Educate Me: Why Do You Care About Obama's Birthplace?

I'm not looking to start a flame war or say that the birther's are crazy or the rest of the people are complacent. I'm just honestly curious why it matters so much to some about finding Obama's long form birth certificate. I know that the president has to be a natural born citizen, but his mom was a citizen so doesn't that automatically qualify him as natural born? I mean, a baby born in Germany to an American would still be an American citizen right?

Anyway, I migh be showing my ignorance on the topic, but I'd like to hear why people seem as fanatical about finding this out as they are about, say, the 9/11 stuff.

I imagine some people care about the law

reply to post by KILL_DOGG
I have read the stories from, when he was only a US Senator, claiming him to be Kenya born. That makes me wonder if he may have been born there, naturally.

Why do I care?

Because IF (big if) he was born in Kenya, that would make him a dual citizen. British and American. There are rules provided by the Constitution that prevent citizens of other countries from being elected as POTUS.

I have heard too many times that it is because he is black (I am part African descent), that he is a Democrat or that he is a socialist can be the only reasons that I care. Not so. I believe in rules, that's all.

Okay, so "rules is rules" is the only reason you all care? Honestly, I can't see that being the driving force behind this. I could be wrong though (as my wife always reminds me).

reply to post by KILL_DOGG
I didn't say that other people don't have other agendas, I was only speaking for myself.

It is quite possible that a majority of 'birthers' are racist. I don't know or care. Some may be so right-wing or staunchly Republican that they are pushing it, but not me.

I wouldn't expect racists to admit it.

reply to post by KILL_DOGG


His mother's citizenship alone doesn't make him a "natural born" citizen. She had to be residing in the US (which by all accounts, she was). If she traveled overseas and had the baby while on vacation, as long as she was a US resident and citizen, I'm pretty sure that Congress (as they did with McCain, who was born in Panama) would declare him a natural-born citizen. His father was also legally residing here at the time of his birth.

I think the reason it matters so much to people is that it's their only hope of getting him out of the White House because they don't like his policies. It's that last grasp of hope - that minute possibility - that keeps them engaged, IMO. Besides, some of them just don't like the guy and want him out. And then there are a few who actually believe that he's a usurper or that plans have been in the works for 50 years to have him take over the country and the world!

Originally posted by butcherguy
Because IF (big if) he was born in Kenya, that would make him a dual citizen. British and American. There are rules provided by the Constitution that prevent citizens of other countries from being elected as POTUS.

This isn't true. As long as he's a natural born US citizen, it doesn't matter what other countries consider him a citizen. The US doesn't care about other countries' citizenship laws. Only our own. The US doesn't recognize dual citizenship. If you're a US citizen, you're a US citizen, unless you renounce it.

Oh, and he WAS a dual citizen at birth according to Kenya (which we don't care about) because his father's citizenship passed on to him. But he lost that when he turned 18.

reply to post by KILL_DOGG

so "rules is rules" is the only reason you all care?

If by "rules" you mean THE LAW, then yeah pretty much, the reason i would care is THE LAW. But then i dont really care much at all, voting is a sham, elections are rigged and nothing you can really say or do will ever change that, so meh. Why people care enough to actualy vent on the internet with furious typing and anger, who knows, maybe they have personal issues we dont know about?

I care because if he was born in Kenya, technically, that would make him Kenyan. Weather or not his mom was American.

Actually, to tell you the truth, I don't care. But, if your going to enforce a system, you damn well better follow it. Otherwise, its what you call totalitarianism. Or at least some form of it.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic
It's not about getting him out of office, after the Nov. elections he's going to be a powerless lame duck in the middle of his first term. the thrust is that he is a liar and a criminal. it is a shame that an america hater that won't salute the flag or say the pledge of alliegance became elected in the first place. all the things he bashed bush for during the election he re-signed and even expanded, the man has so many criminal ties he is not even eligible to hold a security clearence and you wonder why people question his eligibility?

This not an issue I care deeply about, but I agree with the other posters who note that being born on US soil is a prerequsite for becoming president BY LAW, and thus should be enforced. If it's a rule people think should be changed, fine go ahead and take it off the books. But if it is part of the law, enforce it. The President is bound to uphold the law. I don't necessarily think the President should be tossed out for jaywalking, but not being born in the US and lying about it is pushing it. Especially since this clause has been used to disqualify other persons from running for the presidency in the past. I also dislike some of the tactics the White House seems to have used to evade an honest and complete investigation of the matter.

Interestingly, if I recall, there were some doubts about 2008 Republican candidate John McCain's birth status (born in the Panama Canal zone, which was technically not US soil at the time, I believe). So if McCain had been elected, perhaps we would be having a nearly identical conversation. I wouldn't have been happy about that, either, and I would have wanted him to come clean as well. I find it oddly disturbing that NEITHER party was able to select a candidate from among almost 300 million US citizens who would not arouse this kind of controversy.