Obama releases birth *video* :)

[AngelBee]

Meh... not doing it for me. To each her own. But that doesn't mean I don't like him as your president. :001_smile:

That's ok. I am not sharing him anyway. ;) :lol:

[Negin]

:lol:

His entire speech at that dinner is worth looking for. It's about 18 minutes long and really funny.

:iagree:

 

What a lovely weekend. In fact, what a great week. :D

 

First, the wedding with Beatrice and Eugenie's hats and outfits.

 

 

Then, the President's speech and The Donald's expression. Brilliant. :smilielol5: :lol: :smilielol5:

 

[Negin]

It's nice to have such a handsome man in the White House.

:iagree: It certainly does make a nice change. :D

 

Though funny, I think it was kind of inappropriate to be honest. I think President Obama could have handled it with more class.

I respectfully disagree. It's meant to be a funny night, this once a year event. I didn't think anything about it was inappropriate. The President has an incredible amount of class. The person who lacks class is the racist one who demands his birth certificate all the time. Racism is certainly not class. We all know that if he was white, no one would ask for his birth certificate. Plus, class is being able to laugh at oneself and have some humor. :)

If he can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. This is the nature of being in the public eye and attending the Correspondent's Dinner.

[AngelBee]

I respectfully disagree. It's meant to be a funny night, this once a year event. I didn't think anything about it was inappropriate. The President has an incredible amount of class. The person who lacks class is the racist one who demands his birth certificate all the time. Racism is certainly not class. We all know that if he was white, no one would ask for his birth certificate. Plus, class is being able to laugh at oneself and have some humor. :)

If he can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. This is the nature of being in the public eye and attending the Correspondent's Dinner.

Hmmm...I have NEVER considered the birth certificate request to be racist. :glare:

 

Maybe I am truly out of the loop! :tongue_smilie::lol:

 

And those hats??? It that some sort of sick joke?!?!

 

If I would have seen those walk into a room....I would have been waiting for Ashton Kutcher to pop out and tell me I am being punked! :lol: Those are...well....I have no words! :D

[Lady Florida.]

 

For me, I was fine with it because of the setting. The White House correspondents dinner is pretty much a roast situation.

 

Any celebrity who attends the White House Correspondents' Dinner knows they have a pretty good chance of getting roasted. Donald Trump would have known this. If you watch the whole thing, you'll see that President Obama didn't escape some sharp zingers either. It's just funny.

[Quiver0f10]

I didn't really think it was funny or appropriate. The clip of GWB shows him mostly making fun of himself. There weren't even close to the same.

[Teachin'Mine]

Mr. Trump has been bashing our president for weeks. This was a roast. It was appropriate humor, very funny and delivered impeccably - IMO. :)

[Quiver0f10]

Mr. Trump has been bashing our president for weeks. This was a roast. It was appropriate humor' date=' very funny and delivered impeccably - IMO. :)[/quote']

 

Ah but see, I don't think Mr. Trump asking to see Mr. Obama's BC as bashing. I am not saying I am a "birther" either. I am just saying it wasn't bashing imho.

[Joy at Home]

 

I respectfully disagree. It's meant to be a funny night, this once a year event. I didn't think anything about it was inappropriate. The President has an incredible amount of class. The person who lacks class is the racist one who demands his birth certificate all the time. Racism is certainly not class. We all know that if he was white, no one would ask for his birth certificate. Plus, class is being able to laugh at oneself and have some humor. :)

If he can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. This is the nature of being in the public eye and attending the Correspondent's Dinner.

 

 

Are you calling Trump a racist?

 

I am embarassed at the birth certificate issue and I think it's silly. However, I'd be very careful about throwing around allegations of racism. Absent specific proof, the default position should not be that those who challenge the president, even on fringe issues, are racist.

 

About the dinner, I personally look forward the correspondents' dinner. A bit irreverent at times, but I enjoy that.

