(Photo: Roger L. Wollenberg/Landov)

If the president were white and one of his parents originally came from Italy or Spain, would Tea Party people question his citizenship? Probably not. And questions about Obama’s birth and religion are likely based on deep-seated racist views. Whether or not everyone who espouses birther theories actually believes them, the fact that they dare utter them aloud is very telling.

In an interview on CNN’s In the Arena this week, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said that racism may be what’s behind the birther movement.

“I think there are people who are organizing around their anger rather than around particular issues.” Patrick said. “Anger and fear has been a tool used politically for a long time in the world and is being used I think by the national Republican Party today.”

Real estate mogul Donald Trump, who is weighing a presidential run as an independent, has brought the issue to the forefront in recent weeks, using it to get attention and raise ratings for his reality television series “Celebrity Apprentice.” Like Patrick suggested, he is using anger and fear rather than issues to promote his self-interests.