If we’ve learned anything over the past month, it is that there are varying degrees of crazy and that not all birthers are created equal.
Early in the birther movement we saw the Great Schism between the Eastern Orthodox birthers, lead by the patriarch Philip Berg (those of Eastern faith believe Barack Obama was born in Kenya, but that if he had been born in the United States, then he was born a natural born citizen) and the Catholic birthers, known for their veneration of the Blessed Orly Taitz (BOT), who believe Obama was not a natural born citizen wherever he was born because his father was British. Pope Leo Donofrio is the spiritual father of this group and Mario Apuzzo heads the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The official split between the two groups was the Taitz v. Liberi lawsuit in which each side excommunicated the other and damned them to hell.
Corruption within the Catholic birther movement has led some to question the infallibility of its leadership. These so-called Protestant Birthers are led by the reformer Dean Haskins. Haskins broke with the Catholic birthers through his heterodox refusal to venerate the BOT. Haskins has used a historical-critical methodology to show why the veneration of Taitz is against the long-term interests of the faith.
While I can describe these denominational categories and perhaps some will find them useful, the birther sheep in the flock may not clearly discern the divisions, and may remain in a state of internal self contradiction.
This brings me to the instance of David Farrar. The BOT is, after all, his attorney, a most sacred institutional attachment. Nevertheless, it appears that Farrar was appalled at the letter Taitz wrote (ostensibly on his behalf) to the Georgia Secretary of State, a letter making a scurrilous attack against a Georgia Judge.
I think Farrar is on the verge of a crisis of faith. On the one hand, he must separate himself from what he considers the outrageous actions of the BOT, but on the other hand his faith in the movement is tied to his faith in her. This contradiction expressed itself in a letter from Farrar to Secretary Kemp (the full text of the Farrar letter is at the bottom of this article):
Dear Sec. Kemp,
Please allow me an opportunity to disassociate myself from any and all criminal allegations made by my attorney, Dr. Orly Taitz, against Judge Malihi in her EMERGENCY APPEAL motion now before you. They were not only unauthorized, but unsupported.
In looking back over Judge Malihi’s recommendation, it seems apparent he may have erroneously combined the testimony and evidence submitted from all threes cases into one to arrive at his recommendation, when such is not the case. We do have a separation order signed by Judge Malihi just for that reason. We have different case numbers and we are three separate and distinct cases. This is the reason many leading jurists around the country are confused at just how the judge arrived at his recommendation given the evidence and testimony submitted, most notably, Mario Apuzzo, Esq. …
Birther’s brain on Apuzzo
As best I can tell, Farrar is not ready to throw the BOT under the BUS, BUT he is looking elsewhere for spiritual inspiration, to Inquisitor Mario. That would be a mistake because. Apuzzo hasn’t won any more birther lawsuits than Taitz has, nor will he in the future. He’s no more a “leading jurist” than I’m a real doctor.
I wish Mr. Farrar the best, and for an abirther such as myself, that would mean full freedom from the birther cults of all denominations. Perhaps some study of Haskins will be the first step, followed by a deeper study of the ancient scriptures, such as Lynch v. Clarke – NY 1844. Fr. Sandford got it right.
Full text of Farrar letter:
Honorable Brian Kemp
Secretary of State of Georgia
214 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
via e-mail to Vincent R. Russo Jr. ESQ
VRusso@sos.GA.gov and via Federal Express overnight delivery
Re: FARRAR V OBAMA OSAH-SECSTATE-CE-1215136-60-MALHIDear Sec. Kemp,
Please allow me an opportunity to disassociate myself from any and all criminal allegations made by my attorney, Dr. Orly Taitz, against Judge Malihi in her EMERGENCY APPEAL motion now before you. They were not only unauthorized, but unsupported.
In looking back over Judge Malihi’s recommendation, it seems apparent he may have erroneously combined the testimony and evidence submitted from all threes cases into one to arrive at his recommendation, when such is not the case. We do have a separation order signed by Judge Malihi just for that reason. We have different case numbers and we are three separate and distinct cases. This is the reason many leading jurists around the country are confused at just how the judge arrived at his recommendation given the evidence and testimony submitted, most notably, Mario Apuzzo, Esq. When he recently wrote:
“But there is no evidence before the Court that Obama was born in the United States. The court can only rest its finding of fact on evidence that is part of the court record. The judge tells us that he decided the merits of the plaintiffs’ claims. But he does not tell us in his decision what evidence he relied upon to “consider[]” that Obama was born in the United States. The judge “considered” that Obama was born in the United States. What does “considered” mean? Clearly, it is not enough for a court to consider evidence or law. It must make a finding after having considered facts and law. The judge simply does not commit to any finding as to where Obama was born. Using the word “considered” is a cop out from actually addressing the issue. Additionally, we know from his decision that neither Obama nor his attorney appeared at the hearing let alone introduced any evidence of Obama’s place of birth. We also know from the decision that the judge ruled that plaintiffs’ documents introduced into evidence were “of little, if any, probative value, and thus wholly insufficient to support Plaintiff’s allegations.” Surely, the court did not use those “insufficient” documents as evidence of Obama’s place of birth. Nor does the judge tell us that he used those documents for any such purpose. The judge also does not tell us that the court took any judicial notice of any evidence (not to imply that it could). The judge did find that Obama has been certified by the state executive committee of a political party. But with the rules of evidence of superior court applying, this finding does not establish anyone’s place of birth. Hence, what evidence did the judge have to rule that Obama is born in the United States? The answer is none.”…Mario Apuzzo, Esq.
For more click here, but the point is clear: somewhere Judge Malihi assumed that Dr. Taitz had allowed candidate Obama’s birth certificate to come into evidence in our case, when it did not, as it did in the other two cases. For this reason, you should set aside Judge Malihi’s recommendation and insist candidate Obama, at the very minimum, enter a certified copy of his Official Hawaiian birth certificate, with the embossed/impressed certification seal visible, into evidence in our case.
I am sure, like Judge Malihi, Mr. Secretary, you do not condone the action of the defendant in this case. Part of the action undertaken by Mr. Jablonski, I am lead to believe, was an attempt to supply you with a copy of his client’s birth certificate on an ex parte basis, in a brazen attempt to enter this document into the court file without giving the Plaintiffs access to either the records this document was created from, nor an opportunity for the Plaintiffs to offer any rebuttal. If this is true, it would represent a patently unfair process and cause all our efforts to date for a fair hearing on the issue to be questioned. Such action, if true, only serves to demonstrate candidate Obama understood only too well the key element in this case was the submission of his birth certificate to judicial scrutiny. Without proper submission of this document into evidence, all our efforts to clearly establish candidate Obama’s presidential qualifications will have been in vain.
The purpose of this lawsuit was simply to have candidate Obama’s birth certificate properly examined and reviewed in a court of law. Sadly, it seems, candidate Obama’s has been able to bamboozle your efforts in this regard if you accept the recommendation of Judge Malihi.
My recommendation is to stand firm and insist candidate Obama’s name will be taken off the Georgia ballot until such time as he can properly submit a certified copy of his birth certificate for judicial review. This course of action will send a clear message to candidate Obama, and to anyone else who would so insult the conscience of a Georgia court in such a flagrant manner, that such action should be taken only at one’s own peril.
Moreover, Mr. Secretary, the rest of the states are closely watching Georgia to see if it can preform this much needed function of vetting presidential and vice-presidential candidates at the state level rather than at the national level through the candidates own national political party.
CONCLUSION
Mr. Secretary, you, and by extension, the great State of Georgia, are at a unique point in election history where progress can be made, not to mention good law, with determined action on your part to insist candidate Barack Obama submit a certified copy of his Hawaiian birth certificate to the court, as a minimum requirement for placing his name on Georgia’s Presidential Preference Primary ballot.
Respectfully submitted,
SPLITTER!!!!
Dean Haskins became the conscience of the Birther Reformation when he “nailed’ his version of the “Ninety-Five Theses” to the Birther Summit website.
Haskins believes that the Orly is afraid that paypal indulgences are not being used wisely:
“…she ‘accuses’ them of not sending money to her, or she believes that the financial needs of what they are trying to accomplish might divert funds away from being donated to her—and, from her statements, it appears Orly believes she deserves ALL funds that might be donated to our cause.”
Or to paraphrase that other great reformer, Martin Luther,
“Why does not the Orly, whose wealth is today greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, file her frivolous lawsuits with her own money rather than with the money of poor birthers?”
Farrar missed the big picture.
Orly submitted the birth certificate, but she didn’t accede to it’s accuracy.
The judge weighed the evidence and had to decide the fact based on “a preponderance of the evidence.”
The circus performers threw shit all over the place, but never hit the only target that mattered, the birth certificate.
Jackson’a affidavit was within the 208 page submission of “evidence” from Orly. Jackson told the court, via her affidavit, that Hawai’ian officials, publicly and within their official capacities, verified that the data on the birth certificate. That was the only piece of verifiable relevant evidence which existed as part of Orly’s show.
Therefore, Orly sunk her own case by providing Judge Malihi the one piece of evidence he needed to affirm, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Obama had been born in Hawai’i.
All he needed to do after that was to look at the Ankeny ruling from the Indiana Court of Appeals, which Joblonsky presented to him, and U.S. v Wong and agree that The Indiana Court of Appeals had reached the correct conclusion.
When did I get onto the needs moderation list?
I thought the site was open with a select few added to the list.
Please e-mail or PM at TFB me if you don’t want to answer that publicly.(delete this line if you decide to publish the question)
It might be only that you uttered one of the eleventy dirty words.
For example, you are not allowed to mention the name of the mustachioed RWNJ from WWII. There are others words that do it too, it may not be you personally, it might be your mode of expression.
This blog essay is a masterpiece.
There is no question that anyone who can stretch a metaphor to such an extent, with such accurate effect, and still leave room for piling on is a master of his craft and worthy of the highest accolades.
I want to nominate it for the Pulitzer Prize. Anybody know how to go about that? Are blog essays eligible? Is there an equivalent for blog essays?
What I find especially noteworthy is the way the Doc takes note of the little understood fact that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is the organizational direct descendant of the Inquisition. The current Pope was actually “Grand Inquisitor” (the modern title is “Prefect”) for many years before ascending to the throne of the Peter.
One irony that many folks miss, even when they do under stand the link, is that the name “Grand Inquisitor” has been changed over the years to “Secretary”, then briefly to “Pro-Prefect” and since 1968 just “Prefect”. The very first Inquisition was against the Cathars who called their faithful “Prefects”.
I’ll try this again. The innertubes ate my first attempt.
This blog essay is a masterpiece.
Anyone who can stretch a metaphor to this extent and still leave room for piling on is a master of his/her trade. Is there a Pulitzer Prize for Blog Essays?
I am particularly impressed with the Doc’s use of the little understood fact that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is the direct organizational descendant of the Holy Inquisition, and its head is none other than the “Grand Inquisitor”, though the modern title is “Prefect”. The current Pope was Prefect for many years.
I find it ironic that the original inquisition was against the Cathars, who called those adults fully versed in their faith Prefects. The wheel turns.
Perfects, I think?
even further removed from Birfistan…….
Hang on. Whats going on here. The disappeared post just reappeared.
Weird
Oh. I do think you are right. Lemme go run look that up… yeah looks like you are right.
Nevermind.
This is totally offensive. Catholic bashing, way to go Doc! Add your own site to the ugly list.
Not to worry “Charo”, Proddies burned there fair share of folks as well
“Many leading jurists…most notably, Mario Apuzzo, Esq.”
sort of like:
“Many leading physicians… most notably, Dr. Jack Kevorkian”
or
“Many leadiing artists… most notably, the creators of Elvis on black velvet”
Any comment containing a certain 5-letter word beginning with “s” goes into moderation. As for PM’ing you at The Fogbow, you have PM’s blocked in your profile (or did last time I checked).
I knew that, but I didn’t want to push the metaphor too far. I really don’t want to insult the Roman Catholic Pope through this article.
I’m glad you liked the article. I was not that confident it would work. I didn’t put in as much detail as I could have, covering the minor schisms in the movement. It is significant that Donofrio (on a good day) said that he doesn’t doubt Obama was born in Hawaii which is at odds with Apuzzo.
I added some art work to spiffy it up.
Thanks, Doc. I nearly swallowed my tongue laughing.
