Soldier doubts eligibility, defies President’s orders
A U.S. soldier on active duty in Iraq has called President Obama an “impostor” in a statement in which he affirmed plans to join as plaintiff in a challenge to Obama’s eligibility to be commander in chief.The statement was publicized by California attorney Orly Taitz who, along with her Defend Our Freedom Foundation, is working on a series of legal cases seeking to uncover Obama’s birth records and other documents that would reveal whether he meets the requirements of the U.S. Constitution.
“As an active-duty officer in the United States Army, I have grave concerns about the constitutional eligibility of Barack Hussein Obama to hold the office of president of the United States,” wrote Scott Easterling in a “to-whom-it-may-concern” letter.
As far as I’m concerned, this guy falls into the same category as those clowns who refused to fight in Iraq because it was an “illegal war.” President Obama was elected by virtue of an antonishing majority, communicating with crystal clarity the will of the American people. Mr. (LT?) Easterling wants those votes neutralized because of a minor technicality — when it’s not a soldier’s place to challenge said technicalities in the first place (and it sure to hell isn’t his place to disobey orders). I don’t agree with many of President Obama’s policies — but that doesn’t mean he’s not my president. Selfish, self-righteous crusades – a fool’s errand on a grand scale- like this silly lawsuit is completely counterproductive, and certainly isn’t going to help us win the war or fix the economy.
My two cents — Easterling needs to shut up, suck it up, and do his duty. He can engage in this classless style of theater when he hangs up the uniform.
Update — Thanks for the great discussion (and the mildly amusing insults). Noted a few spelling/grammer errors just now — chalk that up to me banging this post out in 3 minutes before I had to run out the door. All better now!
I agree with you regarding the fact that he should suck up and do his duty and that he ranks right up there with the “illegal war” crowd.
But I hardly see a sitting President not meeting the Constitutional requirements for President (not saying he does or doesn’t)as a “minor technicality”
President Obama was elected by virtue of an antonishing majority, communicating with crystal clarity the will of the American people. Mr. (LT?) Easterling wants those votes neutralized because of a minor technicality
I have very little doubt that Obama is legitimately the President of the US, but 53% is not an “astonishing majority” and not meeting the Constitutional requirements for the office is not a “minor technicality”.
Respectfully disagree.
All Obama had to do to avoid this fiasco long ago was produce an original birth certificate for analysis. He not only failed to do so, his campaign went into smokescreen mode to divert attention from the allegations.
So no question, there may be a problem here so far as his Constitutional qualifications to be President are concerned. I’ll agree that having a soldier refuse to follow commands is ugly, but I’m glad the major media will finally be forced to pay attention to this issue and put it to rest.
Wasn’t this buffoon going to unite this nation?
When?!
John,
I do not believe he said he would disobey the orders – he is saying that in order to be able to follow the President’s orders he needs to know that this is a legitimate president and, thus, his orders are legitimate/lawfull. He is the only one who has legal standing to bring this challenge based on his active military status. I believe that enlisting at 40 makes him less concerned about “other than honorable” discharge if this goes downhill. And yes, meeting the Constitutional requirements is not a minor technicality. And yes, again, he could have avoided all this by simply releasing his birth certificate and/or other documents (university and law school paperwork).
i agree-as much as it pains us, we have to tough it out, and just make sure he does not get re-elected
What this officer did may be ugly, but it is even uglier to have a president purposefully not clear up the doubt about his eligibility to hold the office.
I am glad this this officer decided to risk falling on his sword to personally defend the constitution. If he did not take this step, who else would force our president to prove his eligibility?
Boy,
I am so glad this president didn’t actually lie to the American people or anything.
FYI for those of who just joined the civic duty discourse, the last 8 years of White House policy were built and supported by LIES.
The way I look at it is this guy is doing something the mainstream media failed to do. Good on him. The folks on the left have been suing or threatening lawsuits for ages, it’s about time we take up their own practice, if only to bring light to questionable government dealings. In fact, we need more of this sort of thing right now before free, capitalistic America is dead.
And I agree with the commenter above, just over 50% isn’t an overwhelming majority. It’s winning by the skin of your teeth or more appropriately, the color of your skin.
I don’t agree with you that Constitutional qualifications are a ‘minor’ issue.
All BO has to do is produce a certified copy of his birth certificate. So far, in court and in public, he and his admin has refused.
All the “President” needs to do is produce the doc. And Easterling will follow his orders.
