This whole topic sums up everthing that is wrong with America. It's obvious that Obama was born in America, if anyone believes otherwise they're either racist, stupid or both. This sums up the problem, vast swathes of the population believe the propaganda pushed out by fox news and extreme right wing talk show hosts. The lies about the NHS are a good example. Fox news broadcast that if Steven Hawking were British he would not have survived as long as he has. The fact is Steven Hawking is British and has the NHS to thank for his continued survival. If he were American he would be dead now.
I was in Texas in the late 1980's with some friends, I was asked if I wanted whitener in my coffee, but the word that was used was one I was unfamiliar with. When I found out what it was I replied with the term 'oh, like coffemate,' which is the most popular brand this side of the pond, and is used as a generic term for all non-dairy creamers, in the same way nescafe is used as a generic term for instant coffee in a lot of countries whether it's nescafe or not.
My host wouldn't have it though. She insisted that in Europe we only have one brand of anything, and therefore have no choice. I told her she was thinking of what was then Eastern Europe, still behind the iron curtain, not the West. She'd never been outside of Texas, and despite me reeling off a list of names for non-dairy creamers still preferred to believe her fictionalised view of life outside the USA.
It was just like talking to someone from North Korea, but instead of swallowing communist propaganda she'd swallowed the view that life inside the USA was so much better than the rest of the world that it's an act of treason to think that other countries may have a comparable lifestyle, or that other countries may even do some things better. I've not spoken to her for a long time but I wouldn't be surprised if she was a member of the birther movement. She also wouldn't believe that being English, I didn't know 'Bob' from Chesterfield. I've never been to Chesterfield, and the UK has a population of 60 million +, but like a lot of Republicans, she would not let the facts get in the way of a preferred fiction.
This wouldn't be a problem if America wasn't still the most powerful country in the world, whose influence is felt everywhere. A significant swathe of the population goes out and votes, basing their decisions on pure fantasy. Again it's easier to believe that Obama was born in Kenya and is a Moslem, and that all Moslems hate America than it is to live in the real world. Unfortunately the rest of us have to live with the consequences of their votes.
@izzythepush,
Quote:This sums up the problem, vast swathes of the population believe the propaganda pushed out by fox news and extreme right wing talk show hosts.
" I have the greatest admiration for your propaganda. Propaganda in the West is carried out by experts who have had the best training in the world -- in the field of advertizing -- and have mastered the techniques with exceptional proficiency ... Yours are subtle and persuasive; ours are crude and obvious ... I think that the fundamental difference between our worlds, with respect to propaganda, is quite simple. You tend to believe yours ... and we tend to disbelieve ours. "
a Soviet correspondent based five years in the U.S.
@JTT,
I wanna look at it, but I hope it’s true,” Trump said during a visit to Portsmouth. “We have to look at it, we have to see ‘is it real,’‘is it proper?’”
URL:
http://able2know.org/topic/171367-1
As a Sotonian I'm surprised I didn't hear about this on the news. Still if he's trying to appeal to a bunch of Skates he really is going for the lowest common denominator. Can't manage more than a draw against Burnley, we've got one more win to go then we'll thrash you next season. Go Saints. Respect Nigel Adkins.
A spare thought... wonder if this was (in part if not entirely) a lead-up to the OBL death and the inevitable rumors it would spawn? Short of taking his body on tour, it's hard to provide enough proof, and taking his body on tour would be super-incredibly disrespectful of Muslims and cause its own problems.
This context -- the whole birther conspiracy thing and its thorough debunking -- might help.
