Anna Kournikova: more Muslim than Obama?

Recent focus groups in Virginia reporting that seven out of twelve respondents think Obama is a Muslim, while a survey in March found 13 per cent of voters (up 5 points from the previous poll) across the US agree... It looks like the Obama camp's Fight the Smears website may hardly have left the starting blocks in its race to debunk wild rumours surrounding the Democratic nominee. "It's not enough to just know the truth", said spokesman Tommy Vietor at the time of the launch, "we have to be proactive and fight back."

Vietor may have found an unlikely heroine in Tracy Viselli, the blogger behind new, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin website 'Things More Muslim Than Obama'. "I started [the blog] so that I could point out the ignorance and bigotry of those who insist on calling Obama a Muslim" explains Viselli. Recently 'outed' on her list are geriatric disco group Kool and the Gang, through the following, watertight calculation: brothers Ronald and Robert 'Kool' Bell are Muslim, while the remaining eight gang members are not. This makes Kool and the Gang, collectively, 2/8th Muslim, "and that", Viselli concludes triumphantly though arguably erroneously, "is definitely more Muslim than Obama"

Also incontrovertibly unmasked in the constantly updated list are: Hollywood comedian Adam Sandler (who, according to Conservative commentator Debbie Schlussel, has 'Joined the Ranks of Islamic Terrorist Propagandists'); Vladamir Putin (suspect weakness for wearing flowing robes); Meghan McCain (wears a keffiyeh); domestic pets ('i dont mean to frighten anyone, but we all need to be aware of the danger that some extremist... cats present to the nation'); nasal irrigators (don't ask...), Thomas Jefferson (owned a Koran), George H. W Bush and Anna Kournikova (pictured exchanging one of Michelle Obama's notorious 'terrorist fist bumbs'). And if that list fails to prove exhuastive enough for you, we welcome your suggestions in the comments box below.

Comments

[Marcella Smith]

So Obama's "camp" feel that if people believe that Obama is a Muslim it is a smear? Isn't that insulting to Islam?

Also, I consider myself fairly well-read and keep up with current events, and I have not read any so-called smears about Obama except for the news articles written about the so-called smears.

[Karen]

Once more with feeling from one of the most respected & reputable newspapers, the Christian Science Monitor in May on Obama as Muslim Apostate: http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0519/p09s02-coop.html?page=1

[NASAH]

George Bush -- with more kissing cousins in the Saudi Arabia than in the United States -- is more Muslim than Obama, who has none.

[Fred Bloggs]

Why is Hossein his middle name ?
His Grandfather was Hussein Onyango Obama (c. 1895-1979, buried at Alego) his grandfather visited Zanzibar where he converted from Christianity to Islam and added Hussein to his name.

So Barak Obama's Grandfather was muslim which means his father was muslim which means Barak is - according to Sharia and the Quran - either a muslim (being born of a muslim) or an apostate.

I think Obama's a reasonable guy, but its not a smear to say he's born a muslim. How will arab leaders take to working with an apostate.

It seems to me the poor guy is likely to be in the rifle sights of BOTH Christian Extremists (the KKK) and Muslim Extremists.

[Zahid Aziz]

The New York Times reports (21st June) that the Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, speaking before Jewish voters in Florida, forcefully denounced the false rumours that Mr. Obama is secretly a Muslim.

One way Mr Obama could easily demonstrate that he is not a Muslim would be by eating a pork sausage or ham sandwich in public. Perhaps he could do this in front of the Jewish organisation that Mayor Bloomberg was addressing!

Strange world we live in, isn't it? The best way Mr Obama could prove he is not a Muslim would be offensive to a Jewish audience!

[Gary O]

Kool and the Gang are 2/8th Muslim (if you say so), Obama is 50% - Fact.

Anyway, isn't his affinity towards the religion of his father and his step father, his upbringing in an Islamic country where he was registered as a Muslim, his sense of brotherhood towards other Muslims and empathy towards their causes/grievances and the fact that many Muslims themselves believe him to be a Muslim, that mark Obama up in the percentage stakes of being a Muslim?

Afterall, being white didn't stop Clinton from being labelled as the first black US President, did it?