The president doesn’t owe Easterling any explanation. But Easterling ought to be courts martialed for this stunt. At the least he should resign his commission. He obviously doesn’t understand what it’s about.
One would think you’d have to produce a birth certificate to the election commission or something to run for President.
You mean any ol’ schmoe can simply “certify” he is naturally born and run?
Why would any soldier want to follow a officer of such “convictions”? Oh yes, because they swore a oath to do so. As did this man.
I would detest having to follow this man into battle. Though I’m willing to bet he has never seen combat and has a nice desk job that affords him the luxury of exposing such garbage.
Ditto on Easterling. What I have a problem with is believing, you, a history major, a graduate of a proud institution and an Air Force officer actually think the constitutional question is a “minor issue”.
Did you throw that in to prevoke comments?
I hope that’s what it was.
Every conspiracy theory out there could be true and he’d still be a naturally born citizen through his mother’s citizenship and residency. Born in Kenya? No problem. Renounced his citizenship in another country? No problem, as it was not done here and has no effect.
I don’t believe any of these things are true, but even if they were, it would not matter.
Truly a fools errand.
Mike
You know, the kooks aren’t sounding so kooky any more. I had a lot more confidence that Obama’s documents were in order before we saw the results of the vetting of his cabinet choices. We have the spectacle of all these guys who are going to work for a pro-tax president who don’t pay their taxes. And that’s leaving aside the fact that if you or I did something like that there’d be hell to pay.
Honestly, have we ever had a candidate we know less about? We found out more about Sarah Palin in two weeks than during the entirety of Obama’s campaign. It’s not just the birth certificate: *everything* is off limits with Obama. Remember when Stanley Kurtz from National Review was looking into his records from the Annenberg Challenge days? They slammed those archives shut under pressure from the Obama campaign, and when he went on to a radio show, they flooded the lines with angry callers.
I don’t like what the LT did, but you just can’t compare him to some dumb kid trying to weasel out of his contract by demanding something impossible. He’s a 40 year old who was making plenty of money as a contractor and thought he’d go and do something for his country. All he’s asking for are some records. And, again, if it were you or me, we’d better have our ERB updated, our security clearance submitted, our MyPay squared away or we’re in trouble.
It’s really not that much to ask that the Commander in Chief set the right example for his soldiers.
Sorry…as much as I dislike Obama, he is still the President and a soldier cannot make willy nilly decisions like this. He should be prosecuted. If he was smart, then he should just resign commission when the opportunity arises. This is like civilian lawyers getting involved with guantanamo. No way. This is no way to run a military.
While I can’t stand Obama as our current President, and I do think that Scott Easterling is on the right track. At least when I was a soldier, 93-99, we were only required to follow lawful orders, and were also required to not follow un-lawful orders. If President Obama is not eligible to be our President due to him not being a “Natural Born American” then any and all orders that he issues, are not legal, and all soldiers have a requirement to question/ignore the said orders.
And the simple fact that this issue could be quickly resolved by either President Obama or the State of Hawaii releasing the “Vault copy” of his birth, or other proof that he qualifies as a “Natural Born American” but he has failed to provide this, and or any evidence. And sadly the pre-election cases were dismissed because since Mr. Obama (at that time) was not elected to the office, the people filing the claims did not have any standing.
To add to dagamore’s comments, the last case was thrown out (by a Clinton Judge) who ruled a US citizen didn’t have the legal ‘standing’ to bring a case on “Constitutional” issues.
This is worth fighting for – but only if one cares about the Constitution and the vow they made.
Oh, for crying out loud. The birth certificate thing has been resolved (you can even look at it online). It’s time to put away your tin foil hats.
Oh, for crying out loud. The birth certificate thing was resolved (you can even look at it online). Time to put away the tin foil hats guys.
It has been resolved, at least on the word of Hawaii’s secretary of state in a news story just after the election. Demanding proof is preposterous. I don’t like Barry much, but I don’t recall any other candidate or president having to trot out his birth certificate to prove where he was born. If his party accepts him, that should be enough. Even if it is the Dumbocrats.
The simple fact is it hasn’t been resolved.
The one online is a fraud according to forensics experts (one on Koz). And Hawaii has not produced a vault certified copy. In deposition, every hospital in Hawaii was questioned, none had any record of the Big Zero’s birth.
All that is needed is one simple document. End of discussion. Obama has hire three (THREE) high priced law firms to fight the release. Wonder why?
