Obama Birth Certificate Protest at SCOTUS

DCist ^ | 12-5-08

[STARWISE]

Four days ago, Roger Bredow uploaded a video to YouTube beseeching like-minded people to come to Washington, D.C. and stand with him outside the Supreme Court.

"[Barack] Obama was born a dual citizen," Bredow said, "British, and a citizen of the United States, at birth." This, said Bredow, meant that the president-elect could never take the oath of office.

And on Friday, the Supreme Court would read Donofrio v. Wells, a suit brought by a New Jersey poker player against his state elections officer, which laid out the charges in the hopes of nullifying the election.

Today at 8 a.m., they came.

"If I'm going to be honest with you," said Bredow, sporting a floppy American flag hat that he'd promised on YouTube he'd be wearing, "I thought I might be the only person here."

He had flown in from Georgia. The other fifteen to twenty people who cycled in and out of the small protest had traveled shorter distances—southern Pennsylvania, northern Virginia—but they felt they had to do something.

The "dual born citizen" claim is the latest (and maybe strongest) attempt by Obama conspiracy theorists to argue that he can't be president, but most of the people I talked to had questioned Obama's citizenship long before this.

"I first heard about it from Phil Berg's case," said Julie Menge of Williamsburg, Virginia, referring to a case that alleges, among other things, that a 2007 state of Hawaii reproduction of Obama's birth certification is forged, and that Obama's paternal Kenyan step-grandmother Sarah was in the room when he was born.

One protestor claimed that a mysterious Muslim imam blessed Obama's birth in Kenya, and that this fact would eventually be revealed, somehow. (He cited African Press International, a bizarre web site that claims it has, but will not make public, a tape of Michelle Obama ranting about racist media coverage of her husband.)

At 9 a.m., a black minister who would only give his name as Brother Pittman led a prayer circle and a recitation of the pledge of allegiance. Pittman, who lives in Silver Spring, came as a "representative of the Rev. James David Manning," a Harlem preacher who became an Internet legend for a February sermon in which he called Obama a "long-legged mack daddy" who was "born trash."

"I've been shunned by members of my own family," Pittman said. "I tell them, do the research! Go online and look up the facts! This is all about openness and why Barack Obama won't answer questions about who he is."

There's nothing new at all about small, strange protests outside the court, whether or not the justices are at work.

While the Obama protestors were praying, a group of 16 young Christians walked up to the other side of the Court steps, strumming a guitar and lighting candles before holding a pro-life prayer vigil.

Police and tourists looked on and a very small group of journalists grabbed the Obama protestors for interviews. "This story is writing itself," said a Mother Jones reporter as he filmed the prayer circle.

The Supreme Court will announce whether it will actually consider the Obama lawsuit as early as today and as late as Monday.

If (as expected) the Court tosses the suit, Bredow will start challenging Obama's legitimacy based on "foreign money that went into his campaign."

Other protestors said they'd start contacting members of the Electoral College. Steve Brindle, who drove down from Pennsylvania, said he'd called his senators yesterday.

"There aren't a lot of people out here today," said Brindle. "There are a lot of people talking about this back home. Really, everyone's asking questions."

[Drew68]

Either you are a Natural Born citizen or a Naturalized citizen.

Exactly. You are either born in America (Natural Born) or born in a foreign country and earned (or were given) citizenship (Naturalized). Donofrio is trying to argue that there are two classes of Americans who were born in America, on American soil.

He's wrong. Our Constitution does not recognize two separate classes of Americans born on American soil. If you were born on American soil and not the child of diplomats you are a Natural Born American. Period. End.

[montesquiue]

God bless every single individual who made their way to Washington today.

May God frustrate and disempower every individual who despises their sworn oath to protect, uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.
-

Beautifully said. I’m with ya all the way. God, deliver us from evil men...

[Churchillspirit]

I also believe that everything we choose to do and everything we actually do,is part of His plan.

That has always confused me.

If we believe that, then the Holocaust and 9/11 were part of God's plan.

Did He not also give us free will? Some things we do please Him, some do not.

[little jeremiah]

If you keep up with the live thread, it appears the decision about Donofrio’s case won’t be made public until Monday.

So hold on to your jollies until then.

[1951Boomer]

I for one DO believe that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. If McCain does not fulfill the requirement that the founders set forth, then I would accept that on principle. That’s where I part company with the Left. They would NOT accept the same about Fauxbama because with them, nothing is ever “on principle,” but tainted with their own emotions and illogic. In other words, I can separate my ideals, moral compass, and sense of justice from a specific political party.

