Brian Resnick has a roundup of all the crazy rumors that are eagerly and widely propagated in conservative circles. I suspect two causes for this absurdity. I think that the internet has enabled these crazy rumors to gain much wider currency than before. And the fact that Barack Obama is not white means that there is a solid core of racists who would like nothing better than to believe bad things about him.
We may laugh at the nuttiness but what is alarming is that there will be a considerable number of people who will believe them and circulate them. And thanks to John Rogers, we know that the exact number of people in this group is 27% of the population, also known as the ‘crazification factor’.
In fact, I hesitated to link to this article because adding to its awareness only increases the likelihood that these crazies will think it is real, using the ‘no smoke without fire’ argument.
I have forwarded the link to my fellow Tea Party friends. Finally the truth comes out and all at once I might add.
Thank you Mano!!
Sorry, just had to post the above spoof.
I’d be careful about blaming the internet. The internet possibly has meant more crazy rumors (in terms of absolute number) but I’m not sure they are more believed than they were before. The easy debunking nature of the internet keeps these sorts of rumors from becoming universally believed.
No smoke without fire?
I reported what like smoke in a reserve once.
Turned out to be just dust blowing in the wind.
Also dry ice (solid Co2) does a rather convincing smoke impression -- I believe they use it in the semi-eponymous machines.
And those claims about Obama have even less substance than those.
I have an objection to the 27% number. From your linked post: “But 27% of the population of Illinois voted for [Keyes].” Is that correct? I suspect it is rather that 27% of those who voted voted for Keyes. Indeed, this is the case. It then looks like nearly 5 million voted out of a voting population near 10 million. So roughly half. That then means the crazification factor may only be around 14%. …Or, rather, the crazification factor that we can be certain about. I have little doubt that there are crazy people amongst those who didn’t vote, but by what basis do we determine that percentage?
Still, frighteningly (but not surprisingly) high.