Why Birthers - and Donald Trump - Need to Shut It, Now

I avoid talking politics here. So please know this post really isn't political. It's about appropriateness and respect.

For weeks now, Donald Trump and "Birthers" have been challenging Obama by insisting he produce documentation to prove that he was indeed born in the United States. So many people have supported it by saying, "What is the big deal? Show it!"

And then, there are a lot of people who have responded with, "Would you ask Obama to produce this documentation if he were white?"

Racism literally nauseates and infuriates me. It is my one hot button. Okay, I admittedly have a few more, (picking on folks with special needs, child abuse, animal abuse) but racism is a biggie for me based on how I was raised and what I've seen and experienced. So, because I know this about myself, and I think it's such a horribly ugly attribute for someone to have, I do not draw conclusions about racism easily. A behavior or statement has to be pretty blatant for me to say, "Okay...that was totally racist..."

But I have to say, the way that Obama has been treated sometimes since he has been in office has made me tilt my head a few times and consider the racism claims. Because I don't recall a Congressman yelling "You LIE" during any speech given by any president prior to Obama. And this challenging attitude that Trump and the Birthers (sounds like the name of a really unappealing rockband) have about our President seems pretty disrespectful. What makes them think they have the right to be so outspoken and familiar?

(And yes, I would make this same statement if Obama were a Republican. I was absolutely offended when the Iraqi man threw a shoe at President Bush, even though I was not a Bush Fan and the Iraqi clearly has distain for Americans and no real reason to behave properly. It was still completely inexcuseable, beyond the fact that Bush could have been injured and that would have been terrible.)

First, why it is inappropriate for someone to challenge our President, or anyone else, this way? Remember the fool in Arizona who wanted people who "looked Hispanic" to be ready to produce documentation of citizenship? And how crappy that sounded? Doesn't this request smell similarly rancid?

And second, does the "All American" Trump really think that our Government is so faulty that those who process elected officials' paperwork (it is a job, afterall) wouldn't ask for things like a birth certificate or a Social Security card? Really? You have to do it at any other legitimate job in America...WTH?

So, I'm not going to say that I'm 100% sure that it's racism. I think for sure that it's stupidity and disrespect...and something else: famewhoring.

We live in an age of "reality" shows, blogs, Twitter, Facebook...and somehow, I think that this has given people the false perspective that what they think and say matters. We're able to broadcast our thoughts and actions to anyone who will listen or read them.

Because these opinions can be heard (and reacted to), suddenly people aren't quiet. They can't stop sharing. They want the attention, positive or negative. They want the all the fame that their irrational, shocking and stupid messages can generate. My advice is, before someone tweets, "Just blew my nose...ew!" that they reconsider just what it is that they want in exchange for that tweet. Is this how you want to be remembered, as the person who filterlessly says every word that pops into his or her head?

Does Trump really want to be remembered as the possibly racist/homophobic (loudly and continuously hated on Rosie O'Donnell, too) zillionaire who - despite all that money - doesn't have an ounce of class to handle himself in a dignified manner publicly? Or, could he maybe just keep his opinions about people to himself, and focus his energy and time and money on things that would make him appear to be a good humanitarian? Just asking...

And yeah, I'm going there... how can anyone who doesn't have the common sense to shave off the horrifyingly awful combover go on and on, attracting attention to himself about ANYTHING? Donald! No one loves you! If anyone really did, they'd take you gently aside and guide you to the nearest barber...

Not sexy. If he's going to rock that hair flap, he's got to have something else going for him, and ugly talk like this ain't doing it...