I have been receiving forwarded links from my sister containing some outright lies and slander about Obama that are laughable in their absurdity. Things like Obama being a Muslim, not born in the USA, his comparison to Castro and affiliation to Al Qaida, ad nauseum. The scary part is that she BELIEVES it and has taken it upon herself to bombard her children, her siblings and anyone else with an inbox with these incredulous "facts". The sad thing is that she has alienated herself from everyone because of her hate filled ramblings. She was never like this before, has never been interested in politics and has never even voted (she is 58)! She has been brainwashed by this propoganda into believing that an Obama presidency will bring the end to America and probably the world.

After reading many of the posts here on Slate and other sites, I know there are many out there like my sister, and many families going through the same thing that mine is. When this election is over, regardless of who wins, how can we come together as a united nation when so many of our citizens have been duped by such outrageous propoganda of hate? How can we un-ring the bell? Who will step up and admit that all this hate speach was just a political effort to win an election? I've been around for awhile, but have never seen a more viscious, divisive campaign run by the republicans. With the problems facing our nation and the world, the aftermath of this campaign could greatly impede the work we have to do to clean up the mess of the past 8 years. It will take all of us, as a united nation, to do whatever it takes. For me, it must begin in my own family.

Dear Randyshand,

Since you and your sister are obviously related, isn't it possible that you're both prone to brainwashing: she, from the right, and you from the Red.

Judging from the wording of your response, I'd say some of that brainwashing has been making the rounds outside of her family.

I'v e heard a lot of the same things, and I suspect that if Obama wins..well time will help cure those people. I mean, a year of an Obama presidency without him showing up in a turban, or flying the Iraqi flag over the whitehouse, or setting off a dirty bomb in the congress personally etc..what are they going to say..

He's just still "hiding" his agenda??

Why?

"Since you and your sister are obviously related"

Okay, I spit up some coffee when I read that. Hilarious lead in to a sentence. Let's see how many idiotic ways we can restate this idiotic observation:

"I'm going to assume that you are related to your sister..."

"I'm guessing that you and your sister have a father and/or mother in common..."

"If she's your sister, you must be her brother..."

"Now as your sister, you would consider her a sibling, correct?"

"Any sister of mine is considered a family member..."

"Sister you say? I would bet you two share the same blood..."

Well, it was worth a lost mouthful of coffee. Laughs like that are hard to come by.