Here's The Truth: 'Birther' Claims Are Just Plain Nuts [Consider The Source: McClatchy]

McClatchy Newspapers ^ | July 30th 2009

[Steelfish]

Here's the truth: 'Birther' claims are just plain nuts

By Steven Thomma | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — The false allegation that President Barack Obama was born in another country is more than a fact-free hit job.

Marked by accusations and backstabbing, it's the story of how a small but intense movement called "birthers" rose from a handful of people prone to seeing conspiracies, aided by the Internet, magnified without evidence by eager radio and cable TV hosts, and eventually ratified by a small group of Republican politicians working to keep the story alive on the floors of Congress and the campaign trails of the Midwest.

It's a powerful story about what experts call political paranoia over a new face in a time of anxiety and rapid change — the sort of viral message that can take hold among a sliver of the populace that's ready to believe that the new president is a fraud, and just as ready to angrily dismiss anyone who disagrees as part of the conspiracy.

"He is NOT an American citizen," yelled a woman at a town hall meeting in Delaware, angrily confronting a congressman. "I don't want this flag to change. I want my country back."

When Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., responded that Obama is a citizen, she and others in the room jeered him.

"It's a fascinating phenomenon," said Jerrold Post, director of the political psychology program at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs and author of a recent book entitled, "Political Paranoia."

"They are not searching for the truth. They are searching for anything that confirms their fixed idea, their malevolent idea . . . It doesn't soothe people to tell them it's not legitimate. That makes them angry."

[Perseverando]

The left is so over the top on their paranoia about “conspiracy theorists” that it just looks like they’re trying to hide something. Could it be that the rats are feeling the heat and are fearful that their house of cards may soon collapse?

[reasonisfaith]

I’m under the impression that most “birthers” simply want a release of documents—few if any claim to have absolute knowledge that Obama was born in Kenya or whatever.

This reveals the weakness of the opposing argument—they must attempt to paint “birthers” as a group making a false claim. In this way their argument is highly exaggerated.

[Steve Van Doorn]

Don’t let people say that you are nuts and whatever you do don’t say you are nuts. Their propaganda has won if you do.

[devere]

de-Nile ain’t just a river in Egypt.

By his manifestly guilty freeze on his birth and school records, Barry Obama has made it obvious to anyone who uses their brain that it is very unlikely he was born in Hawaii.

I’m truly disgusted their are so many “conservatives” who would rather roll over and appease than stand up for the obvious truth.

[angryoldfatman]

fearful that their house of cards may soon collapse? The Clintons know something. They knew something back before the nomination. Here's some dots to connect:

Hillary rolling in campaign dough, but says she's not planning anything, nosiree Bob, not a thing.

Last year, Bill Clinton, when asked about 0bama's qualifications, mentioned the Constitution TWICE in widely separated parts of the same interview.

Once here (starting at the -5:20 mark)

and here.

Maybe the Cankled Queen is getting ready to step in the Oval Office somehow. I don't know how she would pull it off, being so far down the line of succession, but stranger things have happened in recent years. Hell, if a dyed-in-the-wool Marxist with direct ties to domestic terrorists like Bill Ayers can be elected POTUS, I don't discount anything anymore.

[bobby.223]

don’t worry about me, I’m to damn old to care what a few screwballs have to say. 18 holes tomorrow morning and then to the range and I’m sure I won’t give ‘em a passing thought all day...

[jnsun]

And now, to keep the conspiracy alive, you don’t care where he was born but want to prove he’s a natural born citizen?

I think the "conspiracy" lies elswhere.

[NurdlyPeon]

You know, I WAS getting to the point where I could almost laugh at these things, their language and arguments were so tedious and predictable. But now, Jesus, these guys are going into the freakin’ Twilight Zone.

[1234]

“...”natural born” citizen...”

TOO BAD phrase isn’t mentioned as much as lousy BC is.
NBC is a more useful starting point for courts-GOOD LUCK TO APUZZO