"Don't these people read newspapers or watch TV? As a matter of fact, many do. According to the poll, 60 percent<http://pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Issues/Politics_and_Elections/growingnumber-full-report.pdf>(PDF) of those who believe Obama is a Muslim also told the pollsters that they learned it from the media. Seeing as I can recall no major or minor media report that presented proof that would convince any sentient creature over the age of 10 that Obama is a Muslim, I'm starting to feel better. The 18 percenters are *imagining* things ...
"Unfortunately, the percentage of poll respondents who said Obama is a Muslim and could also successfully define Islam was not on the list of questions. Nor was the question, 'If a Muslim bit you on the ass, would you be able to identify his religion?' I'm guessing that the percentage of respondents who would answer yes to either of those questions would be low, as would the percentage who could accurately describe the tenets of faith observed by Muslims ...
"I'd be more upset about the Pew poll if a Gallup Poll<http://www.gallup.com/poll/3742/new-poll-gauges-americans-general-knowledge-levels.aspx>hadn't also reported that 18 percent of Americans think the sun revolves around the earth or that only 18 percent of Americans believe all or most of what is published in the *New York Times*<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/14/opinion/14sat4.html?_r=1>. [I'd say I believe a slim majority of it. - Joe] We can count on stupidity, willful ignorance, and intellectual sloth to plague us 100 percent of the time. All we can do is fight the darkness with light."
http://www.slate.com/id/2264539
-- "Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað."