With all the challenges we face today, somehow the big news this week has been that one out of every five Americans thinks President Obama is a secret Muslim. Apparently, quoting Scripture and attending church for decades just can't compete with having Hussein as your middle name and semi-supporting the so-called "Ground Zero mosque" on constitutional grounds.
I've already explained why this poll result is both ridiculous and irrelevant over at my Belief Beat blog, but I suspect that logic and reason aren't much help here. So, to give this some much-needed context and a bit of levity, here are some more things that a quick Google search reveals about one in five Americans:
And, my personal favorite: one American in five still doesn't use the Internet. So, chances are there are more of you reading this post than there are Americans out there who genuinely believe that Obama is Muslim -- or something like that.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get some more sleep before the mothership returns. Adios!
Follow Nicole Neroulias on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BeliefBeat
Brendan Nyhan: Obama Muslim Myth on the Rise
Brad Hirschfield: Obama Muslim? Are 20 Percent of Americans Stupid?
Do you pees in swimming pools?
Do you smoke cigarettes?
Do you think buying lottery tickets constitutes a sound retirement plan
Do you think aliens and witches walk among us?
Do you believe the sun revolves around the earth?
These questions would yield "Yes" answers dramatically over 20%. Guaranteed!!
Fanned!
And how many of them think critical thinking is unAmerican, and must be ignored as a patriotic duty?
Palin's and all the wolf mums' ( I think it is a wolf) war against the BRAIN.
I wonder how many don't know that Alaska and Hawaii are part of the United States.
I despairer of the stupidly of the average American.
Reminds me of a story I was told: A newly married couple was cooking a roast one night. Before the wife put the roast in the pan, she cut the ends off. Her spouse asked her why she did this. She replied, "My mother always did it, I thought that was just the way it was done." Since the spouse had never done this, they decided to call the wife's mother. The mother's response was the same as the wife, "That was what my mother always did".
So they call grandma. Her response? "I only had a 10-inch pan".
a. Buying lottery tickets is a retirement plan
b. The Sun revolves around the Earth
I also heard that 1 in 5 American's believe that men have one less rib than women. Guess where that myth came from?
However, I am very skeptical about the Sun thing. One would have to have never gone to school as even Kindergartners create little solar systems as art projects. They would have to have no access to television of any kind, as news and tv shows (3rd rock from the sun, Star Trek, etc) have all discussed or shown in one way or another in some fashion or another that the Sun is the center of the universe. Such depictions are everywhere and they would have to have little to no access to modern American society.
I think I would have to oversee such a poll myself to believe it. The idea of such blatant stupidity in America is frankly frightening. Makes a peacemaker want to own guns. It is like saying 1 in 5 Americans are neanderthals.
I particulatly like the one about aliens and witches. Does that mean more than 20% believe in witches in total, but that some of these do not believe in aliens? I would think that if you could buy into the theory of witches, aliens would be no problem.
As for aliens, again it depends on how the question is asked. Even scientists affirm that the probability numbers insist on alien life of some kind out there. Not necessarily 'sentient' in a human sense, but certainly at least some kind of plant and animal life. Even a microbial would be considered by a scientist to be an 'alien'.
'Do you believe in aliens?' Even I would say the probability is high for their existence.
'Do you believe aliens walk among us, kidnap us, breed with us and plan on coming for their followers in the mothership?' That is a different question.
An' in case they's needin' ta spell er talk, Mr. Diffie has his this fer ya "Ya got me feelin' so G-U-D, its more better than I thought it would be, girl you taught me thangs that i'd never learn'd in schul, I'm in luv with a capitol U!"
(Discloser - I love Joe Diffie and own this CD!)