On Barack Obama’s Birthday, we remember 50 years on, that he was born in the USA, and is a bona fide American. Now there’s cause for celebration!
In addition to reaching the land-mark post of the big 5-0, we remember that at 50 he actually qualifies for his position of President by his Hawaii birth, 1961. No administrative error made there in processing his application form.
At 50, he is now indisputably and, contrary to charges otherwise, naturally-born American, as testified by the proof in the birth-certificate-pudding, presented to the world courtesy of ‘birther' campaign by Donald Trump. What’s more, we and Obama can consider this birth-outing spectacle an early birthday present from rival Donald Trump.
Trump, himself the repeat-aspirant for political power from his trumped-up reality- TV- show- host- position, cast aspersions over natural-born 'Leader's' true origins and birthright, and so with it, Obama's eligibility to be President of the United States.
While this big 5-0 celebration may be somewhat marred by the US debt debate, at least Obama can be safe in the knowledge that his birthday is celebrated as an all-round through and through American affair, as American as apple pie. His birthright was vindicated by the Trump-led investigation earlier this year, which culminated in an April reckoning whereby BO came out with the ultimate red-tape evidence of his birth, in paper-proof: sharing with the USA and world his birth-certificate and with it his right to remain ruling.
Trump would have had it otherwise- and speaks of Obama’s origins and start in life as cloaked in mystery. 'By April 7th, 20011,“a little doubt” on ABC had become “a big possibility” on NBC.'
' “The reason I have a little doubt, just a little, is because he grew up and nobody knew him,” Trump said. “The whole thing is very strange.”'
We however, the world public, were let-in to the quite banal origins, eschewed of mystery, and now officially public: He was born August 4, 1961, at the Kapi‘olani Medical Center, in Honolulu, Hawaii. That should have killed the mounting speculation by Trump that he was born elsewhere. Maybe Africa?
Then again it didn't help the Obama birthright case that his 'own grandmother' was cited (by Trump's investigation) as saying “he was born in Kenya and says she was there.” Rose-tinted bi-focal specs? Dementia fogginess?
Just as today, while there are more important matters to get waylaid by for the US President, we are focusing on his big 5-0. So it was back in April when he dredged up his birth certificate at a press conference to prove that he was eligible to hold his office, when there were more important matters to attend to aruguably, than quell a controversy fomented by a reality-show judge (and contestant in the Presidency ongoing race-show). Obama could have been directing his energies to his floundering economy and domestic bank-home closures.
That said, greeting the President Happy Birthday is part of an established American tradition laid down if nothing else, by Marlyin Monroe’s inaugural “Happy Birthday, Mr.President”. JFK famously accepted his special birthday message graciously, with those words: "Thank you. I can now retire from politics after having had 'Happy Birthday' sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way."
Today reminds us that we can, and quite rightly, should, indulge in wishing the President of the United States, Mr. Barak Obama, a Happy Birthday with his friends from home-town Chicago, and family who are taking time away from the routine to celebrate in style at the White House. (He counts his daughter as present a’plenty, as she will be leaving camp to spend the day with him.) Why? Because the big 5-0 in the Whitehouse is a special occasion- and the Lord knows, some festivity is needed during these dismal debt days.
By Dina Dabbous.
