OK-I'm going to start my series on the Inaugural Speech. However I think I need to start with Rick Warren's prayer. While I had misgivings on Rick Warren being involved-I shouldn't have been, because nothing did more to showcase Warren "overiratedness" or lack of relevancy like his performance at the Inauguration. The prayer was boring and so loaded with cheese, my cholesterol jumped up. His vision and theme were sappy and had the whole "Baptist-fake" sheen.
For example, the way he pronounced the Obama girls named (yes, Jon Stewart made a similar observation) but he was obviously trying to show off his coolness and "acceptance" of their "ethnic" names so he said them the way white people who try to hard-he over-pronounces. My mom does it ALL the time. Its not real, I don't care what anyone says or what his intentions were-its fake--which is my biggest problem with religion and religious people-they (and I when I was a kool-aid drinker) think the intentions are paramount-even over the actions, or consequences or being real. -This will OBVIOUSLY have to be another blog post now . . . :)
However, the biggest thing I took away from Rick Warren's prayer was the misguided, fake-ass attempt to be multi-cultural. When he ended his prayer he said he prayed it in the name of the one who had changed his life-Yeshua, Isa, the son of God, Jesus. Well this is only inclusive to right-wing evangelicals-whose ignorance of Christology, theology and other religions is an open sore. Just using the Hebrew and Arabic pronunciations of Jesus is simply the equivalent of saying "Hey-soos" in Spanish speaking countries. Yeshua is NOT at all recognized in Judaism (outside of the man who led the army around Jericho) and while Isa is Jesus in Islam-the approach and understanding is not the same. Using the other versions of Jesus doesn't reach out to other believers. There were not Jews and Muslims sitting on their sofa going "Oh, I'm so glad he used our language, now I know who he is praying to. That is how I pray too.". That is the worst case of being "just smart enough to be ignorant.". Jews and Muslims don't pray to Jesus, Yeshua or Isa-at all. In fact both are MUCH stricter than Christianity in termsw of monotheism. There is no trinity in Islam or Judaism. They don't believe or pray the same way as Christians, but with an accent. The only thing sadder than that ending to that prayer is how many Chistians didn't pick-up on how ignorant it really was and how many of them felt it was magnanimous and inclusive and cosmopolitan for him to reach out that way. . .
Showing posts with label obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obama. Show all posts
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Comments on The Fireside Chats
OK--I have gone back and listened to the Fireside Chats. I must say-this man knows messaging. He has been driving home the same message since the election. Economy is on the forefront and he has been urging Congress (along with former President Bush) to act and pass some stimulus since 11/15/2008.
Eerily prescient he stated the need and purpose of such an act. I wonder . . . had President Bush gotten off his ideological train; even towards the end--what could have been done during the meantime.
Ultimately, it is THIS that makes bad presidents--the inability to act, to be effective, to protect the people who elected them, to fulfill their charge to leave this union in a better state than when they found out. This is why Buchanan is so despised, and ill-rated by historians and dis-remembered by the populace. As the union was shattering around him, he did nothing. He allowed more and more states to rip the nation apart; gather arms; sieze ammunition and forts; cement cooperation and suppress opposition. His inability and decision to do nothing is not tolerated by Americans-whose national creed is built on action (perhaps not always the correct action, but action nonetheless).
Lincoln wasn't perfect and learned while on the job. FDR made several mistakes and corrections while implementing the New Deal. But it is lack of action that Americans hold in highest disregard. Our former President forfeited his legacy and trust when the economy went south through much of 2008. He abdicated his position and authority when he did nothing as the economy collapsed around him in September. He abandoned the American people and turned them over the fates after the election. Preferring to hold to a hypocritical and stubborn idealogy; rather than dealing with the reality. His reputation with his base was more important than the economy; than the lives of all Ameicans. THIS is why Bush will be judged as inept; this is why history will not be kind; this is why the American people should feel betrayed.
