What is Digg?127 Comments
- alapoet, on 06/28/2008, -9/+68What a fascinating story! I love that Danielle, rather than just feeling victimized and misled by the anti-Obama smear email, went after it with a vengeance, to find out just where the lie began.
FTA: "The idea of unsubstantiated charges whispered through gossip trails has been a tried-and-true political technique since well before Machiavelli's time, Allen said. Traditionally, the best approach to combating them has been to 'flush the charges out into the open.'"
Hell, yes! - Dustin00, on 06/29/2008, -1/+36Not this crap again.
The knuckle-dragging mouth breathers that only figured out how to forward email after receiving this completely unsubstantiated nonsense will still believe Obama is a muslim even after his presidency ends.
They failed critical thinking in high school and they still haven't even realized it. - tian2992, on 06/29/2008, -1/+30Came from the Ethernet ;)
- Iluvator, on 06/28/2008, -5/+33Very interesting article. Too long; almost didn't read, but I'm glad I did.
Of course, the very thing that makes the internet awesome - that we can say anything we want - leads to exactly this sort of misinformation. Unlike traditional press, there's no one to sue for slander or libel - just the iconic "Anonymous" images. :/ - IbbyIbby, on 06/28/2008, -5/+29I love how the same email that produces Viagra ads , penis enlargements ads and princes from Nigeria that need your help to cah a cheque somehow managed to be a legitimate source for the mainstream media.
- carnivalofmmo, on 06/28/2008, -3/+23I'll usually reply to all citing reputable sources, but I've never gone this far to refute an internet fear campaign. Well done!
- blueduck4ever, on 06/29/2008, -1/+20the second piece was written by kristinn who is "Warlord of the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com"
LOL warlord - beautifulleper, on 06/29/2008, -4/+18So what if he was a muslim, shal we assume all muslims are anti- american? What is he was an atheist, do you think he could get elected?
I don't understand why these ignorant americans are so damned stupid that they assume being muslim is bad or somehow anti-american. If I remember right, this country was built on the foundation of immigration .
And as far as the guy who had the links about leftist linkings, I know many republicans who had leftist leanings when they were 18. I know many libertarians who had leftist leanings. And the clintons, they had some bad ties to some very bad people. I am not sure having some bad friends means that you are an idiot. Quite the contrary. It means you are humane and realize that hating people simply for what they believe or even some of that bad stuff they do isn't looking at the whole picture of their lives.
If he is a black supremicist, then he is self hating, like he hated the white side of his family. Although not entirely impossible, very unlikely and it would mean he is much better at hiding his anger than John Mccain - poiuytrewq44, on 06/29/2008, -3/+14Even my grandmother who supported (and still does) Obama believed him to be Muslim. It seems to have taken hold in the least educated parts of the country.
- sassip, on 06/29/2008, -0/+11Green, In a perfect world your idealism is correct. However, in this world, unless you are a Christian you don't stand a chance at getting elected as president.
- hartley, on 06/29/2008, -1/+11It is a shame you're not mature enough to use spell check, capitalization, proper grammar and sentence structure.
You are for the left as rednecks and evangelicals are to the right. Unable to string an intelligible sentence together and just make everyone look bad. - Ransack, on 06/29/2008, -0/+9The Freerepublic website censors all postings so it is impossible to disagree with anyone on that site.
- jmk4422, on 06/29/2008, -9/+18Buried, because who cares what they have to say? As the WaPo article demonstrates those Free Republic guys/gals are just a bunch of whacko, conspiracy theorist liars.
- pyg13, on 06/29/2008, -0/+7Full disclosure - I am (at best) an agnostic.
That said - even if BHO were a devout Muslim - so what? There is nothing he could do that could change the laws in this country (e.g. - to reflect Sharia laws.) He MIGHT be able to offer a different attitude towards various countries. If his position(s) were so extreme when considered from the mainstream of Americans, he would not be re-elected. 8 years of Bush has not destroyed us. 4 years of a non-Christian (if true) would not either. - gamekid, on 06/29/2008, -0/+6All impending RPG item jokes are hereby pre-empted.
