President Obama Needs to Prove His Constitutional Eligibility to Be Commander-in-Chief

American Thinker ^ | April 08, 2010 | Terrence Lakin, MD

[neverdem]

Last week, I entered Walter Reed Army Hospital to notify the Department of Defense that I would refuse to obey any orders from my commanding officers -- including President Obama -- until the president produces his original birth certificate. After nearly eighteen years of wearing the military uniform of the country I have proudly served, including overseas assignments in imminent danger/combat areas in Bosnia and Afghanistan, I felt compelled to take this step. 

I made this decision from much deliberation, after lengthy consultations with many friends, family members, and colleagues, and I firmly believe that all servicemen and women, and the American public, have the right to know the truth about President Obama's constitutional eligibility to serve as Commander-in-Chief.

As military officers, we all take a solemn oath upon commissioning into the Uniformed Services. In this oath, we swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Upholding the law is an essential part of our role as citizens; in the military, we are the ultimate protectors of that law. The Constitution is our social compact, which safeguards all of us and ensures the "equal rights" that we are entitled to as American citizens. 

Since Nuremberg, My Lai, and even Abu Ghraib more recently, the military has been taught the hard lessons of following illegal orders. Any reasonable person looking critically at the information and evidence currently in the public domain about Obama's birthplace would have questions about President Obama's claim to be a natural born citizen. I made the decision to disobey all military orders, including my deployment order to Afghanistan, in pursuit of the truth of whether President Obama can legally occupy the high post that he holds today and which entitles him to send servicemembers into harm's way. 

The United States serves an example to the rest of the world of a stable, civilized, democratic government, where all men are equal under the law and the rule of law is cherished and obeyed. The U.S. military teaches and promotes the rule of law and civilian control of the military to many other nations and military forces around the world. Every soldier learns what constitutes a lawful order and is encouraged to stand up and object to unlawful orders. This is called the "duty to disobey."

My deployment orders for a second tour in Afghanistan included a requirement to bring copies of my birth certificate. I would be glad to obey this order and provide a certified copy of my original birth certificate with common, standard identifiers, including the name of an attending physician and a hospital. Every day in transactions across the country, American citizens are required to prove their identity; standards for identification have become stricter since the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Since fall 2008, I have been troubled by reports that the president's original birth certificate remains concealed from public view along with other records which, if released, would quickly end questions surrounding his place of birth and "natural born" status. Many people mistook the online Certification of Live Birth for an original birth certificate. Until the summer of 2009, the Hawaiian Department of Homelands would not accept this Certification of Live Birth to determine native Hawaiian identity -- the Department insisted upon also reviewing an original birth certificate. 

Many do not understand that the online document was from 2007, generated by computer, laser-printed, and merely a certification that there is something on file which may or may not be sufficient proof of a birth in Hawaii. An original birth certificate could be the underlying document that presumably includes a hospital and attending physician's or midwife's name. Such a document should lay to rest the "natural born" dispute. This controversy was further escalated by media reports that gave two different hospital names for Obama's birthplace -- even today, the public does not know what doctor delivered the then-future president or which hospital was the site of his birth. No eyewitnesses have stepped forward to affirm that he was born in Hawaii in 1961. Under immigration laws in force at the time, if born in Kenya to a father who was not a U.S. citizen, Barack Obama had no right to American citizenship of any kind, and he could never qualify as "natural born." This is why determining his actual birthplace is crucial.

In 2008, after pressure from news media, President Obama's rival, candidate McCain, produced an original birth certificate from the Panama Canal Zone; a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examined and affirmed his "natural born" status and constitutional eligibility to serve as president. The U.S. Senate was strangely silent about President Obama's eligibility despite statements from Kenyan citizens that he was born there, evidently including his paternal grandmother and the Ambassador from Kenya to the U.S. during a November 2008 radio interview. Hawaiian state officials claim that they cannot release an original birth certificate without Obama's consent, declaring that the public has no "tangible interest" in seeing this vital birth record.

I attempted without success through my chain of command for over a year to get answers to the questions surrounding the president's eligibility. I was told that I have no standing to make this inquiry, and moreover, that no one in DoD could answer this question. I made inquiries, unsuccessfully, through my congressional delegation, which simply referred my questions back to DoD. No one I spoke to was able to offer any evidence that the president is "natural born." The burden of proof, it seems, must rest with the White House-- with president Obama himself, as these records are his, and he has chosen to conceal them at considerable legal expense. Remarkably, there is no enforcement mechanism for the Constitution's Article II, Section 1 requirement that the president be a "natural born" citizen -- voters have largely relied on an honor system and a free press to vet candidates for the highest political office in the nation.

While President Obama's records remain hidden, public consternation is growing. The American people have the right to know that their president is constitutionally eligible to serve as Commander-in-Chief and thereby may lawfully direct servicemembers into harm's way. I will be proud to deploy to Afghanistan to further serve my country and my fellow soldiers, but I should do so only with the knowledge that this important requirement of our Constitution is respected and obeyed. Those in uniform who continue to risk their lives and give the ultimate sacrifice to the service of our country deserve to know that they do so upholding their vows to the oath of office and to the Constitution.

Until an original birth certificate is brought forward that will validate the Commander-in-Chief's constitutional eligibility and put to rest the reasonable questions surrounding it, I cannot in good conscience obey any of my military orders. Unless it is established (sufficient proof that should be easily within the president's power to provide) that he is constitutionally eligible to serve as president and Commander-in-Chief, I and all other military officers are at risk of following illegal orders.  

There is no legitimate privacy right to information necessary to prove that President Obama is legally eligible to serve as Commander-in-Chief. 

