So, I was standing in line at the post office....

[Misskittycat]

in a conservative suburb in San Diego. The middle-aged woman in front of me in line (BTW, I'm a middle-aged woman)was talking to the woman in front of her, and I heard, "How about that guy Obama? You know he's a Muslim, don't you?....and she was continuing with the litany of lies, so I asked her to repeat what she was saying. She did and I informed her that this was a lie being circulated on the Internet. I told her the facts. She insisted I was wrong, and then went on with the "He won't salute the flag" and "He took the oath of office on the Koran...." I corrected her again, including supplying the information that it was Keith Ellison who took the oath on the Koran.

So we went back and forth for another minute. She insisted she was getting her "facts" from "nonpartisan" sites on the Internet. I kept correcting her firmly, but we were at a standoff. So I stopped with a firm "That is not the truth."

What should I have done or said? Clearly, if I directed her to his campaign website, she wouldn't believe that.

Curiously, after a silent moment or so, she turned to me and asked, "Do you like Elvis?" I thought, WTF? Talk about a non sequitur. I responded, "Yes." She pointed out that it was an Elvis song on the background. Did she think because I'm a Dem I wouldn't like Elvis?

[Ian David]

1. I would have said, "Yes, I like Elvis, too. I feel the same way about Elvis as I do about Jesus."

"I like Elvis, and I like Jesus... it's their fan clubs I can't stand."

[Misskittycat]

9. But you know I'm Jewish, don't you? I like Jesus, though.

[Ian David]

16. Jesus was a very good Rabbi. Nice Jewish boy. Shame he never married.

Don't know if you can read it, but note the "Jesus was a Jewish Liberal" bumper sticker.

[islandmkl]

21. As Ray Wylie Hubbard says in 'Conversation with the Devil':

"Buddha wasn't a Christian, but Jesus would have made a good Buddhist."

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

2. Thats why I left San Diego. after 60 years.

[rinsd]

3. I've heard that a couple of times here in San Diego.

I am guessing Roger Douchebag Hedgecock is somehow involved.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

8. Rodger the ex drug dealer

[PA Democrat]

4. I've been referring people to snopes.com

I am sick of these types of smears. I think the next time I will add that that this particular rumor is being spread by racists, and that if they don't want to be lumped in with the racists, perhaps that they should check their facts.

[The Traveler]

5. No. She was seeking a point of common ground

both to disarm the tension of the moment but also to calibrate you a bit. You planted seeds of doubt in her sources of info. Bravo. Perhaps those seeds will sprout, and she will find better sources...

Good job, I say!

[redqueen]

6. I agree...

and I think the effort at small talk afterward is a good sign.

Maybe she took in more than she let on.

*hopes*

[Jack Bone]

7. I agree...I believe the OP did a fabulous job!!

Bravo Zulu!! :patriot:

[Misskittycat]

13. She may indeed have been trying to seek common ground.

[FormerDittoHead]

32. I hope you're right...

But this is how it CAN work!

The HOPE is that the woman would do some clicking outside of the Drudge/Worldnetdaily/Fox/Freep universe and then, as it did for ME, realize that the things she was being told to be believe were LIES...

Yes, good job!

[Orangepeel]

10. Snopes? Not everyone has heard of it, but most who have find it credible

You did good!

[peoli]

11. next time try, " Are you a f'ing idiot?"

[panader0]

12. Good job! If everyone spoke up and tried to educate people

like this, it would help our chances.

[judaspriestess]

14. I had a conversation with a friend who is a Dem

last week, what popped out of his mouth? "did you know Obama is a Muslim?" i.e. I have a problem with that. I told my friend he was wrong. I just sent him an email with some info clarifying this misinformation. Its really sad.

[LiberalFighter]

15. You could had told her that you wouldn't vote for Obama and her facts about him are wrong

Even if you did support him.

[Misskittycat]

20. Actually, I'm an Edwards supporter; Obama second, but that's beside

the point. The truth is the truth.

[LiberalFighter]

31. Then you could had told her that you don't like Obama's name being smeared even though

you are an Edward's supporter

[Prefer]

17. Elvis Lives Evils

[THUNDER HANDS]

18. what should you have done?

