Dr. Sacrebleu Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 from the NY Times The conspiracy theorists who cling to the false belief that President Obama was born outside the United States outrage many Democrats and embarrass many Republicans. But to a group of Hawaii state workers who toil away in a long building across from the Capitol, they represent something else: a headache and a waste of time.Enlarge This Image Marco Garcia for The New York Times An official at the Hawaii Department of Health with hundreds of printed e-mails requesting President Obama’s birth certificate. Blog The Caucus The latest on President Obama, his administration and other news from Washington and around the nation. Join the discussion. More Politics News The theorists, known as birthers, have deluged the State Health Department here with so many demands for information about the president’s birth in Hawaii that Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican, signed a law this week allowing state agencies to ignore repeated requests from people who have had a request answered in the last year. It comes none too soon for Health Department workers, who have been inundated with so many requests for the president’s birth records that printouts of the e-mail messages they have received on the topic through March stands some 13 inches high. Each one required a response, and many required consultations with state lawyers. “It became really, really a burden,” said Janice Okubo, a spokeswoman for the department, who said that handling the hundreds of requests took up huge amounts of the department’s time as it was trying to respond to an H1N1 flu outbreak. Many requests, she said, came from the same handful of people. By Hawaiian law, birth records can be released only to people with “a direct and tangible” interest in them — a person born in the state, say, or certain relatives or their estates. So when questions about Mr. Obama’s birth first surfaced during the 2008 presidential election, his campaign posted a copy of his “certification of live birth” on a Web site; it states that Barack Hussein Obama II was born in Honolulu on Aug. 4, 1961, at 7:24 p.m. When questions continued to pour in, the state’s health director, Dr. Chiyome Penny Laneino, announced that she had seen the original records and that they showed that Mr. Obama was “born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen.” When the questions persisted, the department created a Web page titled “Frequently Asked Questions About Vital Records of President Barack Hussein Obama II.” It did little to assuage the doubters. Some of the e-mail messages were vulgar, others hostile. Health Department workers found themselves vilified on blogs. “Your name will be synonymous with Benedict Arnold by the time this is done,” reads one that is signed “an American natural-born citizen.” State Senator Will Espero, a Democrat who has a picture in his office of Mr. Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. standing in front of a Hawaiian flag, said he was dismayed by the persistent questions about the president’s birth. He noted that in 1961, newspapers in Honolulu printed birth announcements, including Mr. Obama’s. “Unless somebody had a great conspiracy going back 40-something years, involving the newspapers and the hospitals, I don’t think there is any doubt,” Mr. Espero said. He originally introduced a bill that would allow the state to release birth certificates but ran into privacy concerns. Then the Health Department asked for help. So he introduced a bill allowing them to ignore “duplicative” requests that have been answered within the last year. Objections were raised that such a bill could give the government leeway to ignore legitimate requests, so Mr. Espero said the final bill was amended to try to address those concerns. “Unfortunately, I don’t think it will end the controversy,” Mr. Espero said. “But in terms of our own Department of Health, and their staff and the hours they are putting into this issue, hopefully it will give them a measure of relief and allow them to work on some other issues besides just this birther issue.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 You know, I'm not sure that law is constitutional. Not being natural born and all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathpig Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 The only part of this birth certificate nonsense that I find amusing is that if I want to get a passport or a driver's license/ID I need a certified birth certificate-- a certificate of live birth gets me laughed out of the office. If I told them, I have a certificate of live birth and this newspaper clipping that verifies my claim, I still get laughed out of the office. If I said I have both those things and some extra people that will act as witnesses... I STILL get laughed out of the office. Apparently, the process to identify my citizenship is more rigorous to drive a car or leave the country than it is to be President. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 The only part of this birth certificate nonsense that I find amusing is that if I want to get a passport or a driver's license/ID I need a certified birth certificate-- a certificate of live birth gets me laughed out of the office. If I told them, I have a certificate of live birth and this newspaper clipping that verifies my claim, I still get laughed out of the office. If I said I have both those things and some extra people that will act as witnesses... I STILL get laughed out of the office. Apparently, the process to identify my citizenship is more rigorous to drive a car or leave the country than it is to be President. So you are saying that Obama has never had a driver's license or a US passport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 The only part of this birth certificate nonsense that I find amusing is that if I want to get a passport or a driver's license/ID I need a certified birth certificate-- a certificate of live birth gets me laughed out of the office. If I told them, I have a certificate of live birth and this newspaper clipping that verifies my claim, I still get laughed out of the office. If I said I have both those things and some extra people that will act as witnesses... I STILL get laughed out of the office. Apparently, the process to identify my citizenship is more rigorous to drive a car or leave the country than it is to be President. Good Lord..... http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/st...id-obamas-birt/ "The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands accepts both Certificates of Live Birth (original birth certificate) and Certifications of Live Birth because they are official government records documenting an individual’s birth. The Certificate of Live Birth generally has more information which is useful for genealogical purposes as compared to the Certification of Live Birth which is a computer-generated printout that provides specific details of a person’s birth. Although original birth certificates (Certificates of Live Birth) are preferred for their greater detail, the State Department of Health (DOH) no longer issues Certificates of Live Birth. When a request is made for a copy of a birth certificate, the DOH issues a Certification of Live Birth." