Arizona, which brought us the refusal to recognize Dr. King's holiday and the country's most stringent anti- immigration law, now is set to bring us the country's first birther bill, in honor of President Obama. The Arizona Senate and House have voted to pass a bill requiring any presidential candidate to provide a birth certificate or other citizenship papers to appear on the ballot.
Under the proposed law, if candidates don't have a birth certificate, they could show a baptismal or circumcision certificate. Perhaps, President Obama can show his baptismal certificate since no one is accepting his birth certificate as proof of his birth in this country. But, honestly, I fail to see how a baptism or circumcision certificate is proof of one's birth in this country. But, then again, the whole birther theory is irrational in nature.
Of course, the proposed Arizona law is prompted by claims that President Obama was either born in Kenya , Malaysia or anywhere but the USA. Despite the fact that the Obama campaign released President Obama's "certificate of live birth", an official document showing his birth city and name of his parents and their races, it does not seem to satisfy the birther claims, including Donald Trump and his new side kick, Sarah Palin. Last I heard Hawaii is still in this country and was at the time of President Obama's birth. Hawaii has gone so far as to pass a law that allows officials to ignore repeated demands asking for the President's birth certificate. But, that won't satisfy the birthers. I'm sure they think Hawaii is somehow in cahoots with President Obama.
Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democratic state representative, says the bill makes Arizona look "backward." That's not exactly the word I would use. The reasoning behind the birthers is based in racism. The reason for my claim of racism is many white Americans believe either consciously or sub-consciously that a black man could not be qualified to run and then legitimately win the Presidency of the US without some shenanigans involved. And there's actually some measure of reasoning to their flawed logic. After all, they know that shenanigans were involved with the 2000 election of George W. Bush. Since the election numbers were not close in the case of President Obama and John McCain, that only leaves Republican birthers grasping for another reason. With President Obama born in Hawaii and later moving with his mother to Malaysia hence, the birther argument was born.
And it is only fitting that Arizona, which was the last state to honor Dr. King's birthday as a holiday, would be the first state to pass the birther law. While not yet law, it still must either be signed into law by Republican Governor Jan Brewer or vetoed by her. I'll bet on the birthers that it will pass.
I think President Obama should change from entering to Hail to the Chief to Bruce Springstein's Born in the USA. I just hope we end this birther nonsense soon. But, I know nothing will change the birthers' stance, other than President Obama showing his true birth certificate. And he has already done that.
