Email is as much a part of our daily lives these days as the (land line) phone and television were a generation ago. Your BlackBerry buzzes and your email is instantly at your hip; blogs, websites, list servers, and forums abound. News travels warp drive fast through the wildfire ether of the “interweb.” And it's never too much farther away than the cell phone in your pocket or bag.
Real news and information mingles indiscriminately with half-truths, disinformation, exaggerations, conflations, and outright lies. The spread of false and damaging information grows epidemically faster than the debunkers and fact checkers can filter the shades of truth and reality. In its wake careers, political chances, the good names of people, and the truth itself lie in tatters.
An active member of the Jewish community, I received last month no fewer than 25 emails about Barack Obama, spreading lies as facts, and innuendo as confirmed information. Forwarded by friends and colleagues to warn recipients of the dangers of an Obama presidency to the Jewish community and to Israel, they originated elsewhere. I will not repeat here the nature of those rumors and falsehoods other than to say that they are simply wrong, spread maliciously, and cynically calculated by their originators to adversely affect Obama’s support within the Jewish community. What is more disturbing is that so may of the lies are easily refuted and verifiably wrong. But as they say, if you tell it often enough, a lie, no matter how blatantly wrong, becomes validated as “truth.”
Spreading rumors about candidates is not new. It is that dismal underbelly of campaign politics that reaches back through the generations. But the potency and speed of information traveling along those broadband pipelines grants easier access and greater voice to those who seek to abuse it — insinuation, innuendo, and lies all spreading virus-like into exponentially ever-expanding circles.
Just as the first barrage of emails began to slow to a trickle, a brand new version has begun to circulate within the community. These new anti-Obama emails have been forwarded to me by friends, who received them from someone else. I was one of 10 to 20 addressees on each email. And I guarantee that several of those 10 or 20 people will forward it to 10 more. And thus will it spread virus-like until it dies out. Or doesn’t. And it doesn’t matter that the statements in them are untrue. The anticipated damage will already have been done.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Propagandist
It is good to see Obama being finally brought down from his pulpit (however slowly) and given a hard look.
Chicago Sun Times ran an article to this effect today.
People have always been expressing doubts over his Israel stance..this isn't anything new.
According to Ralph Nader, Obama 'was pro-Palestinian when he was in Illinois before he ran for the state Senate.'
I, for one am glad to see people starting to treat him less like their savior and more like the calculating Chicago politician that he is.
2 - Barbara Barnett
It's one thing to take a hard look at Obama's stances on anything. But using lies to scare people off of a candidate, while nothing new, is made more powerful via the medium of email.
Barbara
3 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
New round of anonymous e-mails?
I've been reading less than flattering remarks about this senator for quite some time that have not been at all anonymous. You may like the guy. You're entitled to your opinions. I'll not comment. But from what I know of American politics, I wouldn't trust him or anyone else running for president regarding his intentions regarding this country. And I certainly don't trust Hillary Clinton or John McCain.
Frankly, Barbara, I wouldn't complain if I were you.
4 - Barbara Barnett
Ah Ruvy,
I was wondering if you were going to stop by. I'm not complaining, but the spread of these emails, which have contained outright lies (easily--very easily verifiable as such) have spread like a virus. EVery day, people ask me if I knew that Obama was a Muslim and a swore his oath of office using a Koran (both of these, by the way are completely untrue and easy to check). There is a congressman who IS a Muslim and he did swear to his oath of office using a Koran. As well he should have.
I have spent more time than ever this past month pointing people towards sites that pick apart this sort of myth and illuminate the lies for what they are.
5 - Clavos
"There is a congressman who IS a Muslim and he did swear to his oath of office using a Koran. As well he should have."
You're speaking of Keith Ellison of Minnesota.
He DID use a Koran, but the "swearing in" of Congressmen doesn't require the use of even a Bible, so his action was pure political symbolism, and in fact, did not sit well with a lot of his constituents because it was such a gratuitous gesture, especially because he had been previously sworn in officially with no religious text.
The ceremony in which he used the Koran was meaningless.
6 - Barbara Barnett
You're right, it is meaningless. But the point was that the lie about Obama "swearing in on The Koran" was an image intended to scare Jewish support away from him. I was not considering the issue of whether swearing in on a Bible or a Koran or anything is appropriate in a secular society.
