Monday, October 15, 2012

Romney tries his hand at "comedy"...

Presidency and birth certificates.  Sound familiar?  I'm not surprised.  Donald Trump popularized the questioning of Obama's legitimacy to presidency as far back as 2008.  Even after producing the long-form birth certificate proving Hawaii as his birth place, Trump declared that this wasn't enough.  Trump, billionaire mogul he is, needs the Presidents birth certificate hand delivered, preferably in a satin envelop lined with silk, to the helipad on top of Trump Towers.  This distraction was one of the many conservatives were introducing after the inauguration of President Obama into office.  It makes one wonder, "really?"  You were warned about the 2nd coming of Hitler.  You were warned about communism and the stockpile of guns and ammunition Obama's gestapo would seize.  You were warned about sharia law and Allah and the borders that would open to terrorist everywhere.  Surprisingly, the cache of stockpiled canned goods, apocalyptic underground shelters and the excess of firearms contained in them are collecting alot of dust. 

An idol of mine once coo'ed, "If at first you don't suceed...dust yourself off and try again."

The Romney campaign has recently come under heavy criticism for what his campaign has described as a harmless joke.  A video went viral earlier this week after Mitt "jested" to a Michigan audience that "no one’s ever asked to see [his] birth certificate", and further that "they know that [Michigan] is the place that [he was] born and raised."  He nearly drops the mic as the punch lines zing in the ears of the many Romney/Ryan enthusiasts, elated to applause and cheer on their republican comedian.

A piece of the joke that remains out of Willard Mitt Romney's reach reveals a plank in thine own eye.  The privilege implied by his own admission.  So salient, so clear.  Romney and his attendees are reveling in the safety net of white privilege and the fact they can so easily delegitimize the President.  What makes this further grating is Romney's own declaration that he believes the President of the United States, Barrack Hussein Obama, was indeed born in the United States.  However, that will never stop the opportunist Romney has revealed himself to be from addressing the concerns that many Americans have: the authenticity of Obama's U.S. birth.  Romney's "joke" effortlessly tips a hat to the many who remain unconvinced that Obama was birthed in America.  Retroactively declaring this gaffe as a joke allows him to distance himself in the public eye while allowing those reeling in birther conspiracies a wink-wink off camera.  Yes, Romney has not forgotten about your support, fellow birther conspirators.  

For those who doubt what is implied in Mitt's joke, it is the equivalent of saying "So, a Kenyan, a muslim, and a President walk into a bar.  They're all Obama!  Get it?  GET IT!?!?!?!"  Yes Romney, some people get the joke.  What others "get" is confirmation that their candidate is as far on the fringe of lunatic conspiracies as they are.

Setting aside political biases for a moment, it is fine to vote republican.  It's your freedom to vote democrat.  But don't polarize politics by othering the President of the United States.  Have a fucking back bone.  How humiliating is it, as President of the United States, to be the first President that is coerced into presenting a birth certificate.  To have the DOH and state Governor both state under oath that the documents are valid. To have this remain a central issue of controversy due to incessant misinformation and lies.  It's truly heart breaking that such "jokes" Romney is privileged to make have such a warm reception by his primarily white crowd of attendees.

In the infamous 47% video, Romney jokes about how running for president would be easier if he were Mexican.  I'm sure that in between being harassed by ICE, border patrol, and police officers, latinos in Arizona are doing nothing but bleeding their heart out in condolensces for Romney's priveleged, wealthy, and white childhood upbringing.

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