Yup, my Step Father is officially a Birther

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Permalink Reply by booklover on March 21, 2012 at 5:24pm

Sorry to hear that Matthew.  I personally couldn't handle it.  I'd get a hotel if I could afford to.~Melinda

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on March 21, 2012 at 5:34pm

"should i just get a hotel?"

do you own a gun?

Ha ha… sorry dude, I'm a sucker for a straight line. On a serious note, if you do have a visit with mom and that guy, and "the discussion" ensues, be civil and stick to the facts, and start every counter argument calmly with, 'are you serious?" Hopefully the bigot will take the low road and your mother will get to see him for the batshit-crazy wing nut that he is.

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Permalink Reply by paul babcock on March 21, 2012 at 5:35pm

Why does it matter? & what is t birthers point? i asked this question previosly. And t only response i got was "All those guys are nuts".

I understand that their goal is to paint Obama as an illegitimate candidate. And i understand that the rules for running for president are such that naturalized citizens are disqualified so that Schwarzenegger cannot run because he was born Austrian.

But Obama was born an American because he had American parrents. So why does it matter where he was born? Why does it matter what his birth certificate says?
h
If an American gives birth while visiting another country, then the baby is American, yes?

So why does it even matter any more than what kind of paper the certificate is printed on?

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on March 21, 2012 at 5:47pm

"Why does it matter?"

Because it's his mom.

As for the other issue, why are there "birthers"? 

"All those guys are nuts" Pretty much sums it up. But, it's also a mudslinging tactic, based on a principle remarked on by the late Samuel Clemens: "A good lie will have travled half way around the world while the truth is putting on her boots."

The Right panders to the lowest common denominator electorate in regards to the incredulous, it's an important constituency for them.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Carroll on March 21, 2012 at 6:31pm

Check out the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This deals with citizenship, who has and doesn't have it. Has roughly 4 sections:

  Citizenship Clause

  Due Process Clause

  Equal Protection Clause

  Other clauses pertaining to the Confederacy (this was passed in 1868, right after the Civil War).

For this discussion, the citizenship clause applies.

And no, both of Obamas parents weren't citizens. Just his mother. But he was born in Hawaii, which was a state, last I heard,so that makes him a citizen.

And if an American gives birth in another country, most times, but not always, that does give the baby birthright citizenship. 

Really to much to go into here, dual citizenship, renunciation of citizenship, etc. Just google 14th amendment. You can really learn alot.

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on March 21, 2012 at 6:49pm

"And if an American gives birth in another country, most times, but not always, that does give the baby birthright citizenship."

This has changed several times, even in the last few decades. My mother had dual citizenship (Canada/US), there was a time where I was eligible (US) if I had applied, but the laws have since changed. There's more to this policy than the 14th, just saying'… So, despite being "half-American" any permanent or temporary residence here in the US still requires a visa.

Republican Senator John McCain was born in Panama BTW (US Naval Base loophole).

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Permalink Reply by Tony Carroll on March 21, 2012 at 9:04pm

And when I pointed this out to some birthers,(about McCain) they always denied it at first, then came back with "his father was in the military". True. But when I would say something along the line of "well Hawaii is a state last time I checked, therefore Obama is a citizen" and would show the birth certificate online from the state, they would still deny it. There is a nurse I work with who was born in Hawaii. She has the exact same certificate of live birth that the president has. Never been told she wasn't a citizen. Oh well.

If someone does study the 14th amendment, there are many different court interpretations and rulings over the years. You're right. There is a lot more. That's why I suggest to people don't just stop with the 14th, but read some of the court cases involved. Quite fascinating reading. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems. Just couldn't list them all here, or I would be typing for days. Thanks, my friend. Always great.

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on March 21, 2012 at 9:43pm

BTW, I reserved my spot in the van tonight, …going to DC for the Rally.

One of our group is the flag bearer for the opening ceremonies, how's that for cool?

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on March 22, 2012 at 10:59am

If Mr. Obama was married to Mrs. Obama, he could have been a citizen too.  Tho I suspect he didn't apply for citizenship.  It's moot anyway, since he was born in Hawaii.  I can't believe this is still an issue.  Why don't they concentrate on something more useful, like UFOs?

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Permalink Reply by Pat on March 21, 2012 at 9:13pm

Matthew, don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I have an older brother who is a "birther." The last email exchange, I asked how his metal spaghetti strainer hat with the aluminum foil antennae to convey signals to his metal fillings in his teeth, that he could telepathically hear coming from FOX NEWS and WorldNewsDaily was working out for him. Needless to say, subtlety is not my strong suit.

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Permalink Reply by matthew greenberg on March 22, 2012 at 9:44am

thanks for that Pat.  made me laugh and feel a little better. 

it's just that it's tough enough being opposed to my family religiously.  and as far as politics goes i know it can get very opinionated.  so long as the conversation remains rational it's fine.  we don't talk religion b/c it's an area we have zero common ground, so as we've started to talk politics at least we've been able to see some areas where we agree on.  until now.  extremism is something that i cannot stand, and to know that he (in particular) is one of those fanatics is quite jarring. 

i guess we can always talk about the weather...

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Permalink Reply by Pat on March 22, 2012 at 10:32am

You're welcome. My personal opinion regarding the problem with the "birthers" (in addition to the batshit premise itself) is it stems from an endemic racism among older white males, and uneducated whites. The demographics of the US is changing, and the "birthers" know it. While whites are still the majority, the ever increasing percentages of black, hispanic, and other non-whites will change the racial makeup of this country within the next few decades.  By 2050, it is likely that whites, while still a plurality, will no longer be a majority. And, many of those same older whites, like your step-father and my brother, were raised during the era of the Civil Rights struggle and the Viet Nam War - returning soldiers from the first war ever officially lost by the US. US society radically changed during that period, and has been ever since. The "birthers" want a return to an imaginary nostalgic period of Leave it to Beaver, Ozzie and Harriet, John Wayne single-handedly defeating the Japanese, black people being  seen but not heard, and gays hidden away from "decent" people. Pathetically sad, if it weren't so dangerous.

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