Despite the fact that Obama's record and support of Israel is strong (and no less so than any other candidatein my opinion), there are certain groups (and I've heard that a Republican Jewish coalition is responsible for at least some of the emails) who will promote a false image based on lies.
7 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Barbara, there is nothing anonymous about this You Tube Segment from MSNBC.
Mind you, I'm not defending Hillary Clinton or John McCain. In my eyes, they are both garbage, as is Obanma. But there is distinct feeling of standing on air listening or reading Obamaphiles.
Would you like a magic carpet?
8 - Anon
Anyone see the photo showing Barack Hussein Obama in a muslim garb in Africa?
Apparently he is ashamed of it and accuses the Clinton people of feeding propaganda..wonder why he cares so much since reports about his pro muslim stance are just 'rumors'.
Check out Obama dressed as Osama
9 - Barbara Barnett
Anon--this is what I was talking about. Please do fact check.
Obama went to Kenya (the birthplace of his father) two years ago. He was given traditional TRIBAL attire to try on, which he did. End of story. If he went to Scotland and put on a kilt, would Drudge accuse him being gay because he was wearing a skirt?
This is from an AP story covering this ridculous non-issue:
"In a teleconference with reporters, retired Air Force Gen. Scott Gration, an Obama adviser who accompanied the senator to Kenya two years ago, said the senator was there to learn how tribes were organizing themselves.
"And in the course of this, Senator Obama was given an outfit and as the guest that he was, the great guest, he took this outfit and they encouraged him to try some of it on," Gration said. 'It was a thing that we all do.'"
10 - Dave Nalle
Anon. I've got pictures of me wearing native garb in the middle east. So what? It's not even clothing which is exclusive to muslims.
As for swearing ins, they ought to be done on the Constitution, not the Bible or the Koran. Swearing on anything but the Constitution offends me.
Dave
11 - Clavos
"...wonder why he cares so much since reports about his pro muslim stance are just 'rumors'."
Rumors or not, there would be nothing wrong with his having a "pro-Muslim stance."
It's a free country; anyone can have any "stance" they want.
Methinks you're afraid he might get elected.
Good.
12 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
This World Net Daily article is about how the Woods Fund supplied funds to an Arab terrorist. Obama was on the board of directors of the Woods Fund during the time that the Woods Fund made the grants to the terrorist.
The article reads in part,
Another not so anonymous bit of information indicating the nature of Obama's real feelings towards Israel and its Jewish residents, Barbara.
13 - Barbara Barnett
Not to mention, Clavos that there are Muslim who live in this country, are citizen--and that have died in the service of this country.
I cringe at the idea that one needs to be "anti-muslim" or have their patritoism, their worthiness as president or anything else questioned. "Pro-muslim" "Pro-Israel" "Pro-life, "Pro-choice." Sheesh. this is the sort of sound-bite bumper-sticker mentatlity that is much to the detriment of intelligent discourse. Oh yeah. I forgot that this was electoral politics we're talking about. Never mind.
14 - anon
I have no problems with him wearing the garb at all.
Its his reaction that got me thinking. I've seen headlines like 'Obama camp livid over muslim dress photo', 'Obama accuses Clinton of fear mongering'..etc
My question is why is he so defensive?!
15 - troll
because he looks like a twit in the picture rather than some kind of a leader dude
16 - anon
haha! that could be it! He does look more like the guy who stands next to and fans a tribal leader in Africa than the President of the US.
17 - Dr Dreadful
Hee hee.
Troll knows that if you give someone enough rope...
18 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
"Pro-muslim" "Pro-Israel" "Pro-life, "Pro-choice." Sheesh. this is the sort of sound-bite bumper-sticker mentality that is much to the detriment of intelligent discourse.
So, let's see if I understand you Barb. In your article, you cry and cry about "anonymous" e-mails denouncing this Obama dude for his attitude on Israel. You're Jewish, so you figure that this makes you an authority on the issue. But when someone gives you rather un-anonymous criticisms of Obama's actions regarding Israel, you remain silent, and complain that "Pro-muslim" "Pro-Israel" "Pro-life, "Pro-choice." Sheesh. this is the sort of sound-bite bumper-sticker mentality that is much to the detriment of intelligent discourse.
