Who Are the Birthers?
5182726Conspiracy theories often flourish in the wake of traumatic or game-changing events – the Sept. 11 attacks, the moon landing, the Kennedy assassination – and the election of America's first black president has been no exception.
Almost as soon as Barack Obama emerged as a serious candidate for the presidency, rumors about whether or not he is really an American, and thus eligible for the presidency, began popping up online. In response, the Obama campaign posted the Certification of Live Birth* (here it is) showing that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961.
But that did not quiet the skeptics, a group that has been come to be known as the "birthers." If anything, it encouraged them. They argued that the birth certificate is a fake, and that Mr. Obama is not the "natural born citizen" he claims to be. Mr. Obama, many birthers say, was actually born in Kenya, though there are a number of theories that fall under the birther umbrella.
The din eventually got loud enough that some reputable organizations checked out the birthers' claims – and they found no evidence to support them. In fact, there was overwhelming evidence against such claims, including Mr. Obama's 1961 birth announcement, printed in two Hawaii newspapers. Here's one detailed investigation, and here's another.
PolitiFact wrote after its extensive look at the claims a year ago:
The birthers are a passionate bunch, as this video of a birther angrily confronting Delaware Republican Rep. Mike Castle handily illustrates. "Why are you people ignoring his birth certificate?," the woman asks, prompting cheers from the crowd. "He is not an American citizen, he is a citizen of Kenya."
Some Congressional Republicans have also taken up the birther cause: California Rep. John Campbell co-sponsored a bill (with at least nine others) requiring presidential candidates to submit a birth certificate, a wink and a nod action that he maintains is somehow not related to the birthers' claims. When MSNBC's Chris Matthews asked Campbell if he believed Mr. Obama is a natural born citizen, Campbell hedged, saying, "As far as I know, yes, OK?" He told Matthews, "it doesn`t matter whether I have doubts or not."
To find out why the birthers' claims have endured, Hotsheet contacted Michael Barkun, an expert in conspiracy theories and professor of political science at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.
"There are people out there who firmly believe that the truth is always hidden, regardless of whether it's about politics or science or any other subject," he said. "That whatever is presented as public knowledge is necessarily false. That the truth is always hidden from them, regardless of what the subject is."
Pressed on why that is the case, Barkun pointed to the ability of the Internet and to a lesser extent television to disseminate conspiracy theories far more easily than ever before. He also said that, "in a strange way, conspiracy theories are comforting."
"They give people a feeling that we know the truth," Barkun said. "That we have secret knowledge, and that we know how the world really works. In a sense, we're part of a kind of elite of those who know and everybody else is misled or are trapped by illusions."
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, CBS News' chief political consultant, notes along these lines that "birthers now wear the term 'birther' as badge of honor, as if they were a persecuted minority -- which, come to think of it, is one mechanism for solidarity in the face of evidence to the contrary."
As Ambinder suggests, the birther phenomenon goes to the heart of the dilemma now facing the Republican Party.
"Republican presidential candidates need to figure out how to diffuse angry birthers who are bound to show up and demand their attention," he writes. "…If they give credence to the birthers, they're (not only advancing ignorance but also) betraying the narrowness of their base. If they dismiss this growing movement, they might drive birthers to find more extreme candidates, which will fragment a Republican political coalition."
*Correction: This post initially erroneously referred to Mr. Obama's Certificate of Live Birth as his original birth certificate. The original document was not released by the state of Hawaii, though Dr. Chiyome Fukino, director of the Hawaii State Department of Health, has said she has seen it and that it verifies Mr. Obama's birth and citizenship.
As Fukino pointed out in a statement explaining why the original was not released, "State law prohibits the release of a certified birth certificate to persons who do not have a tangible interest in the vital record." A spokeswoman noted that a Certification of Live Birth "is considered a birth certificate from the state of Hawaii."
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Almost as soon as Barack Obama emerged as a serious candidate for the presidency, rumors about whether or not he is really an American, and thus eligible for the presidency, began popping up online. In response, the Obama campaign posted the Certification of Live Birth* (here it is) showing that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961.
But that did not quiet the skeptics, a group that has been come to be known as the "birthers." If anything, it encouraged them. They argued that the birth certificate is a fake, and that Mr. Obama is not the "natural born citizen" he claims to be. Mr. Obama, many birthers say, was actually born in Kenya, though there are a number of theories that fall under the birther umbrella.