 

Lisa

[KnitWit]

I didn't really think it was funny or appropriate. The clip of GWB shows him mostly making fun of himself. There weren't even close to the same.

 

If you watch the full version of President Obama, you will see the same thing. In fact, I noticed that they each joked about their lower ratings in the polls at the time of the dinners. :lol: The video of "The President's Speech" was completely Obama poking fun at himself and Joe Biden. His statements towards Mr. Trump were not the highlight by any means.

 

But, you are certainly entitled to maintaining your position. :) I just wanted to point those things out for you. :)

[Quiver0f10]

If you watch the full version of President Obama, you will see the same thing. In fact, I noticed that they each joked about their lower ratings in the polls at the time of the dinners. :lol: The video of "The President's Speech" was completely Obama poking fun at himself and Joe Biden. His statements towards Mr. Trump were not the highlight by any means.

 

But, you are certainly entitled to maintaining your position. :) I just wanted to point those things out for you. :)

 

 

 

Thanks. I did only compare the clips posted here and not the full version :)

[Sophia]

Are you calling Trump a racist?

 

I am embarassed at the birth certificate issue and I think it's silly. However, I'd be very careful about throwing around allegations of racism. Absent specific proof, the default position should not be that those who challenge the president, even on fringe issues, are racist.

 

 

Lisa

 

:iagree:

[Impish]

That video was stinkin awesome!! :D

[flyingiguana]

 

As those Correspondent's Dinners go, this looked pretty tame to me. A lot of years, those speeches are brutal.

[Barry Goldwater]

Are you calling Trump a racist?

I'd be very careful about throwing around allegations of racism.

 

Absent specific proof, the default position should not be that those who challenge the president, even on fringe issues, are racist.

 

 

Lisa

 

:iagree:

The charge of racism is typically thrown around by the intellectually lazy, particularly if they don't want to argue the salient points of the debate, but instead want to shout down any opposition. No actual evidence of racism is required in this mindset. Simply leveling the charge of racism is seen by those who do it as the only way to silence the critic.

 

It's gotten very tiresome frankly.

[KnitWit]

Please make your *own* thread to debate the racism stuff. :)

 

Thanks.

[calandalsmom]

Are you calling Trump a racist?

 

I am embarassed at the birth certificate issue and I think it's silly. However, I'd be very careful about throwing around allegations of racism. Absent specific proof, the default position should not be that those who challenge the president, even on fringe issues, are racist.

 

About the dinner, I personally look forward the correspondents' dinner. A bit irreverent at times, but I enjoy that.

 

Lisa

 

Why? Why should this be the case? It ignores the history of the US, the struggles of people of color through out history, and it hinders perception and interpretation.

[Joy at Home]

Please make your *own* thread to debate the racism stuff. :)

 

Thanks.

 

Oh, we know how this goes;) You start a thread but don't own it. Allegations of racism were brought up directly related to the birth certificate issue, which was in POTUS's speech. It deserved a response.

 

Lisa

[Jumping In Puddles]

Here's one of Bush's to balance things out.

 

 

 

"and Laura, she's hot! Muy caliente!" :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Joy at Home]

Why? Why should this be the case? It ignores the history of the US, the struggles of people of color through out history, and it hinders perception and interpretation.

 

 

So you ARE comfortable with the default position being that anyone who disagrees with the President is racist? Clarification please?

 

ETA: It is precisely BECAUSE of the struggles and very real racism people of color have endured that I think we should not throw around allegations lightly.

 

Lisa

Edited May 3, 2011 by Momto5girls

[KnitWit]

Oh, we know how this goes;) You start a thread but don't own it. Allegations of racism were brought up directly related to the birth certificate issue, which was in POTUS's speech. It deserved a response.

 

Lisa

 

Yeah. Okay. If this is what you guys would rather do...have fun. :)

[Teachin'Mine]

Ah but see, I don't think Mr. Trump asking to see Mr. Obama's BC as bashing. I am not saying I am a "birther" either. I am just saying it wasn't bashing imho.