WTF is the Army doing with a 40 year old 2LT? What a loser. Is my beloved Army that screwed up?
Easterling is a disgrace to the uniform and is worthy of a DD and a one-way trip home.
What is wrong with these right-wing conspiracy nut-jobs? They could make better use of their time trying to figure why the majority of Americans believe their political philosophy is morally bankrupt. Maybe it’s bacause it’s based and hate and bigotry. Maybe the Confederate Army wants a loser 40 year-old @LT.
WND, via Drudge, is now reporting a MP in Iraq is joining the lawsuit. This is very bad. Command authorities need to nip this in the bud. If civilians want to pursue this issue, fine. Have at it. But not military personnel.
Civilians tried it and were ignored, pjh…
no standing!
This guy has standing, and will get a question many of us have had answered.
And today there’s this:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=79174
Think there’s no fire beneath this smoke?
PRODUCE THE DAMN CERTIFICATE!
I would like to have the US Constitution amended so a person’s grandparents and parents have to be born in the USA. This would give them roots to this country, and give them a deeper concern for how the country is later on.
Shame on this individual who is wearing a uniform. Unfortunately another embarrasment for the ARMY.
Public Political intrigue is the job of a politician or right of a private citizen. Definitely not what any soldier, much less an officer, who took an oath should be doing.
DD would be in order. With the economy this slow maybe he can preach his ideologies while working the counter at McD’s?
We all choose what swords we are willing to fall on. Some choose wisely, others not-so-much.
Any person working for and representing our country has the sworn duty to uphold our constitution. I commend Easterly for being brave enough to stand for what is right! Now, if only others would commit to stand up to the imposter who was elected by ACORN, their reward will be great! America needs more dedicated soldiers like Easterly!
*It is my understanding LT Easterley is REQUESTING a courts martial under Article 138. Military justice is not like the civil court system.
* That being said no matter how it turns out the LT’s career is toast for rocking the boat
* As this gets kicked up the chain of command . . . who is at the top? The CINC will have ZERO interest in dequalifying himself from office so this is a no win avenue
* To all the folks who say this is a non-issue; why has Mr Obama elected not to provide the original certificate of birth (which the Governor of Hawaii claims to have examined) for public review? Instead his legal team has spent over 1,000,000 defending him in over a dozen suits brought so far. If there is nothing to hide, no issue with the documentation, why not just provide the danged thing and put all these challenges to rest? Until he does that, people will presume where there is smoke there is fire.
* My personal opinion is that Mr Obama was probably born in the US but the certificate either says he’s white or Muslim; neither of which is a disqualifer but either of which would conflict with his official storyline
* The problem is, until Mr Obama provides the document that only he has the authority to release, this controversy will continue. Nice distraction from actually governing the country, huh?
I don’t recall any other candidate or president having to trot out his birth certificate to prove where he was born.
McCain’s citizenship was questioned during the campaign. And is this all that different than the long standing questions about W’s service record? Dan Rather actually fell on his sword trying to push that claim.
The LT. is performing his duty as prescribed by his oath. He suspects, as do I, that the great Obama is not constutionally qualified to be POTUS. Obama spent 800K fighting to keep his record hidden. That should be sufficient cause to at least question his qualification to be POTUS. Your accusation that the LT’s joining the lawsuit is no different that to refusing orders to deploy, quite common during Vietnam I might add, is ludicrous. He has not refused orders. He has simply joined a lawsuit. Take YOUR tin hat off.
PS: As has been said, 53% is not overwhelming.
Gee, it’s not like anyone who actually swore an oath to protect and defend the COnstitution might actually take that oath seriously, or anything. Heaven knows they’er not supposed to… right?
Maybe we should look to our FIRST CinC for guidance??
When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen.
George Washington
Why is this issue only discussed and talked about on blogs over the internet and not by Sean Hanity, Glenn Beck, Rush, or on Fox news? We know why it isn’t talked about on the drive-bys, but why not by Ann Coulter. Just WMD. Do they know something we don’t and just want him in office to make big bucks on by kicking his issues around. Think about it. If in fact BO is not legit then WTH would they have to talk about?
I’m not sure it will be of any use, as the people who don’t believe Obama is a naturally born citizen aren’t likely to be convinced by anything, but here is a pretty thorough debunking of the entire idea that Obama isn’t constitutionally qualified to hold office: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html
Were the charge true, it certainly wouldn’t be a minor technicality. But it is manifestly false.
