Obama's "lost" brother found

[Mr. Morden]

link

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From "The Onion" to reality:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/obamas_hillbilly_half_brother

Obama's Hillbilly Half-Brother Threatening To Derail Campaign

[minionofmidas]

He also has a German cousin. (Kenyan immigrant, of course. But citizen of Germany.)

[Beet]

Thats kind of funny.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Good to see he takes good care of his relatives

[Storebought]

I actually agree that Obama is under no moral obligation to provide any financial assistance to his half-brother, whether Obama knew him or not. That said, Obama's lack of concern does make him a look like a hypocrite in the face of (1) his own personal wealth (2) his own repeated insistence that "the rich" should be compelled by the state to help those in need, notwithstanding the fact that his own relative(s) living on a dollar a month (!) has yet to receive any such help from him.

But that is a minor point in the face of one patently obvious fact: The American public knows practically nothing about Obama outside of his own books/public statements. His life is a mystery, and the deeper others research into it, the fewer sources one finds. This reticence will only allow McCain/GOP to define the man to their own satisfaction in their own time.

[Beet]

I actually agree that Obama is under no moral obligation to provide any financial assistance to his half-brother, whether Obama knew him or not. That said, Obama's lack of concern does make him a look like a hypocrite in the face of (1) his own personal wealth (2) his own repeated insistence that "the rich" should be compelled by the state to help those in need, notwithstanding the fact that his own relative(s) living on a dollar a month (!) has yet to receive any such help from him.

This supposed relative is only living on such a small amount because he is Kenyan. He is no exception among Kenyans.

If he were American, he would be benefitting from those social programs that Obama champions. As to Obama's supposed lack of compassion, this person may be a relative by blood but it's clear they don't consider themselves 'relatives' in the sense of real family. It's clear Obama's father didn't even consider himself a real father to Obama, or else he would have been present in Obama's life after the second year, but hey, doesn't matter "relative" is "relative" right? Obama must chase down his blood to the ends of the earth even if they mean nothing to him nor him to them.

In any case, social programs are fundamentally different from charity. The former is an entitlement written into the social compact, whereas the latter is a private benefit that can be withdrawn at any time. The former is far more valuable because while entitlements may be withdrawn by law, they are not dependent on the capricious whims of one individual and the recipient's relationship to them.

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The most mysterious parts of Obama's life all occurred before he reached the age of 10, and as this story shows, his biological father has definitely had a limited impact on shaping who he is.

[Storebought]

I actually agree that Obama is under no moral obligation to provide any financial assistance to his half-brother, whether Obama knew him or not. That said, Obama's lack of concern does make him a look like a hypocrite in the face of (1) his own personal wealth (2) his own repeated insistence that "the rich" should be compelled by the state to help those in need, notwithstanding the fact that his own relative(s) living on a dollar a month (!) has yet to receive any such help from him.

This supposed relative is only living on such a small amount because he is Kenyan. He is no exception among Kenyans.

If he were American, he would be benefitting from those social programs that Obama champions. As to Obama's supposed lack of compassion, this person may be a relative by blood but it's clear they don't consider themselves 'relatives' in the sense of real family. It's clear Obama's father didn't even consider himself a real father to Obama, or else he would have been present in Obama's life after the second year, but hey, doesn't matter "relative" is "relative" right? Obama must chase down his blood to the ends of the earth even if they mean nothing to him nor him to them.

In any case, social programs are fundamentally different from charity. The former is an entitlement written into the social compact, whereas the latter is a private benefit that can be withdrawn at any time. The former is far more valuable because while entitlements may be withdrawn by law, they are not dependent on the capricious whims of one individual and the recipient's relationship to them.

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The most mysterious parts of Obama's life all occurred before he reached the age of 10, and as this story shows, his biological father has definitely had a limited impact on shaping who he is.

I will overlook my personal detestation of sperm-donor "fathers" and say that I agree with you: Obama is under no legal compulsion to find or support adult relatives unknown to him (but that changes completely if it were discovered that he has a 'baby momma', but that's beside the point). But I will point out to you Americans seem to have made a hobby out of finding long-lost relations, given the popularity of geneology, adopted children of tracing down their biological parents, searching government databases for unknown siblings, etc. Family relations, no matter how distant, seem important to people.

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I think you underestimate both the scope and the scale of American private charitable giving, considering the number of philanthropic and tax-free organizations that already provide services either done poorly (in the estimation of the person doing the giving) or not at all by state or federal government welfare programs. And, in the case of Obama's indigent relative, no US international aid, federal or private, seems to have reached him, which indicates that there is still some need for even person-to-person donation.

