I read this article (actually, a transcription of a podcast) on the Scientific American website today that I felt the need to comment on: "What's Behind Birthers' Obama Belief". Mine is the fifth comment at the bottom of the page.
This article angered me on several levels. First, it doesn't belong in a publication called "Scientific American". Second, it's nothing more than an opinion piece. Third, one that attempts to use science to legitimize the opinion the writer is espousing. Fourth, the writer makes clear that a person who entertains any doubt about the President's place of birth must be doing so because of some deep seated sociologically programmed racial bias. Fifth, the writer paints anyone who thinks this way as "irrational".
Well, if it's so deep seated, and if we're so programmed by our society, then why is it "irrational"?
I think what's worse than questioning the birthplace of the person we voted into the office of the President of the United States is to blindly assume that because we want him to continue being our President, that he therefore must have been born in this country and anyone who doubts that is racist and irrational.
I personally do want for Obama to have been rightfully elected as our President. However, given that government officials in Nigeria claim that he was born in that country, I am one who would like to see proof, or at least the documentation, of his birthplace. Additionally, although most people would simply be required to produce a certified copy of their birth certificate, I really think we need to go a bit deeper here. After all, he is the President of the United States! He's got the FBI, CIA, NSA, Dept. of Homeland Security, etc under his thumb - surely it's within the realm of possibility that if he wanted, he could produce a form that would prove him to be the natural born son of Joan and Clark Kent of Liberal Kansas!
I promise that tomorrow I'll have a complaint about the language that the Right is using to scare people about the Obama HealthCare plan.
Update: 8/14/2009: I found this on the internet that convinces me that his birth records are valid and in order: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
I am interested in any and all feedback! However, I reserve the right to block or delete comments that I believe constitute "spam". That does not mean I won't respect disagreement.