I remain at risk of arrest and court-martial, but am mindful always that my oath of office is to the Constitution. It fills me with great sadness that on 31 March, I declined a direct order from my Medical Brigade Commander. This is a man I honor and wished to meet in order to thank him for his unquestionable valor and courage, and yet I could not obey his order. Now, he could order my arrest at any time.   

I hope that President Obama will demonstrate his respect for the U.S. Constitution and release his original birth certificate. My bags are packed, and I look forward to joining my fellow soldiers in Afghanistan, but I will deploy only with the knowledge that I am following legal orders under a lawful Commander-in-Chief. 

For those readers wanting to follow my ongoing story, the American Patriot Foundation has set up a legal defense fund to help me, and they tell me that they will be posting up-to-date information about my case. Their website is .

Dr. Terrence Lakin is an active duty Lieutenant Colonel who serves as Chief of Primary Care at the Pentagon's TRICARE health clinic; he has been selected for promotion to Colonel.

[grey_whiskers]

Try this.

If it were a Tom Clancy novel, it'd just be amusing to have a mole like this in the Oval Office -- even as a cabinet member.

But's it worse -- he is the (erstwhile, ostensible) CIC.

NO cheers, unfortunately.

[Vendome]

What happened to Ron? Did he seriously retire from FR?

[grey_whiskers]

Perhaps its due time to have a Veterans March with an emphasis of challenging Obama’s legal right to give orders to our Armed Forces. After all Obama certainly feels like ordering them to NOT defend America.

With Obama, we don't want it to turn into another Bonus March.

[mojitojoe]

Lasvegasron?

[Vendome]

Ron Polarik

[grey_whiskers]

Anti-Obama Sarcasm Torpedo^TM ARMED. FIRE!!

There is no doubt whatsoever that Obama is NOT a natural born citizen.

Proof:

1) He went to Harvard, and is a lawyer.

Ergo, he was never born at all. By definition, he hatched.

2)

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

Well then, all the more reason to demand the original long-form birth certificate.

If it contains proportional kerning, we'll KNOW it's a fake....:-)

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

When he speaks off the cuff, he is a stuttering stammering jackass, about on a par with a none- too- bright high school student.

President Porky Pig, in fact.

And if he's offended by that, due to being a closet Muslim, too bad.

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

Yes. If the CO came on the bridge and said, "I have the conn" I certainly didn't say, "Is that a legal order?"

That's the whole point. If Obama pulled a con job, he should soon BE a con(vict).

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

With your screen name /avatar, most people aren't going to give you any credence on a mulatto President.

Incidentally, since you quoted MacArthur, try reading up on the Bonus Army...

Cheers!

[Forty-Niner]

You are so right! So many have stepped up already..... any more and someone may try to charge these guys on a conspiracy to muntiny charge.....I agree heros all!

That said I hope that one of these cases is finally heard....or that one of the cases in Federal District Court will be ajudicated....Odds are, sooner or later the shoe will drop! Then it will be off to the USSC and Obama will be sitting on top of the scrap heap of history.

[Las Vegas Ron]

Damn, AP actually pulled bammie pics??

Good job indicting NS, he's such a twit!

[grey_whiskers]

Well, Obama's ALWAYS been on the "far left"...:-)

Cheers!

[STARWISE]

Barack Obama with his brothers Samson , left, and Ben, right, in 1987 in Nairobi

[BP2]

Good find on the photos!

Does anyone know what the cutline below the Nairobi photo says?

[STARWISE]

I enlarged it huge, and couldn’t
make it out, but I don’t have
Photoshop or any sophisticated
imaging software. And I can’t
make out the first part of “News
Agency Ltd.”

[Red Steel]

"Indeed, his decision can be regarded to be all the more honorable relative to the dishonor of so many serving politicians who have left a man of conscience no other option"

Something some people posting here do not understand or will not acknowledge.

[azishot]

In case you haven’t found the answer it looks like Fred Nerks knows who it is in #291.

_________________

That man on the left has been identified as Malik Abongo Obama, the eldest son of Kezia, to the best of my knowledge.

291 posted on Thursday, April 08, 2010 5:38:06 PM by Fred Nerks (fair dinkum!)
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[BP2]

Congress can't create a natural born citizen. It's beyond the scope of its powers. :-)

Correct.

Either a Constitutional Amendment must be passed (by two-thirds of Congress AND three-fourths of the States) OR the SCOTUS can "define" NBC as it defined "to keep and bear arms" in DC v. Heller (2008).

However, just like with ObamaCare, Congress has still tried to overstep its authority. In fact, they've tried — and failed — nearly 30 times over past 140 years ... like here:

108th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 2128

To define the term `natural born Citizen' as used in the Constitution of the United States to establish eligibility for the Office of President.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 25, 2004

Mr. NICKLES (for himself, Ms. LANDRIEU, and Mr. INHOFE) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

---

A BILL

To define the term `natural born Citizen' as used in the Constitution of the United States to establish eligibility for the Office of President.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Natural Born Citizen Act'.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF `NATURAL BORN CITIZEN' .

(a) IN GENERAL- Congress finds and declares that the term `natural born Citizen' in Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the Constitution of the United States means--

(1) any person born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof; and

(2) any person born outside the United States--

(A) who derives citizenship at birth from a United States citizen parent or parents pursuant to an Act of Congress; or

(B) who is adopted by 18 years of age by a United States citizen parent or parents who are otherwise eligible to transmit citizenship to a biological child pursuant to an Act of Congress.

(b) UNITED STATES- In this section, the term `United States', when used in a geographic sense, means the several States of the United States and the District of Columbia.