One thing I know: If Obama's father had been some white guy from Europe

[cali]

and the circumstances of his parents and his birth were exactly the same but for that, there would be no birther crap.

Because it's nothing but thinly veiled racism and xenophobia. Period.

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Not France. They'd still pitch a fit if France was involved...

;)

I honestly don't get their hatred of all things French, but they do.

[cali]

2. Even France. This is about racism

[OneGrassRoot]

8. No doubt about it. It is pure racism....

their hatred of all things French comes second to their white supremacy delusions.

:)

[Fire1]

17. No doubt about it. n/t

[4lbs]

4. Even French kissing?

;)

[RichGirl]

3. I agree with you....

...It's purely racism and it's not thinly veiled, it's blatant. But, if his father were white, he would be white and I don't think he would be president. Every aspect has contributed to who he is and being half black is a big part of it. I also think the black vote was very important in this election.

If you talk to a birther, on line or otherwise...ask "how do you know Bush was born in the U.S.? Have they seen his birth certificate...have they checked it out for verification. Name anyone. By their standards, how can ANYONE prove it???? What about Palin...wasn't she "supposedly" born in Minnesota...right next to Canada...how do we know her mom wasn't out and about...etc. Maybe it would help them see how ridiculous their claims are.

[Raineyb]

5. I thought it was fairly obvious long before now.

:shrug:

[cali]

6. It is pretty obvious, but sometimes pointing out the obvious is important

[Raineyb]

13. Touche n/t

[LynneSin]

7. Seriously!

Everytime I see these idiots I get chills because I realize that racism is alive and well in this country.

I'm sure Obama is not the first president to have one of his parents born in another country but he is the first to have an African parent and what's even worse to these people - a non-Christian.

:scared:

[The_Commonist]

11. Chester Arthur

His father was born in Ireland, his mother in the US.
Some people at the time thought that Arthur was born in Canada, or even in Ireland.
There was a minor birther movement against him then.
In the 1880's, Irish was pretty low down on the ethnic totem pole of acceptability.
He wasn't Catholic, which at the time would have been the end of the world, and the birthers didn't get very far...

[cleveramerican]

9. stupid bullshit from the republicans? I'm stunned!

Its been proved,several times by several different parties.

They are now off in tinfoil hat land.
They better catch the first train out of there.

[MADem]

10. Naaah, they'd be making Freedom Fries jokes, or calling him "French"

or some other foolish "country of origin" snark-remark that they try to make sound like an insult.

[AspenRose]

12. But they wouldn't start a movement demanding to see his birth certificate

or demanding that he "prove" his citizenship.

[MADem]

15. Oh, they might. There likely wouldn't have been as many of them, though.

Remember the John Kerry/French nonsense? It was so foolish on so many levels. You'd think they would have gone for John Kerry/Austrian snark, since that was his ancestry, but "Austrian" has too many syllables for some of those morons.

Never underestimate the ability of haters to make up even the most implausible bullshit to justify their hate. Obama's being biracial is just something that gives them an additional area of focus and stokes their horrid little fire; if he weren't, they'd find something else to criticize.

FWIW, I am not mitigating the influence of genuine racism here at all--I'm simply saying that they'd put their attention to some other aspect of the man that they didn't like, and make it a crime of the century. In a way, Obama's race makes it easy for them--it's a very obvious "difference" (and it is a difference, because they aren't black) that they can focus their dumb little brains on.

Never forget, these are the people who spent 44 million and a lot of apoplectic hate investigating Clinton. They're a pack of vicious monsters.

[zbdent]

14. Where's McCain's Panamanian birth certificate?

[Fire1]

19. The freepers say that's ok b/c it was a 'military post.' Truth is

it was on the outskirts of a military post.

[zbdent]

28. They'd kill Jesus, and be able to spin it as a good thing ...

a Dem would cure cancer, and it would be worse than unleashing Hell upon newborns ...

[bullwinkle428]

16. The Birthers are coming out of the woodwork - Thom Hartmann is "debating"

(if you define "debating" as "royally kicking the ass of") one of these fine American citizens as we speak! :rofl:

[CTyankee]

18. I actually saw this in action several years back.

I saw a LTTE in The New Haven Register about how the immigrants who built the country back in the last century and the one before primarily came from Europe. They were, therefore, superior to those coming in from Mexico and Latin America today.

[whistler162]

20. Yup... because we all know that one of the issues

which they beat John Kerry with wasn't his childhood spent in Europe, boarding schools, Jewish ancestors, or Boston Brahman ancestors!

Its called destruction by whisper/innuendo!

[Drunken Irishman]

22. Not even remotely the same.

[whistler162]

24. Okay....sure...whatever you say!!!!

[Drunken Irishman]

25. You know I'm right.

Kerry's citizenship was never questioned. You're up in the night if you think pegging someone as a Euro-elitist is the same as saying someone was born in Africa and thus not eligible to be president.

They are not even close to being the same.

[whistler162]

29. No I know you are wrong!

As we have seen repeatedly in multiple elections Republicans and historically Democrats attack any real or if they can made up controversy to destroy their opponent!

Don't label political greed anything other than political greed!

[Drunken Irishman]

21. Yup...

If his father was Patrick O'Bama and from Ireland, this wouldn't be an issue.

[BlooInBloo]

23. And everybody knows it.

[David Zephyr]

26. Well, the GOP controlled Congress wouldn't change the laws so Arnold could run.

Bigotry, xenophobia, zealous nationalism, racism...it's all the same shit. The GOP all loved Arnold back when he was a hot ticket. He was a featured speaker prime time at their conventions, but they wouldn't change the laws to allow him to run....because he a "fureener".

Still, I agree with your bigger point. The entire birther shit (and it is shit) is racist. It's 100% racist. And it makes me furious.

[shellgame26]

27. I hope they stick around

They are entertaining. Pure comedy gold.
:popcorn: