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norman kelley

norman kelley
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Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Bio
Norman Kelley is an independent journalist, author, and former segment radio producer at WBAI 99.5 FM Pacifica Radio. He has written for Society, L A Weekly, The Brooklyn Rail, The Village Voice, The Nation, New York Press, Newsday, Word.com, The Black Star News, New Politics, Black Renaissance/Noir, and The Bedford Stuyvesant Current. He is also the author of the "noir soul"/ mystery series that features "Nina Halligan" in Black Heat (Amistad), The Big Mango (Akashic Books), and A Phat Death (2003). Norman Kelley was also a contributing writer to Brooklyn Noir (Akashic Books, 2004) and DC Noir (Akashic Books, 2006) and Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs at the Turn of the Millennium (Random House 2000). He edited and contributed to R&B (Rhythm and Business): The Political Economy of Black Music (Akashic Books, 2005; 2002).

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JULY 15, 2009 9:06PM

None Dare Call It Treason

Rate: 10 Flag

This is where all those winger ill claims about Obama's birth has led to: treason and military insubordination:

As reported by TP:

Obama birther claims soldier’s revoked orders will have ‘disastrous’ ‘consequences’ for the U.S. military.

The reserve soldier who argued he should not have to go to Afghanistan because of far-fetched claims that President Obama is not legally eligible to be commander-in-chief has had his deployment orders revoked. Army Maj. Stefan Frederick Cook filed a request with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia on July 8 seeking a temporary restraining order and status as a conscientious objector because he believes Obama is not a natural born citizen. Though the military has refused to say why the order was revoked, Cook’s lawyer, renowned Obama conspiracy theorist Orly Taitz, was spinning it as a victory. “They have no cards to play with,” Taitz gleefully told Military.com: 

[continue] 

 

Now, this is what you call treason and rank insubordination, all based on crackpot, right-wing nonsense about Obama's citizenship. 

 

 

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Sickening that anyone took it seriously.

If and when Sgt. Cook gets deployed, I hope he has some kind of job where he can't put others at risk. Latrine installation comes to mind.
annette2009
July 15, 2009 09:28 PM
I dare to call it treason. This guy is a coward and a nutjob. He signed a contract and now is trying to get out of it. Rather than send him to combat he should be sent to Leavenworth for the remainder of his term of service. Hard labor would be appropriate.Then he should be dishonorably discharged.
717judie
July 15, 2009 10:04 PM
Personally I do not understand the reasoning behind this law. My country Australia has no such requirement as (for example) neither does Britain. Citizenship perhaps, but born in the country - why?

Is it not important that a person is "the best person for the job" as decided by the people of that country?

Is it not less "democratic" to say a person must be also X.Y.Z. before they can apply?

What if an American Citizen had arrived as a child, AND proved to be the most competent person for the job - are "Americans" denied the option to choose this person? Is that democratic??

Whilst I do understand "tribal" sensibilities, hatred and prejudice, I see no valid "reason" for it.

I do realise also that because I see no valid reason - it does not mean there is none.

For what it is worth my 2c worth....
Mal Noble
July 15, 2009 10:09 PM
I'm with 717judie. I don't care if Sgt. Cook believes what he's shovelling, or doesn't believe it. Ultimately, Barack Obama was elected our President. So Sgt. Cook should have his rank stripped, sent to harrrrrrddddddd labor in prison, then when that is over, dishonorably discharged. Making him wear a scarlet T for the rest of his life is not too harsh either.
Annimal
July 15, 2009 10:12 PM
this is )( what you call microtreason.
macrotreason is what happened on/after 9/11.
but most americans are too stupid to ever figure that out.
vzn
July 16, 2009 12:39 AM
treason is the way that our military is used by corporations and the military industrial complex for its own agenda/priorities. its all masked under the guise of massive mfgd propaganda. again, something that eludes Joe Sixpack. *burp*
vzn
July 16, 2009 12:41 AM
JLee - honest question because I don't know the answer. How has he not put the question to bed? What is it that he needs to do, in your opinion?
annette2009
July 16, 2009 11:43 AM
Funny, if I'd laid out bull like that when I got orders I;'d have been laughed at all the way to the ship and handcuffed to the rail ti; it went to sea. The other possibility would have been written up for falure to follow a lawful order. Why is this guy getting a get out of jail free card? Obama was vetted by the Secret Service and the justice department before taking his seat in the senate. There are NO legitimate questions about his meeting the requirements of any office that the U.S. has. This sgt. belongs in Leavenworth making little ones out of big ones.
bobbot
July 16, 2009 12:53 PM
My dad believes it too. So does my mother in law, who said, and I quote "No one knows where he comes from! He wants to destroy and impoverish America like all the other countries so he can rule the world." All out of the Fair and Balanced Fox News Playbook.
Sandra Stephens
July 16, 2009 03:33 PM
The reason for the natural born citizen requirement was to eliminate the risk of royalist sympathizers to contrive to win an election and seek to reconcile with Great Britain. This was the purpose of the rule. That it plays no part in this little non-event is obvious. Obama is and always has been a citizen natural of the U.S.. The entire debate is contained in the republican party and their resounding loss last year. They are trying to sabotage Obama with this like the Bill Clinton frame up. They no there's no truth to it. It keeps bigots and ideologues worked up. It gives them something to attack with while they set out to try to come back.
bobbot
July 16, 2009 03:47 PM
It's one thing to be a conscientious objector, it's another to be a craven coward and admit it. But what do you call someone so cowardly they foist the blame off on some hair-brained excuse like this? Coward won't do; I say traitor applies in this case.

As I understand the story, this weasel got his. Since he sued the Army, he's no longer welcome on any defense facility -- a fact his defense contractor employer is not at all pleased about.
Tom Cordle
July 16, 2009 09:39 PM
jlee-- I believe obama has a web site on "debunked myths" including the birth certficate, easily findable via google, but the right wing endlessly yammers on about it. no need to let the facts get in the way of the truth I guess.
vzn
July 17, 2009 12:25 AM
I don't know if this will satisfy anyone's questions... (certainly no one who works at Fox News)... But here's the article about the birth certificate rumor published on Snopes.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthcertificate.asp
annette2009
July 17, 2009 09:22 AM

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