Why, oh why is this whole birth certificate thing such a big deal? President Obama's staff even provided a copy of his birth certificate in 2008. Maybe the problem is that he was born in Hawaii. I remember when I first moved to Illinois and started teaching. There were some parents who marveled at the fact that I spoke English. Even my principal was happy that I "spoke good English." They actually asked me if we used American money in Hawaii. Several parents thought I had to be an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. Sigh... And yet it's OK that they asked so that I could correct their misinformation.
One of the first things I taught my class was the fact that Hawaii is the 50th state. We speak English even though it may sometimes sound more like pidgin. We live in homes sort of similar to California or Florida. We don't live in grass shacks. We wear American type clothes; granted mostly shorts and t-shirts. Gracious! We even eat Costco hotdogs! I don't much care for poi although Art loves it.
I saw this information on FactCheck.org:
"Recently FactCheck representatives got a chance to spend some time with the birth certificate, and we can attest to the fact that it is real and three-dimensional and resides at the Obama headquarters in Chicago. We can assure readers that the certificate does bear a raised seal, and that it's stamped on the back by Hawaii state registrar Alvin T. Onaka (who uses a signature stamp rather than signing individual birth certificates). We even brought home a few photographs."
So yes! President Obama IS American even though (BECAUSE) he was born in Hawaii... just like me. OK. Enough! Birthers out there, would you just be quiet and sit down already?
Great post, Kay. I wish this would put to rest, once and for all, the fact that President Obama WAS born in the United States, but of course it won't. Arghhhhhh!
ReplyDeletefun to see the certificate, I have never understood all the controversy over it! lol!
ReplyDeleteIf anyone would know about Hawaii, YOU would!
ReplyDeleteThe misinformation people in Illinois had about Hawaii is incredible to me.
ReplyDeleteThe birth certificate issue will, I'm afraid, continue no matter what proof is presented.
I was also amazed that people had such skewed views of Hawaii. Are you SURE you don't live in grass huts? And the birth certificate thing is just a smokescreen, I think, due to detractors wanting something to focus on, I guess.
ReplyDeletePeople can be so ignorant! It's hard to believe that anyone could think you wouldn't be able to speak English. My best friend is Filipino, but born in the U.S. Of course he speaks English, but strangers are amazed to learn he speaks "good English" too.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Obama - I can't believe the stuff that man has had to endure. It has been one thing after another to pick him apart. The birthers just need to get over it. Their questioning his place of birth is plain stupidity and in my mind disgusting.
Amen. This is the silliest charge and really lets people how that The Donald doesn't have much to go on so he nit picks. My feeling is that Obama would never have made the first nomination if there was any doubt.
ReplyDeleteI worked with a neat girl years ago who was born in Hawaii. She had some of the same problems you mentiioned. Wonder if Alaskans get that grief.
Thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteTrump is a narcissistic IDIOT.
Obama is half white and half black, but looks more black than white. If he looked more white, would people be making such a fuss over his place of birth? I doubt it. Birthers are all racists, I think!
ReplyDeleteIsn't there something more important to discuss? Why should Obama have to 'prove' himself? Politics is often a dirty business and attracts some who have questionable motives.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see the end of this controversy, too. How funny that your employers wondered if you spoke "good" English. Ha! I shouldn't be surprised though. I hear jokes about my state all the time. Apparently, we always go barefoot in Arkansas and marry our cousins. lol
ReplyDeleteTrump is just using the political trick of repeating the same thing over and over again until it becomes truth, especially for the talk shows circuit. So far, not many people have made time to repeat the contrary right back at him. Well, right back at you, Mr. Trump and there'll be more where that came from, too, since reasoning isn't good enough. Meanwhile fellow Repubs are avoiding him like the plague.
ReplyDeleteMany people do not like the president and wish he would go away so they keep repeating and hoping that he is not a US citizen. Just like they keep repeating that Planned Parenthood spends all their federal money on abortion. It is not true, they spend 3% and none of it is from Federal money because of previous laws which forbids it – but they keep repeating the same wrong numbers, and they will, hoping that people will believe their side of the (wrong) story.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that! Trump is so arrogant. He should just shut up!
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved to Hawaii in 2007 I called T-Mobile and spoke to Jennifer about how that would affect my contract. She said the good news was that T-Mobile did provide service in Hawaii, and I could keep my current contract and plan. The bad news, however, was that since I would no longer be in the the United States, I would have to buy a different telephone and sim card.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher I was appalled. How could anyone be that ignorant of their own country?
We here knew that, It's fascinating to hear of the thinking of staff and kids in Chicago. geee......
ReplyDeleteKay, unfortunately, they don't want to be confused by the facts.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Gigi, racism is behind much of the birther blather. The president's birth status has been proved over and over again.
ReplyDeleteHe has produced only a short form birth certificate, NOT the original (or "Long Form" or whatever it is called)
ReplyDeleteKeeping this suppressed has to date cost him more in legal fees than he will make in Presidential salary during a 4-year term.
This action is not consistent with the them of "nothing to see here, move on folks".
There will be a reason he has done this.
Oi, maybe I should have done that Passport Day post after all.
ReplyDeleteBut wait, what if Obama had been born 2 years earlier, i.e. in 1959?
I think it's mostly racism. And I say this as a person who has never felt very enthusiastic about Obama.
ReplyDeleteThanks!! I've shouted about this, too! However, the birthers don't accept that version. The argument is that they want the ORIGINAL one and won't listen to the fact the one you show here is the official, certified one. I doubt that the birth certificate I have is the original one; they didn't have computers in 1947. However mine is an official, certified one. Does that mean I'm not an American? I bet the people asking for Obama's birth certificate couldn't come up with anything better for their own birth. I'd be willing to bet that the rock they were born under didn't issue birth certificates. :)
ReplyDeleteOne of my coworkers said the last time she visited California, she bought cigarettes in a Wal-mart. The cashier looked at her Hawaii driver's license and said "Welcome to the United States."
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me the misconceptions people have. They just repeat everything they've heard from other people without checking the source.