- warlokaz2004, on 06/29/2008, -4/+10I actually think it'd be great if he WAS a Muslim -- think about it...8 years after september 11th, we american's show we aren't knee jerk reactionaries by electing a moderate muslim, who, knowing what life could be under a mullahcracy, is the MOST adamant enemy of terrorism.
Its the same as if somone escaped the Soviet Bloc in the 80's -- "I grew up under stalinism, you shall find no greater ally against it." etc. - MikeFallopian, on 06/29/2008, -0/+6"There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than an email from the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon."
- HST - blueduck4ever, on 06/29/2008, -5/+10jmk4422, i did read what they said and i can confirm they are conspiracy theorist whackos
- pyg13, on 06/29/2008, -0/+5Being a Lit Major and an avid opera goer, I am (accurately guessed) to be in great favor of the fine arts. That said - I am not sure that (even if valid) your statement has much merit here for this topic. Not every person can be a 'Renaissance Man' (apologies to all Renaissance women out there), and judging one's competence in one area does not necessarily translate to even interest in another arena (research into political memes v. interest in fine arts.) For me, your remark 'Does not compute.'
- Rikkochet, on 06/29/2008, -0/+5You missed a sentence that somehow connects your blather with this story about a woman going on a hunt for the origins of a false email...
- inactive, on 06/29/2008, -0/+5 That wasn't always the case but years ago a small group of dedicated people gained control over the site and made sure the influence of a certain tiny new nation in the Mideast was not discussed. And now the site is censored as you say.
- hartley, on 06/29/2008, -3/+8Yeah, too bad he's not a Muslim.
Even us right leaning people know that. - enantiodromia, on 06/29/2008, -1/+6remember the Net before the rednecks and jesus freaks got online? good times.
- jmk4422, on 06/29/2008, -2/+6I take the "one person"'s word "uncritically", kc8, because that "one person" is supported by about a million facts. Anyone with half a brain who pays any attention to the truth knows that Obama is not a Muslim, that he never has been, and that all the lies about his background come from idiots like the Free Republic whackos.
- ewalker13us, on 06/29/2008, -0/+4Hmmm...maybe she will reply to this ..as per it is precisely this subject being discussed in the article.
Would you care to elaborate? And I'm sure you are not a DirtPile.
"This kind of misinformation campaign short-circuits judgment. It also aggressively disregards the fundamental principle of free societies that one be able to debate one's accusers." - OakRidger, on 06/29/2008, -1/+5Only reason I asked like that was because from the third sentence on, it seemed as if you were slamming them. No pot or kettle here, Sasie.
- jgome008, on 06/29/2008, -0/+4Fight The Smears.
- liuite, on 06/29/2008, -2/+6it was a chain mail, enough said.
- InetRoadkill, on 06/29/2008, -3/+7Like Freepers have any credibility. Get real.
- ewalker13us, on 06/29/2008, -1/+5McCain can make his own bed. He doesn't need email smears to do it for him.
- GreenWolf21, on 06/29/2008, -3/+7Regardless of whether or not the information is inaccurate, or the reasoning sound/unsound, there is a more basic issue at hand here: prejudice against the Islamic faith. When liberals get caught up in this argument with conservatives over the accuracy of statements regarding Obama's alleged Muslim background, they are taking for granted the underlying assumption of the conservatives' smear campaign; the assumption that there is something wrong with Obama being a Muslim or having a Muslim background. This is a typical, and bigoted, point of view that equates Islam with terrorism. People who subscribe to this simple-minded point of view, ought to stay in their trailers, STFU, and stop voting!
- AxmxZ, on 06/29/2008, -0/+4Imagine that, Freepers were involved...!
- OakRidger, on 06/29/2008, -1/+5That's odd. I went there and signed up for an account and received my verification e-mail and temporary password within about 30 seconds of submitting my information. Did you e-mail the admin like it says in the instructions for not receiving a password? Or were you just looking for a reason to condemn them out of hand without even trying?
