instead of McCain.

Dr John Hussein Cahill

[Steve]

Oh please! "Being a Muslim" is merely a particular label that one group of humans have said applies to a certain group of humans, based on criteria those humans decided themselves.

It's just so laughably naive!

For it to have any meaningful value to the debate, we would have to know more about Obama's real beliefs and practises.

And even then - so what? As Mr GW Bush himself said, Islam is a religion of peace.

More right-wing scaremongering nonsense aimed at unthinking simple-minded people more comfortable with kneejerk emotional responses rather than rational thought.

[Mark]

This is the same Barrack who's calling Patriots right now ? Sounds very much like a Muslim to me.

[David]

I would consider being labeled a Muslim a smear. Indeed I would consider being labeled with any religion a smear.

[John]

It was started by the 'Republican Attack Machine'! John McCain distances himself from these guys.

They're pretty harmless but Fox pays 'em well!

[KB]

Well, he was born a Muslim. His father was a Muslim. His step-father was a Muslim. His name is Barack (Arabic for Blessed) Obama. He just recently quit a Hamas-supporting (his church bulletins featured op-eds by terrorists) Black Nationalist church. The idea that people may think he's a Muslim isn't that surprising.

[Naf]

i don't see how we, the people can sit and claim whether Obama is a Muslim or not. If the man says he is not - then he is not. Why are we looking into the family tree to decide for him? Choice of Religion is personal and everyone is entitled to it.

[Kash]

Everyone is born muslim, according to islam. Genealogy is irrelevent.

[joe reilly]

Probably some flag waving neo-con desperate for another one sided war. They're throwing their toys out of their prams I hear.

[Ben]

Why should someones religion be a determining factor on who you vote for. If you stand for the separation of church and state it shouldn't. Vote based on policy not on how someone chooses or chooses not to worship.

[m wilson]

Why can't America choose a sensible non-religious candidate? They all seem to be religious nuts.

[Andrew]

Well can you blame America for being concerned if hes a Muslim or not? The media, and our not-so-factual political monarchy had everyone so worked up, so convinced, that we needed to blow up these people, no matter what religion they practiced.

But none of this crap really matters anyway. He's still a CFR puppet, and chummy with AIPAC. Once hes prez hes not going to help regular "Joe America", hes only going to help out his campaign contributors, the wealthy elite, like all previous candidates have always done.

His promises of change are just as usless as Carters were.

[Callum]

To John-perhaps your argument would be strengthened if rather than just claiming you had "done checks" you mentioned what those checks were. After all, "checks" could be as accurate as the Britannica or as inaccurate as Fox News. Please note, quoting any far-right (or far-left) website, commentator or spin-doctor does not count as checking your facts.

[Sparkling H2O]

I seem to recall reading that Barack Obama is related to Dick Cheney through genetic testing. What does that make him?

[Pushpa]

Barack Hussein Obama may be a Muslim, so WHAT? There is no "smear" here about Obama being a Muslim. Unfortunately it is so in the mindset of few narrow-minded, ignorant, extremely religious fundamentalists who are ready to form their own prejudiced opinions & hinder peaceful, positive growth & prosperity. Mahatma Gandhi once said "I am Hindu, I am a Muslim, I am a Christian & I am a Jew & so are all of you". All of us must consider the above simple & powerful statement & abide by it in our daily lives. We all could then live in a cohesive, tolerant, progressive & peaceful world.

[gbj11]

What a silly article... as though the rumor started in one place at one time. I'd say the idea has occurred to about fifty million people at one time or another without anyone else suggesting it to them.

[John smith]

NRA for John McCain.

[Sajid Butt]

I don't really care what he is - what matters are HIS POLICIES and how he'll improve the life of all americans regardless of race, background or which football team you support!!

