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:
- Is excessively sleepy
- Speaks a foreign language at home
- Pees in swimming pools
- Smokes cigarettes
- Thinks that buying lottery tickets constitutes a sound retirement plan
- Lives below the poverty line
- Thinks aliens and witches walk among us
- Prefers a pet to a human on Valentine's Day
- Believes the sun revolves around the earth
- Was undecided about participating in the Census
- No longer uses a land line phone
- Enjoys birdwatching
- Has a disability
- Can't afford medical care
- Thinks the First Amendment gives us too much freedom
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!