Posted on 08/31/2010 11:12:31 AM PDT by Teflonic
EAST LANSING, Mich. — There’s something beyond plain old ignorance that motivates Americans to believe President Obama is a Muslim, according to a first-of-its-kind study of smear campaigns led by a Michigan State University psychologist.
The research by Spee Kosloff and colleagues suggests people are most likely to accept such falsehoods, both consciously and unconsciously, when subtle clues remind them of ways in which Obama is different from them, whether because of race, social class or other ideological differences.
These judgments, Kosloff argues, are irrational. He also suggests they are fueled by an “irresponsible” media culture that allows political pundits and “talking heads” to perpetuate the lies.
“Careless or biased media outlets are largely responsible for the propagation of these falsehoods, which catch on like wildfire,” said Kosloff, visiting assistant professor of psychology. “And then social differences can motivate acceptance of these lies.”
A Pew Research Center poll in August 2010 found that 18 percent of Americans believe Obama is a Muslim – up from 11 percent in March 2009 – even though he’s a practicing Christian. Kosloff noted that the poll was conducted before Obama’s recent comments supporting the right for Muslims to build a mosque near New York’s Ground Zero.
Kosloff and colleagues launched their study prior to the 2008 U.S. presidential election, as the candidates were being bombarded with smear campaigns. It’s the first comprehensive experimental study of the psychological factors that motivate Americans to believe the lies. The findings are published in the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
In four separate experiments (three before the election and one after), the researchers looked at both conscious and unconscious acceptance of political smears by mostly white, non-Muslim college students. For the conscious trials, the participants were shown false blog reports arguing that Obama is a Muslim or a socialist or that John McCain is senile. The unconscious trials involved gauging how rapidly subjects could identify smear-relevant words such as “Muslim” or “turban” after Obama’s name was presented subliminally.
Among the results:
• On average, participants who supported McCain said there is a 56 percent likelihood Obama is a Muslim. But when they were asked to fill out a demographic card asking for their own race, the likelihood jumped to 77 percent. Kosloff said this shows that simply thinking about a social category that differentiated participants from Obama was enough to get them to believe the smear.
• Participants undecided about the candidates said there is a 43 percent chance McCain is senile – a number that increased to 73 percent when they simply listed their own age on a card.
• Undecided participants said there is a 25 percent chance Obama is a socialist – a number that jumped to 62 percent when they considered race. “Even though being a socialist has nothing to do with race,” Kosloff said, “irrationally they tied the two together.”
Kosloff said the increase in belief that Obama is Muslim likely reflects a growing disenchantment with his presidency – a sense that people feel Obama is not on their side.
“When people are unsatisfied with the president – whether it’s the way he’s handling the economy, health care or Afghanistan – our research suggests that this only fuels their readiness to accept untrue rumors,” Kosloff said.
“As his job rating goes down, suggesting that people feel like he’s not ideologically on their side, we see an increase in this irrational belief that he’s a Muslim,” he added. “Unfortunately, in America, many people dislike Muslims so they’ll label Obama as Muslim when they feel different from him.”
The study was done with researchers from the University of Arizona, the University of British Columbia and Leiden University in the Netherlands.
Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.
I WONDER Why?
For the unaware and unknowing.... and the wary
We all have different dreams, and perceptions about America and what it should become. A special thank you to Cruise _Missile for summarizing his observations!
Obama is a Muslim wanabe or Wahabe
• The FIRST thing Obama did as a newly elected Illinois State Senator was to attempt to declare a Muslim holiday. Obama sponsored Bill SR0110 in the 90th General Assembly to declare November 1, 1997 to be Islamic Community Center Day. It did not pass.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/summary/900SR0110.html
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/srgroups/sr/900SR0110LV.html
• His biological father was a Muslim.
http://www.bing.com/reference/semhtml/?title=Barack_Obama%2C_Sr.&src=abop&qpvt=barack+obama+seniot&q=barack+obama+senior&fwd=1
• Because his biological father was a Muslim the Islam world thinks he is a Muslim.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/behind-the-numbers/2010/08/obama_is_a_muslim_18_24_or.html?hpid=topnews
http://www.indonesiamatters.com/2952/barry-soetoro/
• His stepfather was a Muslim.
http://www.indonesiamatters.com/2952/barry-soetoro/
• As a child Barry was enrolled in school as a Muslim in Jakarta Indonesia. An Indonesian Madrasa.