BTW I'm muslim, happily married to a christian and our kids are free to practice what they feel is right - oh and my wife wears what she likes too!! :)

[Esther]

So it is unacceptable to say that one will not be votiing for Obama because he is black. So the right wing bigots, ignoramuses and Fox News viewers have to say that they don't trust Obama because he may be a secret Muslim. Oh, that's okay then.
So happy that I live in the UK where potential leaders have to try and distance themselves from all religions!

[ASM826]

I am less concerned with his religion than I am with his politics. The socialist, leaning toward communist, promises he is making to his voters will destroy what's left of the economy of the United States.

[Sophia]

Response to Desmond Taylor,

Islam is not like Judaism, i.e if the mother is Jewish so is the child. A Muslim is someone who submits their will to God, its a belief, not something that can be passed down generations.

Some people would argue anyone who doesn't fulfil their duty to God, in prayer, fasting, charity etc, but calls themselves Muslim is not actually a Muslim. Your defined as a Muslim by actions, not surnames!

[gxb]

A not to the person who suggested that Obama's policis will improve the life of all americans....

Why would ANYONE in their right mind want to elect someone who would "improve" his life??

I never want to elect anyone who will improve my life. I will improve my own, thank you.

Government NEVER gives anyone anything without a string attached, and most especially a Liberal Socialist government makes those strings wire cables instead.

It is unhealthy for a people to elect a surrogate "mommy" or "daddy" as their leader.

[Stephen Strachan]

Christain? Catholic? Muslim? I've got a pretty hard time relating Obama to any organized religion...humanism may be the most appropriate.

[WHAT THE HELL]

WHY NOT; IN ANY CASE, YOU GUYS ARE RULLING OUT MAJORITY OF THE MUSLIM WORLD !:) WHY NOT TO HAVE A MUSLI PRESIDENT? WAS NOT THE US WAS THE DREAM LAND FOR LIBERAL THINKERS? OR WA NOT SO....:(

[Grazia Annen]

The "smear" may be offensive, when it comes to religion, he is intended to DO religion. He wants to strenghten the public role of faith, as it is a "force" that can do what government alone cannot do". Well folks, that sounds quite alarming to me, being a person who believes strongly in the power of humanism, of raison, the values of Voltaire et al. And mind you, the stand the most powerful man on earth will have on religion is way more important than his being a patriot or not. If faith is going to rule the world, help us , spaghetti monster!
Read: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7484574.stm

[Robert]

I'm a Christian and don't believe Barack Obama is a Muslim.... why because he says he is not and we should take a man at his word.

But, what troubles me about Barack are his poor choices of who to associate himself with.

The bible says "don't be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals".

Barack association with his pastor is well known. Another problem is his association with his uncle whom he campaigned for in Kenya in 2006. This showed a horrible blunder of judgement. This will come up in the election at some point and it will be once again a situation where he must distance himself from his uncle.

Barack has proven he can distance himself from his mistakes and I do like his willingness to admit wrong.
This is very important for any of us and especially the possible next president of the United States.

[Afzal A. Neseem]

Is a clash of civilizations in progress after all?Insinuating that Mr.Obama belongs to Islamic faith which has about 1.3 billion followers worldwide is supposed to smear his reputation.And the poor Mr.obama has to repeatedly contradict the accusation and take up "appropriate" positions on issues concerning Muslims,going to the extent of removing from the stage Muslim looking women for the fear of offending the righteous sensibilities.By the by.Anyone whose father is a Muslim but who follows a different religion is not cosidered a Muslim under the Islamic law.I should know.Iam a Muslim.

