CONS: Natural Born Thrillers: The Legitimacy of Obama's Citizenship

[pressimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/803d4ea27857.jpg[/pressimg] Tuesday marked nine months since the US presidential election. Gestation time enough for new fringe political activists, Birthers. Unlike years past, in which vote count seemed to dominate political conspiracy, the lead up to and election of President Obama has focused on his citizenship and constitutional validity of office. Stemming back to nearly a year before the election, these allegations did not gain steam until August of 2008. From lawsuits and questionable documents to mistranslations and misunderstandings, the smoking gun that the Birthers are looking for is yet to be found; however, suspicion still lingers and mystery envelopes the debate which begs the question of the legitimacy of Obama’s citizenship.

By Steven Claustre
2009-08-06

Just when The Birthers came about is hard to pinpoint. Attempts to discredit Obama started with claims of his faith and Islamic connections, and since have evolved but stayed true to xenophobic themes. What were initially individuals contesting constitutionally his citizenship as they interpreted Section 1 Article II, it has since moved to fringe dwelling attacks then to full blown conspiratorial debate. How will the matter end? Will it keep growing in discussion till it reaches the debate proportions of subjects such as 911? Republicans now traditionally makeup the near entirety of Birthers, however, scratch close enough to anyone you know, and you will find opinions or doubt from all partisan divides on this new conspiracy.

Birthers or Article II Patriots as some wish to be known are passionate that the legitimacy of Obama’s Presidency is voided by his birth location. Worldwide interest and debate erupted when prominent Birther Orly Tzait produced a copy of Obama’s supposed Kenyan Birth Certificate. Birthers embraced this document with fervour. It has since been proven a forgery copied from the Birth Certificate of David Jeffrey Bomford, a South Australian man unwittingly embroiled in an attempt to oust the US president from office. The Kenyan document has not helped the cause of Birthers.

Obama and Kenyan Relatives


During months leading up to the surfacing of the Kenyan Birth Certificate Document, many attempts were made to discredit Obama’s citizenship, starting in his home state. As reported in March of 2008, some native Hawaiians believe that The President was born not in Hawaii but the Kingdom of Hawaii, as it was called prior to joining the union. However, this was quickly dismissed as it is generally known that Hawaii became a state in 1959 followed by Obama’s birth in 1961.


It appears that the Presidential legitimacy outcry began to take off in August 2008 when a member of the Democratic Party, Philip J. Berg, filed a lawsuit against the DNC and Barak Obama claiming that he is not a natural-born citizen, as required by the constitution. This would later be dismissed in October based on Berg’s evidence being “merely circumstantial”. Of the said evidence, Berg claimed to have an audiotape of Obama’s Grandmother in which she states that The President was born in Kenya and was at the hospital at the time of birth. Following is a transcript where indeed she does state just that. However clearly there was miscommunication and misunderstandings and she is quite firm that he was born in Hawaii.

MCRAE: I would like to see his birthplace when I come to Kenya in December. Was she present when he was born in Kenya?

OGOMBE: Yes. She says, yes, she was, she was present when Obama was born.

MCRAE: I would like to come by the place, the hospital, where he was born. Could you tell me where he was born? Was he born in Mombassa?

OGOMBE: No, Obama was not born in Mombassa. He was born in America.

MCRAE: Whereabouts was he born? I thought he was born in Kenya.

OGOMBE: No, he was born in America, not in Mombassa.

MCRAE: Do you know where he was born?

OGOMBE: Hawaii. Hawaii. Sir, she says he was born in Hawaii. In the state of Hawaii, where his father was also learning, there. The state of Hawaii.

Berg was not the only one to have a case dropped by The Supreme Court. Leo Donofrio, of New Jersey, had his emergency appeal rejected in December. Donofrio claimed that Obama’s father was a “subject of the United Kingdom,” and therefore Obama is not a natural-born citizen. Unfortunately, this argument is based on a loose interpretation of what the Constitution considers natural-born. Without any definitive supreme court ruling on the definition of “natural-born”, different parties to back their claims use this concept subjectively. In other words, it’s open to interpretation.

Section 1 Article II of the US Constitution sets forth the eligibility requirements for serving as president of the United States:

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President

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Birthers claim that Obama’s Certificate of live birth, though an official document is void due to fact that Hawaii allows for children born abroad to obtain the document. However, Obama’s birth in Hawaii is supported by a Honolulu Advertiser’s item 9 days after his birth. This is typical of every birth in Hawaii and placed officially by the states Department of Health, not by family members.

Is this Birther movement and all pre and post election attacks having any effect on the political powers within the Whitehouse? Are they acts of Patriots, Disenfranchised Partisans or Racists? What is the motive behind the continued speculation. Are these attacks justified or are they demonising? The attempts to discredit President Obama have turned into a fully-fledged movement, and “Birthers” who wear their label with the same ferocity as a freedom fighter are seen as either uncovering truth or distorting truth to promote agenda.

How will the Republican Party openly work with Birthers going into the next election, if indeed they are still around. Going on to the Birthers.org site you will see new premises creeping in. No longer simply focused on the president’s natural birth origins, they are now creating new labels such as ‘Obortionists’. Time will tell if they will work with Republicans or indeed evolve from an independent movement to independent party. Evolve it will, as with most Conspiracy Theorists, many hold their beliefs as infallible and will keep digging or mud slinging whichever ‘evidence’ supports their theory.

Ok, you've convinced me. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, Obama was born in Hawaii.

Now that that's out of the way, and no longer an issue. Why can't we see his school records? Why didn't he disclose his previous alias(es) on his attorney registration? I still have more questions.

It's my view, that this issue has relatively little to do with where he was born, and more to do with what is he hiding, and why is he hiding it.

Video of Obama admiting he was not born in the US.

Video

reply to post by DevolutionEvolvd


This is a balanced and well researched review.
Interesting new question you've posed on how the birthers will evolve to down the track....and I like you've asked if motives are uncovering truth or demonising...is it politically motivated or partiotic?...Well you're just be kind putting both sides across...we all know they think Obama is Magog, and that Republicans have little power left and have to smear to keep their voices heard........eeeek

[edit on 7-8-2009 by zazzafrazz]

With all of the confusion set around the legitimacy of President Obama's birth records, this is very much appreciated, thankyou for your hard work and excellent skills at making this something even I can understand clearly, lol.

Fine investigative work, hope to see more soon.

reply to post by Unit541


Those are valid questions, but the truth is, as of now, all evidence suggests that President Obama is indeed a natural-born citizen.

I do agree that a bit of suspicion is warranted.

-Dev

Did someone say......Bump????? yes.....I did.