Taimur Talks
Birthers, go home!
Taimur Gibson
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Opinion
Why, then, does the movement continue? The members of the birther movement seem to want to delegitimize the president as much as possible and obstruct him in everything he does. This is a completely unnecessary and counterproductive endeavor, as the birthers' ideal outcome is stagnation, which is particularly dangerous in this time of crisis.
Those in the birther movement have also become associated with those who protest Obama's domestic, economic and foreign policies. There are legitimate arguments from those protesters, but the association with the birther movement seriously inhibits the legitimacy of their message.
It is definitely possible to have bipartisan debate and hopefully consensus on many issues, but the inherent fallacies perpetuated by the birther movement detract from the national debate, and make it much harder to have a meaningful national dialogue.
Despite the limited amount of people in the birther movement, they receive an extraordinary amount of press time, making the movement seem bigger than it actually is. This has the effect of needlessly undermining the president and acting as an enormous embarrassment to America in the eyes of the rest of the world. Normally, the best solution would be to ignore the movement and wait for it to fizzle out and lose support, but there are some seriously dangerous implications of a movement like this.
Because the birther movement spreads lies and other propaganda, it has the potential to spawn misguided rage. The birther movement is along the same lines as the "death panel" rumors, in addition to much of the other misinformation about Obama's healthcare plans.
Similar brutal and fallacious propaganda was spread during the Kennedy administration during the 1960s, and the tragedy that befell President Kennedy is no secret.
The false rumors combined with the racism of the birther movement makes for a very deadly situation. Ideally, this movement could be ignored, but the dangerous potential of the birthers requires constant vigilance.
Those in the birther movement have also become associated with those who protest Obama's domestic, economic and foreign policies. There are legitimate arguments from those protesters, but the association with the birther movement seriously inhibits the legitimacy of their message.
It is definitely possible to have bipartisan debate and hopefully consensus on many issues, but the inherent fallacies perpetuated by the birther movement detract from the national debate, and make it much harder to have a meaningful national dialogue.
Despite the limited amount of people in the birther movement, they receive an extraordinary amount of press time, making the movement seem bigger than it actually is. This has the effect of needlessly undermining the president and acting as an enormous embarrassment to America in the eyes of the rest of the world. Normally, the best solution would be to ignore the movement and wait for it to fizzle out and lose support, but there are some seriously dangerous implications of a movement like this.
Because the birther movement spreads lies and other propaganda, it has the potential to spawn misguided rage. The birther movement is along the same lines as the "death panel" rumors, in addition to much of the other misinformation about Obama's healthcare plans.
Similar brutal and fallacious propaganda was spread during the Kennedy administration during the 1960s, and the tragedy that befell President Kennedy is no secret.
The false rumors combined with the racism of the birther movement makes for a very deadly situation. Ideally, this movement could be ignored, but the dangerous potential of the birthers requires constant vigilance.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 12
Boomhaur
posted 10/29/09 @ 10:40 PM EST
As most should know from previous posts, I am a conservative. This political viewpoint makes me a minority at Geneseo who is treated very disrespectfully on a regular basis. (Continued…)
Dale Stevens
posted 10/30/09 @ 8:52 AM EST
Taimur, Obviously your education is not complete. You are suffering from the same ignorance as those who think that a computer generated form is a birth certificate. (Continued…)
Attorney
posted 10/30/09 @ 1:18 PM EST
The Obama/Holder/DOJ loons posting in defense of Obama on every website that speaks against the administration are PAID WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS to blog, search "The Obama Justice Department's Secret Blogging Team. (Continued…)
Boomhaur
posted 10/30/09 @ 4:26 PM EST
To Dale Stevens,
I disagree with the notion that Obama was not legally qualified to be president, however, I'd like to answer a few of your questions related to Geneseo. (Continued…)
Hopeless
posted 10/30/09 @ 5:14 PM EST
Dale
Please go back to LGF or the Hannity forums or wherever your ilk hang out and masturbate to fantasies of an illegitimate presidency. Your party is dead. (Continued…)
Alexander Berberich
posted 11/03/09 @ 7:20 PM EST
Boomhaur,
First, get your facts straight. Logic is in fact taught in Geneseo's Philosophy department, the Introductory-level course of which is taught by the unique and probably brilliant Stacey Edgar. (Continued…)
Boomhaur
posted 11/04/09 @ 12:51 AM EST
Advertise myself? I'm not sure what you want to know. Would you like to see my tax returns?
According to a study published in the Washinton Post, 72% of college professors are liberal, compared to 15% who identify as conservatives. (Continued…)
Alexander Berberich
posted 11/04/09 @ 8:46 PM EST
That study was probably done nationwide, and is therefore not representative of the sample at Geneseo. And, if you'd like to get into an argument of studies, most done on the subject of Political Socialization come to the conclusion that a child is imbued with his or her political leanings before the end of high school, making your point moot regardless. (Continued…)
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