Birthers Gone Berserk

Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson on this whole birther thing:

If there's been a more clinically insane political phenomenon in my lifetime than the "birthers," I've missed it. Is this what our national discourse has come to? Sheer paranoid fantasy?

...Is this an orchestrated campaign to somehow delegitimize Obama's presidency? Is the fact that he is the first African American president a factor? Is it that some people can't or won't accept that he won the election and serves as commander in chief?

Maybe, maybe not. Trying to analyze the "birther" phenomenon would mean taking it seriously, and taking it seriously would be like arguing about the color of unicorns. About all that can be said is that a bunch of lost, confused and frightened people have decided to seek refuge in conspiratorial make-believe. I hope they're harmless. And I hope they seek help.

Well, there is another political phenomenon brewing that might rival this if it has any legs. Some on the super-duper extreme fringes of the right have some wacky idea that President Obama has instructed FEMA to build concentration camps. (Actually, they're mental institutions for the deranged fascists among us...but, ssshhh, don't tell anyone.)

As for the campaign to delegitimize Obama's election, that is the typical M.O. for the right wing crazies. They had their panties in a bunch back when Clinton was president. ("Oh my God, he only received 43% of the vote," they screamed. Yet they were strangely silent when their heaven sent savior, George W. Bush, took office after losing the popular vote.) They just can't stand it when a Democrat is president.

Really. It's that simple. Ronald Reagan could come back with the same brand of conservative politics he governed with, but the bat-shit crazies would have none of it if Reagan's name were followed with the letter "D."

As for the birthers, Robinson makes a very good point: We hope they're harmless. But we would do well to remember that the genetic make up of these imbeciles produced a guy by the name of Timothy McVeigh.

Update: Case in point...



Day-yum! Someone bring that woman a straight jacket.