 

I do see it as bashing and as a way to bring up all the fears that were brought up during the election. I think it speaks far more about the person bringing up the issue.

 

I'm trying to think of an analogy, and this is the best I'm coming up with. We're homeschooling moms. Imagine our oldest is accepted into a fabulous college. At the time of admission, we have to validate the grades they earned and the rigor of their studies. It's not easy, but we provide all the information asked for and the admissions people say all requirements have been met. Our students are about to begin their junior year in that college. A mom of a student who wasn't admitted to the college - her student went to public school let's say - says that they don't believe our children were qualified for admission. They don't just question the college admissions staff, they publicize their doubts and speak to the media. They ask you to not only provide all the information you have already submitted, but now to provide even more than is normally requested. After hearing this nonsense on the news for three weeks, how would you feel? Now you're at a college fund raiser which is a roast - comedy is what it's all about and the money raised is going for a good cause. This mom is in attendance. You're the key speaker. Fair to say that everyone in attendance has also been listening to the news and knows all the allegations levied at your child. This mom has already put herself in the spotlight with the media - if she's anything like Mr. Trump, she probably thrives on the media attention. Wouldn't you include her and the situation in your humor? Probably a poor example, but the best I could do. :lol:

 

I watched Mr. Bush's clip and it was hysterical!!! I wish I had seen that years ago. It showed a side of him that was rarely seen. President Bush's popularity was probably at a low at that time - 36%? - so taking the approach of finding humor in his own presidency was a smart move. VP Cheney also gave him some great material. :lol: I've seen clips of Pres. Obama making fun of himself a lot - probably it was during the campaign mostly, but since becoming President as well.

 

No matter who's president, they have an enormously difficult job. I can't even begin to imagine the daily stress. Humor is a wonderful outlet - I don't think any of them would make it through the campaign trail without a good dose of it. It's great for them to have a venue where they can safely share that sense of humor with all of us. :)

[Joy at Home]

Yeah. Okay. If this is what you guys would rather do...have fun. :)

 

Thanks:001_smile:

[AuntPol]

 

The person who lacks class is the racist one who demands his birth certificate all the time. Racism is certainly not class. We all know that if he was white, no one would ask for his birth certificate. If he can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

 

I'm not a birther by any means but how is racist to ask for the birth certificate? Several presidents in the past had discrepancies over their birth certificates. This is not a new scenario. The first persons to bring up the issue of Obma's legitmacy was the Hilary Clinton Campaign so it's not a right wing conspiracy .

 

I have to show my (white) kids birth certificates in order for them to play organized sports to show that they meet the qualifications to play. Is that racist? My kids had to show birth certificates to attend public school and my kindergarten aged daughter was suspended because I had not turned in her shot record but kids of illegal aliens did not have to turn in either. Now that is racist.

 

Plus, class is being able to laugh at oneself and have some humor. :)

 

Laughing at oneself maybe classy but laughing at others is not.

 

However, I think the video funny and I agree that Obama is easy on the eyes.

[Mrs Mungo]

Mr. Trump has been bashing our president for weeks. This was a roast. It was appropriate humor' date=' very funny and delivered impeccably - IMO. :)[/quote']

 

Ah but see, I don't think Mr. Trump asking to see Mr. Obama's BC as bashing. I am not saying I am a "birther" either. I am just saying it wasn't bashing imho.

 

1. What does demanding to see a form of one's birth certificate only available in official records, something never demanded of any other candidate or sitting president imply to you? Edited to clarify: Obama had already shown the only birth certificate necessary to satisfy the requirement according to the law.

 

2. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you don't follow the news much. Trump has been recycling a bunch of incorrect information that seems to stem from an email that was circulating a while back. When it is *all* taken together? I do think it smacks of racism.

 

For example:

I want him to show his birth certificate!

