Interesting article - some people from here may see themselves in it - or not......... 
“Obama is a Muslim,” it said. “That is a FACT.”
As best I can recall — my computer ate the email — that was how the key line went in a reader missive that had me doing a double take last week. It was not the outlandish assertion that struck me but, rather, the emphatic claim of its veracity. We’re talking Shift-Lock and all-caps so there would be no mistaking: “Obama is a Muslim. That is a FACT.”
Actually, it is not a fact, but let that slide. We’re not here to renew the tired debate over Barack Obama’s religion. No, we’re only here to lament that so many of us seem to know “facts” that aren’t and that one party — guess which — has cynically nurtured, used and manipulated this ignorance for political gain.
Consider a recent trio of studies testing the effectiveness of fact-checking journalism. They were conducted for the nonpartisan American Press Institute, and their findings actually offer good news for those of us who fret over the deterioration of critical thinking and the resultant incoherence of political debate.
Researchers found, for instance that, although still relatively rare, fact-checking journalism has been growing fast and saw a 300 percent rise between 2008 and 2012. Also: most Americans (better than 8 in 10) have a favorable view of political fact-checking. Best of all, exposure to fact-checking tends to increase respondent’s knowledge, according to the research.
But like stinkweed in a bouquet of roses, the studies also produced one jarringly discordant finding: Republicans are significantly less likely to view fact checkers favorably. Among those with lower levels of political knowledge, the difference between Republican and Democratic voters is fairly small — 29 percent of Republicans have a favorable view, versus 36 percent of Democrats. Surprisingly, among those with higher levels of knowledge, the gap is vast: 34 percent of Republicans against 59 percent of Democrats.
The traditional rejoinder of the GOP faithful whenever you bring up such disparities in perception is that they mistrust “mainstream media” because it is biased against them. Putting aside the dubious validity of the claim, it’s irrelevant here. Fact-checking journalism is nonpartisan. One would be hard-pressed, for example, to paint Politifact as a shill for the donkey party given that it regularly dings Democrats and gave President Obama (“If you like your health plan, you can keep it”) its uncoveted Lie Of the Year award for 2013,
That being the case, one can’t help but be disheartened by this gap. What’s not to like about journalism that sorts truth from falsehood? What’s partisan about fact?
Nothing — you’d think. Except that, for Republicans something obviously is.
Perhaps we ought not be surprised given the pattern of party politics in recent years. On topics as varied as climate change, health care, terrorism and the president’s birthplace, GOP leaders and media figures have obfuscated and prevaricated with masterly panache, sowing confusion in the midst of absolute clarity, pretending controversy where there is none and finding, always, a ready audience of the fearful and easily gulled.
As political strategy, it has been undeniably effective, mobilizing voters and energizing campaigns. As a vehicle for leadership and change, it has been something else altogether. When you throw away a regard for fact, you throw away the ability to have effective discourse. Which is why American political debates tend to be high in volume and low in content. And why consensus becomes impossible.
The API statistics documenting the lack of GOP enthusiasm for fact- checkers, ought to tell you something. Who could have a problem with a fact-checker? He or she is your best friend if what you’re saying is true.
You would only feel differently if what you’re saying is not.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article19410963.html
Leonard Pitts
Oh yeah? Well what about this:
Fact or not, what's wrong with being a Muslim?
Fact or not, what's wrong with being a Muslim?
Exactly. But it's always fair game to exploit the ignorance of the masses for political gain. What could be more American than that?
Fact or not, what's wrong with being a Muslim?
Deflect. Deny. Usual pattern.
Fact:
Obama was born and raised as a Muslim by both his father and step-father.
Whether he is a Muslim sympathizer or not no one but Obama can know.
a Muslim sympathizer
What exactly is that?
Fact or not, what's wrong with being a Muslim?
Deflect. Deny. Usual pattern.
What did I deflect or deny?
Fact or not, what's wrong with being a Muslim?
Nothing I guess, if you actually happen to be one. Nothing wrong with being Japanese either, but why would I want to be called one when I'm not.
Fact or not, what's wrong with being a Muslim?
Deflect. Deny. Usual pattern.
What did I deflect or deny?
What did that have to do with the actual topic of the article? Typical deflection........
BTW Brer, that link you posted is being flagged as a virus threat by chrome....... please delete or change your post.....
BTW Brer, that link you posted is being flagged as a virus threat by chrome....... please delete or change your post.....
Yes, Avast antivirus has flagged it as well.
Actually it was avast that detected it on my PC as well..............
Fact or not, what's wrong with being a Muslim?
Absolutely nothing unless it's used to distort reality for perceived political purposes. You claim to support conservative candidates & agendas.
Maybe you explain why conservatives claim the president is a Muslim when he's not.
All you have to do is google "conservatives claim Obama is a Muslim" & you'll get plenty of hits.
weird. Didn't even know it was a link. I didn't hear it say "solid". (obscure Mod Squad reference, sorry). I will delete
Fact or not, what's wrong with being a Muslim?
Absolutely nothing unless it's used to distort reality for perceived political purposes. You claim to support conservative candidates & agendas.
Maybe you explain why conservatives claim the president is a Muslim when he's not.
All you have to do is google "conservatives claim Obama is a Muslim" & you'll get plenty of hits.
___________________________________________________________________
"conservatives claim Obama is a Muslim"
Your liberal ideology is showing again. It is the many citizens who believe Obama is a Muslim sympathizer regardless of political party.
Of course if you use Google you will get many hit because Google’s search engine is slanted liberal. How many of those hits are liberal activist websites?
Conservatives don’t claim Obama is a Muslim; he is a Muslim supporter as evidenced by his words and actions.
a Muslim sympathizer
What exactly is that?
Somebody who is on the fence. They know their religion has some hypocrisy in it, but they are afraid to look into Islam because the media has portrayed it as a religion of extremists who want to commit acts of terror. There are correct sects and incorrect sects in EVERY religion, Islam will even admit there will be 70 false sects of Judaism, 71 false sects of Christianity, and 72 false sects of Islam. There will be one true sect in each of these religions who follows what was given to the earlier peoples of these faiths. Some Muslims like those in the Islamic State will not tolerate anything OTHER than Islam and it has to be their way of Islam or die.
What is going on now in Saudi Arabia between the Houthis - who are Shiites- and the Sunnis will either lead to world war or a greater understanding among all peoples with tolerance as the end result.
Since Obama attended a Christian church in Chicago, either:
a) he felt he needed to do that to be accepted for a Presidential run later on,
b) he became a Christian, or
c) he has beliefs from Both faiths.
If he were a Muslim he could not have ordered drone strikes on those Afghans, who did nothing to anyone.
Conservatives don’t claim Obama is a Muslim
Don't get out much, do you?
I love everyone on the Whipping Post. A bunch of freaks, man
I love everyone on the Whipping Post. A bunch of freaks, man
And that's a fact!
Frequently there is a differing set of facts.
Frequently there is a differing set of facts.
No.
And that's a fact.
