'All the way from Thailand': Mark Kirk questions Tammy Duckworth's heritage

[webfact]

'All the way from Thailand': Mark Kirk questions Tammy Duckworth's heritage

By ANNA GIARITELLI

 

WASHINGTON: -- Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., attacked Democratic challenger Rep. Tammy Duckworth during a debate Thursday night over her claim that her family has served in the military since the American Revolution in the late 18th century.

 

In an explanation that her family understands the gravity of war, Duckworth told the University of Illinois at Springfield audience she had deep roots serving the U.S.

 

"My family has served this nation in uniform going back to the Revolution. I'm a daughter of the revolution. I've bled for this nation," Duckworth said. "But I still wanna be there in the Senate when the drums of war sound because people are quick to sound the drums or war and I want to be there to say 'this is what it costs, this is what you're asking us to do.' And if that's the case, I'll go. Families like mine are the ones who lead first."

 

Full story: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/all-the-way-from-thailand-mark-kirk-questions-tammy-duckworths-heritage/article/2605830

 

-- Washington Examiner 2016-10-28

[Alive]

Duckworth would lose quickly if this other politician were smart enough to ask her about her support or apathy towards human rights abusers in other nations. Does she really believe in the freedoms America is built on? She's totally two-faced. She doesn't show allegiance to one nation. It's a fact.

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, Alive said:

Duckworth would lose quickly if this other politician were smart enough to ask her about her support or apathy towards human rights abusers in other nations. Does she really believe in the freedoms America is built on? She's totally two-faced. She doesn't show allegiance to one nation. It's a fact.

Instead, this other politician was stupid enough to make a racist remark.

[Pimay1]

50 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

Instead, this other politician was stupid enough to make a racist remark.

Ah yes, when the progressives have no argument they fall back on the "racist" ace n the hole.

[ilostmypassword]

44 minutes ago, Pimay1 said:

Ah yes, when the progressives have no argument they fall back on the "racist" ace n the hole.

 

Kirk responded that Duckworth, who was born in Bangkok, Thailand, to a mother of Chinese heritage, and a father of American descent, was incorrect about her ancestry and family's history in the military.

"I had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington," Kirk responded...

"There's been members of my family serving on my father's side since the American Revolution," Duckworth said, adding that she was "proud of both my father's side and my mother's side as an immigrant."

 

 

[mike324]

1 hour ago, Pimay1 said:

Ah yes, when the progressives have no argument they fall back on the "racist" ace n the hole.

 

Tammy's claim is legit, and it was a just cheap and weak attack by Mark Kirk. Quite frankly, he is the one that looks stupid. I agree I won't go as far as calling him racist, people are too sensitive nowadays. 

[thaihome]

I'm not sure if Kirkland was being racist (likely just objecting to anything she says) in his remarks about her family coming from Thailand to serve George Washington ,  but he certainly was showing real ignorance for the existence of US expats and their families in SEA.

 

Her father was a US army officer that served in WWII,  Korea, and Vietnam and then went to work for the UN in various postings in SEA. It is well documented the Duckworth family has served in US military going back to the Revolutionary War.

https://familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/4859388

She lost her legs when the helicopter she was co-pilot on was shot down in Iraq in 2004.  

 

Not a big fan of her political views ,  but calling into question her and her family's military service is uncalled for. I guess Kirk is like another candidate we know that doesn't think  people that got shot down are heros.  

TH 

[sgtsabai]

He has been doing this kind of crap from the git-go and he is going, going, soon to be gone. Good bye to bad rubbish. Oh, and she didn't loose her legs due to an accident as portrayed by the right wing Washington Examiner. "She lost her right leg near the hip and her left leg below the knee^[10] from injuries sustained on November 12, 2004, when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by Iraqi insurgents." A bit more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammy_Duckworth

[Alive]

My argument had nothing to do with her military service. Yes, she served in the US military and got her legs blow off and she certainly goes around touting that to boost her career. My argument is she is unwilling to speak the truth about oppression in other nations specifically one we all know. She has said nothing about what has gone on. This topic is too sensitive to go further. All I can say is she is going to be a freaking US senator but she is unwilling to criticize the human rights abuses of people she talks about all the time in her campaigning? Marh Kirk is stupid because he doesn't see what an opportunity he has to put her allegiance to traditional US values like freedom and human rights on trial. Many a traitor to US values has fought for the US in war and even been injured. You can't sell me with any military bs and hero crap. Her values and silence says it all.

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, Alive said:

My argument had nothing to do with her military service. Yes, she served in the US military and got her legs blow off and she certainly goes around touting that to boost her career. My argument is she is unwilling to speak the truth about oppression in other nations specifically one we all know. She has said nothing about what has gone on. This topic is too sensitive to go further. All I can say is she is going to be a freaking US senator but she is unwilling to criticize the human rights abuses of people she talks about all the time in her campaigning? Marh Kirk is stupid because he doesn't see what an opportunity he has to put her allegiance to traditional US values like freedom and human rights on trial. Many a traitor to US values has fought for the US in war and even been injured. You can't sell me with any military bs and hero crap. Her values and silence says it all.

Like Americans really care about the political situation in that country. And why should she bear any special responsibility for speaking about about that nation. She has chosen to be an American citizen and live here life there. Are Americans of Russian descent somehow responsible for the situation in Russia?

[sgtsabai]

A bit about despicable Kirk, maybe Scottie can beam him up. http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/21/politics/mark-kirk-iraq-veteran-website/index.html

[Briggsy]

Was Duckworth referring to her biological father? Was Kirk referring to her biological father?

[ilostmypassword]

5 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Was Duckworth referring to her biological father? Was Kirk referring to her biological father?

Are you saying that Frank Duckworth, the guy who helped raise her and whom she called Dad, was not her biological father?

[Briggsy]

Just now, ilostmypassword said:

Are you saying that Frank Duckworth, the guy who helped raise her and whom she called Dad, was not her biological father?

TIT. Always get a DNA test. Maybe Kirk knows something.

As Trump would say, "Check out that face. What do you think?"

[ilostmypassword]

3 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

TIT. Always get a DNA test. Maybe Kirk knows something.

As Trump would say, "Check out that face. What do you think?"

Well, at least you're open about your racism.

[Briggsy]

Racist dtrong nai?

[ilostmypassword]

6 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Racist dtrong nai?

Racist because you questioned her paternity because  she looks Asian like Thai mother?  Do you routinely doubt the paternity of all children who resemble their mother rather than their father?

[thaihome]

2 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

.. She has chosen to be an American citizen and live here life there...

She was born an American citizen and is eligible to run for president if she so chooses . Your post is a typical racist, xenophobic of the right wingnuts. How many limbs have you donated to a right wing made up war in Iraq?

TH 

 

 

 

[ilostmypassword]

6 minutes ago, thaihome said:

She was born an American citizen and is eligible to run for president if she so chooses . Your post is a typical racist, xenophobic of the right wingnuts. How many limbs have you donated to a right wing made up war in Iraq?

TH 

 

 

 

I wrote she has chosen to be an American citizen because she was born in Thailand to a Thai mother and could have, as an adult, chosen to live in Thailand and pursue her life here.  

[thaihome]

1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said:

I wrote she has chosen to be an American citizen because she was born in Thailand to a Thai mother and could have, as an adult, chosen to live in Thailand and pursue her life here.  

 

She was born a US citizen by the fact her father was a US citizen who had lived in the US at least 5 years before she was born. That qualifies her as a natural born US citizen. That fact is documented by a paper titled "Registration of a US Citizen Born Abroad" at he US Consulate.  You don't  "choose" that. You either are or you are not. She also has the same rights as a natural  born Thai citizen. it's called dual citizenship, recognized by both countries and requires an overt act by either to reject citizenship .  

 

She did indeed "choose" to join the US military and donate her legs in the service of the US in a misbegotten war that never should have happened. Considering her upbringing , I doubt that she ever even considered any other life then in the US and serving in the military, even if she was raised in SEA. At the time her reserve unit was called up for service in Iraq, she was working on  Ph.D in political science in Illinois. I know many expat children with various dual citizenships that are the same.

 

You can disagree with her political views, but don't dare call into question her US citizenship or her family's service to the US or say "she could have chosen to live in Thailand". It is disgraceful,  offensive,  and  could easily be considered  racist. 

TH 

[sgtsabai]

thaihome, AMEN brother, amen.

 

When Colonel Duckworth came to Thailand a couple of years back I said to my wife that a Thai/American member of congress was here, stupidly thinking she might not know. I was corrected quickly. Don't ever think all Thais don't know what is going on in the world. And don't ever think they don't know racism as well as I do.

 

 

[gemini81]

4 hours ago, thaihome said:

She was born an American citizen and is eligible to run for president if she so chooses . Your post is a typical racist, xenophobic of the right wingnuts. How many limbs have you donated to a right wing made up war in Iraq?

TH 

 

 

 

no signs of racism or any of the above. why the trendy hipster politically correct rant on those accusations? do you need refuge in a safe zone?

