It’s like alien crop circles, Elvis still being alive and fake moon landings all rolled into one, except that the never-ending conspiracy theory that Barack Obama is not a native born American is far from the usual fodder that frequents the supermarket tabloids. By now, it’s just plain irritating.

It’s irritating not because of some great affinity for our president. In fact, his administration has done more to cost jobs for our neck of the woods than any in my memory, and our already job hungry region is suffering even more because of it. But that’s another column all together.

No, what’s irritating about this theory that Barack Obama is not an American is that there is definitive proof to the contrary, namely a birth certificate. Even the state of Hawaii has chimed in and confirmed that, yes, Barack Obama was indeed born in the United States of America, and is eligible to be the nation’s commander-in-chief.

A few months ago there was a blow up on the Internet alleging that Mr. Obama is using a fake social security number, though no one can offer any actual proof that the federal government didn’t issue him that number.

It is interesting that Fox News, the bastion of conservatism, won’t even pick up on this story. Now, keep in mind that it was Fox News that in 2007 announced that Mr. Obama was raised a Muslim and attended a radical Madrassa in Indonesia as a child, with Fox and Friends host Steve Doocy declaring, “This is huge!”

Keep in mind that hosts at Fox News Channel continually claim that Mr. Obama has made our country less safe and prone to failure. The point is that Fox News has no love for the president. If there were any proof that he is using a fake social security number, Fox News would be all over it.

But they’re not, and for a reason. There is no actual proof.

Even today you can find people claiming that Barack Obama is a fraud. I read an opinion piece just last week making note of his “phony-baloney birth certificate,” yet the writer never bothered to cite the source of his information indicating that the document is fraudulent.

A quick Internet search of “Barack Obama birth certificate” will turn up any number of websites explaining why it is that the president is a fraud. Websites like wasobamaborninkenya.com and topix.com are full of what is no doubt reputable information. I can only guess that this is where people are getting their information. But even websites like these, with all of that awesome information, fail to provide any tangible proof.

The fact is that there are so many more important issues that are actual issues in America, and especially in Eastern Kentucky, to be focusing on.

How about we worry about the hundreds of coal miners who have lost their jobs in Kentucky in the past months because of an energy policy that leaves our region out of the production loop?

How about we worry about a health care system that is leaving millions of people without options because they don’t have insurance?

How about we worry about the hundreds of people who are dying in Eastern Kentucky each year because of the tragedy of prescription pill abuse.

How about we worry about something that is affecting our day-to-day lives, rather than the ravings of the fringe who want to see nothing more than a new president in the White House?

Come to think of it, we have that opportunity this November. If you really want to make a change, got to the polls, and encourage others to do the same. But spreading nonsense from people with nothing more to offer than their own conspiracy theories is doing absolutely no one any good.