There's something on that birth certificate that he doesn't like.

Knowing Obama's father's heritage, what do you think Trump is trying to imply here? Trump also repeated several outright lies that have been proven untrue in this vein.

 

For example:

If you go back to my first grade, my kindergarten, people remember me. Nobody from those early years remembers him

Here's an article where his kindergarten teacher was interviewed:

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/513898.html?nav=5074

 

Quote from Trump:

Now, let me just go to the final point. The final point on the birther. The final point is the newspaper. Well, guess what? His grandparents probably put in a thing because everybody wanted to become a United States citizen, more so than today to be honest with you, because they were more proud in those days. But for purposes of hospitalization and welfare, you want to become an American citizen. So, the grandparents living in Honolulu, living in Hawaii, probably put it in. It’s a very simply explanation.

Not only is Obama a liar, but he comes from a whole family of liars? You don't think that's bashing?

 

Here's the truth (this quote is from the Honolulu Advertiser, Okubo is a health department official):

Such vital statistics, however, were not sent to the newspapers by the general public but by the Health Department, which received the information directly from hospitals, Okubo said. Birth announcements from the public ran elsewhere in both papers and usually included information such as the newborn’s name, weight and time of birth.

Understand, some of the claims being made by Trump are recycled bad information. The information is so bad, so false that one person has already been made to pay $20,000 for filing a frivolous lawsuit based on this information. Yet Trump can spout whatever he wants with impunity? No.

 

I heard he was a terrible student, terrible. How does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard?

I have friends who have smart sons with great marks, great boards, great everything and they can’t get into Harvard

At least one of Obama's professors at Columbia has come forward and said that he was a brilliant student. The professor in question remembered Obama from an honors seminar. But, the truth of the statement isn't what I'm debating here. It's the implication behind the statements taken together.

 

What do you think Trump is trying to imply when he says that Obama was a poor student and that Trump has friends whose sons can't get into Harvard even with good grades, therefore he wonders who Obama managed it?

 

Taken altogether, what do you think these claims are trying to imply about Obama?

Edited May 3, 2011 by Mrs Mungo

[Lady Florida.]

Some people might not think a roast is funny. I get that. However anyone who attends a roast is fully aware of what it is. They know they will get skewered. That's why it's called a roast.

 

This thread is for those who do think it's funny. I doubt the OP was trying to start a debate. She wanted to share with others who enjoy this type of comedy.

 

I also get that threads take on a life of their own, but how often have people said something like, "If you don't like a thread, don't read it." Is it really necessary to burst other people's bubble when they're having fun?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

That was cute! Good for him.

[Impish]

:hurray: Mrs. Mungo :hurray:

[Joy at Home]

Mrs. Mungo, I agree with much of what you said. This is part of the reason I can't stomach politics anymore.

 

However, I still have to take issue with the assertion that the driving force here is race and not pure, unadulterated politics. It's a nasty business, trying to tear the opponent down before an election. It's done in all circles. The vitriol and misinformation toward Palin is a prime example.

 

Now, Maybe Trump really is racist at heart. I don't know. And I do, personally, think he's an embarassment. To me, however, we are making a leap to say his motivation is racism and not power and politics.

 

Lisa

[Quiver0f10]

 

I'm trying to think of an analogy' date=' and this is the best I'm coming up with. We're homeschooling moms. Imagine our oldest is accepted into a fabulous college. At the time of admission, we have to validate the grades they earned and the rigor of their studies. It's not easy, but we provide all the information asked for and the admissions people say all requirements have been met. Our students are about to begin their junior year in that college. A mom of a student who wasn't admitted to the college - her student went to public school let's say - says that they don't believe our children were qualified for admission. They don't just question the college admissions staff, they publicize their doubts and speak to the media. They ask you to not only provide all the information you have already submitted, but now to provide even more than is normally requested. After hearing this nonsense on the news for three weeks, how would you feel? Now you're at a college fund raiser which is a roast - comedy is what it's all about and the money raised is going for a good cause. This mom is in attendance. You're the key speaker. Fair to say that everyone in attendance has also been listening to the news and knows all the allegations levied at your child. This mom has already put herself in the spotlight with the media - if she's anything like Mr. Trump, she probably thrives on the media attention. Wouldn't you include her and the situation in your humor? Probably a poor example, but the best I could do. :lol:

