It's hard to believe, but more conservative luminaries seem to be latching onto the conspiracy theory that Barack Obama is not a United States citizen. Despite the fact that his certificate of live birth has been released, and there was an ad in the newspaper announcing his birth several days after he was born, both Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh have now come out of the closet as full blown birthers. Dave Weigel reported earlier this week that moderate Republican Congressman Mike Castle was booed by birthers at a town hall meeting earlier this month.
I think the fundamental racism of this conspiracy theory is obvious--only prejudice can be so immune to facts. Still, I once believed that the insanity of these claims would discredit its proponents and the movement would die off after Obama actually took office. Instead, it's gained more prominent mainstream supporters, from the leader of the Republican Party to representatives in Congress to a CNN anchor. I'm not sure what the ultimate consequences of the birther movement will be, either for the Republican Party or the country as a whole. But I'm willing to be that as long as this insanity continues snowballing, it won't be good for either.
-- A. Serwer
