Jedidah:
“I think it highly likely that a similar system was in place in Honolulu in 1961. It’s entirely possible that the family was offered the opportunity to purchase a birth ad for a small fee at the time of registration with Vital Statistics. Those who waived privacy and paid a fee were put on the list that went to the newspaper. Not all did. That would account for the discrepancy between number of babies born and number of birth notices in the paper.
In no way does this scenario suggest that the Obama ad is legit, but it does offer a reasonable explanation for how the system operated at the time.”
I agree. I gave permission for my children’s births to be announced, well over thirty years ago. They asked me at the hospital - and this is what “Fred Nerks” can’t hear me saying. I never had to pay though.
Fred Nerks:
You are an Australian? Why are you an expert on American birth announcements? You said : “Where I live, announcements are A MATTER OF CHOICE. “
Did you not notice that I said I was given a choice while I was at the hospital as to if I wanted it printed in the paper? That was MY CHOICE. See?
If they don’t want the announcement to appear.......they don’t give permission. See? It’s quite simple. Say a parent is given a little form to sign, those that sign the little form - their child’s birth is listed in the paper, those that refuse, their child’s birth is not listed in the paper. That is A CHOICE.
And no, they did not print every birth that occurred. That is another indication that some people made the choice not to give permission. Could someone call in a birth announcement? Yes. Oh, a paper may have had some requirement or another if you did, but you could.
Tell ya what. Why don’t we all try and call a few newspapers up tomorrow, and simply ask them their usual procedures for accepting the simple birth announcements? Or email - that way we have a record. Some little hometown ones, some mid-sized, and some “city” papers. Lets see what they have to say.
But lets check with the American newspapers, since WE ALREADY KNOW THE RULES IN AUSTRALIA !!!!!
JUST BECAUSE I AM AUSSIE DOESN’T MAKE ME AN IDIOT.
And I see no need to telephone newspapers for their CURRENT regulations, I already posted Hawaii RULES:
READER SERVICES
Submit a birth announcement
Aloha and congratulations on your new arrival!
The Honolulu Advertiser invites you to announce the birth of your new baby in the Island Life section of the Sunday newspaper and on our Web site.
You can mail your announcement to The Advertiser via one of the addresses below or fax it to 535-8170. Feel free to attach additional pages or a copy of an invitation. No street addresses or telephone numbers will be published or given out; they are requested for verification purposes only.
IMPORTANT: You must attach a photocopy of your baby’s official state-issued birth certificate; we cannot print your announcement without it.
You can also submit your celebration announcement using our online form.
The Advertiser publishes announcements up to six months after the baby’s birth. Only parents named on the birth certificate can be mentioned. At least one parent must be a current or former Hawai’i resident or Hawai’i-stationed military member.
Here’s the legal stuff: All submissions may be edited for length, accuracy and clarity. By submitting a photograph and/or announcement information, you grant The Honolulu Advertiser the right to publish, distribute, archive and otherwise use the photograph and information, in whole or in part, in print, electronic or any other media and for promotional purposes related to The Advertiser’s products and services. In addition, you represent that you have the right to authorize The Advertiser to use the photograph and information submitted.
DID 'LORI STARFELT' MAKE THAT CLEAR IN HER COMMENT? SHE DID NOT! THE ENTIRE EXCERCISE WAS DESIGNED TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE THE RESULT OF A LIST FROM VITAL STAT RECORDS.
And THAT is what Bill O'Reilly is STILL basing his statements upon. THAT is the crutch that has to pulled out from under him.