[D.G.Ahmed]

Nick B is either an ignorant idiot or holds hatred against the Muslims. Please show me a verse that says the Koran refers to Jews and Christians as Pigs and Monkeys. In fact The Koran has held Jews and Christians as 'People of the Book'. The Koran also mentions The Bible, The Torah, The Psalms and The Koran as revealed books by God who is the Author of these revealed holy books sent for the guidance of the entire human race. So let us all live peacefully in this world. Amen

[Musa Abdal Latif]

So many wrong statements here about Islam. First of all, if your father is a muslim you are not necessarily a muslim, so please stop making learned pronouncements about "Islamic law," which you know nothing about. Islam is based on belief--if AFTER THE AGE OF PUBERTY you believed that there is no deity other than God ("Allah" in Arabic) and that Muhammad is His Prophet, then you're a muslim--if not, you're not. There's no evidence that Obama ever believed in Islam as a teen or adult. Second, Louis Farrakhan's so-called "Nation of Islam" has NOTHING to do with Islam! Now THAT is a smear! They are not muslim heretics, they are a completely non-muslim cult that believes in anti-white racism and recognizes Elijah Muhammad as a "prophet." Islam is against all racism and for muslims, Muhammad is the last prophet. Malcolm X became a real muslim, but only AFTER he left N.O.I. Please get your facts straight.

[Dan]

Who started the "smear"? Maybe his own brother? http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60559

[ELDERDON]

Ahmed and Latif need Islam history lessons. Here's just one. Prophet Muhammad beheaded over 600 “innocent civilian” Quaryza Jewish men, enslaved their “innocent civilian” orphaned children and raped an “innocent civilian” widow named Rayhana. Islam’s concept of “innocent civilians” excludes infidels. “I will cast a dread into the hearts of the infidels.' Strike off their heads then, and strike off from them every finger tip." - Sura 8:12.

[ploome]

who started the 'smear'?

you mean that Barak is an arab name?

that Hussain is an arab name?

that Barak Hussain Obama's father was muslim? that his grandfather was muslim?
that the woman he claims as grandmother in Afric is muslim?

that his fathers other children, Obama's half brother is muslim?

that Obama was enrolled in Catholic School in Indnesia as a muslim? and in public school as a muslim?

who smeared Obama?

the question is who smeared YOU, who GREASED you, and what kind of SMEAR gets you to write such a disturbing SMEAR article?

[Ralph]

I think it was the Daily Squib newspaper that first printed the story.

[Tim]

Probably Obama, to distract everyone from the fact that he is clueless and is literally going to run the country based on hope.

[antonio]

We can not judge people by their religion,skin color or race.

America must stop its racest and fanatic mentality.

Even if Obama is a Muslim,what is wrong here?. Bush himself declared to be very reigious protestant and see all ills he caused to the World.
Thousands and thousands of innocent people lost their lives in wars and conflicts based on lies.

[Derek]

The clue's in the name. Got it?

[Taqiyya Basher]

D G Ahmed: The verses in the Koran wherein Jews are referred to as apes are Koran 2:63-66, 5:59-60, 7:166. This is a link to a very lengthy, scholarly article on the references in the Koran to the Jews and Christians as apes or monkeys and pigs:
http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sr8ID=SR01102

[qunfuz]

The ignorance! One comment says 'Barack' is Arabic for blessed (in fact that would be 'mabrook' or 'mubarak'), ergo he's a Muslim. That must mean that the Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak is also a secret Muslim. 'b-r-k'is a semitic word root with meanings associated with blessing. Speakers of Semitic languages like Arabic, Hebrew and Amharic may use words connected, whether they are Muslims, Christians or Jews.

And the man who says 'free will doesn't exist in Islam' - I'm afraid the line 'there is no compulsion in religion' as well as centuries of Islamic philosophy prove you wrong.

Another comment says the Quran describes Jews as pigs and monkeys, ergo Islam is dangerous in power. Actually the Quran describes a specific group of Jews in conflict with the early Muslim community as pigs and monkeys. Jews in general are 'people of the book.' Only Islamophobes and Wahhabi-nihilists mistake the specific context for generalisation.

[Jesus Christ]

Barack Obama is a centrist politician of a country in which the two party system collaborates in keeping the powerful in power.

