Hawaii Considers Law to Ignore Obama 'Birthers'
Updated: 42 days 14 hours ago
Print Text Size
E-mail More

Mark Niesse
AP
HONOLULU (March 17) -- Birthers beware: Hawaii may start ignoring your repeated requests for proof that President Barack Obama was born here.

As the state continues to receive e-mails seeking Obama's birth certificate, the state House Judiciary Committee heard a bill Tuesday permitting government officials to ignore people who won't give up.
Hawaii considering law to ignore Obama birthers
Mike Cardew, Akron Beacon Journal / MCT
Still receiving e-mails from "birthers" asking to see President Barack Obama's birth certificate, Hawaii is considering a law that would allow officials to ignore them.

"Sometimes we may be dealing with a cohort of people who believe lack of evidence is evidence of a conspiracy," said Lorrin Kim, chief of the Hawaii Department of Health's Office of Planning, Policy and Program Development.

So-called "birthers" claim Obama is ineligible to be president because, they argue, he was actually born outside the United States, and therefore doesn't meet a constitutional requirement for being president.

Hawaii Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino issued statements last year and in October 2008 saying that she's seen vital records that prove Obama is a natural-born American citizen.

But the state still gets between 10 and 20 e-mails seeking verification of Obama's birth each week, most of them from outside Hawaii, Kim said Tuesday.

A few of these requesters continue to pepper the Health Department with the same letters seeking the same information, even after they're told state law bars release of a certified birth certificate to anyone who does not have a tangible interest. Responding wastes time and money, Kim said.

Both Fukino and the state registrar of vital statistics have verified that the Health Department holds Obama's original birth certificate.

The issue coincides with Sunshine Week, when news organizations promote open government and freedom of information.

"Do we really want to be known internationally as the Legislature that blocked any inquiries into where President Obama was born?" asked Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R-Kaneohe-Kailua. "When people want to get more information, the way to fuel that fire is to say, 'We're now going to draw down a veil of secrecy.'"

Nobody at the hearing questioned the fact that the president was born in Hawaii.

Attorney Peter Fritz asked why the state would pass a law punishing repetitive requests for open records. Instead, the state could simply say it would only answer each person's question once.

If the measure passed, the state Office of Information Practices could declare an individual a "vexatious requester" and restrict rights to government records for two years.

The committee will schedule a vote on the measure, said Chairman Jon Riki Karamatsu, D-Waipahu-Waikele.

http://www.aolnews.com/politics/article/hawaii-considers-law-to-ignore-obama-birthers/19403047?icid=main|main|dl1|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Farticle%2Fhawaii-considers-law-to-ignore-obama-birthers%2F19403047


I guess the denial that a black man got into office here in this country just won't let those white racists rest.

They can't prove he is not born here, they can't prove he is an undercover Muslim terrorist and they cannot let people see that they are truly just racist so they chase their tail.

It is sad really.

the whole birther issue was started by Hillary supporting democrats during the primary. I know it's convenient to disregard that, but facts tend to be a b*tch when they get in the way of ulterior motivations..

whomever started it,, its a non issue. Government official verified his status and he provided documentation which serves as official government proof of citizenship,,,,the case is closed,,,,

it does matter who started it. propagandists have twisted the facts and truth and are attempting to push this as a republican smear campaign. when I see the left wingers saying it started in their midst then it's a non issue..

Isn't it funny how 'Republican' and 'smear campaign' go together like 'marshmallows' and 'smores' when you consider it was people like Jerome Corsi trying to Swift Boat Obama from the very beginning? Then you have the people at Far Right World Net Daily who are still drinking the Kool Aid and passing out samples...


-Kerry O.

Pssh! Neither major party has a monopoly on smear campaigns, propaganda, and misinformation. They're equally pathetic.

who started it? racist hillary supporting democrats? come on.. we all know if you don't support obama you have to be a racist..

so admit it..

So post your 'proof'. If you can.

Vis-a-vis the racist lark, considrr that Alan Keyes is a Birther who filed a lawsuit against Obama's candidacy.

Finally, it's pretty apparent who the clowns are in this particular media circus-- they keep showing up for performances like robots. Or like people who have something to gain. At the end of the day, who really cares 'who started it'-- it sounds more like an whine you'd give your mother when you were a kid for being sent to your room for your own part in a ruckus over trifles.

-Kerry

Actually he provided a certificate of live birth, theres a big difference. There are many people born in foreign countries who can get certificates of live birth.

There you go with the personal attacks again.

Republican and smear campaign? Didn't you watch the Dempcratic Primaries between Hillary, Obama and Edwards? That was dirtier then the Republicans have even got, even with Karl Rove.

actually, legally there isnt,, what he provided is proof of citizenship for the US Government in issuing AMERICAN passports...

and by the way, if a goverment office is putting an official raised stamp on a document that CLAIMS someones place of birth is Hawaii, even though they are actually born in foreign countries,,,,the folks of HAWAII should be outraged and do something to change that fraudulent practice


In ohio, if a document says someones place of birth is OHIO and the ohio seal is on it,, it damn well better be true,,

That is not so with a Certificate of Live Birth

Damn straight, brother.

Oh yeah, I forgot we're sworn enemies...

You're right, in the wrongest way possible.

lol,, it is true.

The document has the raised seal of HAWAII, and after Island of birth it says OAHU as well as TIME of birth

,,,,,if its not true it is fraudulent and illegal,, plain and simple.

to bad the health care plan doesnt cover stupid, i mean really i would love as an independant to hear something sain from the right, but there is nothing sain about this or the socialist crap or the terrorist crap.
the conservative party acts like doctors in the dark ages, no matter how many people suffer or die from their so called "cure" they just keep pushing it and stake and burn anyone who disagreas, the will of the people was obvious Obama won on the platform of the issues he has been addressing, as for the reversals i guess that is to be expected when you are governing someplace as vast as the United States.
as as far as the tea baggers are concerned if you think this is a socailist administration let me ask you do you think your protests would have gone over in China or Cuba? do you think the Chinese gonvernment would have let you bring your guns? there is no proof we are going to that form of governing no matter what Rush or Beck say.

But where is the document? why are they trying to keep it a secret? where can we get a copy?

why do we need a copy? the certificate of birth has been posted and a GOVERNMENT official has verified the birth record,,,,


In Hawaii, if you were to request a BIRTH CERTIFICATE for Obamas year of birth, this is the certificate you would get,,,,the one which is posted,,,, those who have SAVED another version could present that one, but many people lose those along the way(as I have) and request them later,,,,,,OBamas certificate, requested during his nomination, is the same one anyone else born in OBamas year would have received if they had requested it during that time

its not a big secret,, Presidents just have more important issues than backing up proof thats already been provided.


http://sites.google.com/site/msharmonyallday/home


notice how the botton of this OFFICIAL DOCUMENT states:
"This copy serves as prima facie evidence of the fact of birth in any court proceeding"


FACT of birth, suggesting what is on the document must be FACTUAL

now if people want to dispute it, it is THEIR burden to disprove it,, not the one with prima facie evidence,,,