29% of Americans (43% Republicans) still believe president is Muslim

It's time to stop pussyfooting around. We ARE idiots.

I'm only sort of being facetious. False equivalencies, lack of logical reasoning, inability to put together coherent arguments, science denial, bad grammar, poor spelling... I've always been a huge proponent of public education but as I look at the things my cohort posts on social media, I can't help but think we've failed in a big way.

I know so many people who believe that it makes me want to cry. I stopped arguing with them a long time ago. I was wasting my breath. These are the same people who believe that we never landed on the moon. They also believe the US government was responsible for the 9-11 attack. They also believe Sandy Hook was staged and that no children were killed. They think it was staged so that guns could be taken away from Americans. So I'm surrounded by all kinds of crazy people here.

I saw this earlier this week and have been stewing about it since. Icing on the cake was last night with the man at the Donald Trump rally who made the comment that President Obama was not only a Muslim, but not even American.

I get that people don't like him, I really do-but to keep on believing these things in the face of evidence to the contrary is so absolutely beyond my understanding. I find myself sputtering and mumbling as I try to articulate just how bewildered I am with this kind of thinking. I can't even find the words because it is so wrong thinking. 

It's all bread and circuses. 

Sigh. I really should just back away from this one but what the hell.
1. I'm a republican (or combo republic/libertarian)
2. I've never thought Obama was Muslim- and even if he was so what? It wouldn't matter to me at all.
3. I've never given a crap about the birth stuff- ridiculous
4. I am amazed so many people believe that- not sure I trust those polls.
5. I was on your side until you threw in your jab about people still believing God made humans in their present form 10,000 years ago. Check. I believe that so apparently that makes me a freak. Noted.

I don't think he's a Muslim. I don't think he really practices any religion. I think perhaps he thought he *needed* to be a Christian to be elected but I've seen interviews on talk shows where Michelle pretty much said they don't go to church. Time to regroup and relax as a family. Or something like that. Not that I believe you have to be in a church every Sunday to be religious. 

Because your manner of belief is the only way to be Christian?

I find it fascinating that in a technologically advanced world where information is literally at our fingertips, more so than ever in our history, that we (generality of course) have instead retreated into a cocoon of rumor and misinformation. It reminds me of middle school gossip almost... unsubstantiated, unverified, and unbelievable crap that is perpetuated because one dumb ass shares it on Facebook or Twitter so it must be true. I (perhaps wrongly) immediately consider the people who perpetuate falsehoods like Obama being Muslim to be lazy and/or incapable of doing their own reading and research, and instead rely on other social media users for all of their "news."

I have become very passionate about this subject. It used to be we got the crap emails about poisoned business cards on car windershields from the crazy aunt who forwarded them on, believing them to be true and not verifying anything on Snopes. But I feel like everything I see posted on social media is easily disputed as untrue. Some of it is, of course, harmless like Betty White dying for the 10th time in 2 years (Betty probably finds it funny), but when it influences the way people vote and the decisions they make about how they raise their children, choose where to live, and generally treat people, it makes me both angry and sad.

I am trying to abide by the rule that what I see on social media is not indicative of the population as a whole, and in fact is probably more of a reflection of the group(s) of people I am connected to more than anything. Which probably doesn't say much about who I follow or am friends with on social media. Ha ha!

I know (online, via a group I belong to) that many around here believe he is a Muslim and are "birthers."

Since Trump was a big voice in the "not born in America" movement, I'm not surprised he didn't contradict the man in the audience.

I certainly don't subscribe to that notion of thought. I honestly don't care.

We look like fools, not because of a damn BC, but by how we're handling Isis et al.

My question is, so what if he is? I don't think there's anything saying you have to be Christian to be President is there?

AWESOME

I think failing to call out this idiocy for what it is has contributed to the perception that it's legitimate.

Many people believe & care about things that I find outrageous, implausible, & insignificant, like this subject. I respect their opinions, although different than mine, & cherish the freedom that gives all of us the opportunity to express them!