Is the Birther issue laid to rest?

President Obama has released his "long form" birth certificate. What do you want to bet that the birthers will denounce it as a fake?

A week or so ago Michele Bachmanm, who beat the birther drum for a long time, said the issue is settled and she is satisfied. Actually, most rational people were satisfied a long, long time ago. The birther conspiracy theory first emerged in 2008 by Democrat supporters of Hillary Clinton. Since then, it has taken hold in some Republican circles and just won't die. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, according to some polls, a majority of Republicans believe President Obama was not born in America. Unfortunately, showman Donald Trump is still beating the birther drum and pandering.

When people believe 9-11 was inside job designed by George W. Bush, that fluoridated water is a communist plot, that the US is on the verge of falling under Sharia law, that the reason we have a drug problem in this country is because the CIA imports drugs to destroy the Black community, that the reason so many Blacks are in jail is because Republicans want to deprive them of the right to vote, that the secret NAFTA superhighway is a plot to take away American sovereignty, that Lyndon Johnson or the CIA assassinated JFK, that space aliens live among us, or that the Illuminati have been directing and controlling all of the worlds affairs since the mid-1700's, then they will believe anything.

While most Republican leaders have denounced the birther moment, many will still occasionally throw the birthers a bone.  Often Republican speakers will make some off-hand humorous comment such as saying, "At least I have a birth certificate," or something similar. While playing to the birthers may make one popular with some Republicans, it is a turn off to most independents and thinking Republicans. It is not a winning issue, it discredits what ever else the speaker may have to say, and it is wrong to feed peoples prejudice and ignorance. Few Republican leaders are actually birthers. Most responsible Republicans have never been on this birhter kick, but Republicans need to stop pandering to the nut fringe.  Birthers should be ostracized and not be permitted in polite society.

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