23% of Texans think Obama is Muslim

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**Fallen668**

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6084678.html

UT poll shows McCain, Cornyn with comfortable margins
Poll finds 23% of Texans think Obama is Muslim
By RICHARD S. DUNHAM
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau
Oct. 29, 2008, 11:27PM

WASHINGTON — A University of Texas poll to be released today shows Republican presidential candidate John McCain and GOP Sen. John Cornyn leading by comfortable margins in Texas, as expected. But the statewide survey of 550 registered voters has one very surprising finding: 23 percent of Texans are convinced that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is a Muslim.

Obama is a Christian who was embroiled in a controversy earlier this year about his two-decade membership in Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Yet just 45 percent of those polled identified the Illinois senator as a Protestant.

The Obama-is-a-Muslim confusion is caused by fallacious Internet rumors and radio talk-show gossip. McCain went so far at one of his town hall meetings to grab a microphone from a woman who claimed that Obama was an Arab.

The Texas numbers are unusual because most national polls show that just 5 to 10 percent of Americans still believe Obama is a Muslim — less than half the number of Texans who buy into the debunked theories.

The UT poll shows McCain running ahead of Obama statewide, with a 51 percent to 40 percent margin. Cornyn, a first-term Republican from San Antonio, leads Rick Noriega, a state representative from Houston, 45 percent to 36 percent. Another 14 percent of voters remain undecided in the contest.

The poll found that 89 percent of Lone Star State voters say the country's economic situation is worse than a year ago. And President Bush and Congress both get record low marks.

Just 34 percent of Texans approve of Bush's job performance — a big change for a former governor who won re-election 10 years ago with 70 percent of the vote. And Congress is even more unpopular: Just 8 percent of Texas voters approve of the work being done on Capitol Hill.

The telephone poll was conducted by the Texas Politics Project and Department of Government at The University of Texas at Austin. The poll was conducted from Oct. 15 to 22, and had a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.

rick.dunham@chron.com

I wish it wasnt this bad but then again my girlfriends parents and grand-parents think this.

**lord_sutekh**

It's Texas. No huge surprise there.

**Fallen668**

Yeah... but it still amazes me that I live in a state with a population this stupid.

**Deadshane1**

I fail to see what religion has to do with running the country....honestly.

If Obama worshipped the little gremlin that turns the light on/off in your 'fridge but is still the best man of the two for the job, what are you gonna do? Vote McCain?

For the record, I hate them both....and thats from a Texan.

**Kilkrazy**

The USA is a very religious country despite having a secular government. Something like 80% of Americans claim to believe in God and there is a high attendance at church.

**warpcrafter**

They latched onto this because they don't want to openly say that they don't like him because he's half-black. There are a lot of people who will say they aren't racist who really are. My dad was one of them, he would smile at our black and mexican neighbors when he saw them, then curse them when he was inside. The anonymity of polls is sorta like that.

**Orlanth**

I wonder if this statistic is anything like realistic and where it was sourced. It is a very neat little beatstick that cannot easily be refuted. Timed just right.

What it actually says if you look at it carefully is:

"Diehard Republicans ae stupid."

I wonder who profits from this, I wonder if the source is a supporter of same.

**Kilkrazy**

It is a very suspect stat. Why only Texas and not any other states?

**Frazzled**

I am staying off this thread to avoid being banned.

**Ahtman**

Kilkrazy wrote:It is a very suspect stat. Why only Texas and not any other states?

They did list other states. It says in the article the other states have, on average, about 10% that believe that he is a Muslim. Texas is double the rest of the country, that is why it is being singled out.

**Kilkrazy**

What I mean is, on the face of it those stats make Texas twice as mis-informed as the rest of the country. I don't see a reason why that would be.

**sebster**

Deadshane1 wrote:I fail to see what religion has to do with running the country....honestly.

That was one of the best parts of Powell's endorsement of Obama. He said he wasn't a muslim, but even if he was what would it matter?

**lord_sutekh**

Frazz, I'm sure you can make a non-banable response... and honestly, from everything I've heard living here in TN, they could have just slapped a N instead of the X after the T, and it'd probably be just as accurate, if not more so. I'd like to see the actual numbers from other states, not just an overall average.

Actually, this is probably more prevalent than people might like to think. There is a strong element of belief in spite of the facts in America, and it ranges from the rural to the urban. Whether it comes from our skepticism of outsider sources (such as media) or is the cause of said skepticism, it's still a big factor in how Americans treat the information they're exposed to.

**dogma**

Orlanth wrote:
What it actually says if you look at it carefully is:

"Diehard Republicans ae stupid."

I wonder who profits from this, I wonder if the source is a supporter of same.

Not really. It just adds another statistical dimension to the mountain of sociological studies founded on the unusual skepticism of the Texas electorate. Considering the Obama=Muslim email was primarily driven by personal forwards it isn't really surprising that Texans lent it more credence than rebuttals which came through alternate, more removed, media.

**Kilkrazy**

It shouldn't matter, for all sorts of good reasons.

But there are significant sections of the population who think that muslims are engaged in a global conspiracy to destroy western civilisation as we know it, so it's a smear on Obama.

**lord_sutekh**

If Muslims are good enough to serve in our military and die for American interests, then they're good enough to be leaders and elected officials. The irresponsible behavior of the Bush administration has smeared the good name of Muslims everywhere with the "terrorist" association, and as a result, yet another group of Americans have been marginalized. It was wrong to do it to black Americans, it was wrong to do it to Asian Americans, it was wrong to do it to women, and it's wrong to do it to Muslims.

