"Make a Hole Make it Wide"
Big Poppa's a little weary eyed this Friday morning, too many frosty cold ones and empty peanut bowls from watching a triple overtime Penguins game and the NFL Draft. But I stumbled upon an article concerning the state of Arizona's new "Birther" provision and I'm tired of conspiracy theories. People need to come up with better conspiracies for 2012.
So Big Poppa's thinking of running for President of the United States in the 2012 election cycle, well besides the three basic U.S. Constitutional laws we have, Arizona added a fourth for everyone to follow and there are more states to follow.
On April 22, 2010, the great state of Arizona passed a new anti-immigration bill that sent the Media-heads twisting. The Arizona House also passed a smaller provision that very afternoon as well, we'll call it the "Birther Provision." The same measure is on State Legislature calendars in Oklahoma, Florida, and Missouri.
The U.S. Constitution, that "living" document so many Americans hold close to their heart, states three simple steps to legally become the President of the United States:
1. Only a native born U.S. citizen may be President of the United States. If you are born abroad, as long as both parents are still citizens of the United States, you can still become president.
2. You must be at least 35 years old to be president (Note: there is no upper age limit, so if you are 100 years old, you can be president.)
3. In addition to being a natural born citizen, you must live within the United States for at least 14 years. There is no mention of these being consecutive years.
The U.S. Constitution could not be any more clearer to those facts and by all means, President Barack Obama has met all those requirements. No where in the U.S. Constitution does it say "A document stating place of birth be required." Was Senator John McCain asked to show his birth certificate in 2000 or in 2008? He was not born in the United States, we was born on a Naval Base in Panama, but he still met the requirements.
Does Barack Obama meet Criteria #1? President Obama was born in Hawaii, it became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. President Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961. To this day there are many Americans who still believe President Barack Obama is not a natural born citizen. But Hawaii was indeed our 50th state for almost two years when he was born.
House Resolution Bill 593 was signed on July 27, 2009. The resolution states "recognizing and celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the entry of Hawaii into the Union as the 50th State," and also notes this provision "Whereas the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born in Hawaii." So he meets criteria #1 on the Constitution.
Does Barack Obama meet criteria #2? Well even though his father is from Kenya, his mother, Ann Dunham, was a natural born citizen as well. Born in Wichita, Kansas and had lived all across the globe, never relinquishing her U.S. citizenship. So he meets criteria #2.
What about criteria #3? Though he lived with his mother on her ventures across the globe, he attended several schools in the United States and at the age of 48, he has been here longer than the 14 recommended years.
So what all the fuss about a birth certificate? Simple conspiracy is the answer. Just because he has never shown a "long" form of his birth certificate, people would that against him.
Or is it because his middle name is Hussein? Are people that ignorant in today's world to hold a man's dream hostage due to his middle name, albeit a family name. What if his middle name was Joseph, but spelled "Josef." Would people say he was a Communist because that is how Josef Stalin spelled his name? What if it were Ivan or Igor? Would people think of Ivan the Terrible or the disfigured minion of Count Dracula?
Now Arizona, with the states of Oklahoma, Florida and Missouri in tow, is now requiring anyone who wants to be in their states presidential ballot needs to show a birth certificate to prove citizenship. Maybe this should be taken up with the Federal Elections Committee first, because nowhere in their official guidelines does it state anything about showing a birth certificate.
Arizona legislatures state the "birther" provision is meant to help contain illegal immigrants in their state. Yet, this provision is pointing directly at President Obama and he is not helping the matter at all. President Obama has shown his "short" birth certificate, the only one he says he has. Is it a legal document? Yes it is, with doctor signatures and the Hawaii Hospital stamp on it.
We pride ourselves on our "living" Constitution, should we not still believe that it is correct on how we elect our presidents?
