"Birthers" to March on Washington
The "birthers," people who believe that President Obama is not a natural born citizen and therefore not qualified to serve as president, are preparing a march on Washington to voice their beliefs.
Attorney Philip Berg, one of the leaders of the "birther" movement, is organizing the march, which will take place on May 29 at President's Park, located just south of the White House. Berg is requesting that all participants of the march bring a copy of their birth certificate.
The march is also framed as a protest against health care reform. "The Healthcare bill (ObamaCare) signed into Law by Obama on March 23, 2010 is unconstitutional and voidable since he is ineligible to serve as President of the United States," Berg writes.
According to David Weigel of the Washington Post, the march has yet to gain the attention of other "birther" leaders.
The "birther movement," questioning Mr. Obama's origins, began during his presidential campaign. It has steadily persisted through Mr. Obama's presidency, in spite of overwhelming evidence he was born in the United States -- including his 1961 birth announcement, printed in two Hawaii newspapers.
Requests for information about Mr. Obama's birth in Hawaii have steadily flowed into the the state's health department, creating a hassle for the state. This prompted the Hawaii legislature to pass a bill allowing government agencies to ignore some of those requests. The bill awaits the governor's signature.
Meanwhile, a bill in Arizona, which would require the Arizona secretary of state to review and approve a presidential candidate's birth certificate before letting the candidate's name appear on the state ballot, still awaits state senate approval. The state legislative session is scheduled to end this week.
