Last Saturday, Black Voices' blogger Carmen Dixon posed the question, "How Many Incidents Equal a Trend?" She brought this sentiment to the national conversation as a response to the level of crass jokes, rude comments, and outright threats that have come in the aftermath of electing the first non-White person to the presidency of the United States.
After hearing about how far the lawsuit contesting President-Elect Obama's eligibility for the White House has gone, I'm sure that Carmen was ready to count this fiasco as the latest incident that keeps the trend going.
This challenge to the status of Mr. Obama's constitutional permission to become the next president of the United States is, by most accounts, shallow at best. ...
Although conservatives can make an argument that a failure to follow such a critical piece of the Constitution opens the door for more procedural disobedience (and, perhaps, electoral dysfunction), they can not make a logical leap and say that the Constitution is a sacred document that is directly threatened by a failure to address this situation legally. Besides, one would question how sacrilegious tampering with the US Constitution must be for a conservative when he is so willing to amend it with social edicts such as the definition of marriage.
Many will say that the birth certificate legal challenge will serve as another reminder of the dirty politics that Republicans have been accused of engaging in for years. Further, some will also conclude that this is symbolic of the racism that still exists in America, saying that people would rather challenge a place of birth in court than allow a Black man to have his place in the White House.
I disagree. If anything, this latest round of misguided energy is a reflection of the failures of some to get it right – no pun intended, of course.
Although this lawsuit was originally submitted by New Jersey attorney Leo Donofrio, the fuel feeding this fire came from some conservative bloggers and hard-core politicos around the nation.
If this effort was intended to be as effective as its supporters hope – that is, effective enough to remove Barack Obama from "The Office of the President-Elect" – its origin was too late, its momentum was too slow, and its champions were too predictable.
By making this "strategy" to eliminate Mr. Obama politically a last-minute tactic to halt his impending inauguration in January, those supporting this "effort" probably also held onto the "strategy" that a charismatic politician such as Obama could not escape the bloodbath Democratic nomination process, especially considering Obama's limited time in Washington, the presence of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic front runner, and, of course, the fact that African-Americans and young people just don't come out to vote in the numbers needed to make a difference for the Obama campaign.
Oops.
They probably "misunderestimated" America's distain with Washington, a frustration level that prompted a big leap of faith on someone that, despite a lack of Washington experience, exhibited the outward traits most want in a president, even if the political philosophies and voting records don't match with their personal beliefs.
And if the general mood of America was a resounding rejection of the current tactics and arguments of anti-Obama pundits (remember, folks had already turned on the "1st Black President of the United States" – Bill Clinton – and his wife months ago for harsh words towards Obama), what made people believe that this lawsuit had a chance to be heard by the Supreme Court?
Exactly.
The Constitution isn't going to go away because of the Obama birth certificate issue. Unfortunately for some, neither is Obama himself from his path to the White House.
____________________
Lenny McAllister is a political commentator and guest co-host for Fox News - Charlotte's morning show "Fox News Rising." His commentary can be heard every Monday morning at 6:15. His website is lennymcallister.com
Comments: (27)
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By: Tracie on 12/09/2008 3:10PM
Why not produce the REAL birth certificate? McCain had to produce his. What's the big secret? If there's nothing to hide let's see it. The REAL one, not a pitiful copy of someone else's. Because that's what they are trying to pass off to the public. It ain't working.
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By: Oladipo Bamgbose-McGanny on 12/10/2008 7:35AM
There is no army in this world that can stop an idea which time has come, though this word emanated from a man the whole world love to hate, Adolf Hitler. I believe Obama presidency has come to stay,no matter what his enemies say or do, there will no stopping him come January 20th, 2009. the gentleman has a date with history. Obama is the 44th President of United State because he was ordained by God to be.
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By: floridashot on 12/10/2008 8:57AM
I am not a lawyer, but as a lay person, I read the case that was presented and came to the same conclusion as the supreme court, at this point, it should be tossed! Bottom line, Obama won, he beat Hillary Clinton, and he beat john McCain, he is the President Elect for our nation, so lets move on and attend to the problems of this country and began down a path of healing and rebuilding. May God Continue to bless America and our President Elect Obama.
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By: Tara on 12/10/2008 9:24AM
This message is for #1 whose name is Tracie...Tracie, You know, I have been trying so hard not to use insulting words while speaking to idiots. However, sometime People like yourself really make this hard for me. Did Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, George H Bush, or George W Bush have the need to prove their Citizenship? As far as I am concerned, these were 4 of the worst Presidents of all times! Oh yeah! I forgot, they all were White so, that did not matter. I am so sick and fed up with this racist foolishness until I would like to just "PUKE" on some of you idiots that's constantly going through this crap! Why don't you People set up a website and name it, Anything Bias or Racist, I'm willing to bet, that you would have so much business, It would keep you from posting on any other site. This goes for you and, any other fool that's living in the 18th century! With all of this stupidity_________!
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By: Jim on 12/10/2008 10:09AM
To Tara - all Presidnent's running for office are required to provide their birth certificate as evidence that they are a 'natural born' citizen, not a 'naturalized' citizen - as per a small document called The U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit about birth certificates was filed in NJ, not just against Obama, but McCain and Socialist Workers candidate Roger Calero as well. So dont blindly toss out racism as the sole driver of this lawsuit. Obama has only provided a Certificate of Live Birth (which are provided to parents of a child either born abroad or outside of a hospital). This could easily be cleared by Obama posting his 'Birth Certificate' - not COLB on his website. If he has nothing to hide, why does he have lawyers fighting this tooth and nail? When McCain was questioned originally about being born in the Panama Canal back in the 2000 primaries he provided evidence of his birth there, which was a US Territory at the time of his birth. He answered the call and questions - why should Obama not have to do the same?
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By: jimbob on 12/10/2008 12:06PM
Who cares about the Constitution anyway?
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By: ldk on 7/25/2009 1:59PM
Who cares about the Constitution. I'd say that everyone should care. If you are a woman a Constitutional amendment allows you to vote - same for minorities. If you are black you are free due to an amendment to the Constitution. Oops. Ok, lets talk about the original Bill of Rights. Freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom to petition the government for grievances, right to remain silent, right against illegal search, trial by jury, excessive bail or punishment. Shall I continue? We all better care about the Constitution. It is our freedom.
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By: Julia Davis on 12/10/2008 1:11PM
I have been reading this about Obama's birth certificate and I have a question. If we are going to stand by what is being said about the birth of Obama concerning his father. Shouldn't we go back to all of the previous President's parents? If we do that would we then need to question the documents and laws that were signed by all of the previous presidents? Furthermore, what about the people who have come to this country illegally and given birth just so that they could remain here? Would we really be better off if we open that can of maggots?
nana D
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By: CAROLYN on 12/10/2008 10:38PM
It would seem to me that if the document President elect Obama provided was not sufficiant then wouldn't that stop him in his tracks during the primaries. What you people thought he was not capable of winning the election therefore did not question this issue in the beginning?
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By: Graham Sturgis on 12/11/2008 8:36AM
It is simple: President Elect Obama please present your original birth certificate and put an end to the accusations. Simple: You want change we can believe in?
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