( CNN ) -- When then Sen. Obama was running for president , many of his critics accused him of being a Muslim -- as if being a Muslim in a country that prides itself for its freedom of religion is a bad thing . In fact a Pew Research Center poll taken October 2008 found 16 % of voters who identified as conservative Republicans thought he was , despite numerous photos of him and his family attending a traditional Christian church . Despite Obama saying he was a Christian . In July 2012 , that number increased to 30 % despite more photos of him attending a Christian church . Despite Obama repeating he is a Christian . In 2008 , his critics accused him of not being born in the U.S. -- despite the Republican governor of Hawaii verifying that he was and birth announcements from 1961 in the state 's two primary newspapers . So in 2011 , to appease these critics , Obama released the long form of his birth certificate . And in 2013 a poll taken by Fairleigh Dickinson University found that 64 % of Republicans believe Obama `` is hiding important information about his background and early life , which would include what 's often referred to 'birtherism . ' `` Or as I like to call it -- craziness . Which brings us all to Skeet-gate . Opinion : More gun mayhem , and yet we wait for action . In yet another attempt to appease irrational critics , the White House released a photo of the president shooting a gun to prove he is not an enemy of the Second Amendment and that he has in fact shot a gun before ( as if that 's required to not want criminals or the mentally ill to have access to semi-automatic weapons . ) And surprise , surprise skeptics are not satisfied , saying the picture is fake and his affinity for shooting phony , even though there 's evidence of President Obama talking about practicing shooting a rifle with members of the Secret Service way back in 2010 . `` One picture does not erase a lifetime of supporting every gun ban and every gun-control scheme imaginable , '' said Andrew Arulanandam , spokesman for the National Rifle Association . Well Arulanadam should tell Michael Bloomberg about all of Obama 's gun-control support because it seems each time there 's been a mass shooting the outspoken mayor of New York tears into the president . `` The president has spent the last three years trying to avoid the issue , or if he 's facing it , I do n't know of anybody who has seen him face it , '' Bloomberg said on CBS 's `` Face the Nation '' days after the Aurora shooting . Bloomberg was right of course . As a candidate in 2008 , Obama talked about reinstating the federal ban on assault weapons , but he had n't aggressively addressed guns from a policy perspective until December 's Newtown tragedy . In fact , in a blatant display of hypocrisy , while the NRA demonized Obama for something he did n't do , they endorsed Mitt Romney , who actually did sign a law banning assault weapons while governor of Massachusetts . But those are all just facts . And when you 're dealing with crazy people , it does n't really matter how many facts you present , because -- well -- they 're crazy and they 're just going to believe what they 're going to believe . Ted Nugent sings praises of gun ownership . I thought the president learned this lesson after the whole Muslim/birther slander hurled his way in his first term . But , barely a couple of weeks into his second term , here Obama is once again releasing photos in an effort to silence irrational critics who pay no attention to the facts . Some of his critics are justified in their challenges to his policies because the facts do n't support some of his administration 's claims . Some critics are concerned about the direction of the economy and legitimately think he is doing a sub-par job . But there are some who just want to watch his world burn and they do n't give a damn what else or who else burns with him . And it does n't matter how many documents the White House releases , Obama simply will not win those people over . `` A lot of people want to see his college transcripts , '' Donald Trump said in an interview with CNBC last year . `` They 're not looking at his marks , his grades . ... They want to see , what does he say about place of birth . Now , those transcripts have disappeared , nobody seems to be able to get them . '' After college transcripts it will be his marriage license . Then fingerprints . Then toe nail clippings . This constant push to prove `` he 's not one of us '' is not going to go away . So the next time the NRA or Trump or whoever else feels the need to question Obama 's cred , instead of posting pictures of him shooting a gun or going to church or what have you , he should post a graphic showing he 's the first president since Eisenhower to capture at least 51 % of the popular vote twice . Obama still backs new gun ban ; top senator less certain . That mandate from the American people is really all the cred he needs . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson .
LZ Granderson : Obama has been challenged on his religion and place of birth . He says in both cases Obama took pains to demonstrate the truth about his background . Now White House has released a photo of president skeet shooting to back up his statements . LZ : Trying to appease critics who ignore the facts will never work .