The din eventually got loud enough that some reputable organizations checked out the birthers' claims – and they found no evidence to support them. In fact, there was overwhelming evidence against such claims, including Mr. Obama's 1961 birth announcement, printed in two Hawaii newspapers. Here's one detailed investigation, and here's another.
PolitiFact wrote after its extensive look at the claims a year ago:
It is possible that Obama conspired his way to the precipice of the world's biggest job, involving a vast network of people and government agencies over decades of lies. Anything's possible.Yet the birthers' claims have not simply survived into Mr. Obama's presidency – they've actually gained steam. Liz Cheney, talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh and Michael Reagan and even CNN's Lou Dobbs are among those taking the birthers' theories seriously. Former presidential candidate Alan Keyes and others have pushed the argument in court; earlier this month a soldier challenged his deployment to Iraq based on birther claims.
But step back and look at the overwhelming evidence to the contrary and your sense of what's reasonable has to take over.
The birthers are a passionate bunch, as this video of a birther angrily confronting Delaware Republican Rep. Mike Castle handily illustrates. "Why are you people ignoring his birth certificate?," the woman asks, prompting cheers from the crowd. "He is not an American citizen, he is a citizen of Kenya."
Some Congressional Republicans have also taken up the birther cause: California Rep. John Campbell co-sponsored a bill (with at least nine others) requiring presidential candidates to submit a birth certificate, a wink and a nod action that he maintains is somehow not related to the birthers' claims. When MSNBC's Chris Matthews asked Campbell if he believed Mr. Obama is a natural born citizen, Campbell hedged, saying, "As far as I know, yes, OK?" He told Matthews, "it doesn`t matter whether I have doubts or not."
To find out why the birthers' claims have endured, Hotsheet contacted Michael Barkun, an expert in conspiracy theories and professor of political science at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.
"There are people out there who firmly believe that the truth is always hidden, regardless of whether it's about politics or science or any other subject," he said. "That whatever is presented as public knowledge is necessarily false. That the truth is always hidden from them, regardless of what the subject is."
Pressed on why that is the case, Barkun pointed to the ability of the Internet and to a lesser extent television to disseminate conspiracy theories far more easily than ever before. He also said that, "in a strange way, conspiracy theories are comforting."
"They give people a feeling that we know the truth," Barkun said. "That we have secret knowledge, and that we know how the world really works. In a sense, we're part of a kind of elite of those who know and everybody else is misled or are trapped by illusions."
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, CBS News' chief political consultant, notes along these lines that "birthers now wear the term 'birther' as badge of honor, as if they were a persecuted minority -- which, come to think of it, is one mechanism for solidarity in the face of evidence to the contrary."
As Ambinder suggests, the birther phenomenon goes to the heart of the dilemma now facing the Republican Party.
"Republican presidential candidates need to figure out how to diffuse angry birthers who are bound to show up and demand their attention," he writes. "…If they give credence to the birthers, they're (not only advancing ignorance but also) betraying the narrowness of their base. If they dismiss this growing movement, they might drive birthers to find more extreme candidates, which will fragment a Republican political coalition."
*Correction: This post initially erroneously referred to Mr. Obama's Certificate of Live Birth as his original birth certificate. The original document was not released by the state of Hawaii, though Dr. Chiyome Fukino, director of the Hawaii State Department of Health, has said she has seen it and that it verifies Mr. Obama's birth and citizenship.
As Fukino pointed out in a statement explaining why the original was not released, "State law prohibits the release of a certified birth certificate to persons who do not have a tangible interest in the vital record." A spokeswoman noted that a Certification of Live Birth "is considered a birth certificate from the state of Hawaii."
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We're not the crazy ones like the Democraps want you to believe. They only keep pushing that label on us because they TOO know he is a fraud. They have no other recourse except to do what they do best and that is to go on the attack.
THEY are the crazy ones. They keep insisting he has shown his documents. Umm, where are they? He HAS shown some that have been proved to be FAKE. Is anyone answering the questions why they are fake? No, their response is we're crazy.
The latest fake is the long form birth certificate. A five year old could make a better forgery. Experts have proved it is a fake. How do they respond? The usual, we're crazy.
If it is indeed real, why won't they let a bipartisan group of experts go to Hawaii and check the REAL one on file? They claim the one released is a copy so let us see the real one. And I don't mean their hand-picked 'experts', let US choose who looks at it. That will put an end to all of this.