[/quote']

 

When we moved to Arkansas I went to get my AR driver's license. I brought with me my Maine license and my MA birth cert, which was just a short form type thing.

 

They would not accept it. I had to get my long form(and my marriage certificate!) I didn't have a long form and never had one. I wrote to the BC office in the town I was born, paid a small fee and received the long form cert. In all it took less than a month.

 

Was I irritated? You bet. But it wasn't really that big a deal and I got my new license.

 

I don't see why it was so difficult nor took so long for Mr. Obama to do the same.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Quiver0f10

[Mrs Mungo]

So you ARE comfortable with the default position being that anyone who disagrees with the President is racist? Clarification please?

 

I disagree that anyone who disagrees with the president is being labeled a racist.

 

Mrs. Mungo, I agree with much of what you said. This is part of the reason I can't stomach politics anymore.

 

However, I still have to take issue with the assertion that the driving force here is color and not pure, unadulterated politics. It's a nasty business, trying the opponent down before an election. It's done in all circles.

 

Oh, I agree that politics is the driving force here. Make no mistake about it. But, I think this behavior *is* purposely implying things like "he only got into Harvard because he's black" and is playing to the element of society that believes in the "plight" of the rich white guy. I think Trump is *clearly* playing that up and I think it is an inherently racist point of view that he is humoring with these sorts of statements.

 

Now, Maybe Trump really is racist at heart. I don't know. And I do, personally, think he's an embarassment. To me, however, we are making a leap to say his motivation is racism and not power and politics.

 

I don't think Trump is a racist at heart. I think he knows a lot of people are. Edited May 3, 2011 by Mrs Mungo

[Quiver0f10]

Mrs. Mungo, you are absolutely correct in that I haven't been following it(trump etc)

 

I didn't intend to get into a debate @ the BC lol. I simply didn't think the clip was funny.

[Mrs Mungo]

When we moved to Arkansas I went to get my AR driver's license. I brought with me my Maine license and my MA birth cert, which was just a short form type thing.

 

They would not accept it. I had to get my long form(and my marriage certificate!) I didn't have a long form and never one. I wrote to the BC office in the town I was born, paid a small fee and received the long form cert. In all it took less than a month.

 

Was I irritated? You bet. But it wasn't really that big a deal and I got my new license.

 

I don't see why it was so difficult nor took so long for Mr. Obama to do the same.

 

Hawaii doesn't release long form birth certificates for any reason. The "short form" is the only form anyone can get for the state of Hawaii. I have in my possession birth certificates from 3 different US states and 2 different German states (with a Certificate of Birth Abroad for those latter two). They are all different. You must make allowance for the fact that not every state does things the same way.

 

eta: I would bet that your MA birth certificate was not an official copy and that's why it wasn't accepted. The short form is the official copy in Hawaii.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Mrs Mungo

[Jumping In Puddles]

When we moved to Arkansas I went to get my AR driver's license. I brought with me my Maine license and my MA birth cert, which was just a short form type thing.

 

They would not accept it. I had to get my long form(and my marriage certificate!) I didn't have a long form and never one. I wrote to the BC office in the town I was born, paid a small fee and received the long form cert. In all it took less than a month.

 

Was I irritated? You bet. But it wasn't really that big a deal and I got my new license.

 

I don't see why it was so difficult nor took so long for Mr. Obama to do the same.

