Comments on: Boehner on Birthers: “It’s Not My Job to Tell the American People What to Think” http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/ Where science collides with life, slams into culture, crashes with politics, and gets totaled. Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:28:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Pablo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88379 Pablo Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:23:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88379 I believe the doubt arose because Obama's mother moved the family out of the US shortly after his birth - when he was just 5 or 6. From there, people started to question where he was actually born and when the government didn't immediately provide the documents to the public, it was blown out of proportion. It has since largely died out due to the release of documents and the fact the election season has ended. It was, without a doubt, started as a campaign smear that became an honest inquiry due to the circumstances surrounding it - like the Obama grandmother admitting he was born in Kenya event and such. You're notion that so many people are racist is quite far fetched. Sure, there's still racist people out there, but not enough to form such a movement. The likely fuel for their skepticism was partisan politics - the same fuel the fires the left's claims that non-Obama supporters are racist. If America was so racist, Obama would have never been elected by such a wide margin. I believe the doubt arose because Obama’s mother moved the family out of the US shortly after his birth – when he was just 5 or 6. From there, people started to question where he was actually born and when the government didn’t immediately provide the documents to the public, it was blown out of proportion. It has since largely died out due to the release of documents and the fact the election season has ended. It was, without a doubt, started as a campaign smear that became an honest inquiry due to the circumstances surrounding it – like the Obama grandmother admitting he was born in Kenya event and such.

You’re notion that so many people are racist is quite far fetched. Sure, there’s still racist people out there, but not enough to form such a movement. The likely fuel for their skepticism was partisan politics – the same fuel the fires the left’s claims that non-Obama supporters are racist. If America was so racist, Obama would have never been elected by such a wide margin.

]]> By: Jinchi http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88277 Jinchi Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:32:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88277 <i>I think the answer is as simple as those people haven’t seen his birth certificate</i> Those people hadn't seen the birth certificate of any other president either, but strangely, they didn't have a problem with that. This issue quite obviously started as a campaign attack on the Democratic nominee (a similar campaign was run against Panama-born John McCain during the primary) and it's main purpose is simply to delegitimize him. Still, I think you are too quick to assume that it isn't an appeal to bigotry. Many Republicans object to the idea that the president is a 'Kenyan Muslim' much more strongly than they'd object if the president were an Irish Catholic. I think the answer is as simple as those people haven’t seen his birth certificate

Those people hadn’t seen the birth certificate of any other president either, but strangely, they didn’t have a problem with that.

This issue quite obviously started as a campaign attack on the Democratic nominee (a similar campaign was run against Panama-born John McCain during the primary) and it’s main purpose is simply to delegitimize him.

Still, I think you are too quick to assume that it isn’t an appeal to bigotry. Many Republicans object to the idea that the president is a ‘Kenyan Muslim’ much more strongly than they’d object if the president were an Irish Catholic.

]]> By: Chris Mooney http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88235 Chris Mooney Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:11:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88235 Just want to thank all the commenters who came in and refuted the Birthers. I'll be blogging on this kind of thing more, so I may need you! Still wonder where they were coming from. Just want to thank all the commenters who came in and refuted the Birthers. I’ll be blogging on this kind of thing more, so I may need you! Still wonder where they were coming from.

]]> By: Brian Too http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88175 Brian Too Tue, 15 Feb 2011 01:19:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88175 Y'know, the criminal justice system has a standard of evidence. As most people know, it is 'beyond a reasonable doubt'. It does not require 'beyond doubt'. People who claim that Obama isn't American, strike me as either lunatic conspiracy theorists (the CIA/FBI/military/government/Masons/Star Chamber/Knights Templar/etc. did it!), petty and self-important trivialists (no one tested the paper and showed it to me personally!), or agin'ers who have something against Obama and will not concede the point. Ever. However know that defending this point merely erodes your own credibility. And makes most people sympathetic (on this subject at least) to Obama. You're in too deep if your position strengthens your opponent. That's an epic failure to understand human dynamics. Y’know, the criminal justice system has a standard of evidence. As most people know, it is ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’. It does not require ‘beyond doubt’.

People who claim that Obama isn’t American, strike me as either lunatic conspiracy theorists (the CIA/FBI/military/government/Masons/Star Chamber/Knights Templar/etc. did it!), petty and self-important trivialists (no one tested the paper and showed it to me personally!), or agin’ers who have something against Obama and will not concede the point. Ever.