• Barack Hussein Obama’s first and middle names are Arabic Muslim names.
Barack was the name for Mohammad’s horse. Husein, enough said.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700246419/Barack-Muhammads-horse.html
http://sanooaung.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/will-be-obama-with-us-muslims-as-the-meaning-of-his-name-in-persian-language/
• Obama recited the opening lines of the Muslim call to prayer, which includes a vow of fidelity to Islam, in flawless Arabic on a radio program. - Nikolos Kristoff, NYTs, 3-06-07 (***this one is a gottcha moment***)
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.3413/pub_detail.asp
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/11679
• On that same program he said he thinks the call to prayer is “one of the prettiest sounds on earth.”
http://jewagainstobama.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/obama-muslim-call-to-prayer-one-of-the-prettiest-sounds-on-earth/
http://caosblog.com/archives/7373
• Obama belonged to Rev. Wright’s (a former Muslim) church for twenty years. Many congregants are Muslims.
http://infidelsarecool.com/2008/04/07/jeremiah-wright-former-muslim/
http://infidelsarecool.com/2008/03/20/rev-wright-got-his-masters-degree-in-islam-in-west-africa/
http://endtimes.yuku.com/forum/viewtopic/id/289
• Obama’s said that the U.S. is “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world.”
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyharnden/9959057/Barack_Hussein_Obama_US_one_of_the_largest_Muslim_countries_in_the_world/
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/06/obama_america_one_of_the_large_1.asp
• Obama holds Muslim celebrations in the WH but canceled the National Day of Prayer.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1724544/obama_cancels_national_day_of_prayer.html?cat=9
http://www.exposeobama.com/
• President Obama’s religious adviser, Eboo Patel, once deemed the United States “the ideal place for the renewal of Islam.”
• Obama does not give gifts on Christmas.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/12035.html
• Obama doesn’t celebrate his birthday.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/a-tough-birthday-for-obama/
• Obama falsely attributes Muslim participation in the founding of America.
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.7041/pub_detail.asp
• Obama required that the cross be covered when he gave a speech at Notre Dame.
http://blog.acton.org/archives/9843-notre-dame-georgetown-and-president-obama.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/11/opinion/main5006203.shtml
http://dougpowers.com/2009/04/17/obamas-jesus-coverup/
• Christian symbol covered up during Obama’s Georgetown speech
http://myfaithspace.ning.com/profiles/blogs/obama-covers-christ-and-cross
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=46667
• Obama’s first major speech in office was a “Muslim outreach” speech in Cairo Egypt.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Cairo-University-6-04-09/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8083171.stm
• “The American President told me in confidence that he is a Muslim,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Nile TV.
http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2010/06/12/bombshell-egyptian-foreign-minister-ahmed-aboul-gheit-says-on-egyptian-tv-%e2%80%9cthe-american-president-told-me-in-confidence-that-he-is-still-a-muslim-%e2%80%9d/
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=166905
• Obama gave strong support to the Cordoba House community center and mosque to be built at the Ground Zero site of Sep. 11, 2001 at a dinner celebrating the day’s end of the first day of Ramadan at the WH.
http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/president-obama-supports-ground-zero-mosque/19593492?ncid=webmail
• Obama tasked NASA with a mission of “Muslim outreach.”
http://technology.newsplurk.com/2010/07/nasa-and-islam.html
• Obama referred to his faith as “my Muslim faith” gaffe in an interview with George Stephanopolous.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQqIpdBOg6I
• Pushes Islamic freedom of religion but not Jewish or Christian freedoms. Several weeks ago he told Israel NOT to build settlements in East Jerusalem. But OK to build that Mosque at Ground Zero.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/7514285/Israel-spits-in-Obamas-eye-by-announcing-new-settlements-in-east-Jerusalem.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/24/barack-obama-israel-settlement-plan
Be wary, wary aware ....and wary, wary afraid
or how about...
Obama said the Muslim call to prayer is “one of the prettiest sounds on earth,” in an interview with Nicholas Kristof, published in The New York Times. Kristof described Obama’s recitation of the Muslim call to prayer, the Adhan, “with a first-class [Arabic] accent.”