 

Because under Hawaiian law, they are not allowed release a long form birth certificate for a fee to anyone, even if they request it. If you had moved to Arkansas from Hawaii and they wouldn't accept your short form Hawaiian birth cert. then you would have been out of luck.

[Lady Florida.]

When we moved to Arkansas I went to get my AR driver's license. I brought with me my Maine license and my MA birth cert, which was just a short form type thing.

 

They would not accept it. I had to get my long form(and my marriage certificate!) I didn't have a long form and never had one. I wrote to the BC office in the town I was born, paid a small fee and received the long form cert. In all it took less than a month.

 

Was I irritated? You bet. But it wasn't really that big a deal and I got my new license.

 

I don't see why it was so difficult nor took so long for Mr. Obama to do the same.

 

Because it wasn't required as part of the eligibility certification process. Because no other president has been asked to do this. If the State of Arkansas didn't require the long form, but one of the DMV workers demanded it because they didn't believe your short form was real, would you have done it? This is the same thing.

[kokotg]

I keep almost replying, but then Mrs. Mungo just says everything I want to say before I can post, so I'll just throw out a general :iagree: in her direction. Race baiting in American politics is certainly nothing new. Why, it used to be a Democratic trick back before the Civil Rights Act and the Southern Strategy and all that. The more things change...

[Lady Florida.]

I keep almost replying, but then Mrs. Mungo just says everything I want to say before I can post

 

:iagree: And she says it so well.

[Starr]

1. What does demanding to see a form of one's birth certificate only available in official records, something never demanded of any other candidate or sitting president imply to you? Edited to clarify: Obama had already shown the only birth certificate necessary to satisfy the requirement according to the law.

 

2. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you don't follow the news much. Trump has been recycling a bunch of incorrect information that seems to stem from an email that was circulating a while back. When it is *all* taken together? I do think it smacks of racism.

 

For example:

Knowing Obama's father's heritage, what do you think Trump is trying to imply here? Trump also repeated several outright lies that have been proven untrue in this vein.

 

 

 

For example:

Here's an article where his kindergarten teacher was interviewed:

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/513898.html?nav=5074

 

Quote from Trump:

Not only is Obama a liar, but he comes from a whole family of liars? You don't think that's bashing?

 

Here's the truth (this quote is from the Honolulu Advertiser, Okubo is a health department official):

Understand, some of the claims being made by Trump are recycled bad information. The information is so bad, so false that one person has already been made to pay $20,000 for filing a frivolous lawsuit based on this information. Yet Trump can spout whatever he wants with impunity? No.

 

At least one of Obama's professors at Columbia has come forward and said that he was a brilliant student. The professor in question remembered Obama from an honors seminar. But, the truth of the statement isn't what I'm debating here. It's the implication behind the statements taken together.

 

What do you think Trump is trying to imply when he says that Obama was a poor student and that Trump has friends whose sons can't get into Harvard even with good grades, therefore he wonders who Obama managed it?

 

Taken altogether, what do you think these claims are trying to imply about Obama?

 

Thank you for taking the time to write this out!

[sassenach]

1) That was funny. Especially the second clip.

 

2) This thread is reminding me of why I hate election season on this board.

[Paula in PA]

1) That was funny. Especially the second clip.

 

2) This thread is reminding me of why I hate election season on this board.

 

:iagree:

[mommaduck]

Didn't find much humour in the clip. Cute, but not really funny...as in "smile, but didn't make me laugh".

 

I disagree that it's a racist issue. I don't believe that Colin Powell, had he run for office, would have been asked to show his birth cert.

[TheAutumnOak]

I haven't read all of the replies, so sorry if this comment doesn't apply, but I really don't understand why there is such an issue about Obama's birth certificate...There is NO WAY IN THE WORLD he would have ran and won the Presidential election without having his birth certificate checked out...You can't even get a driver's liscence without it, let alone win a Presidential election :001_huh:...I am sure people checked...

 

I thought the clip was really funny, so did DH...

