Jon Ralston on the bizarre mail he gets

Friday, Aug. 24, 2007 | 7:42 a.m.

Today I would like to ponder a question that is growing more and more nettlesome: Are people insane?

Or perhaps I need to be more precise: Are more and more people losing their grip on reality and threatening the very fabric of our great republic?

I am not referring to the nutballs who post on blogs or the loons who hector local government officials during the "public comment" period. They generally are pathetic and/or harmless.

I refer to people who can string sentences together, often claim to have advanced degrees and who probably are registered to vote. And yet, they send me the strangest things. And today, I want to share.

The names have been changed to protect the clueless. But these are real e-mails and voice mails I have received - and this is just in the last week.

"Just saw your interview with Elaine Wynn. What a nice soft shoe you two did together. I'm assuming she gave you the questions you could ask her because you really missed the boat when you didn't speak AT ALL about Obama being raised a MUSLIM, and the possibility of him 'changing his mind' once he is in office and returning to his roots, and becoming a Muslim again. Now that's a debate I want to see her defend! You too!"

Not taking her seriously and not being able to help myself, I sent this back:

"Yes, Elaine gave me the questions. She wanted to talk about him being a Muslim, but my real name is Ali Mohammed and I refused to address the issue for obvious reasons. May Allah be praised."

I know. I shouldn't have. But imagine my utter shock, when this social worker with the advanced degree immediately fired back:

"Why in the world would you change your name if you believe so strongly in Allah???"

I gave up after that. But I also wondered: How many others out there, although perhaps not that crazy, actually think that was a legitimate avenue of inquiry?

That column prompted two mind-boggling reactions.

First, a public relations person called and left a voice mail telling me that one of the lawmakers I mentioned actually is not the head of the group the PR person represents. "That is not the case," the earnest flack informed me. "(He) isn't even a member of the association � I would like to see what we could do to get a correction."

About 90 minutes later, the same person called and left a tortured voice mail that began, "After rereading your article a few different times, I see your point ..."

The demand for a correction was retracted. I was relieved.

A few days later, I received an e-mail about the column from a man who wondered, "Do I understand that whatever model jet aircraft the Sands uses for international flights, the governor is type-rated to serve as pilot in command? I realize there's no law prohibiting such an activity ..."

Are people so cynical, so beaten down by government scandals and the lack of ethical standards, that such a scenario is plausible? It's unfathomable.

Cue the lightning bolt.

I am reminded of Woody Allen's priceless line in "Annie Hall" as he tries to extricate himself from a conversation with the nutty Christopher Walken: "Excuse me, I have an appointment back on the planet Earth."

That, however, was only a movie. These people are from the planet Earth (so far as I know), they are only a sampling of the bizarre responses I received , and they are going to help elect the next president.

Anyone else worried?