As much as I absolutely honor and admire McCain’s war record, I would have been willing to see the higher courts adhere to the Constitution than to a really loyal patriot who did not fulfill the Constitution’s requirements. It’s the constantly moving target that’s driving me nuts.

[MrB]

Human free will and sin are the cause of the evil things we see. God is sovereign, knows that these things are going to happen, but doesn’t interfere with our choices. There are a couple of passages to remember -

if we humble ourselves and seek His face, He will heal our nation (2 Chronicles 7:14)

and God works all things for the good of those who love him.
(Romans 8:20)

[little jeremiah]

Yes - those code words “Move On” (dot org...).

[little jeremiah]

He controls everything, but allows us free will. When we abuse that free will, stringent reaping aka karma happens inevitably, even if we don’t see it right now with our eyes.

[YellowRoseofTx]

No, Donofrio is not arguing that. His argument is where Zero is concerned is that whether he was born in Hawaii or Kenya makes no difference. Zero's father was a kenyan, which was a British colony at the time, and under British law citizenship was passed through the father. Zero himself said he was British at birth. So that makes him at most a British citizen and at least having duel citizenship. Either way, he is ineligible.

McCain was born to two American citizens, but not on American soil, which makes him a Naturalized citizen. Which means he is not eligible either.

That does not make either one of them a "second class" citizen, but according to the Constitution, neither are Natural Born citizens.

[montesquiue]

Thank you for the pictures. As always, worth a thousand if not more words. The mission is clear. We are the voice of liberty and justice. Whether there are two or two million, the important thing is that we stand up and be heard...

[Non-Sequitur]

If you are at all intrerested in the issue you should read it.

Your arguement is with Donofrio and his asinine definition of natural born citzen and not with me. So far as I'm concerned the senate resolution was unnecessary - McCain is a natural born U.S. citizen through his parents.

[Churchillspirit]

Makes sense.

I was always taught at catholic school that when we sin our guardian angel weeps and Jesus is hurt.

Makes more sense to me than God condoning the bad things that men do in this world.

[OldNavyVet]

“McCain can still win the Presidency when Obama becomes ruled ineligible!”

I don’t think so.

A majority of Americans chose the Obama/Biden ticket to be President and Vice President.

Should Obama be disqualified, Biden is logically in line to become President.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

no if Obama is disqualed so is Biden. The dems have nothing in their convention rule books for this. So who knows? this is unprecedented.

[STARWISE]

~~ACCORDING TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL LAW BLOG, CERT WAS NOT GRANTED ~~~ping!

###

December 5, 2008, 4:18 pm
Obama Citizenship Case Gets High Court’s Attention

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/12/05/obama-citizenship-case-gets-high-courts-attention/

LAST LINE:

“Update: Our readers are correct. The Supreme Court did not grant certiorari in the case.”

~~~

Have NO way yet to know if this is 100% accurate or conclusive, or if any decision has not yet been published. God bless and protect us.

[STARWISE]

Theresa Cao speaks about President-elect Barack Obama's proof of U.S. citizenship outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday Dec. 5, 2008.

~~~

Supreme Court mum on Obama-birth case - Posted December 5, 2008 2:57 PM

###

No announcement today from the Supreme Court about whether it will hear what I call the Obama-isn't-a-natural-born-citizen-so-he-can't-be-president lawsuit, officially known as Donofrio v. Wells.

As I wrote yesterday, Justice Clarence Thomas had the case listed for the justices' Friday conference where the court's members, among other orders of business, decided what cases to hear arguments on.

Donofrio wasn't announced as one of the two cases the court decided to take. Scotusblog has details on the cases.

I'm told by a Supreme Court watcher that the lack of an announcement doesn't mean the court definitely won't hear Donofrio although he thinks it's safe to say its unlikely the court won't hear the case. The full orders aren't due until Monday.

So we'll just have to stay tuned.

[STARWISE]

~~PING!

[STARWISE]

Per Plains Radio chat

http://www.plainsradio.com/chat.html

Just type a screenname .. no password required .. takes about a minute to load .. just wait. It’s freeform chat .. totally.

~~~

Ed Hale just came on and said Leo doesn’t yet know what happened at SCOTUS.

Leo D. will be on Plains Radio tonight at 8pm .. I’m assuming that’s central time.

[STARWISE]

Confirmed: Leo D will be on Plains Radio at 8pm central tonight.

http://www.plainsradio.com

[Chickensoup]

What does it mean that it is unlikely?