The reason they won't is because it doesn't exist.
We want to know who is running our country. Why did Obozo spend so much to hide his past? Who is this guy? No we're not the crazy one: the ones who believe he is NOT hiding something are the crazy ones. And they're stupid. IF it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's an effing duck people.
Dan Rather was proven to be a straight up liar and fire from CBS! When he lied about former President G.W .Bush military record. FIRE!!!! He still appears on many white talk shows and adds his lying two cents! Even after being proven wrong Rather stood by his fake documents! Fast forward today the Birther lie has been repeated by many in the media! Nobody fire! Now America should know Trump is an idiot! When Sarah Palin ( The queen of the Republican idiot) said she appreciate that the Donald wants to spend his resources on something that so interests him and so many Americans, you know more power to him," Palin said in an interview on the "Judge Jeanine" ( another crook that stole money from the American people)show on Fox News.
The former Alaska governor's remarks on the program seems to signal a shift in her opinions on the "birther" issue. Long ago, the president did release a "certificate of live birth" which many non-partisan watchdog groups say definitively proves he was born in the U.S. Sarah Palin also was ok with the Certificate but when the Donald brought up the issue Flip Flop for hatred and racism! Any idiot would have to think that the University President Obama attended and was President of! The United State Senate and mortgage institutions ALL miss the fact that he was not a American! This is nothing more then a white person using hatred to advance his agenda! This lie was born threw the racist anti-American Tea Party! Not solving cancer Not solving America's problem Republican create&But attacking a American citizenship! To think NEVER was the FACT that Senator John McCain WAS NOT born in the United State made a issue! Fukino reviewed Obama's birth certificate twice and said that "birthers" and other doubters will never be satisfied." It is real, and no amount of saying it is not, is going to change that," Fukino said. In February, Palin said the "birther" issue was a "distraction" from the important issues. "It's distracting. It gets annoying. Let's stick with what really matters," Palin said at an appearance at the Long Island Association.
Although she said she believes Obama was born in Hawaii, Palin seems to be reverting to her old position that it is fair game to ask the president for his birth certificate.
"I think that he was born in Hawaii because there was the birth announcement put in the newspaper. But obviously there is something there that the president doesn't want people to see on that birth certificate, that he sees going to great lengths to make sure it isn't shown. And that's perplexing for a lot of people," Palin told Judge Jeanine on Sunday! Why does any one want to waist time on Trump? Can't wait to read the book one of his former staff has written about him and his kids. Let's see who will be calling who sleaze bag?
"Donald Trump was sued by buyers who lost millions of dollars in deposits on a failed hotel-condo in the Mexican border city of Tijuana The 69 buyers purchased 71 units in Trump Ocean Resort Baja and paid deposits totaling between $18 million and $20 million, said Bart Ring, their attorney. Buyers were told that the luxury oceanfront project was being scrapped and that there was no money left to refund deposits. In December, they were told the project had only $556,000 left after collecting $32.2 million in buyer deposits." Also not one white pundit mention that fact of Trump NOT having experience NEVER holding a political office! NEVER!
First let me say I love all GOD' s people! I believe there is good in many people! I also believe that hate is taught! It seem every time I mention "white people" or "white control media"! I'm called a racist or the claim that I'm whining! Well my question is why is it OK for white pundits to say. African Americans will vote for President Obama because he is black! Which couldn't be further from the truth and totally racist! 43 white only male only Presidents where white! Of those 43 white only male only Presidents. Starting in the 20th century blacks voted for 18 of the male only white only Presidents! White hatred and white institutional racism prevented black from voting before that! The reason I say "white control media" is because it is true! The media is controlled by white people! Pushing the moral envelop is controlled by white people! If NYPD want to show white people nudity THAT IS OK! But if Janet Jackson shows less then a second of her breast! The FCC steps in and it's a scandal! American TV and movie is bombarded with white people! White racism is worse then all racism in America! It has done the more damage and has enter every aspect of American life! It has been the most detrimental to just living a normal life in America! It has cause America to waste time that could create good and better! It seem white Americans are always looking for someone to hate! Today it's Muslim and black people! One thing I have to give credit to white people is being consistence! It's always hate blacks and ______? White people forget that we all belong to GOD and he create us all equal! White racism say GOD is WRONG!!! Also comparing the hatred of Bush to the assault and hatred of President Obama. Is totally ignorance! Bush sent American troops to their death in Iraq for NOTHING! Bush receive a 800 billion dollar surplus and turn it into a 13 trillion dollar debt!! Today ignorant white people want to charge President Obama with the ignorance of BUSH!!!!