Thankfully, we as a people, have again elected a man "for such a time as this". We are in better hands because not only does our President ACT, and not only is he pragmatic and not ideological; but he is smart. Plain old intelligence and competence will hopefully NEVER be underrated or underappreciated in America again!
Eerily prescient he stated the need and purpose of such an act. I wonder . . . had President Bush gotten off his ideological train; even towards the end--what could have been done during the meantime.
Ultimately, it is THIS that makes bad presidents--the inability to act, to be effective, to protect the people who elected them, to fulfill their charge to leave this union in a better state than when they found out. This is why Buchanan is so despised, and ill-rated by historians and dis-remembered by the populace. As the union was shattering around him, he did nothing. He allowed more and more states to rip the nation apart; gather arms; sieze ammunition and forts; cement cooperation and suppress opposition. His inability and decision to do nothing is not tolerated by Americans-whose national creed is built on action (perhaps not always the correct action, but action nonetheless).
Lincoln wasn't perfect and learned while on the job. FDR made several mistakes and corrections while implementing the New Deal. But it is lack of action that Americans hold in highest disregard. Our former President forfeited his legacy and trust when the economy went south through much of 2008. He abdicated his position and authority when he did nothing as the economy collapsed around him in September. He abandoned the American people and turned them over the fates after the election. Preferring to hold to a hypocritical and stubborn idealogy; rather than dealing with the reality. His reputation with his base was more important than the economy; than the lives of all Ameicans. THIS is why Bush will be judged as inept; this is why history will not be kind; this is why the American people should feel betrayed.
Thankfully, we as a people, have again elected a man "for such a time as this". We are in better hands because not only does our President ACT, and not only is he pragmatic and not ideological; but he is smart. Plain old intelligence and competence will hopefully NEVER be underrated or underappreciated in America again!
The Inaugural Address
The video and text below:
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many.
They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many.
They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Rick Warren-A Change of Mind if not Heart
This is a follow-up to the previous Rick Warren related post. I recieved two comments to teh contrary (thanks!) and have done a lot of reading and reviewing other's opinions.
OK--let me first say there is a DIFFERENCE in allowing someone to have opposite points of view; (I NEVER suggested Warren be silenced or not entitled to his opinions) and giving those opposing view points center stage and top billing.
I still would have preferred, if Obama wanted to do this, to have Warren give the less prestigious benediction and let Rev Lowery (who marched with King and supports gay marriage AND who is giving the benediction) do the "prime time" slot of invocation.
But it is what it is; and ultimately the point made by cousin Lynn, Jack as well as bloggers Nate Silver and Lee Stranahan and here(alhough Bob Cesca agrees with me and again) is THIS is how we do things in Obama's America. and ultimately I'm fine with it. I even sent an email to change.gov stating my support now (only to be fair, since I fired off one after I heard the news). There is an upside in that it seperates the men from the boys as far as working together-disagreeing without being disagreeable. And I strongly disagree with Warren (and his boring little book) as well as Obama for giving him the invocation. But ultimately I trust Obama and it is just a prayer--I'm willing to let this one go. Especially in the hopes of securing sure footing in the attempt to extinguish the rancorous and ignorant partisanship exploited by Republicans and conservatives over the past decades. Huzzah! then, I say Huzzah!
To hear Lee and Bob debate the Warren invitation, you can also listen here.
OK--let me first say there is a DIFFERENCE in allowing someone to have opposite points of view; (I NEVER suggested Warren be silenced or not entitled to his opinions) and giving those opposing view points center stage and top billing.
I still would have preferred, if Obama wanted to do this, to have Warren give the less prestigious benediction and let Rev Lowery (who marched with King and supports gay marriage AND who is giving the benediction) do the "prime time" slot of invocation.
