LETTER: Twisted facts makes great political hay

To the Telegram:

Like every good hoax or unproven myth, there are bits of information and history that support flawed scenarios. One of the most outrageous myths — the Affordable Care Act contains a clause authorizing the government to “pull the plug on Granny,” — has never been proven to exist. It may have arisen from a clause in the health care bill that does allow for family end of life planning and collaboration with health care officials if desired by patients or their families.

GOP superstar Sarah Palin claims the health care bill determines if, and when, to end life supports or vital medications. But in reality, only the patient or their next of kin has, or ever will have, that right.

The fact there is no truth to confirm this farce, makes it hard to believe Palin doesn’t know it is a lie and continues spreading the myth for political purposes.

There is perhaps an even more outrageous political myth that concerns the idea President Obama was not really born in America — disqualifying him from the presidency.

The reason Obama waited to release a long form of his birth certificate is because the state of Hawaii officially releases a short form as standard practice — for privacy and confidentially, and applies to any citizen. But in order to pacify some of the public’s concerns and suspicions, Obama’s attorney Judith Corley wrote to the Hawaiian Department of Health, and requested a waiver of the department’s policy. So, on April 25, 2011, the Hawaiian State Director of Health Loretta J. Fuddy wrote to Obama and told him she was “making an exception to current departmental policy,” and issuing copies of the original Certificate of Live Birth. Independent websites like FactCheck.org confirmed the authenticity of this “long form,” just as it had the short form released in 2008.

Donald Trump has famously circulated rumors neither birth certificate is proof and also has claimed based on an edited recording made by an Anabaptist minister named Ron McRae. McRae claims in this recording, Obama’s paternal grandmother, Sarah Obama, admitted to him that she was present and in Kenya during the birth of Obama. This false idea was “proven” on McRae’s recording, which had really been edited. When the rest of the tape was released, it proved that Obama’s grandmother was confused, but later the interpreter she had used because she spoke in her local Luo language, strongly confirmed that Obama was not born in Mombasa, Kenya, but was actually born in America. The translator displayed obvious confusion concerning McRae’s continued use of leading questions and clearly states, “Sir, she says he was born in Hawaii.”

Apparently, because of what was lost in translation, Sarah Obama thought that McRae’s inquiry concerning whether she was “present when he was born in Kenya,” had questioned whether or not she was present in Kenya, while Obama was born in Hawaii. As soon as Sarah’s translator realized the mistake, he completely and indisputably made sure that McRae understood the president was born in Hawaii, and that his grandmother affirmed his American birth. The entire recording is available on Jeff Schreiber’s website (the person who first aired McCrae’s edited recording) or can be heard by a clicking on a link provided by FactCheck.org. The recording, though a bit scratchy, definitely reveals Sarah Obama never really said the president was born in Kenya, and the translator was confused when he became aware of the obvious miscommunication.

Wikipedia also examines all of the baloney being circulated by the “Birther” controversy and reveals contradictions present in specific issues related to Trump’s and other claims.

As usual, those who are suspicious of a president with a Muslim and Arabic sounding name, refuse to listen to the CIA, the FBI and hundreds of senators and congressmen who are aware of matters of security, and thousands of journalists and citizens who have surely reviewed and vetted every aspect of this story with a fine tooth comb. Instead, they listen to their own suspicious minds. Thus, a few odd facts have created a fictitious plot to rival any Hollywood movie. But, as the president said, it is certain that, for those who want to believe it, “this issue will not be put to rest.”

Peter W. Johnson,

Superior

Tags: opinion, letters