[Christian Pierce]

Just for note, it is a "Terrorist Fist Jab", "Terrorist Fist Pound", or "Terrorist First Bump", not a "terrorist fist bumbs"

[shirlin]

Come on, dear citizens, let us for once in eight years focus on our children's future, on our tanking economy, on our poor planet, stripped and panting, on our non-existent health plans, on the endless bankrupting war in Iraq, on the threat of a McBush third term and a near-doddering John at the helm of our drifting ship of state. Obama is a committed Christian, a loving husband and proud father of two lovely daughters, a brilliant politician, and a once in a generation candidate. Turn the page. Be very afraid of emails and folks that lie about his background and as Americans let's do the research.

[alan frankcom]

I am not surprised the yanks think he is a muslim. They also think that God created planet earth 6000 years ago. They are just a crazy bunch. alan.

[Mark]

It's ridiculous enough that Obama's camp and his supporters feel they have to dis-prove that he is a Muslim, but with such ludicrous examples as this?? It is insulting to Muslims and to anyone with half a brain to put forward such ridiculous suggestions that 'domestic pets' are in any way affiliated with a religion...how daft do they think everyone is!? And by setting up an anti-smear website does this not imply Obama is overly perturbed by all this. If it's getting to him now, what will it do to him in the run-up to the election?

[Jenny]

In the US, we are not assigned by religious or other status. Perhaps in the old world one is locked into caste or what have you, based on antiquated mindsets, but that doesn't apply here. Obama is not a muslim, nor is it wrong for him to reject that attempt to marginalize him. Get over it.

[Gary O]

Perhaps Obama should do something about his own web site that is now home to some of the nastiest bunch of the Fascist Left, virulent anti-Semites and US haters. Not to mention a whole crop of Communists, 9/11 Troofers, insulters of our soldiers who are fighting and paying the ultimate price in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama's site is moderated, but these blogs just keep sprouting like mushrooms happily smearing the whole nation. What about that?

I suppose in Obama's world, its all right to smear the Israelis, the Americans (God Damn America!), US soldiers and the Republicans.

[Punktlich]

For Karen: while some scholars and "scholars" may disagree, in principle a pre-pubescent child cannot be guilty of apostasy under Sharia. There's lots of irony in Islam, and lots of rules that are ignored: Islam ranks religions "of the book" in the hierarchy (1) Islam (best), (2) Judaism [sic], (3) Christianity. When there is doubt as to the attribution of one of those religions to a child, the hierarchy resolves it. There are (old) interesting cases from the courts of Sudan and Egypt, some involving conversions of convenience by Copts to Islam to spite a hated wife. (Bear in mind the irony that Israel today, following the Palestine Mandate orders in council, "recognises" only the following religions: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Druze and Baha'i. Within the Christian religion the following denominations are recognized: Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Latin (Roman Catholic), Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Maronite, Syrian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Chaldaic (Catholic) and Evangelical Episcopal (Anglican).) It's all a field day for conflict-of-laws scholars.

[ashou]

Dear Alan,
As an American that has lived in Europe for many years I can no longer tolerate the misconceptions Europeans have about my country and country men. I find it hard to believe that you have ever been to America or known well an American. We are, in my opinion, the most culturally diverse country in the world and, despite the rare incident of extreme racism, we embrace this diversity.
We are also among the most educated people in the world and though Christian conservatism is rampant in some areas, we are a country of 400 million and have room for all kinds.
And while yes, a mere 13% of voters think Obama is a muslim, he still beat Clinton and will probably, hopefully, beat McCain.

[Donnie]

> So Obama's "camp" feel that if people believe that Obama is a Muslim it is a smear? Isn't that insulting to Islam?

It should not be. After all, what is the reason some spread this lie, that he is a muslim? To demonize him.

>Barak is - according to Sharia and the Quran - either a muslim (being born of a muslim) or an apostate.

Nobody cares what the Sharia and the Quran says about Obama being a muslim. Regarding religion, one has the religion he says he does, not the one being ascribed to him by anybody or anything.

> Obama is 50% muslim - Fact.

That is not a fact. That is a lie.

> Anyway, isn't his affinity towards the religion of his father and his step father...

No affinity. One is not defined by the religion of his father or grandfather.

>Obama is not a muslim, nor is it wrong for him to reject that attempt to marginalize him. Get over it.

Exactly.