The Great Schism and the Protestant Reformation were real historical events, and a testament to the fact that even the people of God can be nasty to each other, and I don’t think anyone today would deny the rampant corruption in the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century. During the Great Schism in 1054 the Pope and the Patriarch did excommunicate each other. In the 15th century the real Pope Leo X excommunicated reformer Martin Luther, and no doubt would have had him burned at the stake if he could have gotten hold of him (see Jan Hus).
At least I didn’t call the Birther Summit the Diet of Worms. 🙄
Very well done!
I think you are missing the unifying force here. They all believe a Black man cannot be President, and thus they have posted 95 Theses as to why.
The metaphor really took over and distracted from what the article was about, which was stated in the title. Mr. Farrar is moving from one bad option to another. I don’t mean to say that Mario is crazier than Orly, but that he is far more dangerous because he is crazy like a fox.
“Many leading scientists, such as Dr. Hubert Farnsworth…”
Awesome! I have made church analogies before, noting there were Protestant Birthers, and that Haskins could not be their Luther because everyone hates the guy. But I think Gorefan has nailed it here. 😛 Of course the birther Luther is universally hated!
96 …. 97 …. 98 …. Barack is the Prime Mover, within Whom, all birfs are possible.
Mr. Farrar’s option, like WND, is that a certified birth certificate be presented. That shows no thought or creativity. Assuming the President has not already done so, what happens when he presents one (we know he can). The State of Hawaii says its genuine, and to me, full faith and credit says that is the end of the line. Georgia doesn’t get to conduct an inquisition into Hawaii. The only issue is that Dr. Onaka’s certification is genuine. So Mr. Farrar has no exit strategy.
Hilarious, Doc. Best thing I’ve read in weeks.
To “At least I didn’t call the Birther Summit the Diet of Worms” one might also add to your credit that you gracefully eschewed the cheaper “95 feces” joke as well.
Farrar could end up becoming an Anabirther
I suggest that you take a deep breath and relax. Doc isn’t bashing the Catholic Church, he bashing birthers.
Dominus vobiscum.
Good summation, but a couple of quibbles. First, I thought BOT was a recent convert to the Anti-NBC-tarianism school, after having spent many nights at a retreat / poker tournament with St. Donofrio. Also you completely neglected to mention BOT was martyred on several occasions, most famously burned at the stake by the Venerable Chris Matthews and asphyxiated by persons unknown (although that doesn’t prevent a brisk trade in reliquaries containing what purport to be one of the blessed hose clamps).
“Dean Haskins became the conscience of the Birther Reformation”
.
His harassment of the Sunahara family is proof of a lack of conscience. His theme of Obama stole Viginia Sunahara’s ID was blown out of the water when Haskins found that Obama was not named Virginia Sunahara , what a bummer (i.e. No ID theft)
.
Sinking so low on the Sunahara issue makes me totally disrespect Haskins.
F/F
Oops, wrong site.
For a long time Taitz more closely resembled a Unitarian: there was no theory of why Obama was ineligible that she didn’t wholeheartedly embrace.
What? Professor Farnsworth is a genuine genious.
“Ooh, a lesson in not changing history from Mr. I’m-My-Own-Grandpa!”
Thus he is the perfect example of a birther ‘conscience’!
Doc, i have to ask, where did the creept Orly-esque line drawing come from? I don’t recognize it.
I hadn’t seen the “Saint Orly” pic before; it was good enough to cause me to do an image search to see where it came from — which caused unfortunate collateral damage.
All I can say is: thank you in advance for never, ever using the Dan Lacey portrait here. Agghh, my eyes.
http://www.rumproast.com/index.php/site/comments/the_orliad_and_the_idiocy/
“Many leading actors… most notably, Tom Green, Carrot Top, or Rob Schneider.”
Thanks, JustLW! i was hoping is was meant to be orly, and not something I would run across later. Would hate to have an innocent piece of art with that association in my head!
SoS of Georgia, Kemp has affirmed Judge Malihi’s recommendation and told Birtrhers to FOAD….
Secretary of State Kemp Issues Final Decision on Challenge to President Barack Obama’s Eligibility and Qualifications
Atlanta – Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp today issued his final decision on challenges contending that President Barack Obama does not meet the State of Georgia’s eligibility requirements for his name to be listed on the 2012 Presidential Preference Primary ballot.