The opening lines of the Adhan (Azaan) is the Shahada:
“Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme!
Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme!
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that Muhammad is his prophet... “
According to Islamic scholars, reciting the Shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith, makes one a Muslim. This simple yet profound statement expresses a Muslim’s complete acceptance of, and total commitment to, the message of Islam.
“Obama recited the opening lines of the Muslim call to prayer, which includes a vow of fidelity to Islam, in flawless Arabic.” on a radio program. - Nikolos Kristoff, NYTs, 3-06-07
1) Stole the 2000 Election
2) Rigged the 2004 Election
3) Believe that either a) Bush knew before hand about the 9/11 attacks, or b) Bush planned the 9/11 attacks.
I'm sure there are other potential studies that could be done on the liberal loons, but these are the biggest areas I can think of.
Somebody that can’t see the truth about Obama with all the signals he has given off is the ignorant one Prof Kosloff.
Hmmmm...guess I’m stupid.
Since Obama quacks (and lies) like a Muslim Imam....
...then just maybe...
But then, what do I know/
I can actually do real science and engineering, but sadly, do not have a degree in advanced marshmallow roasting like these hallowed “profs” do.
Congrats, himnohero,
Your well researched list has once again proved that most “professors” should start cleaning floors so that they can produce something useful for the country.
It’s beyond the leftoid professoriate to consider that people may be fully aware that Obummer claims to be a Christian but do not believe him.
Personally, I think he is an atheist. Based not on a “network of lies” but my own observations of the man over a period of several years.
Its all part of a larger conspiracy....
I ran across this too. It seems as though it’s OK to lie in order to convert someone to Islam, The ends justifies the means:
Those three words and concepts are:
Taqiyya - concealing or disguising one’s beliefs, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and/or strategies
Kitman - half-truths that mislead and deceive
Tu-Quoque - the diversionary tactic of accusing others of Muslims’ own lack of “peace” and “tolerance”
So whether it’s Ahmadinejad regarding nuclear weapons, or iman Rauf regarding the the “ground zero” mosque, don’t forget that their religion not only allows, but encourages, those concepts when dealing with non-Muslims - to the point that they such actions are considered good and part of the works that will earn them a place in “heaven.”
If Brian Williams were a real journalist, he would have given Obama this list and told him “maybe this is why so many Americans (and others) believe you are a muslim” and let him explain. It makes me sick how no reporters will ever press him on anything. Let a few Freepers interview him.
No this is ignorance about ISLAM....The author is obviously unaware of the doctrine of Kithman or the doctrine of Taqiya in Islam which basically permits a muslim to lie to another non-muslim. www.www.answering-islam.org/Authors/JR/Future/ch16_understanding_dishonesty.htm
Just what we need: more "settled science" from academic "experts." Quick -- someone dig up their sex tapes!
Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. converted to Islam and became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Cassius Clay converted to Islam and became Muhammad Ali.
Barry Soetoro converted to Christianity and became Barack Hussein Obama.
Practicing Christian? Prove it.
I dont see why there is such an uproar over this. Less than 20%. Big deal! Polls show that Americans believe in a whole host of weird things, but numbers at least as big. Like UFO’s, 9/11 Trutherism, etc. Why the obsession over this? Seriously, its not like 18% is that large of a number anyways...
Evidence that Obama is NOT a socialist, please.
He admits to seeking out Marxist professors in college so he would not be labelled a "sell out".
His campaign staff and administration is teaming with Che-loving, Mao-loving, Saul Alinsky spouting socialists.
"he didn't know" has worn out as an excuse.
Even Senator Hillary Clinton proclaimed "Bush Knew!" from the floor of the Senate in February 2002.
Whoopi Goldberg denied that Apollo 11 ever landed on the moon.
But this issue threatens the Demcorats' "god gap" solution. They proclaim Obama is Christian (when he was raised agonistic by mama and grandmama) but nothing about his identity expresses this.
You left off that Michelle O cut her tour of foreign nations short when the schedule called for her to accompany him from Europe to Muslim countries - I think Turkey was next on agenda. She flew home.
She will never accompany him to a Muslim country. If she does - no photos - or a lot of excuses.
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