However know that defending this point merely erodes your own credibility. And makes most people sympathetic (on this subject at least) to Obama.

You’re in too deep if your position strengthens your opponent. That’s an epic failure to understand human dynamics.

]]> By: Pablo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88170 Pablo Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:28:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88170 "They’re not happy with a president who can’t produce a whiteness certificate." That's not only ad hoc, but racist too - no need to inject racial tensions into an issue that has nothing to do with race. I think the answer is as simple as those people haven't seen his birth certificate, which is available here: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html “They’re not happy with a president who can’t produce a whiteness certificate.”

That’s not only ad hoc, but racist too – no need to inject racial tensions into an issue that has nothing to do with race. I think the answer is as simple as those people haven’t seen his birth certificate, which is available here:

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html

]]> By: TTT http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88161 TTT Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:12:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88161 Since he has produced his birth certificate and it didn't "make this go away," that argument is self-disproving. The whole POINT is that it is an invincibly ignorant belief--assuming you even grant the sincerity of belief of the people on that side, which I do not. They're not happy with a president who can't produce a whiteness certificate. That's what this is all about. Since he has produced his birth certificate and it didn’t “make this go away,” that argument is self-disproving. The whole POINT is that it is an invincibly ignorant belief–assuming you even grant the sincerity of belief of the people on that side, which I do not. They’re not happy with a president who can’t produce a whiteness certificate. That’s what this is all about.

]]> By: Bobito http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88157 Bobito Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:37:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88157 @20 Why the need for the nice little boxes for birther / non-birther? It seems reasonable to me that producing a birth certificate would easily make this go away, so the fact that Obama hasn't done that is the only reason I have a doubt. That doubt makes me a "birther" in your opinion. I see it as just a reasonable doubt, the reason behind it is "where there is smoke there is fire" logic. But does that doubt make me care one way or the other? No! He made it past the vetting process to become president, that's good enough for me. "Birthers" have a much different opinion/goal than the average person that is sceptical of the existance of a HI birth certificate. "Birthers" see the lack of a birth certificate as a way to get Obama out of office and will not rest until they succeed or are proven wrong. @20 Why the need for the nice little boxes for birther / non-birther? It seems reasonable to me that producing a birth certificate would easily make this go away, so the fact that Obama hasn’t done that is the only reason I have a doubt. That doubt makes me a “birther” in your opinion. I see it as just a reasonable doubt, the reason behind it is “where there is smoke there is fire” logic.

But does that doubt make me care one way or the other? No! He made it past the vetting process to become president, that’s good enough for me.

“Birthers” have a much different opinion/goal than the average person that is sceptical of the existance of a HI birth certificate. “Birthers” see the lack of a birth certificate as a way to get Obama out of office and will not rest until they succeed or are proven wrong.

]]> By: Curious Wavefunction http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88156 Curious Wavefunction Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:06:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88156 I suppose Boehner should also make no effort to declare that believing in fairies and goblins is wrong I suppose Boehner should also make no effort to declare that believing in fairies and goblins is wrong

]]> By: Pablo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88154 Pablo Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:49:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88154 "You can’t know anything with 100% certainty." Seriously? I know that statement is 100% wrong...with 100% certainty. Will a double headed coin ever land on tails? Will a ball tossed in the air ever not come back down? Do you need food and water to survive? Then there's death and taxes.... “You can’t know anything with 100% certainty.”

Seriously? I know that statement is 100% wrong…with 100% certainty.

Will a double headed coin ever land on tails? Will a ball tossed in the air ever not come back down? Do you need food and water to survive? Then there’s death and taxes….

]]> By: Dunc http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/02/13/boehner-on-birthers-its-not-my-job-to-tell-the-american-people-what-to-think/#comment-88153 Dunc Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:19:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=15977#comment-88153 <blockquote>But can we know absolutely 100% that they are wrong?</blockquote> You can't know <i>anything</i> with 100% certainty. Did anyone ever think to go looking for GWB's birth certificate?

But can we know absolutely 100% that they are wrong?

You can’t know anything with 100% certainty.

Did anyone ever think to go looking for GWB’s birth certificate?

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