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Obama Supporter Not Happy with Internet
Fascinating story today about one Obama supporter using all the resources at her disposal (vast, as it turns out) to figure out who's behind the "Obama is a Muslim" chain mails. But the Post probably should have skipped this part.
Allen was ideally suited to embark on such a difficult hunt. She boasts two doctorates, one in classics from Cambridge University and the other in government from Harvard University, and won a $500,000 MacArthur "genius" award at the age of 29. Last year she joined the faculty of the institute, the only African American and one of a handful of women at the elite research center, where she works alongside groundbreaking physicists, mathematicians and social scientists. They don't have to teach, and they face no quotas on what they publish. Their only mandate is to work in the tradition of Einstein, wrestling with the most vexing problems in the universe.
While Allen was already an expert on the mechanics of politics, she fast began to learn the mechanics of the Internet. She discovered, for instance, that the recipe for launching a chain e-mail attack is not as simple as typing it up and hitting the send button to a long list of recipients. It takes effort to seed a chain mail that spreads as widely as the Obama missive, explained Jeff Bedser, president of the Internet Crimes Group, a company that helps corporations battle such broadsides. "Lighting that fire, getting something to have momentum, takes work," he said.
Sheesh, two doctorates, works at Harvard and dumb about the internet. Not exactly a good start there. Or as Rich Lowry put it:
And one of the most vexing problems in the universe, which Allen has decided to pursue in the tradition of Einstein, is the origin of a number of e-mails claiming that Barack Obama is a Muslim. Using the advanced research tools at her disposal, the razor-sharp Allen found...a couple of posters on the Free Republic website, plus a former political rival of Obama's who sends out zillions of e-mails to reporters every day.
Bottom line, it's called Free Speech and the internet is a great enabler of all kinds of speech, especially the free kind. How do you stop smears? By speaking up yourself of course. If the smear is a lie, it will be found out (by the internet, natch), if not, you're in trouble. I really don't see anything that needs fixing here. Your mileage may vary.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 1)D. Rizzuti12:53PMJun 28th 2008
The talk that Barack Hussein Obama was once a MUSLIM is not a myth, but a fact. Anyone who knew Barry in Boston in the 1980's knew that he was a committed MUSLIM who hated the American flag, the national anthem, and had a disdain for Whites. A person can run from his past but he certainly cannot hide forever.
OBAMAHATER1:42PMJun 28th 2008
Of all the retarded waste of time projects!
Of cdourse it is an African American out into a position of power that is wasting vast resourses to try and stop free speech in America IF it doesn't flatter their little black messiah!
What a disgusting development this years election has turned out to be!
Rebecca1:52PMJun 28th 2008
Here is the question. How can Americans vote for a man that in every picture that I have seen has him with his arms down at his side when they are reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. When questioned about it the result of the responses came few and far between , one of which was his religious preference. IN response to that I noticed that he has a flag pinned to his lapel to show tribute, how fake is that. You have to raise your arm to put the pin on raise it in respect to the flag. How can we put a man in office that also has a conflict with himself in respect to culture. Your mother is black and your father is white. I for one do not have a conflict with his nationality and I am white but here he is in his own words showing the conflict between black and white cultures, talk about kicking a dead horse twice, the only persons with the conflicts is the ones with the identity crisis I for one have had it with the whole race issues. I am a women here me roar, the answer to every problem that Americans have today is racial when are we going to realize they only real issue is that you are looking to put blame to actions that you are responsible for in the first place. Everyone stand up take responsibility for your actions it isn't about what color or nationality you are but what decision you make to react to said situation. I am not prejudice but I hear things daily being referred to the racial issues thing all the time. We are a united people our symbol of unity is the american flag if you can't respect the symbol of this unity how can you be president? There are just too many things to question in refernce to Mr. Obama for me to feel at ease with him in office. I mean who is he anyway and where did he come from? What political backround does he have the only thing that I have heard was his association with a radical speaker of church with cult followings. Of course I realize with campaigning some things are an exaggeration but then again who really knows? Our world is in such a chaotic state because of poor decisions of our leaders and we do NOT need another mistake in office at this tender state of affairs. We need someone who will be about the people and for the people (excuse the quote) not someone who's personal beliefs may lead to decisons that are reflective of that belief. I for one am disgusted with the whole thing and I realize that control is my hands by voting but when there isn't any real choice for me to make then my hands are tied. I have not seen one worthy canidate that I feel would make the neccessary changes to stabilize our economy, and keep us safe. I see followers not leaders. It is sad that this is all there is to offer to us to vote on. Too bad we can't hand select canidates to run for office, hey there is an idea maybe we can have a pre-presidential race for canidates first then the presidential race. I know, whatever. We all need to do something, we need to speak out as one and somehow let it be known that we are not happy with the state of affairs as they are.
Rick Badman2:03PMJun 28th 2008
The Internet constantly proves something I write often. They used to commit insane people to asylums. Now they're on the Internet.
Pete2:10PMJun 28th 2008
Dave,
Bottom line, its called libel. Libel isn't free speech.
If there was any justice in the world, the people responsible for smearing McCain's name in SC during the 2000 election would be getting out of jail about now.
still standing2:26PMJun 28th 2008
McCain smeared his own name when he left his ill wife for Cindy McCain. Anyone who would do that to his wife, what would he do to his country?
still standing2:38PMJun 28th 2008
Why is it when I post on this site, go to another site,come back here to this site my post is always removed. I would really like to know. Is it because I am not a McCain supporter?
Pete2:55PMJun 28th 2008
Still Standing,
This site has some unusual caching errors when it comes to posting. You can post something, wait a minute, and it won't be there. If you refresh within 15 minutes or so, you will see you post again. I see two posts by you so I think that's the only problem.
jawnwise3:11PMJun 28th 2008
Howard Dean and the Dirty Nasty Conspiracy are out to once again thwart the will of the American people with their hand selected puppet!
It's time for a new party of right acting, right minded citizens to take back the power that the arrogant elitists have usurped. They are all criminal traitors to the ideals upon which this grand republic was founded!
Our fore fathers must be roiling in their tombs1
sassy5:08PMJun 28th 2008
McCain smeared his name I agree when he left his wife and kids for a 25 year old homewrecker. Cindy Lou was also addicted to pain killers for a long time also and she stole to support her habit. So, why should we vote for a cheater and a thief drug addict. He also sold out his country when he signed the papers against America when he was a POW just to save his own behind while other real Hero's died for their country. These are stories on the Wikipedia website so put them in jail for lible.
arabiandancer6:23PMJun 28th 2008
obama is a muslim.....and why did they print a fake birth certificate on thefightthesmears web-site ? anyone can tell its fake. why dont they put a real one out to squash the rumor ? do they like to keep it going ? does obama still see dead people in 57 states ? is he still involved in the slumlord business ? is he still talking to larry sinclair ?
Dee7:22AMJun 29th 2008
The CORONATION of "Barry" Obama from Chicago...
Sounds like something out of Mad Magazine. Come to think of it..."Barry" is a slightly darker version of the pale, freckle-faced, skinny kid that once graced the cover of this classic magazine. Yeah...the kid with the big ears and that silly grin on his face. The one that coined the phrase: "What, me worry?" His name was "Alfred E. Neuman."
Substitute the cover photo on that same magazine today (which only collectors will have now) with a grinning, toothy, big-eared "Barry" from Chicago and write "CHANGE" under it.
Actually, take all of the controversial proclamations this guy has made, along with those of his 20 year pastor (now "under a bus" somewhere in Chicago) quotes from his 2 books, quotes from his debates, interviews and cozy speeches in private meetings (ie: the "guns and religion" thing in San Francisco) etc. and that would fill up an entire Special Edition of a modern-day Mad Magazine, wouldn't it?
Get the picture? Why hasn't someone out there thought of this already...?
