Patriot Discussion Forum

During the April monthly meeting in Spokane, I watched those first two YouTube videos analyzing Barack Obama's long form birth certificate with interest. The discussions in those videos about computer graphics and determining whether the presented original was a true original or a doctored document were correct in their presentation, as far as my knowledge of graphics file formats and programs and techniques used to manipulate images goes.

Having said that, I saw Monday morning that hours after Osama bin Laden was pronounced dead, someone had produced clearly doctored images of bin Laden dead. An MSNBC blog devoted to news photography showed easily that the image was manufactured. A few thoughts occurred to me suddenly:

This process of cataloging and preserving the exact source of an item's history is known as provenance. From the Wikipedia article on provenance, as a start:

* In archaeology (particularly North American archaeology and anthropological archaeology throughout the world), the term provenience is used somewhat similarly to "provenance". Archaeological researchers use provenience to refer to the three-dimensional location of an artifact or feature within an archaeological site,[2] as opposed to provenance, which includes an artifact's complete documented history.

* In the Middle Ages, eyewitness testimony was the best testimony, and many times was the only acceptable testimony.

* How do I know where these images and documents, on both sides, came from? Do I know the whole provenance of any of these documents? No, I don't. I know where the supposedly doctored documents came from, but, I don't know the whole history of those documents. Neither do I know the whole history of the image posted by the AP.

* If I don't know the provenance, can I make a reasonable opinion about these documents, about their reality or lack thereof? I don't think so. If I was presenting these documents as part of legal research on a case, would I be able to use them as convincing proof of wrongdoing? Would I be able to assign blame? I don't think so, at least not yet.

Now, lest anyone think that I am defending anyone currently in power; I'm not. We don't have enough facts yet to make a decision about anything. We may in the future, but not yet.

My final question is this: How important is this issue anyway? If we say that the long form birth certificate is doctored, the opposition will accuse us of being racist, or ignorant, but especially as being irrelevant to thoughtful discussion about politics. I have seen in the Spokesman-Review a long stream of political cartoons depicting tea partiers as ignorant backwoods people.

We don't have enough political capital to be thought of in those negative terms. We have to be far more thoughtful and insightful in our discussions and policy positions than the tea partiers, if we are going to have a lasting impact on politics, where it matters most - in the minds of potential voters this next November.

We must not be hijacked into side issues. We all have to stay focused on discussing policy and how it will affect our country. We must show a continuity of policy between administrations to prove to the uninformed that both major parties are essentially the same in theoretical policy and in actual practice.


Respectfully,
Steven G. Taylor
State IT Specialist
Constitution Party of Washington

I would have to ask if the conduit that the information comes to us is corrupt, can we trust it? And if the American press has become Rogue, and if that is where all our "information" comes from. Can that media (press) become a useful branch of Government propaganda?

And if we have been subjected to this programing over a long period of time. Is there a chance that we no longer have a useful compass to navigate?

I believe the American press is told what and how to disburse info. That is beneficial to controlling a people and Americans have always been fighting against corruption. I think in Andrew Jackson's presidency was the last time this nation had a 'compass' to navigate through deceptive practices of the world banksters. Greed and Corruption is the head of the snake. They are getting so obviously obnoxious these days. It is like the American people are treated as ignorant, beyond caring or unable to stop New World Order plans. A good example is Fox News renaming Osama to Usama! Who decided that? Then of course the treatment of the constitution as if it does not exist....thus all our rights being stomped on with TSA ,Homeland Security,illegal wars,etc. basically government killing the constitution.....which is our last chance for America. No! I don't trust mainstream media . Yes! The media is a useful branch of Government and New World Order propoganda. and Maybe on the ability to navigate because we have always lived with adversity, one way or another...tis the human condition. We adapt and learn, and move on. The problem is to move together we have to start individually. The very thing we are taught not to be by our government run institutions. Many seem to be afraid to be individual, "different". So here we are ,with all the sheep believing every word that is brainwashed into them. I think soon though , there will be no choice and EVERYONE will have to wake up and see where they are..Then we will see where the compass is leading