Marilyn Davenport, a white Fullerton resident, recently emailed a picture with Obama's face superimposed over a baby chimp's face with the caption, "Now you know why -- No birth certificate!" After I saw the picture I must admit I was not surprise! White racism has always taken the lead in America! It has always been the go to! Whenever there is nothing to say positive! Or just when you think America is going toward racial change! A white Republican say NO! The picture is provocativ?e, but the responses to the cartoon are what's most telling. I'm glad this cartoon was published. I'm even more pleased with the transparen?cy of the responses; as they really expose where this country is. Here are some interestin?g things for considerat?ion: Often times in surveys taken questionin?g the relationsh?ip of whites with blacks, white commentato?rs consider most conflicts in a historical context often making comments like, "I think we're past all that stuff now". -Mind you, similar responses occurred during the marked times of Jim Crow when lynching's, bombings, tarring were common place. Likewise during the most notable periods of Mexican, Japanese and Chinese exploitati?on. Curiously, as people of color were directed the same questions, most answers identified a serious dissatisfa?ction or need for improvement. Now, instead of explicit denial we have something worse -clich?s like, "let it go" or "can't we just move on". When a member of the white race has anything aggressed toward them that disrupt their comforts or entitlements, their reactions are often extreme, yet in their minds always justified. People of color have long tried to move on. What do you think the Black, Brown, Red and Yellow Power movements were all about? To gain the capacity to move on -justly!! The thought of waking up in the morning without the constant reminders of minority ship and without the entitlemen?t culture always taken the liberty to define and explain that which they have never lived is what the fight has always been about.
The American public should be mad as hell! At the horrible over opinionated white control media! They have done a disservice to America with their bias opinion of President Obama and his administration! They choose to refer to President Obama's Healthcare Plan as Obamacare! They choose to refer to President Obama as just Obama! They choose to demonize the Obama's stimulus package that stop the financial downfall! Never ever interviewing one American that benefited from Obama stimulus package! THERE ARE MILIOIN!!! No Republican is ever asked about President G. W. Bush 250 billion dollar stimulus package! Where did it go? How to it benefit America? Never asked! There is hardly any mention of the Republicans 13 trillion debt! After receiving a 800 billion surplus from a Democrat President! There is never any mention of the needless war in Iraq! The white control media was fast to claim that President Obama . Should take ownership of both wars started by the Bush administration! The Birther idiot get so much coverage from the white control media. Even after all evident prove President Obama was born in America! The Tea Party also gets allot of media coverage! It is so obvious the bias and racist coverage of all white media! There is no conservative or liberal new! Both have decide to ban together and report lie and repeat negative about President Obama and his administration!
All my life I have heard how great America is! In 1958 when I was born in many states blacks where being hung by white mops JUST BECAUSE! Segregation was the way of life for American blacks! Police brutality against minorities was what the police departments was train to do! The judicial system was racist by design! The Korean War permitted separate sleeping arrangements between blacks and whites in the military. Blacks where treated like third class citizen fighting and dying for their country! For the very white American that brutalize and discriminate against them! Hate and dividing the country was the rule white live for. The very privilege whites got at birth blacks had to fight and die for! When I enter the school system busing was just ending. And unequal funding for black schools started! Riot broke out in many city after the murder of Martin Luther King! I was 8 years old. So far I'm not seeing the greatness! Then WACO where the American Government murdered 74 American! And the Philly murder of 11 MOVE Americans and burning down over a hundred homes! Those things don't make America great! Military homeless men and women don't make America great! Then there was continue black beating and murders by white police and white mops! When I enter the Marine the day I arrive a white Marine murdered a black Marine. Because he thought the black Marine was talking on the phone to a white female! While in the Marine **** poor white Marine where promoted over blacks! Then out of the Marine I became a Correction officer. By now 1980 and if ever you want to see racism 101. Discrimination 101 enter any prison in America! White inmates are treat better then black inmates! So Today nothing really has change! The Great American claim has no merit! Many thing are getting worse! Yes America has it's first black President! President Obama's church was attacked his Pastor! Which led to him leaving his church of over twenty years! Claims was made that Obama associate with terrorist! 43% more death threats then any other President! Called a socialist and a racist. Fox News is dedicated to criticizing and attacking anything President Obama said or thinks! Disrespected as he address the Nation by a white politician! That shouted "You lie! So what makes America GREAT!!!!!?
