Of Supreme Court Cases, Citizenship, and Uncle Tom
So the news that Clarence Thomas has asked the Supreme Court to consider whether to take up a lawsuit challenging President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. citizenship has hit the airwaves. This story is running all over the blogosphere and much as I hate to agree with Clarence Thomas he’s actually not selling out Obama by putting this case up for consideration. Instead he’s cutting the feet out from under it being filed AGAIN by having the court examine it and refuse to hear it. Just saying, before people get up in arms they might want to really examine what it means for one of the justices to distribute a case to the other members of the Court.
Look, as made clear by the 807 e-mail forwards devoted to tearing down Barack Obama’s candidacy a lot of people are willing to spend big bucks on trying to prove he’s not fit to lead even if they have to try to pull out obscure technicalities, conspiracy theories, and just make some stuff up. Better to let the air be cleared now and get all of these challenges out of the way than to waste any time over the next four years dealing with this mess. So, examine his birth certificate, argue over whether his mother’s age at birth affects his citizenship, and bring all of the “He’s a Muslim, a fascist, a terrorist, the Anti-Christ” stuff on out into the light. Do it now and get it over with because in 6 weeks? He’s going to be busy trying to fix the hot mess that is our economy and I’d rather he be able to focus on that mess than on replying to this nonsense. For once Clarence Thomas is absolutely doing the right thing. Give him some credit for it instead of calling him names.
That makes a lot of sense. [nod] Much better to deal with it now and get it over with than to let the opposition drag it out for years, bitching at President Obama for neglecting his real job if he addresses their grips, and for trying to bury the “truth” if he ignores them and focuses on running the country.
Angie
Hrmph. Mmmmrg. Grrrah.
Well, okay. But can I still call Alan Keyes an Uncle Tom? ‘Cause I’ve got to make up for thinking something positive about Clarence Thomas somehow.
You should have seen me after I wrote this piece. I’m so upset that I actually had to defend him. In public no less.
I agree that Thomas is doing the right thing, but I seriously doubt it will get a full hearing. If Thomas had refused it outright, the numbskulls filing the suit could have gone around to the other Justices and asked them individually. This way, if Thomas passes it around and they don’t get five to grant cert, the whole thing is over with. And that’s what’s likely to happen.
Wise woman.
I actually thought the whole thing was a hoax. WTF is wrong with people? sigh. But, you’re right, if they refuse to hear the case it ends now. Thank Hera.
Well, is it possible that he’s only accidentally doing the right thing here? That he really is trying to pulling the carpet out from under us on a technicality, and hasn’t considered the possibility that by doing this now he risks ending the discussion permanently? Then we could still assume Thomas is evil, just bad at it.
Alex Koppelman writes today in salondotcom as to “Why the stories about Obama’s birth certificate will never die.”
Sigh.
Love, C.
Ultimately, the entire birth certificate brouhaha is just racism rearing its ugly head. In a conversation I had with a friend earlier, we both surmised that this business is just an off-shoot of the reaction some parts of America are having towards people of color in power.
Thanks to Palin and McCain’s cries of “pro-Americanism”, “socialism”, “terrorism” and other drivel, the “truthers” behind this are going to use any ammunition they can get their hands on to discredit Mr. Obama. The statistic worth noting is that the President-Elect has gotten more death threats than any predecessor before him.
(And isn’t it ironic that Palin, McCain and the rest of the blowhards in the GOP have truly nothing to say about their utter nastiness.)
It’s scary and appalling that this crap is going on right now. Mr. Obama is going to be fighting it throughout his term(s) in office. :(
As for Thomas and Keyes? If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
I just wonder about the folks who complain. Hawaii became a state in 1959. Barack Obama was born in 1961 in Hawaii. Even if BOTH his parents had been Kenyan, he would have counted as native born.
Of course, there are people who can’t understand that 1959 came before 1961. Feh!
He was born before it became a state. Hawii became a state in 1962
Ugh. I think the whole birth cert thing will be left for righters to fuss over; they gotta have something. The truth is out there, let them waste the next 4 years on it. %^&*( C.T.
I didn’t hear about this. I read (browse when busy the Boston Globe) each morning, perhaps I’m spending too much time on my iPhone.
Sounds to me like someone is desperate and reaching at whatever crap they can think of to stop us from having a decent president.
@Drexelsquare,
You might want to spend some time with Google. Hawaii became a state August 21, 1959. President-elect Obama was born in 1961. McCain is the only one of the candidates who was not actually a citizen at birth. The law making him a citizen was passed the year after he was born, but it had a grandfather clause that made him eligible to run.
The Supremes dismissed the case, as expected.
Not that this will go away, conspiracy nutz being what they are.
This, and Pres-Elect Obama’s smoking are the new Whitewater and Lewinsky, as the righwingdominionists continue their drive that only they are rightful holders of the White House. Impeach has already become their chorus though he’s still only Pres-Elect.
Love, C.
LOL @ Karnythia…I <3 u!
Man what are they teaching kids @ school these days?