[Beet]

I will overlook my personal detestation of sperm-donor "fathers" and say that I agree with you: Obama is under no legal compulsion to find or support adult relatives unknown to him (but that changes completely if it were discovered that he has a 'baby momma', but that's beside the point). But I will point out to you Americans seem to have made a hobby out of finding long-lost relations, given the popularity of geneology, adopted children of tracing down their biological parents, searching government databases for unknown siblings, etc. Family relations, no matter how distant, seem important to people.

They certainly seem important to people, and Obama's genealogy is certainly interesting. And he may have at some time or another taken part in this fad to find his long-lost relations. If he has not, the media outlets are certainly doing it (as evidenced by the text in my signature).

What concerns me more, frankly, is that most Americans (including myself) do not know what it is like to have a father so completely absent, that when they see 'brother' they will automatically assume that there is or ought to be some personal relationship when that is not the case.

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Oh, I am by no means saying that there is no good to be done by private charitable giving. Of course, the entire assumption of that kind of giving is that it is done voluntarily; there is no obligation to do so. But my comments about the whims of one individual were more directed at giving of the type in this case: where one relation or acquaintance supports one other particular individual.

[Jacobtm]

Who the hell was this guy, just fathering children all over the globe?

[JohnFKennedy]

Who the hell was this guy, just fathering children all over the globe?

Bond, James Bond.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Which candidate/candidate's wife will be the first to pull an Albright and "discover" that he/she is Jewish?

[DownWithTheLeft]

Which candidate/candidate's wife will be the first to pull an Albright and "discover" that he/she is Jewish?

John Kerry did it 2004, I predict that Michelle Obama will find out she is a member of the Black Israelites soon enough

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I wonder if Obama's "lost" brother will become the country's next Billy Carter. 

[Middle-aged Europe]

Obama's LOST brother:

[Sbane]

Obama's LOST brother:

HAHAHAHAHAHA I found this funny for some reason. Maybe because I am currently addicted to the show.

[JSojourner]

Which candidate/candidate's wife will be the first to pull an Albright and "discover" that he/she is Jewish?

John Kerry did it 2004, I predict that Michelle Obama will find out she is a member of the Black Israelites soon enough

As I recall, the right wing blogs and talk shows discovered that John Kerry had "converted" to Judaism and rejected Christianity.  In yet another attempt to smear one of the most honorable men to run for President in my lifetime.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

As I recall, the right wing blogs and talk shows discovered that John Kerry had "converted" to Judaism and rejected Christianity.  In yet another attempt to smear one of the most honorable men to run for President in my lifetime.

Calling someone Jewish is a "smear?"

[JSojourner]

As I recall, the right wing blogs and talk shows discovered that John Kerry had "converted" to Judaism and rejected Christianity.  In yet another attempt to smear one of the most honorable men to run for President in my lifetime.

Calling someone Jewish is a "smear?"

No, not at all.  Not by any means.

They said John Kerry converted, because he was ashamed of Christianity.  It was more of the same in the right's continual effort to persuade the masses that liberal Democrats cannot be Christians. 

[J. J.]

As I recall, the right wing blogs and talk shows discovered that John Kerry had "converted" to Judaism and rejected Christianity.  In yet another attempt to smear one of the most honorable men to run for President in my lifetime.

Calling someone Jewish is a "smear?"

No, not at all.  Not by any means.

They said John Kerry converted, because he was ashamed of Christianity.  It was more of the same in the right's continual effort to persuade the masses that liberal Democrats cannot be Christians. 

Never heard that one.

But that is a minor point in the face of one patently obvious fact: The American public knows practically nothing about Obama outside of his own books/public statements. His life is a mystery, and the deeper others research into it, the fewer sources one finds. This reticence will only allow McCain/GOP to define the man to their own satisfaction in their own time.

I disagree.  We know very little about Obama's father. 

The problem is that Obama/the campaign is trying to portray his early life differently than what it was.

Here are some of the myths:

1.  Obama was raise by a grandmother in KS.

Truth:  He was raised by a mother in HI and Indonesia for the first 8 years of his life.

2.  Obama's mother couldn't take care him because she was a single mother with cancer.

Truth:  His mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1994.

3.  Obama's mother couldn't afford to take care of him, so she sent him to live with his grandmother.

Truth:  Barack requested the move so he could go to school in the US (good for him); his mother actually opposed the idea at first.  At the time, she was married to an oil company executive in Indonesia.

4.  Obama was raised poor.

Truth:  He was raised in the households of an up and coming oil company executive, and  of his grandmother, a bank vice president.  He attended a private prep school, the Punahou School, in HI.