His views are non controversial and only neurotic hysterical old people have a hard time swallowing his outer shell.

hatred of Muslims in the US is fed by shame and fear, shame of what you are doing to the people of Mohammed , and fear that the justifications are just lies.

the lights are on, take a good look at the mirror Americans.

Republicans you've had a ch

[F. Bar]

Are these people for real? I haven't seen such a huge pile of stupidity in years! People that have not even seen a Q'uran talking about Islamic Law, retarded claiming rights to having an opinion (no, you don't have that right: opinion is a privilege earned through linking statements to facts and the use of reason. What you refer as your "opinion" is your beliefs and this is not a church, so people shouldn't give a damn about them).
I think that Finkelstein is right, this campaign will have a lot to do with people using Internet to dig out how starts spreading lies, but that will also used instantly by those trying to obscure the issues and spread more lies (like the comments to this blog show)

[sheryl wynter]

Obama is also related to Winston Churchill, the great Prime Minister of England. So what does this make him? Also related to Cheney, so what does this make him?

He is his own man, who decides his own pathway to God, which is one of a Christian person, who will be a sensitive leader to the rest of mankind, rather than an arrogant insensitive one.

[Chris King]

If BO were a Muslim, he would have been a muslim apostate. The four major Sunni and the one major Shia schools of Islamic jurisprudence agree that an apostate must be executed.
Therefore we must protect BO like we protect Salman Rushdie.

[Richard McDonough]

Alas, among the great unwashed AKA the ignorant)it is consedered a smear, as opposed to a member of a large and quite diversified religious sect.

[GEA]

first ammendment:freedom of religion. Muslim does not matter. Did he lie about his past? yes
Did he sit in a church for 20 years and not hear anti-American racist sermons ?? I'll have to think on that on. Obama cought in another lie when he said he was not a gun abolitionist only for gun control.. With the smoking gun posted on the net for a gun control group in Chicago. He denied signing it. OOPS I Guess I forgot!!! Strike number 3 Standing with his back to the Flag during the pledge of allegience. He looks real proud of our veterns that way!!!! So the lying racist Muslim she be voted in as president. I don't want 4 more years of Bush. This guy is a joke!!!! and an insult to the democratic party

[Ian Chalk]

I just find it highly amusing that the Washington Post correspondent is called Matthew 'Mosk'. Is someone having a laugh? I am.

[David Scott-Donelan]

So what if McCain did come bottom of his class. So did Winston Churchill!

[Dr Technical]

Muslim, Christian, it's academic.

Either he believes in the supernatural in which case he is a lot thicker than he wants us to believe, or he is a shameful opportunist after the religious vote.

Or put it another way, he's an American politician.

[haralambos]

The sickening part of all this that in the 21st century with so many new and urgent matters (environment) to be dealt with we are expending time and energy on matters (belief systems and cults) that belong to the Middle-Ages.

[Daphne Kenward]

When Global warming really kicks in, and Famine, Desease, Homelessness, and poverty, & Flooding & a former SUPER POWER is on its knees, who will these people call on? they will say oh my GOD. Muslims will not be relevent. Deal with the issues concerning the Election, because what ever religion OBAMA is that is a private matter. Most Americans have more chance of being shot by some DRUG DEALER or some DRUG ADDICT than Muslims who don't do CRACK, & their women don't hang out on street corners selling their bodies. Most Americans could do with lessons in good conduct, and proper behaviour.

