“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” Job 38:2

“He that gives answer before he hears, It is folly and shame unto him.” Proverbs 18:13

Many commentators today speak errantly and without knowledge. They report the matter as it suits their agenda or goal.  Recently, there has been a push on to try the veracity of President Elect Obama’s citizenship requirements. Obama taught Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School. From the University’s own press release the following applies.

“UC Law School statement: The Law School has received many media requests about Barack Obama, especially about his status as "Senior Lecturer." From 1992 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004, Barack Obama served as a professor in the Law School. He was a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996. He was a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004, during which time he taught three courses per year. Senior Lecturers are considered to be members of the Law School faculty and are regarded as professors, although not full-time or tenure-track. The title of Senior Lecturer is distinct from the title of Lecturer, which signifies adjunct status. Like Obama, each of the Law School's Senior Lecturers have high-demand careers in politics or public service, which prevent full-time teaching. Several times during his 12 years as a professor in the Law School, Obama was invited to join the faculty in a full-time tenure-track position, but he declined.” (http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media/index.html)

What I am saying is simply (and it must be kept simple) this, someone that taught Constitutional Law would most certainly know what the Constitution says, wouldn’t they? And knowing what it says in Article II Section 1 would they believe themselves to be qualified for the office of the President of the United States of America? What does this portion of the Constitution actually say? The part in question is stated simply (and for the people challenging this (Barack’s eligibility) it must be kept simple…real simple).

No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President;… Article II Section 1.

What does this actually say? “Except a natural born citizen, OR a citizen of the United States.” The part that keeps turning up missing is the “OR a citizen…” The focus and accent is on the “natural born” part by the (quasi) as it were educated challengers to Obama’s citizenship. Let us examine the facts, shall we? From the State Department’s Website on Citizenship the following applies, providing it becomes necessary!

“Acquisition of U.S. Citizenship By a Child Born Abroad:

Birth Abroad to One Citizen and One Alien Parent in Wedlock: A child born abroad to one U.S. citizen parent and one alien parent acquires U.S. citizenship at birth under Section 301(g) INA provided the citizen parent was physically present in the U.S. for the time period required by the law applicable at the time of the child's birth. (For birth on or after November 14, 1986, a period of five years physical presence, two after the age of fourteen is required. For birth between December 24, 1952 and November 13, 1986, a period of ten years, five after the age of fourteen are required for physical presence in the U.S. to transmit U.S. citizenship to the child.” (http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_609.html).

Now let’s follow the timeline of Barack’s mother.

Born:

Stanley Ann Dunham

November 29, 1942

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, US

Moved to Hawaii:

1960 (18 years of age)

Married:

February 2, 1961 to Barack Obama Sr.

Gave Birth in Hawaii:

August 4, 1961, (age 18) to Barack Obama II

All of the aforementioned occurred within the United States of America as Hawaii was a state since 1959. We will examine more timeline information for clarity’s sake.

Ann Dunham Timeline:

1942

November 29, 1942: Ann Dunham is born Stanley Dunham in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Her parents are Stanley Armour Dunham and Madelyn Dunham. Her father names his daughter Stanley after himself because he wanted a son. When she's 18, Stanley, who doesn't like her boyish name, starts introducing herself as Ann.

1956

Ann Dunham is 13. Her family moves to Mercer Island, Washington, so Ann can attend a new high school that has recently opened. Ann spends 8th grade through high school on Mercer Island. Ann is deeply influenced by two of her teachers: Val Foubert and Jim Wichterman. Foubert, English teacher, and Wichterman, philosophy teacher, encouraged their students to challenge authority and societal norms. The reading list provided by them included: Atlas Shrugged, 1984, and The Communist Manifesto. Parents on Mercer Island were outraged and tried to have Foubert and Wichterman fired. During high school years Ann Dunham states she is an atheist and that she is not interested in getting married or having children.

1960

Ann Dunham is 18. Her family moves to Honolulu, Hawaii. Ann begins classes at the University of Hawaii.

- She meets Barack Obama Sr. in a Russian-language class. Barack Obama Sr. is a foreign student from Kenya, who has a magnetic personality. Barack Obama Sr. is very opinionated, talkative and passionate. The two start dating.

- Ann tells her parents about her African boyfriend and they invite him for dinner.

1961

 February 2, 1961: Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr. get married in Maui in a discreet ceremony. Nobody is invited. At the time of the wedding Ann is already three months pregnant with Barack Obama Jr.

August 4, 1961: Barack Obama Jr. is born. Ann is eighteen. She drops out of college after one semester in the University of Hawaii.

1962

 When Barack Obama Jr. is 1, his father, Barack Obama sr., leaves the family and goes to Harvard to pursue a Ph.D. in economics.

- When Barack Obama Jr. is almost 2, Ann returns to college. Her parents help take care of baby Barack. Money is tight.

- Ann meets Lolo Soetoro at the University of Hawaii. Lolo is a foreign student from Indonesia.

1964

 Ann files for divorce from Barack Obama Sr. and he signs the papers.

Again; all of this occurs while Barack Obama’s mother is a United States citizen dwelling within the United Sates for more than twenty (20) years! And, according to the State Department’s website this also satisfies the requirements if the child was born elsewhere, such as outside of the United States. Either way Barack Obama is a citizen of the United States of America by law and by birth. This at the minimum satisfies the OR factor of Article II Section 1 clause on qualifications for candidacy of the office of President. 

It remains to be seen what will happen or where it will end, but it seems to be an effort in vain as the challenge to Obama’s citizenship was tossed from several courts already including review by SCOTUS Justice David Souter. However, as sore losers go, they want their pound of flesh. The current charge and whining is led by Alan Keyes, Senate and Presidential contender and loser to both offices, and World Net Daily, another sore loser website. It’s not about Constitution or about Constitutional Law or they would have challenged some serious violations of the Constitution by the Bush Administration et al. It is personal against Obama! They have tried everything they could to discredit the man and his candidacy. They tried to use subversive propaganda by desperately attaching an appellative to him such as “he is a Muslim.” They tried to paint him as a Chicago thug and connected to questionable people and hard dirty politics; Chicago style. However, to date, it has failed to work. And, I do not think the latest attempt will either. So, what’s left? If everything else fails they will either have him assassinated or try to have him assassinated! Remember who these people are, and write their names into an investigative file as suspect in collaboration to murder in cold blood President Barack Obama. And that will make our job much easier because we know who you are, and where you live! It will not go down like the JFK assassination; we won’t stand for it this time! So, keep track of those involved in this (quasi) Constitutional challenge, and then place them on the suspect or person (s) of interest list! Remember, hatred and envy is powerful motivators.