On Fri, Nov 21, 2014 at 4:55 PM, Joseph Catron <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 21, 2014 at 2:04 PM, raghu <[email protected]> wrote: > >> On Thu, Nov 20, 2014 at 7:27 PM, Perelman, Michael < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> > People still believe that Saddam is responsible for 9-11 & Obama is a >>> Kenyan, or that climate change is a hoax. >>> >> >> I don't think anyone actually believes these things. These are all >> codewords. >> > > I can definitely attest, without any doubt, that some people believe the > last one. > I suppose that depends on what your definition of "believe" is, but surely you will agree that this sort of belief goes together with a certain ideological affiliation that morphs into a type of tribalism. There is a strong ritualistic element to how these supposed "beliefs" are commonly expressed (in opinion polls, campaign speeches etc). > As for Obama being a Kenyan, strictly speaking, he only was until he > turned 23. > > http://www.factcheck.org/2008/08/obamas-kenyan-citizenship > > Today, I guess it's his business to define his identity however he wishes. > Sad to see him run away from the African side of it, though. > How is he running away from the 'African side" of it? You cannot be blind to the rhetorical context here: where "Kenyan" is framed against (and assumed to be exclusive of) "American". Is that really a battle you'd want to fight? When birthers say "Kenyan", what they really mean is "not American". It is simple and crude racism and has nothing to do with supposed conspiracy theories about passports and birth certificates. -raghu.
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