In an age where information can be spread to millions of people within seconds, it’s often difficult to separate fact from fiction. That was certainly the case a few months ago when a controversial photo of President Obama began to circulate online, with many insisting that the image was the real, unedited deal. But today that picture was officially debunked: The photo of Obama with a speech balloon saying “Islam is my main thing” has been proven to be doctored.
Wow. This is a good reminder to take everything you see on the internet with a grain of salt!
Take a look at the photo in question above. In it, you can clearly see Obama proudly declaring his unshakeable Islamic faith.
At first glance, the photo looks like pretty clear evidence that Obama may be Muslim and confirms the suspicions of his most far-right critics, who insist the president has been dishonest with the public about his true religious beliefs. But when the image went viral on Twitter, one user pointed out a possible sign of doctoring:
Many users agreed that the photo appeared to have been manipulated in some way and asked for an expert to weigh in. A graphic designer named Brendan McCann, whose Twitter bio says he’s been in the industry for over a decade, quickly answered the call.
But it was Snopes that officially put the matter to rest. After scouring the internet far and wide, they were able to dig up the original version of the photograph, taken during one of the president’s official White House photo ops, and there’s no speech balloon upholding the teachings of the Quran anywhere in sight.
Take a look at the two images side by side to see how the effect was achieved:
Well, there you have it. It looks like whoever made this image took some of the space from above the president’s head and used it to overlay the speech balloon on top. It’s a powerful effect, but it’s definitely not real. Remember: When it comes to the internet, always question your sources!