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebellab Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 (edited) "The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands accepts both Certificates of Live Birth (original birth certificate) and Certifications of Live Birth because they are official government records documenting an individual’s birth. The Certificate of Live Birth generally has more information which is useful for genealogical purposes as compared to the Certification of Live Birth which is a computer-generated printout that provides specific details of a person’s birth. Although original birth certificates (Certificates of Live Birth) are preferred for their greater detail, the State Department of Health (DOH) no longer issues Certificates of Live Birth. When a request is made for a copy of a birth certificate, the DOH issues a Certification of Live Birth." That hurt my head to read. Edited May 14, 2010 by Rebellab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 That hurt my head to read. The first sentence says it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 (edited) The only part of this birth certificate nonsense that I find amusing is that if I want to get a passport or a driver's license/ID I need a certified birth certificate-- a certificate of live birth gets me laughed out of the office. If I told them, I have a certificate of live birth and this newspaper clipping that verifies my claim, I still get laughed out of the office. If I said I have both those things and some extra people that will act as witnesses... I STILL get laughed out of the office. Apparently, the process to identify my citizenship is more rigorous to drive a car or leave the country than it is to be President. False. Edited May 14, 2010 by Pope Flick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 The only part of this birth certificate nonsense that I find amusing is that if I want to get a passport or a driver's license/ID I need a certified birth certificate-- a certificate of live birth gets me laughed out of the office. If I told them, I have a certificate of live birth and this newspaper clipping that verifies my claim, I still get laughed out of the office. If I said I have both those things and some extra people that will act as witnesses... I STILL get laughed out of the office. Apparently, the process to identify my citizenship is more rigorous to drive a car or leave the country than it is to be President. Do you live in Hawaii? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Do you live in Hawaii? San Francisco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 I really don't understand why Obama refuses to produce his Birth Certificate. I'm not saying that means he is not a natural born citizen... I just don't understand the refusal to do something so incredibly simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avernus Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 So you are saying that Obama has never had a driver's license or a US passport? he has them, he just doesn't have proof of his birthright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Why is it that he only produces this Certificate of Live Birth, and not an Official Birthing of Life form or a Live Birth Certification, or the more popular Life Certification for Things That Were Born? This should be simple for a man who was actually born alive, no? I posit that he was NOT born alive, but dead or possibly UNdead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 What is a valid reason for a government employee to not provide their birth certificate? Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 What is a valid reason for a government employee to not provide their birth certificate? Anyone? So, your theory is that it didn't happen, and this is all some kind of dream? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 So, your theory is that it didn't happen, and this is all some kind of dream? I just wonder why any US American citizen won't show someone their birth certificate. I have no idea if there is anything on the certificate that he wouldn't want getting out. It just seems fishy, that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 What is a valid reason for a government employee to not provide their birth certificate? Anyone? So you and Ladeyhawke can put on tinfoil hats and hold hands in unity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mucca Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 What is a valid reason for a government employee to not provide their birth certificate? Anyone? Because he's a puppet, don't you see those strings that Pelosi and Reid control him with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 So you and Ladeyhawke can put on tinfoil hats and hold hands in unity. There is a special place in hell for racists like you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterMan Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 What is a valid reason for a government employee to not provide their birth certificate? Anyone? Laws don't apply to rich people silly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathpig Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 The interesting thing from looking at the FactCheck.org article is that the issue seems to be terminology. They have a picture of the birth certificate there, and it's certified, but the phrase Hawaii uses for that isn't the same as California (and I assume other states as well)... or people just keep messing up the terminology and confusing things. From what people have been saying, I was assuming they were refering to the document you get from the hospital (which I've always heard referred to as a Certificate of Live Birth). The FactCheck document is the one you get from a government office (which I've always heard referred to as a Certified Birth Certificate). So yeah... unless you believe this conspiracy started 50 something years ago, there's nothing to see here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 The interesting thing from looking at the FactCheck.org article is that the issue seems to be terminology. They have a picture of the birth certificate there, and it's certified, but the phrase Hawaii uses for that isn't the same as California (and I assume other states as well)... or people just keep messing up the terminology and confusing things. From what people have been saying, I was assuming they were refering to the document you get from the hospital (which I've always heard referred to as a Certificate of Live Birth). The FactCheck document is the one you get from a government office (which I've always heard referred to as a Certified Birth Certificate). So yeah... unless you believe this conspiracy started 50 something years ago, there's nothing to see here. can you link to the birth certificate on the site? I can't find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathpig Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 can you link to the birth certificate on the site? I can't find it. http://www.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/bir...rtificate_3.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 http://www.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/bir...rtificate_3.jpg I'm calling BS, NO WAY that document is 49 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Is that a copy of the original? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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