I’m sad to report that I’ve run into more than a few people who apparently believe that Obama is a Muslim, took the oath of office on the Koran, and doesn’t say the Pledge of Allegiance. These allegations have been debunked for quite a while now, but I’m still hearing them, and I still occasionally get an e-mail about them. So, for all those who haven’t heard, here are the facts, in Obama’s own words (and from a Christian news source, just in case you’re still skeptical):
This is obviously a systematic political strategy by somebody because these e-mails don’t just keep coming out the way they have without somebody being behind it.
Basically the e-mail falsely states that I’m Muslim, that I pledged my oath of office on a Koran instead of a Bible, that I don’t Pledge Allegiance to the flag. Scurrilous stuff. I want to make sure that your viewers understand that I am a Christian who has belonged to the same church for almost 20 years now. It’s where Michelle and I got married. It’s where our kids were dedicated. I took my oath of office on my family Bible.
I lead the Pledge of Allegiance when I open up the Senate. I’ve been saying the Pledge of Allegiance since I was three years old. I think it ’s very important for people not to buy into the kinds of dirty tricks that we’ve become so accustomed to in our politics and people need to understand I’m not and never have been of the Muslim faith.
I think that those who are of the Muslim faith are deserving of respect and dignity, but to try and feed into this fear-mongering and try to question my faith commitments and my belief in Jesus Christ, I think is offensive. And I want to make sure that people are absolutely clear about what’s going on with this, and if they get another one of these e-mails that they’re deleting it and letting their friends know that it’s nonsense.
It was Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) that had his swearing-in picture taken with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi with his hand on the Koran instead of the Bible. And the picture of Obama without his hand over his heart was taken while the national anthem was being played, not when the Pledge of Allegiance was being recited.
Also, here’s a similar statement he gave to Christianity Today magazine.
It’s call swift boating and this is what the right will do if Obama is the Dem. candiate for President. Think you heard of this now, just wait.
It’s so maddening; I have students who believe things like this, things that just have no basis in reality or have been thoroughly debunked, but either go around as e-mail forwards or come from angry talking heads that don’t earn what Limbaugh earns. This week the big ones were that Obama is a Muslim (and funds Muslim terrorist organizations) and that McCain is not just a “closet liberal”, but secretly a member of the Democratic party.
Why would Republcans debunk Obama now? It is the Clinton people doing this; if she was half=decent, she would publicly, over the airways, state these allegations about Obama are untrue and she denounces them That would be a statement of character, but you won’t see any Clinton doing that.
My parents have also fallen for this. I point out that not even the people who are running against Obama believe this, and they they debunk it too.
Doesn’t matter. Thanks to this email, they are “in the know.”
Yes, I have seen this email, too, and it amazes me that people read it and believe it (it’s funny, the version I’ve seen even misspells “atheist.”).
The anti-Barack statements seem like the work of someone that dislikes him (maybe due to race?) but is picking on the more socially acceptable bias against the Muslim faith.
[...] Summers feels the same way I do about some bogus emails making the [...]
People who come up with this crap ought to be deported to Antarctica.
I’m s lifelong Republican who intends to vote for Obama no matter who the Republican candidate is.
Did I miss something on the news? Has Obama been nominated?
Maybe “kcdad” intends to vote for Obama no matter who the Democratic candidate is, either!
Oh, no. But it is unlikely there could be any other.
McCain or Clinton? Who would be so cruel as to leave us that choice?