But it is what it is; and ultimately the point made by cousin Lynn, Jack as well as bloggers Nate Silver and Lee Stranahan and here(alhough Bob Cesca agrees with me and again) is THIS is how we do things in Obama's America. and ultimately I'm fine with it. I even sent an email to change.gov stating my support now (only to be fair, since I fired off one after I heard the news). There is an upside in that it seperates the men from the boys as far as working together-disagreeing without being disagreeable. And I strongly disagree with Warren (and his boring little book) as well as Obama for giving him the invocation. But ultimately I trust Obama and it is just a prayer--I'm willing to let this one go. Especially in the hopes of securing sure footing in the attempt to extinguish the rancorous and ignorant partisanship exploited by Republicans and conservatives over the past decades. Huzzah! then, I say Huzzah!
To hear Lee and Bob debate the Warren invitation, you can also listen here.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Rick Warren-I don't like this!
OK, as anyone who has read my blog knows I am very opinionated, and often my opinions are very liberal. I also hope they have seen my calls for bi-partisanship and post-partisanship as well as a need for balance, pragmatism and wisdom. I have spoken for the need for Americans to be united and the President to be President of EVERYONE. Furthermore, I am a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE Obama fan! I trust his wisdom and direction and decisions.
But I disagree and am very disappointed in the decision to have Rick Warren give the inaugaral invocation.
Yes Warren is more moderate on poverty and AIDS issues-how wonderful of him to actually emulate what was Christ's central ministry! And Yes, civil rights veteran Joe Lowery will be given the benediction-so its not like there will be an all out evangelical right-wing fest.BUT, Rick Warren is a lead advocate against Prop 8 in California-"big deal" you say. "He's a evangelical preacher, big surprise?" You say. Well as recent as since the election Warren compared gay marriage with incest and pedophilia. Warren is also anti-abortion in any circumstance and said he agrees with James Dobson on all social issues, his tone is just softer.
Again, "so what" you say. Well here is "so what" we must move past the divisiveness of these issues and they should NOT be legitimalized. I am not saying we should have Gene Robinson-the 1st gay Bishop in the Episcopal Church-give the invocation, I am fine with a moderate-but that is just it-a moderate. Evangelicals have had a disproportionate influence on politics and government and society in the name of "bi-partisanship, patriotism and moral values". They gave us George W. Bush and still support him-the only ones who do. I am fine with Obama reaching out to Warren and other leaders to bridge the gap, and find consensus. I am NOT ok with him having someone who declared Obama would unleash a holocost on the unborn.
Maybe this is personal-I was told that I'd be going to Hell because I supported Obama-who would allow homosexuals to take over and kill babies. And even as I write this post I feel the pull to trust Obama knows what he is doing and that the potential back-lash of progressives opposition could really alienate evangelicals-which is detrimental to our country. But I feel their views are too out of the mainstream, too corrosive and too wrong direction for our country. To me this sends the wrong message! These are the people who have no problem with Sarah FREAKIN' Palin, for God's sake.
I love Obama and I trust him. But I strongly disagree with this particular olive branch!
But I disagree and am very disappointed in the decision to have Rick Warren give the inaugaral invocation.
Yes Warren is more moderate on poverty and AIDS issues-how wonderful of him to actually emulate what was Christ's central ministry! And Yes, civil rights veteran Joe Lowery will be given the benediction-so its not like there will be an all out evangelical right-wing fest.BUT, Rick Warren is a lead advocate against Prop 8 in California-"big deal" you say. "He's a evangelical preacher, big surprise?" You say. Well as recent as since the election Warren compared gay marriage with incest and pedophilia. Warren is also anti-abortion in any circumstance and said he agrees with James Dobson on all social issues, his tone is just softer.
Again, "so what" you say. Well here is "so what" we must move past the divisiveness of these issues and they should NOT be legitimalized. I am not saying we should have Gene Robinson-the 1st gay Bishop in the Episcopal Church-give the invocation, I am fine with a moderate-but that is just it-a moderate. Evangelicals have had a disproportionate influence on politics and government and society in the name of "bi-partisanship, patriotism and moral values". They gave us George W. Bush and still support him-the only ones who do. I am fine with Obama reaching out to Warren and other leaders to bridge the gap, and find consensus. I am NOT ok with him having someone who declared Obama would unleash a holocost on the unborn.
