Don't believe the lies about Barack

Before I make with the proceedings, do yourself a big favor and delete any forwarded e-mails that have taken up residence in your e-mail box. In the future, delete them on the spot before opening them.

I'm not suggesting you do this to protect yourself from viruses or spyware, though they are often transmitted in such a way. On the contrary, follow through on my advice for your own sanity.

It's election season, and all manner of parasites are trolling the internet seeking out people who are prepared to believe anything.

Enter the newly-crowned Democratic presidential frontrunner, Barack Obama.

The young-looking Illinois Senator, whose middle name just happens to be Hussein (extremely common in the Middle East), has become a target of an opportunitistic disease--lying for political purposes.

Several manifestations of an e-mail about Obama have been circulating all over the world, preying on people who are either ignorant of facts or simply want to believe the latest conspiracy theory to come down the pike.

Without rehashing the gist of the e-mail, I will just say this:

--Obama is not a Muslim, radical or otherwise.

--He is a self-admitted Christian has attended a Church of Christ congregation in Chicago for more than 20 years.

--Attending a school comprised largely of Muslims students does not a Madrasa make. In English parlance, a Madrasa is a theological (Qur'an-based) school for training Muslims. It is not tantamount to a Catholic school for Christians.

--No evidence supports the claim that Obama's father was a "radical" Muslim or even a practicing Muslim.

--Obama was sworn into the Senate with his right hand on the Bible, not the Qu'ran as has been suggested.

There have been further criticisms about Obama not wearing a flag pin on his lapel or not putting his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance while holding the chair in the senate. To those accusations I say, who cares?

The last time I put my hand on my heart during the Pledge of Allegiance was in elementary school, where I believe most of these hyperpartisans zealots are still living.

The Republican smear machine enlisted these same liars to come up with all manner of accusations against Bill Clinton, up to and including murder, during his run at a second term in 1996 (remember Webster Hubbell and Vince Foster?)

Democrats have used similiar dirty tricks against George W. Bush, tracing his lineage to European facism and, without evidence, accusing Bush of knowingly fabricating intelligence in the run-up to war in Iraq.

Don't believe the lies about Barack or anyone else. Do your homework.

Vote for Ron Paul.