[ilostmypassword]

4 hours ago, thaihome said:

 

She was born a US citizen by the fact her father was a US citizen who had lived in the US at least 5 years before she was born. That qualifies her as a natural born US citizen. That fact is documented by a paper titled "Registration of a US Citizen Born Abroad" at he US Consulate.  You don't  "choose" that. You either are or you are not. She also has the same rights as a natural  born Thai citizen. it's called dual citizenship, recognized by both countries and requires an overt act by either to reject citizenship .  

 

She did indeed "choose" to join the US military and donate her legs in the service of the US in a misbegotten war that never should have happened. Considering her upbringing , I doubt that she ever even considered any other life then in the US and serving in the military, even if she was raised in SEA. At the time her reserve unit was called up for service in Iraq, she was working on  Ph.D in political science in Illinois. I know many expat children with various dual citizenships that are the same.

 

You can disagree with her political views, but don't dare call into question her US citizenship or her family's service to the US or say "she could have chosen to live in Thailand". It is disgraceful,  offensive,  and  could easily be considered  racist. 

TH 

When an AMerican citizen who is eligible for citizenship in another country is 18 years old, she or he has to choose what citizenship he or she wants.  Tammy Duckworth chose the USA. It's true that Thailand may still recognize her as being eligible for Thai citizenship, but according the USA she is only a U.S. citizen. She could have chosen to be a Thai citizen instead. She didn't.  

ANd there was absolutely nothing in my comment about race. It was only about nationality not to skin tone or facial features. She could have been a Swede and looked stereotypically Swedish and my comment would have been the same. 

[Scott]

US law does not require that you chose to be a US citizen at 18.   Tammy Duckworth's father was a US citizen by birth and this citizenship was conferred on her at birth.   There is a requirement that you prove that your parent was a US citizen.  

[Alive]

Some of you people are ridiculous. She's going to be a senator. She cannot serve a foreign nation too even it is through her silence. She always brings up her Asian roots and the connections to Asia. She claims to speak Thai on her wikipedia and has has met with Thais in groups. She needs to publicly condemn the human rights abuses going on in Thailand and those specific groups who are and have always been the source of them.. It's that simple. Why can't she do it? Why can't she help Thais get democracy and free speech? Let's hear the words from this woman. Or does she have a reason she is too cowardly to speak up for the oppressed in Thailand.

[ilostmypassword]

16 hours ago, Scott said:

US law does not require that you chose to be a US citizen at 18.   Tammy Duckworth's father was a US citizen by birth and this citizenship was conferred on her at birth.   There is a requirement that you prove that your parent was a US citizen.  

You're right. I got it wrong. But you can opt out of U.S. citizenship at 18 if you have elegibility for citizenship elsewhere.

[Scott]

I believe you have to go in and formally renounce your citizenship.  If you are a natural born citizen, you will always be a citizen unless you go to an embassy and renounce it.  

 

Even if you are a citizen of another country that doesn't allow for dual citizenship, your US citizenship remains until/unless it is renounced.  

 

The laws of other countries do not apply to US citizenship.  

[AYJAYDEE]

On 10/28/2016 at 3:26 AM, Alive said:

My argument had nothing to do with her military service. Yes, she served in the US military and got her legs blow off and she certainly goes around touting that to boost her career. My argument is she is unwilling to speak the truth about oppression in other nations specifically one we all know. She has said nothing about what has gone on. This topic is too sensitive to go further. All I can say is she is going to be a freaking US senator but she is unwilling to criticize the human rights abuses of people she talks about all the time in her campaigning? Marh Kirk is stupid because he doesn't see what an opportunity he has to put her allegiance to traditional US values like freedom and human rights on trial. Many a traitor to US values has fought for the US in war and even been injured. You can't sell me with any military bs and hero crap. Her values and silence says it all.

 

US values?? lol! what a crock, black men shot while their hands are up, white men acquitted of armed takeover of federal property, natives beaten for protesting a pipeline that Bismark managed to have moved for the sxame reason? some values!!

 

[Alive]

Ayjaydee I hear your frustration and I totally agree. I think she agrees too but then what values does she hold??? Why doesn't she speak up when talking to Thai-Americans? She should condemn what certain groups are doing in Thailand and now probably on American soil. Of course, you know that I cannot post the truth about Thailand here because of fear and laws. She doesn't live in Thailand but says nothing. She touts her heritage and connections to climb the political ladder. Doesn't she believe in human rights and democracy for people in Thailand? She could speak for freedom, justice and human rights in Thailand. She's a coward or another crafty politician. Americans don't know about the Thai story so if she keeps quiet about it she won't be forced to take a stand for human rights which she would have done already if she had any courage and morality.

[JLCrab]

Americans -- if they are the least bit interested -- can read about it here:

 

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/253015.pdf