Weak Constitution

This morning on National Public Radio (NPR), Southerners were being interviewed in advance of tonight’s Republican Presidential Primaries in Alabama and Mississippi. 

The reporter was attempting to gauge the sentiment of voters.  The one comment that stood out the most for me was this: 

John Gentile of Crossville, Tenn., still doesn't believe Obama is allowed to be president because his father was born in Kenya."I just don't like the directions that he's headed in, and personally I don't think he qualifies to be president under the 'natural born citizen.' In the Constitution it states that you have to have two parents that were born in the United States, so that there's no alternative allegiance by any member of the family," Gentile said.

Article 2, Clause 5 of The Constitution states, “No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States,”

So I’m trying to figure out exactly where he got his information.  Is there a different Constitution for Southern white people?  If so, is it available to the rest of the country including people of color? 

Mr. Gentile’s statement is indicative of an ongoing phenomenon in this country.  There are a whole lot of people, of various races, who are tremendously misinformed.  But instead of seeking out information on their own, they take what the talking heads, Liberal and Conservatives, have to say as gospel.  Well, I think this is more skewed towards the Conservative Rush Limbaugh/Glen Beck sheep but I’m a card carrying Liberal so I’m a little biased.

It’s so much easier to switch on Fox or MSNBC to get our talking points rather than actually doing the research to get the real answers. 

If we really want to get down to the nitty gritty, let’s talk about the presidents who weren’t natural born citizens of the United States.  As a matter of fact, the first seven presidents were born outside of the United States.  That includes our beloved George “Cherry Tree Chopping” Washington.  Are we asking the U.S. Treasury to not print his face on our money because he was initially a British subject?  I haven’t heard anyone do that…yet.  Besides, what would be the point?  We all know that the first Americans was all foreign born.  At least I hope we all know that.

But how many people actually take the time to research something as minor as the first president born in the U.S.  I can’t even take credit for this bit of nerdiness as it was my colleague who first asked the question.  I just executed the search on the all knowing Google.

The fact that people aren’t informed creates an ignorant electorate.   In my opinion, that’s pretty dangerous.  Do we really know what people stand for or their history or are we just voting based on what our party leaders tell us? 

We have to remember that the talking heads are paid very well to stir up trouble.  They don’t give a damn about the average American.  They are paid to be controversial; the more controversial the better.

In the same segment on Morning Edition, people were still talking about being under Muslim rule because the President is Muslim.  Didn’t we establish that Mr. Obama is Christian four years ago?  Why are people still saying that?  More importantly, why does it matter?  Does his religion have anything to do with his ability to govern?  I don’t think so.  Plus, is he just representing Christians or is he representing all of the people regardless of religious affiliation?  The last time I checked, the President is the president of the entire United States and not just those of us who are Christian.

So, it is my hope that Mr. Gentile and others like him will actually read before they speak.  Because honestly it is misinformation and downright ignorance that keeps this country mired in foolishness.