All my life I have heard how great America is! In 1958 when I was born in many states blacks where being hung by white mops JUST BECAUSE! Segregation was the way of life for American blacks! Police brutality against minorities was what the police departments was train to do! The judicial system was racist by design! The Korean War permitted separate sleeping arrangements between blacks and whites in the military. Blacks where treated like third class citizen fighting and dying for their country! For the very white American that brutalize and discriminate against them! Hate and dividing the country was the rule white live for. The very privilege whites got at birth blacks had to fight and die for! When I enter the school system busing was just ending. And unequal funding for black schools started! Riot broke out in many city after the murder of Martin Luther King! I was 8 years old. So far I'm not seeing the greatness! Then WACO where the American Government murdered 74 American! And the Philly murder of 11 MOVE Americans and burning down over a hundred homes! Those things don't make America great! Military homeless men and women don't make America great! Then there was continue black beating and murders by white police and white mops! When I enter the Marine the day I arrive a white Marine murdered a black Marine. Because he thought the black Marine was talking on the phone to a white female! While in the Marine **** poor white Marine where promoted over blacks! Then out of the Marine I became a Correction officer. By now 1980 and if ever you want to see racism 101. Discrimination 101 enter any prison in America! White inmates are treat better then black inmates! So Today nothing really has change! The Great American claim has no merit! Many thing are getting worse! Yes America has it's first black President! President Obama's church was attacked his Pastor! Which led to him leaving his church of over twenty years! Claims was made that Obama associate with terrorist! 43% more death threats then any other President! Called a socialist and a racist. Fox News is dedicated to criticizing and attacking anything President Obama said or thinks! Disrespected as he address the Nation by a white politician! That shouted "You lie! So what makes America GREAT!!!!!?
These Birther are pure coward! Because had President Obama's mother and father been alive. They would have never attack and or question President Obama's birth! Throughout American history white politician and whites in law enforcement create lies and demonize! When thing don't go their way they lie and resort to racism and pure hatred! Brutality and abuse of authority always present. When white feel threaten of their majority static! Both white Democrat and white Republican have cater to the white majority. More truer today with the Republican Politician. Like in the case of Donald Trump he has rehash the birther lie! Stating the President Obama was not born in America! Total lie and have been proven over and over to be a lie! He also is repeating with the help of the dumbest Republican Sarah Palin. That President Obama paid out 2 million dollars to kept his birth Certificate a secret! Pure LIE! The President birth Certificate can be found online! Donald Trump reminds me of the late former Governor George Wallace! His thing of dividing the country was segregation! That evil cater to the white majority! Hate and divide cater to the white majority! Donald Trump see an opportunity to cater to hate and divide and the white majority! Donald Trump has no experience in running a country! Hell with all his bankruptcy! What American would trust Trump with Americans money?
These American terrorist that call their selves Birther are really the lowest form of cowards! The Tea Party and the Republican Party choose to attack really a person that lost both parent! Because if President Obama's parents where alive. His birth his citizenship would had never been a issue! But in the mind and stupidity of the Birther. THIS IS A ISSUE!!! They believe that President Obama's parents. Especially his mother was involve in a conspiracy! The big conspiracy had to involve President Obama's mother and father and maybe his grandparents! Obama's parents had to know that 47 years later their son would be President. SOOOOOOOOO they gave birth in Africa. Then came to the United State planet the birth of baby Obama in the Hawaiian New Paper. Then got a birth Certificate stating his birth in Hawaii! Then Obama continue the conspiracy in college. Gave them the fake documents! He became President of the student body! To test his quest for President of the United State! PART OF THE CONSPIRACY!!! Then he became a Professor and gave them the fake documents! Then a Community Organizer a political position. He ones again gave them the fake document! Then a state legislator ones again they brought the fake documents! Then it was on to sit on different boards! Where he presented the fake documents! Then it was Senator where he presented the fake documents! THE CONSPIRACY WORK!!! Today because of all those institutions not checking the fake documents Mr. Obama is President Obama! Now any idiot to believe all that happen. They should not only NOT be President&.They should be made to leave America!