Obama’s Middle Name: Hussein

“Barack Hussein Obama wasn’t born in the United States, and he’s a Muslim!” Polls continue to show, despite all evidence to the contrary, that a considerable number of Americans still believe this. And a steady growth of people who are certain that Allah “is his prophet.” The New York Times is talking about the “misperception” that seems to be stuck to his identity. Is Obama himself responsible for these ambiguities? And can he finally get rid of them by publicly addressing them?

Two years after his election, these two rumors just won’t die. One out of every four Americans believes that the 44th president wasn’t born on American soil, and therefore is not eligible for the presidency; he must have thus usurped the position. And 18 percent of Americans (Pew Research Center in the August 18th edition of the New York Times), as opposed to 11 percent in 2008 think that he is Muslim. The numbers then jump to 31 percent for Republicans, a number hard to fathom. Even Democrats express a doubt: in 2009, 55 percent said he was Christian. Now, only 46 percent. Where did the nearly 10 percent who believed him last year disappear to?

During the presidential campaign, the Democratic team had sent his Hawaiian birth certificate to the media. Hold your applause. Also, the book written by Barack Obama when he was 30, “Dreams from my Father,” contains material on his personal and metaphysical convictions. Now you can clap.

But peoples’ mentalities don’t seem to function like this. The proven truth can’t destroy the desire to believe what you want, even ridiculous ideas factually refuted by the White House and confirmed by the media. Let’s not go back on the whole birthplace issue. As for his religion, we can find a hint of explanation by backtracking to the start of his mandate.

When he arrived at the White House, the 44th president didn’t choose his own personal pastor, as his predecessors had done. There were hesitations, some “back and forth,” but eventually no chaplain became the president’s pastor. Under fire from the “Reverend Wright problem” during his campaign and for his choice of Pastor Warren for the inauguration, Barack Obama — more secular in his function, but not hesitating to appear at church — surely did not want to restart a whole polemic. In doing so, he left this area of politics unexplained. And because he hadn’t chosen a reverend, his adversaries jumped on the occasion to insinuate he was of another faith; Muslim, for example.

It’s a problem that was just waiting to reemerge, like now, with the case of the Park 51 Mosque at Ground Zero, with belated declarations followed by backpedaling and finally an “I regret nothing” — which are plunging his enemies into a delirium that’s difficult to curb.

To imagine a president under Islamic influence, for example, is certainly a shortcut in thinking. And since there’s no reverend in sight to disprove it, well…

And no official statement can do anything to solve a situation turned “crisis,” except — according to the American mentality — “confessing” in public or on television. Confess what? What fault? A middle name chosen by his parents? That would lead to an unhealthy spiral.

Rather reserved in his personal communications, Barack Obama without a doubt feels more in line with the communication strategy of the Queen of England: “Never complain, never explain.” And he prefers to keep silent about his middle name, which he has never kept secret.

Let’s suggest to his political supporters, in the months to come, to name a lot of baby boys “Hussein” and to make it a popular name. That should “de-dramatize” things. I dare you!