This week George Stephanopoulos, CNN, and Donald Trump have been front and center trying to finally 'put to rest' the issue of Barack Obama's birthplace, religious loyalties, and the misunderstandings and causes within the American public over these matters.
Recent CNN and Pew Research Polls revealed the following;
56 percent of all Americans are either unsure, or don't believe, Barack Obama was born in the United States - though he claims he was.
62 percent of all Americans are either unsure, or don't believe, Barack Obama is a Christian - though he claims to be.
18 percent of all Americans believe he is a Muslim - though he claims not to be.
The blame for these doubts and lack of credibility lies only, and squarely, with Obama himself. Those who resist such doubts and polls claim these numbers have been induced by smear campaigns, racism, Republicans, ignorance, and lack of intellectual sophistication by the public. If racism, bigotry, and ignorance are the reasons, then clearly (according to the Pew poll numbers) this must comprise a majority of Americans.
This blog does not believe Barack Obama was born abroad, nor is it concerned about his religious background or beliefs, or those beliefs as a qualification for president. However, it is concerned, and does believe, that 'candidate' Obama deliberately misled the public about about these important issues for political expediency and these misleadings have come home to roost for Obama as president as his credibility falls with Americans. Americans want to know who their president is and are rightfully concerned about the mysteries.
Why do so many Americans doubt the words, claims, and the credibility of Barack Obama? Where in our presidential history has such a precedent occurred? Did any American doubt that past presidents such as Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush senior, Bill Clinton, or George Bush junior were born in the U.S? Of course not.
Is it racism? Is it because he is black or because of his "funny name"? If we had a different and theoretical black president such as Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice (also with a funny name), would we be questioning their birthplace? Of course not. Have we forgotten that a majority of Americans actually elected the first black president? Were they racists? Yet a majority of those same voters now are unclear as to his birthplace and his claim to Christianity. Have the voters who put him in office now become racists?
No, racism is not the issue. Barack Obama's own mannerisms, political behavior, personality, public statements, philosophy, and evasiveness are the issue and cause for so many intelligent people to have such doubts and wondering.
Is it politically blinded Republicans fomenting smears about his birthplace? 34 percent of Democrats polled either do not believe, or are unsure of, Obama's birthplace. Clearly it is not a uniquely Republican mantra.
Of the presidents who openly proclaimed their Christian faith, did any American doubt they were? Many presidents were even ridiculed and scorned for such proclamations precisely because the public did believe them. Even amongst the half of population that despised George Bush junior, none of that half would have doubted his declaration of Christianity. In point of fact, he was often vilified for his beliefs. Why then does 62 of our population doubt Obama's claim to that faith?
Some would argue that the public's doubts about his Christianity are because he is 'quiet and private about his faith'. Are you a Christian reading this blog? If you publicly and emphatically proclaimed to 100 people that you were a Christian and then, after they watched you for two years, 62 of them doubted or didn't believe you were a Christian, would you retreat in shame and embarrassment to do a great deal of soul searching? Imagine if 18 of them said you were actually a Muslim after telling them you were a Christian? Would you blame that many doubters as ignorant? Or would you blame yourself?
Beyond the fact that 62 percent of Americans doubt his Christianity, one out of every six Americans polled believe Obama is Muslim, not Christian as he claims. (Extrapolated, that would be 54 million Americans). Republicans again? According to the Pew Poll, 10 percent of Democrats, and 18 percent of Independents believe he is Muslim. Do we actually believe that 54 million Americans are all racist, bigoted, and ignorant?
Why do so many Americans believe he is not a Christian, and that so many believe he is a Muslim?
~Is it because of an apology tour to the Arab world?
~Is it because of his 20 year association with a racist pastor?
~Is it because he chose to publicly back an inflammatory Mosque in New York (which was not presidential business) while simultaneously publicly denouncing an inflammatory Christian pastor burning a Koran? (Which was also not Presidential business).
~Is it because he 'accidently' omitted the words "endowed by their Creator" while quoting the Constitution from a teleprompter during a speech?
~Is it because we have seen so many in the Muslim world that claim him as their own?
~Is it because the likes of Muammar Qaddafi claim him as a "son" because of his family's geographical and religious history? Would Muammar Qaddafi claim Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Bill Clinton, or George Bush as a spiritual son or daughter?
~Is it because many Americans would intuitively wonder whether one can truly separate their current proclaimed religious and spiritual loyalties from that of their father and upbringing? "Dreams From My Father"?
To be fair, there are items in Obama's package and roots which are unique in our presidential history, are benign, and would take many Americans some time to adjust to such unusual new differences and this must be factored. However, the issues causing a clear majority of Americans to harbor such doubts lie in fault with Barack Obama and the burden for removing those doubts lies with him ... and not with the public.
