The link below was suggested as another interesting take on Senator Obama and what really drives him. I thought that it was interesting, and insightful enough to share. I know that there will be some who disagree, but I think there is a lot of validity to it. After all, who of any of us is not shaped, to a degree, by what we were exposed to in our formative years? I certainly know that much of what I base my own opinions on now, in all areas of my life, is colored by the experiences in my life, good or bad, and I'm sure that every presidential candidate, past and present, could say the same. I guess you could say that it is just plain old human nature.
The problem is, though, that the stakes are just way too high when it comes to the present state of affairs.
Time will tell.
Asia Times Online :: Asian News, Business and Economy.
12 comments:
Thanks for posting this Jan. I don't believe it's unfair to look for a 'platform' when considering Obama as our next President.
Recently, I was talking with my Grandson about something and saying I didn't understand anyone who thought "that way" (a way contrary to my opinion) when he said rather impatiently, "Oh Grandma, people believe what themy are raised to believe." I know he's right...
You said the same thing much more elequently in your last paragraph:)
......I'm distraught. I just spent 1 1/2 hours responding to this author's hate filled diatribe which was based on one false premise after another. I don't have the energy to write it all over again. :[ I can't believe I lost the post. I could list some of the false premises that I recall: Obama hates America. Anthropologists proceed from resentment against the dominant culture. Obama's mother was anti-American. Barack's upbringing was in an anti-American household. Modern descendants of slaves resent America [never mind that beatings, rapes, lynchings etc. continued against blacks into the late 20th century], and that we are predetermined as adults to reflect our upbringing.... especially the worst parts of it according to this writer. My Dad witnessed the 1938 beating of picknicking Chicago steelworker families by union busting Pinkertons. I was raised in a house where we never crossed a picket line or voted against a union issue. I respected my Dad's memory....while I was a kid. Jan, I'm a man now with my own brain and life experiences and my own thoughts on modern unionism. The goofy writer would have us believe that Barack's time at the National Law Review, the Illinois Statehouse, the 11 years as a constitutional law professor, and his time in the US Senate are all part of a life long grand deception because......he really hates America. [Huh!!??] Whatever hallucinigens Spengler took as a youth have finally come home to roost. I haven't read such as this since Gerald L.K.Smith. I'm sorry I lost my previous post.
The author says we know nothing of Barack Obama. He knows nothing is more accurate. Again, readers are invited to ontheissues.org to find out more.
I am glad at least that you say," I do not believe that everyone is false. I will not believe that hope tells a flattering tale..." In the Senator's case there is substance behind the hope that is portrayed in the media.
Richard
She..thanks.
Sometimes, the very young are more perceptive than we realize. :)
Richard..I certainly do appreciate how you feel about this..you are a gentle soul, and a peacemaker, and that is commendable. I cannot, however, agree with you that there is a lot of substance behind his promises. Sometimes, those people just come along, with a certain charisma, at just the right time when people are searching for something to fill a void that they feel in their lives, for lack of a better way of putting it, and this time, it happens to be Barack Obama, and the media are helping to enforce that image of him. I know that you will disagree with this..I just know you will, but to me, it is like a religious cult, when the person seems bigger than life, saying just the right words, making just the right promises, offering the very hope that the followers are seeking. That person is eventually put on a pedestal, and whether the followers realize it or not, becomes an object of worship, whose word becomes gospel, filled with the promise of the very thing that they need to make their lives complete. Many times, the poor people are so blinded by their need, that they fail to see the truth. The faith healer offers healing, the prosperity preachers offer financial blessing, and they say only believe, but they are really expecting something in return. Now, I'm not saying that all faith healers are false, nor am I saying that all preachers are false prophets, but it is neccessary to be able to perceive the truth in such matters. One can only hope that that will be the case in choosing the one who will be leading our country. I am sure that after I post this, that I will think of a lot more that I wish that I had said, but for now, this will suffice to express my thoughts about Obama. Btw..I understand what you are saying about being a grown man, now, and making your own decisions about things, such as the union matter, but even so, your decision was still affected by things in the past, in that you may have a strong aversion to their tactics, now, as a result of your experience with them as a young man, which is a positive thing. I just believe that we are affected by past experiences, either in a positive or a negative way, and that is why I have said that I decided long ago to allow my bad experiences to make me better, rather than bitter. I realize that not everyone is able to do that, though.
I'm sorry that you are distraught.
Jan....I'll get better.
Spengler troubles me. He/she is anonymous. Has no first name or resume. Is the subject of speculation on the blog there at Asia Times. Why is that person credible when his/ her declarations are so incredible: we know less about Barack Obama than any presidential hopeful in history; yet, we know that he hates America; Barack is a political sociopath, yet Spengler fails to demonstrate how the Senator has manifested that pathology. Did Obama show it in his life of higher education, his great work at the law review, his public service in Ill. state politics, his love of our US constitution as shown through his 11yrs of teaching, his Senate service?...come on Spengler. He offers nothing to back his incredible statements except that Barack imbibed his hatred for this country through his mother's breast; he sublimated the hate as a young man; went and had the wonderful career outlined above; all so that he could be the pied piper of a generation, get elected leader of the free world, and finally unleash all the hatred in his dark dark soul against the country his mother hated [?] so long ago before he was born. I can see why Spengler chooses anonymity. You know what? I think it's pretty clear by his behavior, accomplishments and demeanor that Barack decided as you did and as many, many have to allow bad experiences to make you better, rather than bitter.
Better times are coming. Thanks.
Richard
all so that he could be the pied piper of a generation, get elected leader of the free world, and finally unleash all the hatred in his dark dark soul against the country his mother hated [?] so long ago before he was born.
