Editorials on President Obama's birth certificate

Editorials on President Obama's birth certificate
The Belleville News-Democrat ^ | April 28, 2011 | Various pundits

Posted on Thursday, April 28, 2011 11:59:50 AM by 2ndDivisionVet

The following editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, April 28:

ENOUGH OF 'BIRTHER' BALONEY
We share President Obama's exasperation about the persistent rumor that he wasn't born in the United States, and we hope his release of his long-form birth certificate Wednesday will disabuse many Americans of their belief in this preposterous urban legend. But we're under no illusion - and neither is Obama - that the rumor will be entirely quelled. "I know that there's going to be a segment of people for which, no matter what we put out, this issue will not be put to rest," the president said at an extraordinary briefing.

That "segment" may turn out to be sizable. A shocking number of Americans give credence to the utterly unfounded notion that the president was born outside the United States - in Kenya, by some accounts - and smuggled into Hawaii, where his birth documents were fabricated. A CBS/New York Times poll released this month found that a quarter of all Americans think Obama was not born in the United States. Among Republicans and "tea party" supporters, the figure was 45 percent. 

Explanations abound for the traction this conspiracy theory has achieved (the conspiracy consists of supposed efforts by the White House to conceal the "facts"). Obama's exotic background, his schooling abroad, the middle name Hussein and, yes, his race all contribute to the perception among some Americans that the president is "other." Marry that to a generic interest in conspiracies, economic anxiety that encourages such beliefs and the changing demographics of the country and you have the "birther" view of reality....

(Excerpt) Read more at bnd.com ...