We live in interesting times – markets crashing, the specter of extremist Islamic terrorism, and the first African-American presidential candidate of a major party leading in the polls. We also have a long history of violence, racism, assassinations, and domestic terrorism, such as. So I feel a particular disgust with the rhetoric recently coming out of the McCain camp and the Republican Smear Machine equating Barack Obama with terrorism.
This is a tactic that would be disgusting if we had a history entirely devoid of violence and racism. But given our history – given the Birmingham church bombing that killed four young girls back in 1963; given the assassinations of Martin Luther King, JFK, RFK, and even the attempt at Ronald Reagan's life; given the long history of lynchings and the Ku Klux Klan; and given the understandable national reaction to the extreme terrorist attack of 9/11, this goes beyond disgusting. It is, whether intentionally or not, incitement to violence. Members of the Republican Party are provoking an assassination attempt on a candidate for president of the United States.
Perhaps it's just habit, going back to the successful race-baiting tactics of Lee Atwater, through the more recent lies of the Swift Boat campaign. But McCain's strategists are intelligent, careful, and experienced at manipulating voters and the public. I have a hard time believing they don't know what they're doing. They should be aware that 9/11 and the color of Mr. Obama's skin change everything.
McCain and Palin are currently conducting a campaign that is without honor. It is vile. It is unworthy of a veteran and war hero of this nation.
It seems that Mr. McCain is becoming aware of that. I just hope that he can defuse the situation before it becomes something he cannot control at all.
Meanwhile, Mr. Obama, please – keep your head down. Wear a bullet-proof vest everywhere you go.
My prayers for your safety go with you.
6 comments:
I read the article about McCain being booed. Very interesting. I would be really pleased if they quit the exagerations and negativity.
But I still wonder about some of Obama's ties. They make me nervous, especially the Reverend Wright thing. Being a Republican, as I am sure you have figured out, I obviously have a bias, but I honestly try not to. I have my questions about all the candidates, but do you ever think about those ties? Does that worry you at all? Or is it a non-issue?
I don't mean to start a debate, I just wonder what your thoughts are about that.
I worry more about the ties McCain has to some big-time crooks, like the Keating criminals, Jack Abramoff, Blackwater, etc. No, Obama's acquaintance to Ayers doesn't concern me at all. The man did his time, reformed, and has become an honorable member of society. Obama's connection to Rev. Wright doesn't disturb me either, because I honestly don't believe Barack buys into that racial antagonism at all. How could he? His mother is a white woman from Kansas. I honor Obama for engaging so deeply with the underprivileged members of his black heritage. He could easily have chosen to insinuate completely into his white heritage; he chose a more difficult, and, I believe, a more honorable path.
Besides, '60's ex-terrorists pose absolutely no threat to our nation. For God's sake, that was over 30 years ago! The crooks who run certain multi-national corporations, like Halliburton and Bechtel, hurt thousands of people every day, and corrupt our entire political process as a matter of routine. Why doesn't anyone question politicians' connections to them?
I'm curious, though, David. What are your concerns about these ties Obama has, especially Rev. Wright? What is your take on them? Why do they bother you?
The reason they concern me is that I don't really know who Obama is. He claims Christianity and mainly because of his ties with this church of Reverend Wright (which if you know me, or read my book, I really have a strict and more closed belief on who are Christians) and what Reverend Wright believes is racist. I was writing more, but I think that I probably shouldn't write what I think on the internet. haha
I just know that everyone is a liar, myself included, and I am uncertain as to who Obama really is. I know that McCain lies and yes, like I said before, I have questions about him and I hate the way they have ran their campaign, but who is Barack Hussein Obama and what is he really like?
Seda, I just happened to see this today and it kind of summed up my thoughts. I didn't copy the whole article, but it was written by a black man named Huntley Brown.
There is a reason Obama went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20
years.
Obama tells us he has good judgment, but he sat under Jeremiah Wright's
teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wright's sermons. I wonder
why now?
Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A
disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 - 20 "Go and
make disciples of all nations." This means reproduce yourself. Teach
people to think like you, walk like you; talk like you believe what you
believe etc.
The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?
Would you support a White President who went to a church which has
tenets that said they have a
1. Commitment to the White Community
2. Commitment to the White Family
3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic
4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills
available
to the White Community.
5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for
Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions
6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace
the
White Value System
7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.
Would you support a President w ho went to a church like that?
Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of
Obama's former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like
this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would
have been marching outside.
This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20
years and just discover he'd been going to a racist church. The TRUE
church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race.
He came for the whole world.
A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value
system has to be based on biblical mandates. It does not matter if it's
a white church or a black church based on racial values, it's still
wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would
never get my vote.
Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal
theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book "the goals of the black
community". If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a
murderer, and we had better kill him.
Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?
David,
It sounds to me like you're feeling frustrated when you see this, because you've got needs for understanding, clarity, and reciprocity that aren't met. Am I correct in this?
Also, when you see this kind of rhetoric associated with a church, are you feeling frustrated and annoyed because you'd like some shared understanding about the sacredness of church?
What else is coming up for you with this?
I know, that doesn't really answer your question. I do, however, want to make sure you are heard. I'll answer soon with a post in more detail.
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