The Birther Narrative and Barack Obama’s Eligibility for Presidency
As a conservative who voted against Obama twice, my stance is clear but not out of blind loyalty or bias; rather, it is based on a conviction in the republican principles and the Constitution. This article explores the birther narrative and its claims about Barack Obama’s eligibility to serve as the President of the United States. The focus is on dispelling the myth that Obama was not eligible due to the place of his birth, specifically addressing the assertion that he could not have been born in Kenya.
Birthright Citizenship and Presidential Eligibility
One of the common arguments against Barack Obama’s eligibility for the presidency revolves around the place of his birth. Those opposing his candidacy, known as birthers, claim that Obama was born in Kenya rather than the United States. However, this argument is based on a misunderstanding of the legal requirements for presidential eligibility and birthright citizenship.
According to the Constitution of the United States, a person must be a natural born citizen to be eligible for the presidency. This means that the candidate must have been a citizen at the time of the birth, not necessarily born on American soil. In fact, the Fourteenth Amendment grants birthright citizenship to anyone born in the United States, regardless of the parent's citizenship status.
Obama’s Eligibility Confirmed
Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. This fact is undisputed and supported by reliable sources. Moreover, his eligibility was never in question by the electoral system, which has mechanisms in place to ensure that presidential candidates meet all constitutional requirements. The notion that one must be born in the United States for presidential eligibility is fallacious.
Furthermore, in 2016, Ted Cruz, a Republican candidate for the presidency, also faced similar questions regarding his birthplace. Cruz was born in Canada, but he is a natural born citizen of the United States due to his mother's American citizenship. This paved the way for Cruz to run for the presidency, much like Obama. Both cases demonstrate that Presidential eligibility can be established through birthright citizenship rather than place of birth.
Kenyan Ancestry and Misunderstandings
Another common misconception among birthers is that Obama’s Kenyan ancestry somehow makes his eligibility for the presidency into question. As mentioned earlier, Obama’s father, Stanley Obama, was indeed Kenyan, but this is a matter of ancestry, not citizenship. Barack Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural born citizen of the United States.
Many American citizens, regardless of their ethnic heritage, have ancestors from other parts of the world. This does not affect their status as natural born citizens. For example, many people of Irish descent were not born in Ireland, but they are still considered natural born citizens of the United States. Similarly, Obama’s Kenyan heritage does not disqualify him from being a natural born citizen of the United States.
Concluding Remarks
The birther narrative, which questions Obama’s eligibility for the presidency, is based on a flawed understanding of the U.S. Constitution and birthright citizenship. Both the legal framework and the practical application of these principles have consistently validated Obama’s eligibility. It is important to base our political decisions on accurate and constitutional reasoning rather than unsupported claims or conspiracies.
As a Constitutionalist, it is imperative to advocate for a thorough understanding of our founding documents and the principles they embody. The Constitution is clear: a natural born citizen can run for President, and Barack Obama meets this requirement.