Secretary Kemp stated, “After careful consideration of Administrative Law Judge Michael Malihi’s initial decision and all record evidence based on the criteria set forth in this process, I find that the Respondent, President Barack Obama, meets the State of Georgia’s eligibility requirements. President Barack Obama’s name shall remain on the Democratic Party’s 2012 Presidential Preference Primary ballot.”
Brian Kemp has been Secretary of State since January, 2010. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives.
It took ‘careful consideration’? He’s so kind to teh birthers. Thanks for the news, bovril!
In totally unrelated news, former Georgia SoS Karen Handel just resigned from her position of vice president for public policy at Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
JPotter – When I first read Doc C’s post above, I immediately thought that maybe your recent similar comments on the topic were the inspiration. So yeah, want to give you some kudos for cleverly covering this ground too. 😉
Politicians know how to say nice things like “after careful consideration” instead of “as was obvious at a glance to anyone with the IQ of a potato.”
And as for Handel, I really thought after her ill considered tweet she was certain to be fired. (OT, I know, sorry.)
The only diet which you don’t eat, because it will eat you.
The White House is too small a place to bury all the birfers who are prepared to die to make it white again (alternative version: to bury all the traitors the birfers want to kill to …)
Message to the Maid of Orlyans who has met her Compiegne in a fight she could not lose: do not blame me for the lame jokes, blame the Immortal Bard and his Immortal Clown.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kempe
(for those who did not understand why I went astray on the treasure hunt)
On a semi-related note, the hyper chicken has already proven himself to have a sharper legal mind than both Taitz and Apuzzo combined.
Sometimes, being stupid has a price. Wading into politics, very counterproductive for a nonparticsan issue org. Who couldn’t have had a problem with them before now? Now other apolitical organizations fundraising for and with them have to think twice.
Secretary of State Kemp Issues Final Decision on Challenge to President Barack Obama’s Eligibility and Qualifications
Atlanta – Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp today issued his final decision on challenges contending that President Barack Obama does not meet the State of Georgia’s eligibility requirements for his name to be listed on the 2012 Presidential Preference Primary ballot.
Secretary Kemp stated, “After careful consideration of Administrative Law Judge Michael Malihi’s initial decision and all record evidence based on the criteria set forth in this process, I find that the Respondent, President Barack Obama, meets the State of Georgia’s eligibility requirements. President Barack Obama’s name shall remain on the Democratic Party’s 2012 Presidential Preference Primary ballot.”
Brian Kemp has been Secretary of State since January, 2010. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives.
Thanks, G. … but someone else went the Great schism route .. richCares? I nominated the Reformation. The comparisons are just begging to be made! I’d say Saint Joan herself started it 😉
It doesn’t look like Orly’s appeal to Kemp, posted yesterday, had much impact.
Oh, wait, there was nothing to appeal! She can’t appeal Malihi’s recommendation to Kemp, it’s only a recommendation! She could attempt to appeal Kemp to Superior Court, but she’s lost(?) Farrar, her GA sock puppet.
IANAL, and neither is she.
My bad for leaving out anyone else who also brought up such memes in the past. So kudos to richCares and anyone else that has made similar allusions to such a clever analogy. I’m pretty sure Misha has made some clever observations along that line as well.
So, to Doc C and all the other clever folks here who have been pointing out the satirical memes of how Birtherism has morphed into its own religion… I tip my hat to all of you. 🙂
Well said! 🙂
LMAO
Bah! He can’t touch Squeeky.
Why on earth would he ever want to? I would think his missus would have something to say about it with a rolling pin or frying pan or baseball bat or golf club or something.
My compliments on a very Slye reference.
Doc
Did you see where Mario labeled you the “champion of civil rights” and me the “champion of egalitarianism”? http://puzo1.blogspot.com/2012/02/all-that-is-wrong-with-georgia-state.html?showComment=1328747856729#c3767054854408020468
Mario took offense to my comment that the idea that someone who is born a US citizen and works hard at being a good citizen and public servant cannot run for president is unamerican at the core and goes against the principle that “all men are created equal”that the FF’s held dear. He also does not like my challenge to “Putz up of shut up” http://rcradioblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/mario-time-to-putz-up-or-shut-up/