Why do some people believe Obama is Muslim? Is it because some right-wing

[raccoon]

loudmouth on the radio started that?

[onecaliberal]

1. Yes

[Iggo]

2. It's because of his name, and also, in no particular order...

...they hate Muslims, they hate democrats, and they hate black people

[guillaumeb]

7. Succinct. I would reverse your order. eom

[Solly Mack]

3. Because they want to believe it.

They see being a Muslim as a negative thing, and as they hate Obama, anything they see as negative is easily believed when attached to someone they already hate.

And they hate Obama because his very existence as President threatened what they see as their rightful place in society - white, christian and in control.

Oh, and because they are idiots.

[lapucelle]

4. I find it pretty troubling that some people think

that there is something bad about being a Muslim.

My critique is not directed at you, Racoon, but rather at those who would "accuse" someone of practicing a particular religion. It's like accusing JFK of being a papist.

[Warpy]

5. No, it's mostly because of his name

Talk radio haters just reinforced what was already there.

Remember, these are the people who read the headline and think they've read the story.

[Lars39]

6. The fundies I know believe it because their preacher told them so.

[procon]

8. Its part of the "othering" of Obama.

The righting has worked day and night to tar Obama as something other than an American. They made him out to be strange and suspicious, to be different than "us", to be unworthy and someone with an evil intent. He is one of "them", a black man, an intellectual, a Democrat, a statesman, and all the other attributes they hate, tacking on the charge that he is Muslim is just icing on the cake for them.