Maybe this is personal-I was told that I'd be going to Hell because I supported Obama-who would allow homosexuals to take over and kill babies. And even as I write this post I feel the pull to trust Obama knows what he is doing and that the potential back-lash of progressives opposition could really alienate evangelicals-which is detrimental to our country. But I feel their views are too out of the mainstream, too corrosive and too wrong direction for our country. To me this sends the wrong message! These are the people who have no problem with Sarah FREAKIN' Palin, for God's sake.
I love Obama and I trust him. But I strongly disagree with this particular olive branch!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
The other info from the Obama donor study
There has been a new study released that seems to downplay the effect Obama's fundraising had on the political game in America. One of Obama's strength and reason why he didn't use campaign financing was the heavy amount of small donors.
According to the study there was only a 1% increase in small donors from GWB. This conclusion is reached by combining all the donations that came in from the same person. So of course the everyday person who gave $10/week throughout the primary and fall campaign would have given close to $4000 by the election. The only problem is that there is a BIG difference between an Obama supporter giving $10/week for 40 weeks and a Bush supporter plunking down $4000 as a one time gift.
This is very important to understand and share. This study will be misquoted, misused and taken out of context to make it seem Obama's decision to forego public financing and his claim of broadening the donor base is illegit and similar to GWB-therefore illegitimize his win and his presidency.
Obama is no way near a Bush presidency-he is not the opposite of Bush-he is not just the other extreme or the other side of the coin. He is not the messiah or "the one" of course either-but after 8 years of Red Neck politics and cowboy diplomacy we have been lulled into thinking this ignorance and apathy are normal-Obama is just the Dem version of Bush. Don't buy it-spread the word.Obama is a new leader in the spirit of FDR, JFK, Reagan and yes Bush-41 (at least in foreign policy approach)
Be Vigilent!
According to the study there was only a 1% increase in small donors from GWB. This conclusion is reached by combining all the donations that came in from the same person. So of course the everyday person who gave $10/week throughout the primary and fall campaign would have given close to $4000 by the election. The only problem is that there is a BIG difference between an Obama supporter giving $10/week for 40 weeks and a Bush supporter plunking down $4000 as a one time gift.
This is very important to understand and share. This study will be misquoted, misused and taken out of context to make it seem Obama's decision to forego public financing and his claim of broadening the donor base is illegit and similar to GWB-therefore illegitimize his win and his presidency.
Obama is no way near a Bush presidency-he is not the opposite of Bush-he is not just the other extreme or the other side of the coin. He is not the messiah or "the one" of course either-but after 8 years of Red Neck politics and cowboy diplomacy we have been lulled into thinking this ignorance and apathy are normal-Obama is just the Dem version of Bush. Don't buy it-spread the word.Obama is a new leader in the spirit of FDR, JFK, Reagan and yes Bush-41 (at least in foreign policy approach)
Be Vigilent!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
THIS is why I voted for Obama!
This is freakin' amazing! I LOVE this guy!
Pres-elect Obama: "One of the things I hope my presidency helps to usher in is a, a return to an ethic of responsibility. That if you're placed in a position of power, then you've got responsibilities to your workers. You've got a responsibility to your community. Your share holders. That if -- there's got to be a point where you say, 'You know what, I have enough, and now I'm in this position of responsibility, let me make sure that I'm doing right by people, and, and acting in a way that is responsible.' And that's true, by the way, for members of congress, that's true for the president, that's true for cabinet members, that's true for parents. I want all of us to start thinking a little bit more, not just about what's good for me, but let's start thinking about what's good for our children, what's good for our country. The more we do that, the better off we're going to be."
