I have absolutely no idea why I am so irritated by dunces that they move me to respond, but, alas, I am moved to do so. First note that I use the term dunce as it is defined in modern times, which I also believe is incredibly fitting for this situation. A dunce is defined as “an idiot that is specifically incapable of learning.” With that said, I address the dunces that still ascribe to the so-called “Birthers” that do not believe Barack Obama is legally qualified to hold the Office of President of the United States because he is not a “natural born citizen” as required by the Constitution, as prescribed in Article II, Section 1.
Some ultra-conservative, wing nuts still would like us to believe Barack Obama cannot be President. I know this because I was recently forwarded the “absolute proof” in the form of a YouTube video, forwarded by a person that I can only assume has had somewhat more than half his brain removed. You can watch the video at:
Oh, and there is a comment to the video as follows:
“The video starts out with some content from obamasnippets.com, which, of course is contrived. And yet, there seems to be a synthetic truth about what the president says. Is he "natural born" according to the Constitution? No. It's likely that Mr. Obama was REGISTERED in Hawaii, therefore he has a COLB from Hawaii. The truth may well be he was born in Kenya; that is where we believe his "long-form" birth certificate was issued. Nevertheless, "natural born" indicates, and speaks to the fact that BOTH parents have to be U. S. Citizens. His father WAS NEVER a U. S. Citizen, therefore, Barack Hussein Obama is NOT a "natural born" Citizen of the United States, thus he is in violation of Amendment 14, and Article II, Section 1, Paragraph 5 of the United States Constitution.”
I shall give the lobotomized author of the comment a scintilla of credit for at least recognizing that the video is contrived, but as far as the rest of it, it proves he is truly a dunce. Let us analyze…
“Is he ‘natural born’ according to the Constitution? No…The requirement is that BOTH parents need to be U. S. Citizens. Two U. S. Citizen parents produce a ‘natural born’ citizen.”
The Congressional Research Service has stated that the weight of scholarly legal and historical opinion indicates that the term means one who is entitled under the Constitution or laws of the United States to U.S. citizenship "at birth" or "by birth," including any child born "in" the United States, even to alien parents (other than to foreign diplomats serving their country), the children of United States citizens born abroad, and those born abroad of one citizen parent who has met U.S. residency requirements. Interestingly, the Supreme Court of the United States has never been called upon to make a decision as to what constitutes a “natural born citizen.” So, I guess we shall have to leave it to this definition, and under this definition, Barack Obama is a “natural born citizen.”
Another interesting point, assuming for the sake of argument that the commentator’s argument has any merit, is the fact that none of the Presidents elected prior to Martin Van Buren (The 8th President of the United States) would have met the “natural born” requirement as they all had either one parent born in another country or they themselves were born British Subjects. Thus, there is a very important clause in Article II, Section 1, “…or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution,…” I mention this only to point out that the Founding Fathers did, in fact, contemplate a technically foreign-born president. He (or she, as the Framers could not conceive of a female President – Hey, they may have been divinely inspired, but they were not omnipotent.) did not have to have two parents that were citizens of the United States.
This brings up an interesting conundrum for the wacko wing nuts that insist on espousing this ludicrous tripe. One of the fundamental beliefs of the Conservative Right is that The Constitution can only mean exactly and precisely what is written on the four pages of the document (Yes, I know The Constitution of four pages long). Following this logic, how do we know exactly what the Framers meant when they said “natural born citizen”? Would not one have to engage in that horrendous, democracy-destroying practice of “judicial activism”? I see absolutely nothing; zip, zilch, zed, nada, that would define a natural-born citizen as requiring both parents to be citizens of the United States.
What we have here is the classic example of “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” It is not that there is any factual basis for the statements they make, but it is what they want to believe because it suits them. It is an illegitimate effort to rationalize what they want to do; make Barack Obama not be President.
While we are at it, let us look at another issue; the religion of the President. Exit polls in Mississippi and Alabama indicate that 52% and 45% of persons voting in the Republican Primary in those states, respectively, believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim. I am not sure, but if literacy tests were required of these citizens, the Republican voting numbers would be reduced in accordance with these percentages. Actually, you can read and right and still be a moron, apparently, as there are many very intelligent – a relative term – people that believe this and other things about candidates they do not support. Although, I am hard pressed to find in history the vehemence with which it is believed.
I look at negative beliefs of the Conservative Right about the President and find them interesting to analyze as well. The same people that believe Barack Obama to be a Muslim, also want to believe that he was a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ, because the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr. made statements and took trips that were, to say the least, inflammatory. Folks, you can’t have it both ways. He is either a Muslim, or a Christian. I tend to go with the latter. The man was married at Trinity United Church of Christ, had his children baptized there and attended services there regularly since he was 26 years old. Are we to believe that he was some sort of undercover Muslim, infiltrating a liberal “unapologetically black” Christian Church? Please, gimme a break!!
Thomas Jefferson believed that the survival of a democracy is dependent on an educated electorate. He said, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." I am terrified that we are doomed because automatons that will believe anything, like Barack Obama is a Muslim, will vote like Conservative, political zombies, without thought or consideration.
Oh, and by the way, assuming Barack Obama is a Muslim; what difference does that make?
Oh, and by the way, assuming Barack Obama is a Muslim; what difference does that make?
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