Bought a stamp, placed it on her forehead and instructed the postal clerk that there was some damage from the shipping with this one.

[Blarch]

19. She won't beleive anything you tell her.

I would have spit on the floor next to her feet and called her a filthy whore.

I am starting to think Obama can't get elected because the American people are just to damn stupid. The swift boating is working, the lies and smearing is working...the American people just aren't smart enough to find the truth.

It's a damn shame about this country.

[TheCowsCameHome]

22. Reminds me of a funny story....

I was in the local post office just before Christmas, and an older lady across the table was obviously having difficulty preparing a book for mailing. I noticed it was Ballonhead O'Reilly's newest propoganda-filled book. She muttered something about how she was sending it to her daughter as a present, if she could ever get the thing securely into the appropriate box. I casually asked her in the most serious tone I could muster if she was aware that O'Reilly's book had been recalled by the publisher because it contained so many lies and half-truths, and that full refunds were being given.

After pausing for moment she sighed and put the book under her arm and went out the door, leaving the box and mailing stuff on the counter.

[Barack_America]

23. Well done. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

I'll bet she goes home and looks it up.

Okay...I HOPE she does. She probably won't.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

24. I would have told her to check out snopes

because the story has been roundly debunked there.

[1corona4u]

25. I don't think Obama is a Muslim...

but I'd really love to know why he insisted on using his own copy of the Bible to be sworn in to the senate with. Anyone know the reason? What was wrong with the one they normally use?

"Two press reports from Obama's swearing-in ceremony in January 2005 mention specifically that Obama took the oath of office by placing his hand on his own copy of the Bible. The Barack Obama campaign also confirmed that it was a Bible and that the book belonged to Obama. Vice President Dick Cheney, in his role as president of the Senate, administered the oath."

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/238/

[Starbucks Anarchist]

26. A) He's not a Muslim.

B) Who gives a damn if he used his own Bible?

[rufus dog]

28. nice try!

Let's see, why the hell would he use his own bible. You want to leave the doubt that maybe he had the Koran inside! How about the most obvious. He wanted a momento. Now wouldn't that be cool to hand down to his kids.

[1corona4u]

33. Uhh, I don't think a Koran would fit 'in' a bible...

unless it was a pretty big Bible....like a family bible.

Here's a pic of a Koran;



So do you know for a fact that's why he did it, or are you just guessing? If you know for a fact, please provide a link.

[Trajan]

27. You did EXACTLY what you should have done ...

Correcting her in public, firmly but with civility, is the absolute BEST response .... no histrionics ... no yelling and screaming ...

Just the facts, ma'am ...

Good on you ...

[chelaque liberal]

29. I got an apology today !!!

I get some especially ugly email from a former co-worker. I usually try to respond with a Snopes link but have had him reply "They just have to say that because they don't want to offend anyone."

When this came:

I usually don't get caught up in all the political hoopla, but, when I say this, I was so mad. I do not claim to be a democrat nor republican, I am an American. What is his problem?


Heard about this but a picture is definitely worth 1000 words!

(You've probably seen the picture)

Senator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harkin stand during the national anthem. Barack Hussein Obama's photo (that's his real name)......the article said he REFUSED TO NOT ONLY PUT HIS HAND ON HIS HEART DURING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BUT REFUSED TO SAY THE PLEDGE.....how can a man like this expect to be our next Commander-in-Chief????



I responded:

If a picture is worth 1000 words, a video and a little context is worth 1,000,000. I'm not an Obama supporter but I don't think dishonest smears do anyone any good.

http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/barack-obama-refused-to-say-the-pledge-of-allegiance-youve-been-played-for-a-daggone-fool/




I expected him to be pissed. Instead I got this (and it appears to have been forwarded to his list):

Someone told me that the picture was take right as they were standing to do the pledge and was taken a spit second before he raised his hand. When I got the e-mail, I did react in a rash manner. Now, my logical self tells me that it had to be a mistake. Fooled me once… I guess that’s why they call it the business of politics. To everyone I sent this to, I guess that’s why I don't need to get caught up in such things. Sorry.




Shows that it is worth trying to "re-educate".

[rucky]

30. "Elvis was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me..."

You shoulda busted out with some Public Enemy, just to shut her up.