That Muslim Smear

[sniffa]

One unexpected thing happened at the Clinton event I described below: I chatted with a local resident (from nearby Millersburg) who looked to be in her late
sixties and wh said she intends to caucus. This woman had been undecided before seeing Bill tonight, but said she's now made up her mind for Hillary. "He made me believe all the things that I've sort of been questioning about," she said with a charmed smile.

Then I asked her what her friends and neighbors are saying about the other candidates. She said there was a lot of debate and indecision, and that people are worried about each candidates' particular weaknesses. Specifically, she said some people are "worried" about Obama's race, and whether it might make him unelectable. She continued:

"That, and the fact that he's a Muslim," she said, without a trace of irony or guile. "That's where we got all our problems from."

"Do you really believe it's a fact that he's a Muslim?" I asked. "Because it's not true."

"Well, that's what I've heard," she told me.

The woman gave me her name, but I'm withholding it here because I don't think she means to be spreading a crude smear.

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_stump/archive/2008/01/01/that-muslim-smear.aspx

[Name removed]

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[UndertheOcean]

3. So, Muslim is a "smear" now ?

How delightfully Racist.

Without Muslim Civilization Europe would have stayed in the dark ages a few centuries more.

[TransitJohn]

5. How is it racist?

I agree it's supposed to be a smear, but how can it be a racist smear? There are muslims of all races. That's like saying using "Christian" as a smear is racist...I don't get it.

[UndertheOcean]

13. Call it Xenophobic then... let's not play semantics

[TransitJohn]

14. Semantics??

Uh, ok, let's not :eyes:

[UndertheOcean]

15. Good.

Him being called "Muslim" should be an honour , not a smear.

[TransitJohn]

17. lol

ok. "Honor" :rofl:

[UndertheOcean]

19. are you suggesting that "honour" is misspelled , I don't get what's funny ?

huh ?

[TransitJohn]

24. No.

Just your outrage or whatever. Strikes me as silly. Carry on.

[Sultana]

25. Not in present-day America nt

edit: referring to you honor statement

[Name removed]

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[ThatPoetGuy]

6. So you're BLAMING Hillary for this woman's ignorance?

Heaven help us all.

If all of the candidates were blamed for the ignorant and illogical beliefs of some of their followers right here on DU, then all of the candidates would be unelectable.

Except maybe Richardson. His followers never say anything stupid, because he doesn't seem to have any followers.

[sniffa]

8. am i?

[Pirate Smile]

7. That is the third article about a Clinton supporter believing Obama

is Muslim. I'd love to see a poll of actually what percentage of Clinton supporters believe that crap.

There was a photo of two Clinton supporters at a Los Vegas rally who told the photographer the same thing and a Clinton supporter wrote a letter to an Iowa newspaper reciting the smear. I'm not even counting the two volunteers for the campaign who forwarded the e-mail and then got booted when it became public.

My 83 year old grandfather, Clinton supporter, said the same damn thing. We told him that is crap. He lives in a retirement home and isn't all there mentally anymore but he knew and believed the smear.

[sniffa]

9. i don't know what to tell you

the majority of people are ignorant, and believe anything. look at the chainmails that get so much credence. :(

[LordJFT]

10. it's sad that it even matters whether Obama is a muslim or not

[sniffa]

11. it is

:/

[tammywammy]

16. Agreed

[zulchzulu]

12. I had several people in Iowa when there talking about how they think Obama is muslim

I know a few people who are Muslim and could care less. But in most cases, as this OP illustrates, people view it as a negative and/or think that Muslims are all terrorists.

With the woman being a Hillary supporter after hearing from campaign staff that he is "a muslim", it is no surprise. I've talked to several Iowans who have questioned why a dude like me would support "one of them Muslims". A few were Hillary supporters.

[niceypoo]

18. They get it from the right wing talk shows

If Obama wins the nomination it is all we will hear from the right. They are unable to contain their bigotry, it's what they are.

[EFerrari]

20. It is what they are. I heard a WJ caller say he was a "reformed Muslim".

Impenetrable stupidity.

[Didereaux]

22. What DU and many do not understand about the 'muslim' thing is...

...there are HUGE numbers of people who once they hear something it is in their brains almost forever. Why do you think almost half still believe that Saddam Hussein had something to do with 911? The average brain records its first impressions, it then only compares any following ones, if there is really no reason to remove the memory and replace it with correct one the brain does not...the brain is the 'lazy' part of the human.

Why do you think that so much effort is sometimes made to get a 'smear' on page one? Because the retractions can be in the dozens before maybe it erases just one of the 'brains' originally programmed. Smart PR people no that, as do ALL criminal lawyers pro and defense. You can 'fix' a jury with one good headline, and all the evidence at trial will mean naught.

Check yourself regularly to see just how much 'stuff' your brain has bought into that is untrue. It'll scare the hell out of you, and or get you so mad that want to break a skull or two...hopefully not your own...welllll, hmmmmmmmm
;)

[killbotfactory]

23. He opposed a war against innocent muslims

How much more proof do you need that he's a Al-Qaeda sleeper agent who's bent on world destruction and the oppression of all our women-folk?