Of course you’re right about skeptics Peter, and here, from the article you link, is why:
“We tried to ask the Hawaii DOH why they only offer the short form, among other questions, but they have not given a response.”
Questions about the President’s(?) legitimacy were easily dismissed before because of lack of standing. At least two General Officers have now joined a lawsuit to see the “long form” birth certificate, and that list is rapidly growing.
Funny, in an odd way the Nation is being unified!
I find it fascinating that so many of you prior or current military folks are such sheep – follow all orders without question. Officers swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC. As many posters note, he is not refusing any orders. He is questioning the legitimacy of any orders issued by the President who MAY be illegitimate. Also as many posters note, the President could clear this up very easily by releasing his birth certificate. Just like President Bush did on occasion, to not respond to an accusation cements that accusations’ truth, whether accurate or not, in the minds of the citizenry.
Minor technicality? Obama has yet to present to the public the original birth certificate that shows birth in the United States. All he has provided is an abstract of a birth certificate that shows his parentage and date of birth. It does not show where he was born. Since Hawaii issues birth certificates for persons not born in Hawaii, but born to at least one parent who was a resident of Hawaii in the past year, then the abstract of his birth certificate is useless.
Just because he got more votes than someone else, that does not make him president, if he is constitutionally unqualified.
There are no “technicalities” in the Constitution. You either follow it all, or it means nothing. Can you point out any other “technicalities?” How about the enoulements clause that makes Hillary Clintong an unconstitutional appointment?
Just one more example of the DNC/RNC political party members wiping their butts with the Constitution.
“President Obama was elected by virtue of an antonishing majority, communicating with crystal clarity the will of the American people.”
We The People defined only 3 criteria to be president (maybe 4?) … age, natural born citizen, and the majority of the electoral votes. If he’s not qualified, then what’s the point of having a Constitution if we let him serve. Let’s forget the bill of rights, the courts, the legislature, and just rule by ‘biggest gun and threats of police action’… Or is that what they are doing now?
I can’t believe some of the comments I’m reading here. I see people talk about the commitment of the Lieutenant and what he should or shouldn’t do as if they have any clue. I don’t care if you are/were in the military; half of you have no idea what you are talking about. And the answer to your next question is yes, I am an officer and an Academy graduate.
The fact is that the president may in fact not be Constitutionally eligible, and if you don’t know that then you are willfully blind. This LT has shown bigger balls in this “stunt” than most if not all of you will show in your entire lives – and that includes combat.
For your own education, a commissioned officer in the military swears an oath to the Constitution of the United States, NOT to the President or anyone else. The enlisted oath mentions the President, but the commissioned oath SPECIFICALLY leaves it out. A usurper president is a specific threat to the integrity of the Constitution. It is true that BO may be well intentioned, but the precedent set simply cannot stand. Perhaps BO is withholding the documents because he sees that it is a flaw in the system, and would rather he be forced to show them (and the system thus fixed) rather than some actual usurper. We cannot know until this is fleshed out.
As to the original post: I can’t begin to take anything said in it seriously.
07-16-09
If it is the case that Obama is not a native-born citizen, he is NOT ELIGIBLE to be President. No ifs, ands or buts. Any military orders he issues would be invalid. All he need do is release his birth certificate and that will settle things for good. This issue cannot and must not be allowed to fade away. The lives of our troops depend on it.
Then why the hell do we have rules for? I think I will bring my uncle José from Mexico to run for President here in the US. LT Easterling sworn to defend the constitution from Foreign and domestic enemies It’s to obama to let us know which one is he? Now that I think about it MR. Easterling should run for president. My second choice is still my uncle Jose. I just need to do some paper modification.
Update-my uncle José is interested in running for President. I quizzed him on how to fix health insurance and this is his statement.” All Government official and I mean all especially that @ (@%$@^&*%% Pelosi, congress and all branches of the government should not get any health insurance benefits.” Why I asked “because they make more than enough money to pay for their medical bills. Instead they should give this to the working class, not the people that do not work they can keep Medicaid. Now that the politicians (Government) have to pay for their health insurance they will work diligently to get prices down and with more expediency and will regulate the companies honestly because the ones that will suffer will be the politicians (government) and why not they are there to fix things if they mess up it’s ok… were are covered.” My uncle Jose said that he can run the White House better then obama because his spends only what he has and what is his. But that he also knows how to take care of his family including his brothers that don’t work. My uncle José said if voted for president that he won’t hire any of his friends because they are crooks.