Pres-elect Obama: "One of the things I hope my presidency helps to usher in is a, a return to an ethic of responsibility. That if you're placed in a position of power, then you've got responsibilities to your workers. You've got a responsibility to your community. Your share holders. That if -- there's got to be a point where you say, 'You know what, I have enough, and now I'm in this position of responsibility, let me make sure that I'm doing right by people, and, and acting in a way that is responsible.' And that's true, by the way, for members of congress, that's true for the president, that's true for cabinet members, that's true for parents. I want all of us to start thinking a little bit more, not just about what's good for me, but let's start thinking about what's good for our children, what's good for our country. The more we do that, the better off we're going to be."
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Be Vigilant
OK-it has already begun but its going to get worse. There is already an assault on the Obama Presidency. Yes, I know, he hasn't even been inaugarated yet. But instead of holding Bush and the "free-market at all costs" and "eliminate ALL regulations-no matter how common sense they might be" Republicans accountable. The press and establisment seem intent on asking why Obama isn't doing more. For example, Bush addressed the members of the G-20 and told them all the benefits of an unregulated free-market in creating wealth (don't YOU feel wealthy) and basically said that free-market didn't fail us; we failed the free-market. Was he taken to task? Was he held accountable? Was he questioned about how he can defend a free-market and nationalize the same market? No to all. Instead, it was ignored (like much of Bush this past year) and the question was put to Obama-what will he do to fix this crisis? Why wasn't he releasing a plan? Karl Rove (Why is he allowed on TV or in public after giving us the past 8 years. Does a person only lose credibility when they get a BJ from an intern??!!!???) Had the AUDACITY and TEMERITY to even say Obama had about 6 months after inaugaration and the American people would forget about the facts and would instead blame Obama for the situation and even has begun referring to this as Obama's recession!
I couldn't believe it-was he really being this cynical?? Was he really that cavalier with the facts? Was he really that perverse? And explain to me how that is patriotic?
But I see it is all part of some sort of meme that is being promulgated. It is NOT some conspiracy theory-but it is a combination of desperation, cynicism, willful ignorance and arrogance. A horrible cocktail to say the least! It can be seen in the daily propoganda that America is a "center-right" nation-which if you combine moderates with conservatives it is--but watch this fancy math; if you combine moderates with self-styled liberals you can just as easily say it is a center-left nation. That is how math works. But the media seems to have bought into this and are trumpeting it as fact. In truth we are a moderate nation as 48% of Americans identify as moderate indpendents. The Republicans (now the political arm of the Religious Right) is TOO FAR right, nowhere near center, and moving (or splitting over moving) further right. 75% of Americans think gays should be able to serve openly in the military, 67% of Americans think Roe v. Wade is a good/correct ruling, almost 80% believe limitations on stem-cell research should be removed and the majority of Americans think we should get out of Iraq and that our foreign policy should involve more detente. All ideas that are left of where the Republican party claims the center is.
Karl Rove has also begun saying Obama won because he ran as a centrist conservative. (The "most liberal" senator, a socialist, elite, Muslim, wealth distributing, "friend of terrorists" anti-American, militant Black-national--as the right declared Obama) was "the conservative centrist candidate" and THAT was why he won!
These people are ridiculous? How can Bush extol praise on unregulated free-markets after our crash and forced taxpayer takeover? Why would anybody listen to Rove after he almost single handedly gave us Iraq and Katrina? We as Americans (liberal, moderate and conservative) should be PISSED! We should demand Bush DO HIS JOB! We should relegate Rove, Bill Kristol, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and the rest blathering blowhards of the "wrong" to the rubbish heap.
We should demand intelligence, truth and facts of our country, our leaders . . .and ourselves.
If Obama's election has taught us anything it is that this country is OURS, and WE THE PEOPLE have a responsibility as citizens. This is our country, but we must be educated, thoughtful and intelligent in our stewardship.