You can't have your cheesecake and eat it, too, Barbara. Obama's actions, and my post #12 is just ONE example of his actions, indicate his anti-Israel and ultimately anti-Jewish nature.
In the end, it doesn't matter what you say that counts, it matters what you do. Obama says all the right things, but folks like me, who watch this a lot more closely than you do (we actually have something to lose), see a lot better than you do.
If you want to cheerlead for Obama, go ahead and knock yourself out. But don't be like the "Obnoxious" American, who thinks that because he is Jewish, he knows what is good for Israel, and deludes himself accordingly. NONE OF THE CANDIDATES FOR YOUR "CHIEF MAGISTRATE'S" JOB IS GOOD FOR THIS COUNTRY. FULL STOP.
19 - Barbara Barnett
First of all, Ruvy, I really don't like to be patronized. The Woods Fund is far from the anti (I'm not even sure what you think it's anti) whatever organization you paint it. As far as the board of that organization goes, this is their mission statement:
Woods Fund of Chicago is a grant making foundation whose goal is to increase opportunities for less advantaged people and communities in the metropolitan area, including the opportunity to shape decisions affecting them. The foundation works primarily as a funding partner with nonprofit organizations. Woods supports nonprofits in their important roles of engaging people in civic life, addressing the causes of poverty and other challenges facing the region, promoting more effective public policies, reducing racism and other barriers to equal opportunity, and building a sense of community and common ground. . Their newest board member is a lecturer at Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, a prominent Chicago Institution of higher learning.
Second of all, I don't think you are the sole authority (because you live in Israel) as to what is "good" for Israel or "not good." What is or is not good for Israel is a matter of opinion. I do know what I believe to be good for my country (the US) and I also have opinions about what would be good for Israel, but although I am a Zionist, have most of my family there (since the 1920s), I am not an Israeli citizen. Israelis have the right to choose those leader they believe will be in the best interest of Israel, without interference from American Jews.
As far as being "pro-Israel," there are so many shades of what that means, I have asked my classes to define "pro-Israel," and have yet to get a consensus. (By classes, I mean adult Jewish studies classes.)
20 - anon
By the way..saw this somewhere today:
"In his first major public address since a cancer crisis, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said Sunday that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the "hope of the entire world" that the U.S. will change for the better.
The 74-year-old Farrakhan, addressing an estimated crowd of 20,000 people at the annual Saviours' Day celebration, never outrightly endorsed Obama but spent most of the nearly two-hour speech praising the Illinois senator.
"This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better," he said. "This young man is capturing audiences of black and brown and red and yellow. If you look at Barack Obama's audiences and look at the effect of his words, those people are being transformed."
Farrakhan compared Obama to the religion's founder, Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father.
"A black man with a white mother became a savior to us," he told the crowd of mostly followers. "A black man with a white mother could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall."
"
For anyone who doesn't know, Farrahkhan is a nut and a known Anti semite who has said crazy things including statements like
"These false Jews promote the filth of Hollywood. It's the wicked Jews, the false Jews that are promoting lesbianism, homosexuality, [and] Zionists have manipulated Bush and the American government [on the war in Iraq"
Wonder why he would support Obama..
21 - Everybody Does Raymond
I received an e-mail about Obama from Daniel A. Oluwa saying he had a plan to give away 200 billion dollars but needs a partner to vote it into law. I also recieved an e-mail about Hillary Clinton from Dr. Chukwubu Eze saying he wants to free up government assistance to big oil and needs my bank name, address, account number, swift code, ABA number (if any), beneficiary of account, telephone and fax numbers of bank.
White sheets with those khakis? Oh no you didn't Obama.
22 - Dr Dreadful
anon: I refer you back to Clavos's comment #11.
23 - georgio
I heard today that the Obamas where married by the minister Farrakhan ..Now I have to ask myself WHY would you let him marry you if you didn't have the same beliefs as him ..?just asking.
24 - Andrew E.
Obama was married by the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago on Oct. 18, 1992.
This information is freely available, georgio. Why not do a little research before passing along unfounded rumors?
25 - Dave Nalle
I have to say that Obama can't be too happy to get the Farakhan endorsement. Not exactly the guy you want at your back when you're trying not to look too much like just another far left crazy.
Dave