- barackoblogger, on 06/29/2008, -0/+3
Danielle Allen traced the first Muslim email to Andy Martin. Martin wanted to run for the senate, and admitted he has no reason for his accusations except to try to score political points. "There's nothing sinister here. I was thinking of running for Senate and was looking for a story to put some sizzle on the plate." - hartley, on 06/29/2008, -2/+5Mmmmm ether.
- barackoblogger, on 06/29/2008, -0/+3Obama met his natural father I believe two times in his entire life. His birth father had nothing to do with raising him, and lived on another continent.
Obama did live for a few years in Indonesia when his mother remarried, and went to a public school there. He did not attend a "Muslim" school.
Later, his mother pulled him out of the public school because she wanted more of a challenge for him, and put him in an Indonesian Catholic school.
CNN Report on Obama's school in Indonesia. They actually visit the school. You can see the school and that both Christians and Muslims attend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ4v7iLnvrQ - surfstoked, on 06/29/2008, -0/+3Great story. You know one thing that I don't hear from those who perpetrate this ***** is this: Who owns the freaking Justice Dept right now? Oh yeah, the bush neos! Don't you think that they have run Obama's life through a total vetting process and wrung out anything they could? I mean it's not like they like the guy. If they did, and I'd bet on it, do you think they would keep something like that quiet?
Why? They didn't even blink when it was Valerie Plame, and she was one of their own.
Dumb bastards never ever use thier heads when it's so much fun talking out your butt. - serendipitously, on 06/29/2008, -1/+4Bigotry and ignorance abound, and the fact that people can't go beyond their own stereotypical assumptions is sad. But the internet just adds a new dimension to the equation. The internet is a democratizing force. Smear campaigns will always be a part of politics and society in general. Let people make up their own mind. The mainstream media picked this chain email up...go figure.
- Twenty, on 06/29/2008, -0/+3There are too many people desperately holding on to their Christian values that preach ... tolerance? for that to happen.
Although, I do agree with you. It's like, so what if he WAS muslim? Is that it? The best you have? It's all the same ***** god anyway. - pablo0713, on 06/29/2008, -2/+5***** THE RIAA
- scottc, on 06/29/2008, -1/+4You managed to downplay her intelligence while highlighting the lack of your own in the same sentence.
- PabloMac, on 06/29/2008, -0/+3You didn't read past the first paragraph, did you? You probably didn't even click the link to the story.
- Twenty, on 06/29/2008, -0/+3Could be 'cause she has two doctorates and works in a think tank that solves some of the most 'vexing' problems in the universe. But I understand, that justification was never in the article.
Oh wait.
Maybe you should just stick a dick in your mouth instead. You're no better than the ***** racists in the article. - greenfyre, on 06/29/2008, -0/+2Did you see this Dailey Show episode where Stewart goes after just that point? http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/06/17/jon-stewa ...
As ever, he lets them hang themselves while we watch - scottc, on 06/29/2008, -0/+2There is no need to trust her. The Post interviewed the people she found and they spoke for themselves. What is left to doubt?
Bias and motive are not negatives when they are stated so that you can understand any possible implications. In this case neither interferes with the premise of the article. - greenfyre, on 06/29/2008, -1/+3Could be gender too, probably is
- Wakkyweed, on 06/29/2008, -0/+2Oh - I thought dannylee was trying to be sarcastic. Were you really stupid enough to think that, danny, or was it a joke?
- PabloMac, on 06/29/2008, -0/+2...unlike your comment.
- barackoblogger, on 06/29/2008, -0/+2Obama met his natural father I believe two times in his entire life. His birth father had nothing to do with raising him, and lived on another continent.
Obama did live for a few years in Indonesia when his mother remarried, and went to a public school there. He did not attend a "Muslim" school.
Later, his mother pulled him out of the public school because she wanted more of a challenge for him, and put him in an Indonesian Catholic school. - Tulle, on 06/29/2008, -0/+2It hasn't destroyed us (more specfically you, as I am canadian), but it has destroyed a lot of families in both the US and Iraq.
I agree with your underlying point, but I think you can imagine why him being muslim with not sit well with a large portion of the US. -
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