Now there are myths out there that Obama was raised Muslim.  Though he was registered in a Catholic run school in Indonesia as Muslim, it was a requirement that he be registered in the faith of his stepfather (who was not observant).  I'm not part of the 12% that thinks he's Muslim.  I'm glad the campaign has tried to debunk this this.

Why have they not also tried to set the record straight on these others?

[Platypus]

As I recall, the right wing blogs and talk shows discovered that John Kerry had "converted" to Judaism and rejected Christianity.  In yet another attempt to smear one of the most honorable men to run for President in my lifetime.

Calling someone Jewish is a "smear?"

No, not at all.  Not by any means.

They said John Kerry converted, because he was ashamed of Christianity.  It was more of the same in the right's continual effort to persuade the masses that liberal Democrats cannot be Christians. 

Never heard that one.

But that is a minor point in the face of one patently obvious fact: The American public knows practically nothing about Obama outside of his own books/public statements. His life is a mystery, and the deeper others research into it, the fewer sources one finds. This reticence will only allow McCain/GOP to define the man to their own satisfaction in their own time.

I disagree.  We know very little about Obama's father. 

The problem is that Obama/the campaign is trying to portray his early life differently than what it was.

Here are some of the myths:

1.  Obama was raise by a grandmother in KS.

Truth:  He was raised by a mother in HI and Indonesia for the first 8 years of his life.

2.  Obama's mother couldn't take care him because she was a single mother with cancer.

Truth:  His mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1994.

3.  Obama's mother couldn't afford to take care of him, so she sent him to live with his grandmother.

Truth:  Barack requested the move so he could go to school in the US (good for him); his mother actually opposed the idea at first.  At the time, she was married to an oil company executive in Indonesia.

4.  Obama was raised poor.

Truth:  He was raised in the households of an up and coming oil company executive, and  of his grandmother, a bank vice president.  He attended a private prep school, the Punahou School, in HI.

Now there are myths out there that Obama was raised Muslim.  Though he was registered in a Catholic run school in Indonesia as Muslim, it was a requirement that he be registered in the faith of his stepfather (who was not observant).  I'm not part of the 12% that thinks he's Muslim.  I'm glad the campaign has tried to debunk this this.

Why have they not also tried to set the record straight on these others?

On some they have.

Obama attended the Punahoa School, at least initially, on a scholarship.

His mother and stepfather were in Jakarta's 'international/bohemian' class; middle/upper middle-class by western standards. They weren't poor, although as with most middle class fmailies, they had times when they were broke.

And he was raised, for most of his years as a minor, by his grandparents, in Hawai'i.

[J. J.]

On some they have.

Obama attended the Punahoa School, at least initially, on a scholarship.

His mother and stepfather were in Jakarta's 'international/bohemian' class; middle/upper middle-class by western standards. They weren't poor, although as with most middle class fmailies, they had times when they were broke.

And he was raised, for most of his years as a minor, by his grandparents, in Hawai'i.

He was aided in school, but he also had his grandmother aiding him.  And it was basically Obama's own choice to be raised by his grandparents, and not for financial reasons.

I'm roughly a contemporary of Barack Obama.  I'm looking at my life at the same time, roughly 1975-85.  He had more money, and a better education.  His life story was less compelling than mine, even objectively.

I don't there was anything "wrong" with his life story, but he's really trying to hide it, because it doesn't fit the image.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

There's nothing unusual in politicians lying about how ever so 'umble they are. To take one well known example, Margaret Thatcher's father was not a humble grocer, but the owner of a chain of greengrocers, a prominant and powerful local politician for almost two decades (serving as Mayor in the mid '40's) and the head of a very long list of local interest groups and organisations, including the local Chamber of Commerce. And that's not even an especially extreme case. Jimmy Carter was no son of the soil either.

[J. J.]

There's nothing unusual in politicians lying about how ever so 'umble they are. To take one well known example, Margaret Thatcher's father was not a humble grocer, but the owner of a chain of greengrocers, a prominant and powerful local politician for almost two decades (serving as Mayor in the mid '40's) and the head of a very long list of local interest groups and organisations, including the local Chamber of Commerce. And that's not even an especially extreme case. Jimmy Carter was no son of the soil either.

Carter actually was more honest about it.

I think I'd have a lot more respect for Obama if he was a bit more upfront about it.

The guy obviously is not a Muslim and I don't like the claims that he is, but downplaying his background hasn't helped.  He doesn't the most compelling personal story of the top two candidates, but so what!  Neither did Reagan.