Perception is a funny thing

By: Ian Johnson Posted: 07/26/09 9:21pm Comments: 9

Public perception is kind of a weird thing. A lot of the time, what is true and what people think are true are not the same. And if you get some people who are crazy enough, they’ll occasionally try to fight for an issue that doesn’t really exist.

That’s what happened at a press conference held by Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del, when some idiot interrupted the conference and questioned why the congressman was ignoring a claim that President Barack Obama wasn’t born in the United States. It’s on YouTube and I recommend you go check it out. It’s hilarious in a really sad way.

This woman — who the crowd seemed to support — actually believes that Obama doesn’t have a U.S. birth certificate and brought her own to help make her point. Either that or it was so authorities could identify her easier.

It seems like this perception is a layover from the election, when Obama’s heritage played a significant role in the campaign. For some reason, enough people are getting the impression he not only is descendent from Africa, but he was probably born there, too. Then, when people tell them to shut up, the “birthers” — which are strikingly similar to the Sep. 11 “truthers” — act like they’re being suppressed.
It’s not like people aren’t paying attention to your argument because they want to keep it quiet, they’re just ignoring it because it’s stupid and wrong.

I don’t know if it’s because he’s black — I hope to God it’s not — or if people just don’t like his politics, but the fact that this issue exists is baffling. Since he has a valid birth certificate, I think it’s safe to say they’re making this claim based on absolutely no evidence.

I’m going to count people like this as reason No. 65,275 why nothing ever gets done in this country.