You will probably see reporters talking about how Obama received "vastly more positive press coverage" (like Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright and flag pins????) And that the people who voted for him were uneducated and ill-informed (yes, it was Obama supporters who declared McCain was an Arab.) And that he was born in Kenya (he was born in Hawaii, released his birth certificate and even if he was born in Kenya-he WASN'T- his mother was still a US citizen and being her offspring would still have been a "natural born citizen"--and may I point out it was McCain who was not born in the United States, but in the Canal Zone-but did he have to declare his birth certificate? No-his color is the only creed he needs-it vouches and verifies HIS authenticity!) OH and the best-that he is the anti-Christ--this is so wrong and bigoted, I don't even know where to begin.
But all these are attempts to illegitimize Obama's presidency before it begins, they are more of the scare-tactics, jingoistic xenophbia, active ignorance and bigotted racism masquerading as religion. But then remember. . .We already won despite all of those attempts. Americans are smarter and more progressive than we gave ourselves credit for-and Obama is one of our smartest!
I couldn't believe it-was he really being this cynical?? Was he really that cavalier with the facts? Was he really that perverse? And explain to me how that is patriotic?
But I see it is all part of some sort of meme that is being promulgated. It is NOT some conspiracy theory-but it is a combination of desperation, cynicism, willful ignorance and arrogance. A horrible cocktail to say the least! It can be seen in the daily propoganda that America is a "center-right" nation-which if you combine moderates with conservatives it is--but watch this fancy math; if you combine moderates with self-styled liberals you can just as easily say it is a center-left nation. That is how math works. But the media seems to have bought into this and are trumpeting it as fact. In truth we are a moderate nation as 48% of Americans identify as moderate indpendents. The Republicans (now the political arm of the Religious Right) is TOO FAR right, nowhere near center, and moving (or splitting over moving) further right. 75% of Americans think gays should be able to serve openly in the military, 67% of Americans think Roe v. Wade is a good/correct ruling, almost 80% believe limitations on stem-cell research should be removed and the majority of Americans think we should get out of Iraq and that our foreign policy should involve more detente. All ideas that are left of where the Republican party claims the center is.
Karl Rove has also begun saying Obama won because he ran as a centrist conservative. (The "most liberal" senator, a socialist, elite, Muslim, wealth distributing, "friend of terrorists" anti-American, militant Black-national--as the right declared Obama) was "the conservative centrist candidate" and THAT was why he won!
These people are ridiculous? How can Bush extol praise on unregulated free-markets after our crash and forced taxpayer takeover? Why would anybody listen to Rove after he almost single handedly gave us Iraq and Katrina? We as Americans (liberal, moderate and conservative) should be PISSED! We should demand Bush DO HIS JOB! We should relegate Rove, Bill Kristol, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and the rest blathering blowhards of the "wrong" to the rubbish heap.
We should demand intelligence, truth and facts of our country, our leaders . . .and ourselves.
If Obama's election has taught us anything it is that this country is OURS, and WE THE PEOPLE have a responsibility as citizens. This is our country, but we must be educated, thoughtful and intelligent in our stewardship.
You will probably see reporters talking about how Obama received "vastly more positive press coverage" (like Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright and flag pins????) And that the people who voted for him were uneducated and ill-informed (yes, it was Obama supporters who declared McCain was an Arab.) And that he was born in Kenya (he was born in Hawaii, released his birth certificate and even if he was born in Kenya-he WASN'T- his mother was still a US citizen and being her offspring would still have been a "natural born citizen"--and may I point out it was McCain who was not born in the United States, but in the Canal Zone-but did he have to declare his birth certificate? No-his color is the only creed he needs-it vouches and verifies HIS authenticity!) OH and the best-that he is the anti-Christ--this is so wrong and bigoted, I don't even know where to begin.
But all these are attempts to illegitimize Obama's presidency before it begins, they are more of the scare-tactics, jingoistic xenophbia, active ignorance and bigotted racism masquerading as religion. But then remember. . .We already won despite all of those attempts. Americans are smarter and more progressive than we gave ourselves credit for-and Obama is one of our smartest!
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