[Taqiyya Basher]

I chose my nic, Taqiyya Basher, because I see so much taqiyya on any internet site that deals, even indirectly, with Islam. This line from Moslems that Qunfuz (short for Confused, I think)parrots, "Let there be no compulsion in religion" (It's actually Sura 2:256 of the Koran) is the most classic example of taqiyya, the lies, evasions and obfuscations which the Koran allows Moslems to use against non-Moslems in order to present a false image of Islam; they may lie, swear false oath, make false testimony, even deny their 'god' (allah) if, in so doing, they remain true to Islam in their hearts. SO...Sura 2:256 is NOT in itself even a taxt of tolerance but I won't go into that at the moment instead I'll simply state, as does every Islamic scholar for the past 1300+ years that Sura 2.256 is abrogated (the Doctrine of Naskh, also in the Koran) by the Sword Verse (Ayat al-Sayf, 9:5 and all of Suras 8 "War Booty" and 9): these verses call for permanent warfare until all the world is islamic with non-Moslems offered three choices: convert to Islam, or pay a protection tax (Jizya) while living in a persecuted status as Dhimmies or be killed. Muhamad, Islam's founder and warlord, mandated for this in his last sermon (Hadith Muslim, Book 19, No 4294) as well as throughout the 9 year period of his self-proclaimed prophethood. Just the fact that Barack Hussein Obama was raised in his formative years as a Moslem and that he has in an interview with the New York Times repeated the Moslem testament of faith (in perfect Arabic) and expressed great admiration for Islam (as well as in his book) is enough to decide for me that NO, I shall not vote for a Moslem or Moslem-influenced candidate for President. Not to mention the fact either, that CAIR (Council for American Islamic Relations) and MSA (Muslim Student Association in America) have both stated theri main goals as the islamic takeover of America.

[haralambos]

Do you think Mugabe is having a negative impact BO's presidential ambitions?

[haralambos]

I wonder if I can do the unthinkable - cross-pollinate?

In the medical section of this site there's an article entitled, "She Hasn't Spoken Yet." Well I deem it crucial to tell the world my own story and there is no other venue than here - which brings me to cross-pollation. I think it should be O.K. let's see.
My own son Steven didn't utter a single world until one day when he is fourteen we are having one of those family bonding sessions in which kives are being eyed when he bursts out into almost glibness. So naturally somebody says "You can talk!" and somebody else says, "Why didn't you talk before?" And Steven's answer? "I had nothing to say?"

[Payam Jaan]

How is it that we have managed to do what the Nazis did to the jews, to the muslims? To isolate them, make them inferior, remove all sympathy, and dehumanize them in every sense of the word. Why is it that being called a muslim is regarded as smear in this country? You who read this article, your life is no more valuable than the life of an Iraqi, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Jew, Black, White. Stop spreading hatred and terrorism under the guise of exporting democracy.

[James phillips]

AS Obama has said, the greatness of America is that you can make the best of yourself here, that the accident of your birth does not define you for the rest of your life. Obama's life story is the a proof of that.

John McCain is the son and grandson of U.S. admirals and rose to captain in the Navy, despite being very near the bottom of his Academy class. Despite a reputation for being a maverick McCain's fruit did not fall far from the tree.

[Hugh]

Everyone's entitled to an opinion, its just that some people's opinions are clearly worthless.

Especially the one's that aren't based on a shred of fact and display a complete lack of reasoning.

[Mother of Monotheism]

Is this the way Christians try to insult those convert to Christianity? Religion is a contract of right- guidance from God to human beings. To me non of you are in fact Christian or believers of your Creator but a chatter- box with your eyes and mind closed.
Fear God and worry for the day when you have to face your Creator and non others will be there to support you anymore. All humans are smear of one man Adam.

[Dr Technical]

I can't believe people are arguing about whether the Koran says Jews are apes or not.

All humans are apes - basic, really basic biology here.

By the way it totally matters as to what religion Obama is, because if he is anything other than atheist then he does not have the ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality, which is a very worrying character trait in someone who wants to be the most powerful person in the world.

Look at Blair and Bush, both believe in fantasies, God and WMD's in Iraq, and look what a mess that has caused.

[Seth]

Those on the Blog who insist that BO is a Muslim despite his denial are part of those mental deficit sufferers who elected George Bush because they wanted to have a beer with him, and no matter how much he destroys the USA they will still love him because they can have a beer with him.
There is an opportunity this time to elect a truly smart person for the Presidency, but that scare them that their children might admire and want to emulate a smart bright President.
Barack Obama is the smartest guy in the room and America needs a smart guy to fix Bushes mess.