[sleepymommy]

Here's a link to the whole speech if anyone is interested:

 

 

 

I found it to be really funny and tasteful considering the venue.

 

 

Michelle Obama looks beautiful btw, I love her style.

Edited May 3, 2011 by sleepymommy

[Slartibartfast]

It was for the White House Correspondents' Dinner which is a roast. He is *supposed* to be doing that.

 

If you are offended by Obama's remarks here is Seth Meyers, who spoke right after the President.

 

 

[sleepymommy]

It was for the White House Correspondents' Dinner which is a roast. He is *supposed* to be doing that.

 

If you are offended by Obama's remarks here is Seth Meyers, who spoke right after the President.

 

 

 

Yes this was funny too!

 

I think it's important to see WHOLE speeches, both Obama's and Meyer's. It shows things balanced and in context with the venue.

[Brown4girls]

Haha!! Super funny:001_smile:

[Slartibartfast]

FWIW Here is a video one of Bush's speeches with his SNL counterpart.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZu76KVsQo4

 

and another of Bush at the dinner, in which he lobbes a few at Obama

 

Edited May 3, 2011 by Sis

[Rivka]

Are you calling Trump a racist?

 

I am embarassed at the birth certificate issue and I think it's silly. However, I'd be very careful about throwing around allegations of racism. Absent specific proof, the default position should not be that those who challenge the president, even on fringe issues, are racist.

 

It's not that anyone who disagrees with the president should be suspected of racism. I personally have never seen substantive policy criticism of Obama met with "well, you're just racist!"

 

But persistent accusations that Obama isn't a "real" American, that the very concept of his presidency is illegitimate despite countless official certifications to the contrary? People who have a bedrock unshakable feeling that, no matter what the evidence, Obama simply can't be president? That's different from policy criticism. That's different from substantive disagreement in values. And I think that in the context of American race relations, it is perfectly valid to suggest that racism is involved in persistent claims that a black American of African ancestry is somehow less American than the rest of us.

 

I'm not a birther by any means but how is racist to ask for the birth certificate? Several presidents in the past had discrepancies over their birth certificates. This is not a new scenario. The first persons to bring up the issue of Obma's legitmacy was the Hilary Clinton Campaign so it's not a right wing conspiracy .

 

I have to show my (white) kids birth certificates in order for them to play organized sports to show that they meet the qualifications to play. Is that racist? My kids had to show birth certificates to attend public school and my kindergarten aged daughter was suspended because I had not turned in her shot record but kids of illegal aliens did not have to turn in either. Now that is racist.

 

Obama released his state-certified birth certificate in 2008, the same birth certificate that a mom in Hawaii would show to enroll her kids in public school and soccer. It wasn't enough for people. The governor of Hawaii verified that it's the only document Hawaii sends out for anyone. It wasn't enough for people.

 

And by the way, years ago Obama's American birth was corroborated by the discovery of contemporary birth announcements in two different Hawaii newspapers. And what did Donald Trump claim? That his family placed the birth announcements in the newspaper so little Barack could someday move to the U.S. and collect welfare. (And I don't have time to outline all the ways in which "welfare" is used as dog-whistle code for "black," so I won't get into this ridiculous assumption any further.)

[Slartibartfast]

And by the way, years ago Obama's American birth was corroborated by the discovery of contemporary birth announcements in two different Hawaii newspapers. And what did Donald Trump claim? That his family placed the birth announcements in the newspaper so little Barack could someday move to the U.S. and collect welfare. (And I don't have time to outline all the ways in which "welfare" is used as dog-whistle code for "black," so I won't get into this ridiculous assumption any further.)

 

I am pretty curious how this isn't racist or at the very *least* horrifically classist

[Rivka]

I am pretty curious how this isn't racist or at the very *least* horrifically classist

 

You can't say something is racist unless the person starts off their remark with "I am racist, and..." Otherwise you are playing the race card and dragging the discourse down in the mud.