The Reality1:53PMJun 29th 2008
Obama anti-smear site: 'He was never a Muslim'
But contemporaries, records indicate candidate once 'quite religious
in Islam'
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=66981
The Reality2:06PMJun 29th 2008
The "birth certificate" claimed by the Barack Obama campaign is not
certified as authentic and appears to be a photoshopped fake.
The image, purporting to come from the Hawaii Department of Health,
has been the subject of intense skepticism in the blogosphere in the
past two weeks. But now the senior spokesman of that Department has
confirmed to Israel Insider what are the required features of a
certified birth document -- features that Obama's purported "birth
certificate" clearly lack.
http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12939.htm
JEANNE ANDREWS2:18PMJun 29th 2008
I AM SURE HILARY CLINTON WOULD BEAT MC CAIN. WHAT A WASTE LETTING OBAMA WIN. THE USA IS NOT READY FOR A PRESIDENT OF COLOR
.
RIChris8:32AMJun 30th 2008
A reading from the Obama Scriptures
From the Book of St. Marx
Chapter 6
Verse 66
In the beginning there was video tape.
and the Tape captured the Word.
and the Word was HATE.
and the Word sprung from the mouth of a Man.
and the Man was Wright.
And try as they might to keep
the Tape from the people
they could not.
After the lands of many caucuses had voted
the Tape was seen.
And the Lord Obama appeared distraught
because the people cried out Why Lord?
Why did you keep this man of hate in your midst?
And the Lord appeared to them and spoke:
This man is not a man of hate.
You do not understand what goes on in his pulpit.
Hate is Love
Mocking is Forgiveness
Insults are Ecstasy
Everything you believe about reality is wrong.
I am the Light and the Way.
Afterward the Olbermann tribe was first to sing out:
YES! YES LORD!
Lies are truth!
Hate is Love!
Division is Unity!
Soon the CNN Tribe and the Huffington Tribe sang out
in praise of the Lord.
And those who knew
in their American guts
something was still wrong
tried to speak
but they were called racists
and scoundrels
and lepers.
And so the Arugulas worshipped their Lord in the public square
and worshiped St. Marx in secret.
And it came to pass that the Word of Hate was made normal.
And the march of the Lord went on as before.
The people pulled the wool back over their eyes.
And all was well.
And the Lord took a break to sneak a smoketh.
REPLACE-DEMS-IN-CONGRESS9:10AMJun 30th 2008
THE DEMS IN CONGRESS “SELECTED” OBAMA — HE WAS NOT “ELECTED” BY THE PEOPLE.
Obama has no experience on any political topic. His foreign experience is vacationing with his family on a beautiful island.
Read Obama’s books. This bi-racial man, who claims to be ‘black’ is a threat to our country.
From ‘Dreams of My Father’: “I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn’t speak to my own. It was into my father’s image, the black man, son of Africa, that I’d packed all the attributes I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.”
From ‘Audacity of Hope’: “I WILL STAND WITH THE MUSLIMS SHOULD THE POLITICAL WINDS SHIFT IN AN UGLY DIRECTION.”
Early this year, Obama said: “Don’t tell me that words don’t matter”. His words on various topics keep changing. He has lost all credibility. OBAMA SIMPLY CANNOT BE TRUSTED.
John McCain does have foreign policy experience. In fact, he has more political experience on every topic than the ‘wanna be’.
McCain served our country during the Viet Nam War. He proved he loved our country enough to die for us. He has served in the Senate for 20 years.
Vote McCain in 2008.
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Dee12:42PMJun 28th 2008
Re: HILLARY and "BARRY" kiss and make up...
Well, aren't they cute? Hillary...in blue and "Barry" in a matching (blue) tie. Looks like a wedding rehearsal...the two of them...up on that stage...hugging...looking into each other's eyes...with such respect and compassion.
Like a scene out of "Rosemary's Baby" when the crowd of devilish onlookers...tell her (Rosemary) "you'll get used to him and learn to love him dear."
Life...imitating art.