America needs to wake up and start living up to its ideals.

**Polonius**

Well, the poll focused on Texas because it was a poll by the University of Texas of Texans. If I were a guessing man I'd say it was probably simply a way to track voter mindset in an election so it can be analyzed later by political scientists.

As for why people believe it? Probably the same batch of reasons people always believe stuff: it's what they want to think, it's more comforting to assign the label of "otherness" to your opponent, utter confusion about islam in general, and a deep distrust in both mainstream media and liberals. I mean, I'm sure if you polled Texans (or any state for that matter, but we're talking about Texas) and asked them how many simply distrust and/or hate liberals, I'd be shocking if the number was under 20%. Of course you'd see the same thing about conservatives in more liberal states, but the point is that people in relatively entrenched ideological positions don't really listen to what they hear, instead they assume that it's all lies and propaganda. I mean, Rush Limbaugh could be reading something on air that I helped write, and I'd still assume he was full of baloney. As they say, "when the devil speaks, all I hear is lies."

**Kilkrazy**

@Lord_Sutekh

Well said.

And the rest of the western world.

The worst thing about the whole GWoT of the past seven years is that there actually are some people out there who dislike western civilisation and would like to see it buried. In order supposedly to fight them we are not only burying chunks of it ourselves, we are also demonstrating our hypocrisy to the non-extremists.

Edited for clarity.

**Ace_of_Spades**

I have to follow Frazzled on this one...I love my home state but that's pretty embarassing.

lord_sutekh has a good point though. Doesn't matter and shouldn't matter wether you are a muslim or not. One of my best friends in the military grew up in North Africa and the Middle East. He speaks 6 dialects of Arabic and is a devout Muslim. I would without hesitation take a bullet for that man and he would do the same for me. I have yet to meet a Muslim I have served with who has been anything but honorable and completely loyal the molitary and the country.

With that being said BHO isn't a Muslim, in his own words, so I'll vote on the issues and on his record.

AoS

**lord_sutekh**

As you should.

I think people conveniently forget that the Muslim parts of the world, even if you narrow it down to extremist Muslims, aren't the only threat to America out there, or even really the biggest. North Korea isn't even vaguely Muslim, nor is China (yes, I know we're supposed to be buddy-buddy, but there's a reason they keep building their military). Heck, one of our biggest potential problems is Russia, and they're as white and non-Muslim as we are... not quite as diverse, but as far removed. The worst part about these other threats: some of our allies don't agree that some of them are threats, at least not to them, and wouldn't be as willing to help as they are when the target is terrorism. Focus is good; tunnel-vision, not so much.

**Ahtman**

I think the Texans are still angry about being annexed. That is what this is about.

**Ace_of_Spades**

That's why we can leave the Union and form our own country again...part of the package deal to get such a great state! HAHAHAHA

AoS

**The Thousandth Son**

Obama is not a Muslim and even if he was, what's wrong with being a Muslim. It's just another faith after all.

**Frazzled**

Ace_of_Spades wrote:That's why we can leave the Union and form our own country again...part of the package deal to get such a great state! HAHAHAHA

AoS

Don't forget we can also split into five states if desired under the incorporation and constituional documents. Yes it takes five states to equal the radioactive level of AWESOME that is Texas.

**frgsinwntr**

Frazzled wrote:
Ace_of_Spades wrote:That's why we can leave the Union and form our own country again...part of the package deal to get such a great state! HAHAHAHA

AoS

Don't forget we can also split into five states if desired under the incorporation and constituional documents. Yes it takes five states to equal the radioactive level of AWESOME that is Texas.

ummm if Texas wants to go.... I say good Riddance. Not for any other reason than I really don't care

**wuestenfux**

The Thousandth Son wrote:Obama is not a Muslim and even if he was, what's wrong with being a Muslim. It's just another faith after all.

True. The problem is caused by Muslim radicals. They are in the minds of people when they think about Muslims.

**Frazzled**

frgsinwntr wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Ace_of_Spades wrote:That's why we can leave the Union and form our own country again...part of the package deal to get such a great state! HAHAHAHA

AoS

Don't forget we can also split into five states if desired under the incorporation and constituional documents. Yes it takes five states to equal the radioactive level of AWESOME that is Texas.

ummm if Texas wants to go.... I say good Riddance. Not for any other reason than I really don't care

Same for Jersey. Just be sure to take your mob with you.

**AgeOfEgos**

Ok, so lets play a bit. No religious litmus, etc etc. Try these on and tell me your thoughts;

Obama is a muslim and believes in a literal translation of the Qur'an (and that it should be followed as such).

Or, since it's pretty much the same barbarism/text...lets say Obama stated that he believes in God and that the OT drives his morals.

Anyone have issue with that? Or still no religious litmus?

/I should state that I have a different take on the no religious test clause...but I want some thoughts first

**Ahtman**

I think, generally speaking, calling for no religious litmus test is like calling for bipartisanship. It sounds nice but no one really believes it. It is a boilerplate statement. It has to be said but had no inherent value in the actuality of the election.

I know a guy who isn't voting for Obama because he believes Obama is a Muslim, which isn't his complaint in and of itself. His problem is that we are Christian country and you can't have a Muslim running a Christian country.

**lord_sutekh**

My response would be: if we're a Christian country, then why isn't being a verified Christian part of the requirement for citizenship?

As was covered EXTENSIVELY in another thread, religion is not the font of morals; it's more important for a leader to have morals than it is for him to bend knee to the Proper Deity (or any deity at all). There are plenty of atheistic good people, and plenty of Christian murdering bastards (just look at the Mafia).