[Seth]

Sometimes the smartest guy in the room is a bi-racial guy with a funny name, I won't hold that against God.

But what we cannot do is elected another "not-so-smart" guy because we can't see the American in every color.
It would be like finding out our early ancestors came from Africa and then committing suicide to punish our early ancestors.

[Cynthia]

It's quite common to start a false rumor and than claim to be a victim of that rumor. Perhaps if Obama had been a member of a Christian church rather than one that preached Black Liberation Theology there would be less belief in this "smear".

[for mac]

Is it a smear that borok is clueless? Everything else is irrelavent.

[TheRockofAges]

Accusations of a smear? Do you offer up any legitimate proof or just pure, unsubstantiated, inflammatory curve balls? I believe Oprahma has a hidden agenda, his background is very relevant.

[TheRockofAges]

And sometimes the biggest baloney slicer is a bi-racial guy with a funny name.

[GEM]

Wow - it's interesting that this article finds Andy Martin to be the one who claims to have started the whole "Obama is a Muslim" lie. I hadn't heard of him until I was researching and closely following Barack Obama. I remember reading an article where Martin wrote, "cock-a-doodle-doo" boasting that he would be remembered as the one to take down Obama. He claimed to be a journalist, but he sounded like he had a real chip on his shoulder.
It is appalling that just to be named a Muslim in this "free" country is considered a smear, but the reality is that it plays into the fear and ignorance of those who don't research their information very well. I notice that many here on this blog are simply parroting (nearly verbatim) the untruths that have been circulated across the Internet, which are distortions, half-truths and some outright lies. If you checked out Barack Obama on snopes.com, many of the lies are totally debunked.

[Daphne Kenward]

People are being indoctrinated to hate MUSLIMS it is exactly the same thing which happend in GERMANY against the JEWISH people. I can say I have a mind of my own and G W IDIOT or GW DUNCE dont have any athority over me and what I think. I have the ability to think for my self thank GOD, unlike the many monkies on this page, who is willing to think any thing they hear in the media is true, information from places like FOX NEWS. Their information is backed with ZERO facts. People are fueling bias against a man they don't like becsause he is BLACK even though he is not 100% BLACK. It's not street cred to be RACIST so RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY will do. I live in a country where there are many muslims, 99% are loving warm friendly people who are law abiding citizens there is a minority who are not. But Black people & White people are responsible for the vast Majority of all crimes in BRITAIN. MUCH the same as AMERICA. NOT MUSLIMS.

[Di]

From Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'

[wutzdahubbub]

I don't see what all the Muslim hoopla is about. Even if he was a Muslim, WHICH HE IS NOT, that doesn't mean he's a radical terrorist. Those weren't muslims shooting people in Columbine or blowing up buildings in Oklahoma, or killing kids in Atlanta, or shooting people in DC. Those were just NUTS of various races, just like the Muslim terrorist NUTS. Should we just be afraid of everybody. McCain is white but so was Timothy McVeigh (OK City), should we be wary of a white candidate. John Allen Muhammed was black (DC sniper). Uh-oh there goes Obama. Who is left, Hillary? Nope she might be another Aileen Wuoros (serial killer). Get real people and base your vote on the candidates stance on real issues, not whether or not he's not the same religion as you.
I haven't quite decided on who I'm voting for but whoever it is it won't be based on their religion or even their skin color. I think I'll base my vote on being able to work to support and feed my family. Or maybe getting my sister home SAFELY from Iraq, or maybe even being able to drive to church without having to take out a second mortgage to pay for gas. That's what matters to me. They do both have very different plans and I'm researching to see which one's are more viable, not which ones may have sat next to a Muslim when they were 8 years old.