A reader offers this intriguing piece of info:
someone (I honestly cannot remember who) posted a picture a couple of months ago of Obama from his years at Columbia in which he is wearing a wedding ring. This blogger suggested that he was "married" to his male roommate. Maybe, instead he was married to this "white girl".The "gay" rumor never seemed at all likely to me. Of course, such rumors are inevitable these days. "He's gay" is simply another way of saying "He's famous." The only exception would be if the famous person actually is gay. If someone comes to public attention via the Bravo channel, Dame Rumor has no choice but to circulate accusations of heterosexuality.
So let's put the gay whispers to one side. Let's concentrate on that photo -- which, if unretouched, would constitute hard evidence that we have not yet been told the real story about Obama's time in NY.
Does anyone else recall seeing this pic? Does it actually exist, or is it an image which we can categorize alongside John Keel's "Thunderbird" photograph?
UPDATE: WE HAVE PHOTOS! Kind readers have sent in some interesting links. And here's the evidence...
If you want to see the photos in their original sizes and contexts, open up the comments section. You'll see the URLs. The photos appear to come from decent sources -- one of them is an ABC affiliate -- and were not originally intended to draw attention to the ring. I think we can fairly presume that these are not Photoshop jobs.So what is going on here?
One reader suggests that Obama is wearing a class ring. To be frank, I was under the impression that class rings had fallen out of favor in this time period. I'm only a little older than Obama, and in my own college days, I knew of no-one -- absolutely no one -- who wore a ring indicating allegiance to the school. If anyone in my circle had done so, we would have ribbed him mercilessly. Anyone wearing school-oriented jewelry might as well have matched it with a "DORK" t-shirt.
On the other hand, I went to a mere UC school. Columbia is Ivy. Were attitudes toward rings very different at Columbia in the early 1980s? If not, then can you come up with any other explanation for the band around Barack Obama's finger?
Jokes about Alberich, Sauron and Alan Moore are, of course, quite welcome.
15 comments:
Well, here are two:
http://olbroad.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/20060817_20_03_22_6_h282w400.jpg
http://a.abclocal.go.com/images/wls/cms_exf_2007/news/national_world/6460145_600x338.jpg
I hadn't heard the "gay marriage" bit, only "marriage". I don't buy it... I figure it's likely a school ring or something.
OMG, I cannot believe you just made a John Keel reference. My Cannonfire experience is now complete.
Another:
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk287/Elliewyatt/boring.jpg
I recall seeing that picture, but I do not remember what site I was on. The article with the poc also mentioned he may have been married. It was many months ago, I am thinking maybe during the summer.
I tried the link elliewyatt provides, but I get a message the site does not exist.
bert in Ohio
Joseph~
I doubt the photos are photoshopped.
The African photo was taken in 1988, and all copies all over the 'net are the same.
The one with his grandparents is claimed to be taken in New York at the time of his Columbia graduation, and all verions appear identical.
The black & white one is one of a series of three stills showing the ring taken aparently either during Occidental or Columbia, that I grabbed from a A&E television Biography video (it was utteryly barf-inducingly sugary, and I deserve a reward for enduring even part of it). http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3545343528928314588
I had thought it might be a Punahou ring. I did find descriptions (but no photos)of the Punahou school rings and found ads seeking lost rings from '65, '75 & '88.
From these photos, he wore it from at least 1983-1988, if not from high school 1979or so.
When Travolta (as Achilles, being armed by the gods) blowdries and dresses in Saturday Night Fever, first (after his briefs, offscreen) he puts on his cross necklace, then another gold necklace, and last (after shirt and trousers offscreen except for the upzip) his ring on that ring finger (also offscreen), even adjusting it (for our benefit). Until JFK, a gentleman didn't go out without his hat. Too many Zeitgeists, too many codes.
On the other hand, it's likely an amulet, maybe with a story from his mom, and you'll never know unless someone who knows reads here before it's too late to be believed.
Anon 8:42 -- Ah. So YOU'RE the fellow who gave David Lynch the idea for "Rabbits"! Nice to meetcha.
Many states have public marriage records. If he were married to a woman, his marriage (and divorce, if any) would have been recorded, say by the state of New York (if that's where he were married). It would have turned up.
I don't think he was married to a woman -- or why wouldn't she be in the photo with him and his grandparents? Yes, I know, many famous people are rumored to be gay -- and some of them are. Otherwise, wouldn't he have dated at least 2-3 women before he met Michelle? I have no problem with the idea that he had a committed relationship with another male. It happens.
djmm
I seriously doubt it was his Punahou ring. How many people, who go on to college, seriously wear their HS ring much longer than the summer following their HS graduation? I don't know if this is a wedding ring, but I don't think it's his HS ring either.
Perhaps it's one of those Hawai'ian heirloom rings?
Delphyne
Bluelyon~
I agree, wearing a high school ring until the age of at least 27 (though he apears to be wearing it still while dating Muchelle, peer some photos, which would make him 31) is on par with adhesive tape on one's glasses & a pencil protector.
That is why I wanted to get a picture of a real Punahou ring. Can't find one. The ring he wore as a young man looks (by looking at lots of pics) to be a flat narrow elongated oval on top. The Punahou ring is said to be the Lauhala tree, flanked by the year: *19-(tree)-79*, I guess.
I wouldn't think he'd wear an Occidental ring, as he did not graduate from there. Can't find a Columbia ring.
Whatever, a man wearing a gold ring before marriage unless it's a SuperBowl ring is just creepy.
Delphyne~
I grew up in Hawaii. The heritage rings are etched and enameled wide BAND style. I sincerely do not think that is what he's wearing. I wondered about it and looked at a LOT of photos.
I think it's silly to think it's a wedding ring of any sort (but who knows with that guy), but whatever it is, it's creepy.
I went to high school, too. I did not wear my class ring on my LEFT hand. I wore my boyfriend's class ring on my left hand for a while. And I wore my engagement ring and my wedding ring ring on my left hand (for a while). Never anything that did not signify committment to someone.
My son lived with a woman for several years. THough they were not married, they did after a while buy rings and wear them. Maybe Obama was not married, but committed for a while.
The reason I mentioned that he was suspected of being "married" to his roommate when I brought up the picture is because I have never heard of any girl other than Michelle who dated Obama. It seems odd.
I am not sure when the picture of him standing next to his "brothers" with Gramas sitting in front of him was taken, but he is wearing a ring in that picture too.
I have a gold Punahou ring with the blue hala tree on it. From the photos I have seen I would not rule it out yet. The hala tree would have looked somewhat roundish, not like a palm tree.
If Barry would have lost weight, the ring may not have fit quite right. It would have rotated or spun around on his finger from photo to photo. So at times it would look like a gold band.
He may have worn it as a conversation piece and as long as he was able to attract girls with it. I did! The photographer did say she thought the guy was cute.
Not until you find a close up of the blue hala tree logo can you rule it out.
I graduated from Punahou in '78, the year before Barry (known now as Barack). Our class rings were all gold, no blue like they have in the more recent years & no stones like many mainland class rings. I graduated from college on the mainland but never bought a college ring. I do still wear my Punahou ring - I have always had a greater connection with Punahou as I think many alumni do. It is a unique life and educational experience and I would not be suprise if Barry wore his ring years after graduation. Many of us do. When I was younger (and slimmer) it was not unusual for it to spin around & appear to be a band - as opposed to the more rounded top picturing the lauhala tree. I'm wearing it as I type...
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