Birthright

What spurred me to bump up the illegals piece was this talk about Obama not being a citizen. Something to do with multiple and invalid birth certificates. It's an interesting thing, in that we'd have to wonder what the mystery and confusion is all about, and what manner of fraud or forgery is going on. But as a substantive matter, it's a canard -- no, a red herring ... stalking horse? -- Judas goat? Well, some vertebrate. And I think I've found a theme for the titles of a new detective series. "A Pool of Red Herrings" by Jack Haitch! And don't miss his latest masterpiece, "The Stalking Horse Carnival!" Available April 1st from Vanity Press!!!

But to the matter at hand. Citizenship is not a function of documentation. It derives from one or more of three sources: nationality of a parent, birth within the United States or any of its territories, or as provided for by act of Congress. I'm not a lawyer, but I have been known to glace now and then at the Constitution. It makes no mention of birth certificates. So I am nearly amazed -- except that words have meaning -- that people are attacking BO on this issue. He can't be president because he's not American? Absurd.

His father was Kenyan? So what. His mother, indisputably, was, unarguably, American, undoubtedly. Case closed. He wasn't born in America? Hawaii is America, but that seems not to be the objection. They're saying, I think, that he was born in Kenya. So what. His mother was American. I do have cause to know about this, since my son was born in Australia. He had -- maybe still does have -- an Australian passport. He has an American one too. He is American because I am American. I recall some hassle at the time, having to drive down to Sydney to the consulate to register his birth. Otherwise it would have taken an act of Congress, I seem to recall, to get him the proper documentation. But regardless of documentation, he would have been a citizen, able perhaps to become president.

The only thing these yutzes could base their accusation on is that Obama is not the child of his mother, and was never formally adopted. This is a matter easily tested, and the bother seems unnecessary.

Obama is not my guy. I have very grave misgivings. I'm frankly a little angry. Not Bush Derangement Syndrome angry, but I can see it happening. We should give him a chance, though, and hope for the best. We must hope that the man will grow into the office. That he has an inordinately disproportionate ego, compared to his accomplishments, may be an irrelevance. Most politicians only accomplish being politicians, before they are honored with the highest office. Some meet the challenge. Some don't disgrace themselves. All of them make big mistakes. None of them have been ruinous. Well, Pierce was ruinous. And Carter was hopeless. And Nixon did a lot of harm, in terms of national spirit. But we do what we have to do. We recover.

By all means, attack Obama. Do it on legitimate grounds. Bush was not a liar. Obama is a citizen. Bush shouldn't have attacked Iraq? Make your case, with evidence, logic and moral suasion. Obama is a socialist who will open our borders? Perhaps. Hysteria will not prove convincing to people whose opinions have value.


J