Richard..when you put it like that, it sounds ridiculous and foolish, and the way I saw it, Spengler just stated some facts about the backgrounds of Obama, his mother, and his Kenyan grandfather, and expressed his opinion about them. I have been reading everything that I could for months about Obama, and I'm sorry, but I just cannot see him in the same light that you do. There are things that I could express to you in an email, but I won't do it on my blog. Btw..you have your opinion that Barack's experiences made him better, rather than bitter, but that is only your opinion, because there is no way that you can know that for sure. In my own opinion, he has been the recipient of many advantages that others have not been afforded, though he speaks words which give the impression that he has not. If he's not bitter, he shouldn't be, when you consider the advantages which he may not have had, if not for his background. I just get the feeling that he will not be the president of all the people, but mostly 'his' people, as he has so often spoken of when talking about change. And you and I both know that he will get many votes based on his color alone...and that's just wrong, in so many ways.
I hope we can still be friends, and agree to disagree, but I know that neither of us will change our minds about Barack Obama.
Jan.....there are those in the black community who won't vote for him because he isn't black enough. Crazy, huh. Color or gender or shoe size are all nutty reasons to vote for anyone. Barack doesn't have any single, large national constituency. He's doing well in the northwest, western states, farming states, industrial south and east....all over. I don't believe he will owe his allegiance to anyone but the cross section of America that supports him. Even if he tried to give advantages to one race over another, he couldn't. First, the outrage and anger at such deception would rattle the halls of Congress and there are federal laws against that.The second reason; we have a gov't of checks and balances so Congress would have to pass whatever race biased boondoggles he would come up with. Then there are the courts which have been loaded with GOP appointees and Bush operatives who are infamous for voting against the people's [of any color] interests...
So, he couldn't even if he wanted to; but he won't.
You can email me at richardgreen49@gmail.com. So can the other good people at this blog if they'd like.
:]
Richard
First, the outrage and anger at such deception would rattle the halls of Congress and there are federal laws against that.The second reason; we have a gov't of checks and balances so Congress would have to pass whatever race biased boondoggles he would come up with. Then there are the courts which have been loaded with GOP appointees and Bush operatives who are infamous for voting against the people's [of any color] interests...
Richard..knowing that there are such checks and balances, then why has Bush been blamed for everything but the weather..or did he get blamed for Katrina, too?
That's another reason why the people should not be getting their hopes up for all they think they'll be getting with Obama as prez...though he may want to give someone the moon, it is not so easy without the backing of everyone else. Of course, with the Dems in charge of everything, maybe he will get whatever he asks for. As far as the hue and cry of the outraged at deception, well, there has been an awful lot of deception, and worse, going on in congress and everywhere else, but not much comes of it. They declare their outrage at being falsely accused and continue on, mostly, as before.
It never ceases to amaze me, that the same ones who can't stand for a negative word, or accusation, against Obama, were some of the same ones who have called Bush another Hitler...it is digusting.
And btw..there are many racial injustices in existence now, in favor of minorities, and not too much has been done about that.
My email address is on here if you would like to email me for further discussion, however, nothing you can say will change my mind about Obama, and I am not even trying to change anyone's mind about anything. This is, after all, a free country..so far.
Good morning, Jan.....in answer to your question as to why Mr.Bush gets blamed for everything is because his administration has been virtually unchecked by the Dems for seven years. There has been no balance of power. There has been a GOP majority in both houses of Congress for 6 of those 7 years. He signed every single spending bill that came across his desk until very recently. He did not use his veto power once in the first 6 years. He installed his personal attorney as attorney general who then refused to prosecute or investigate criminal acts in the executive branch. His apptmnts to the supreme court were confirmed and when his will was blocked he used "recess appointments" of his cronies to avoid confirmation hearings. He appointed US attorneys who were often more interested in doing the bidding of the executive branch than the Justice Department. Across the board, cronyism and party loyalty trumped competence when he filled important positions. He put former industry lobbyists in charge of departments with oversight responsibility of those very industries who paid their salaries and will pay them again when they leave the administration. At every level of gov't foxes were put in charge of America's chicken coops. Believe me I know that in every administration change some party faithful and big contributors get cushy gov't appointments. But never have so many unprepared people been placed in such vital positions because of loyalty to Mr.Bush. It's pervasiveness is unprecedented. That's why we seem to have neglect, incompetence, favoritism in every department and at every level of management. The bureau Of Mine Safety had a former lobbyist for mine owners appointed to lead it by Mr.Bush. This man immediately cut his enforcement budget and relaxed safety rules. 34 miners have died during the terms of this president. There were no deaths, none, in mines in this country during the previous president's terms.
The Product Safety Commission had its budget cut by the GOP led congress after trade was opened up with China. Should we be surprised at the danger Chinese products now present to our families?
Well enough of that. I'd love to be able to change people's minds. I'll have to settle with just giving information so that more informed decisions can be made.
I couldn't find your email addrerss. I'll look harder. I've noticed that fewer folks are participating since I've been taking up so much space and time. That's not fair of me.
Richard
....well, there it is, right under your picture. Good picture. I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm not a sophisticated computer user...I don't know the info that I'm being prompted to provide. This may take some time. Until I sort this out, my email is a couple of comments up from here.
Richard
Richard..from what you have written, one would think that nothing like that has ever happened, at any time, except under the Bush Administration. I guess we have forgotten other disgraceful shenanigans which took place under the Clinton Administration. I, personally, never realized that there could be such hatred toward a man, as has been displayed against Bush. I wonder why it is so easy to overlook atrocious behavior in one man, while wanting to tar and feather another, for lesser deeds? It seems that much hatred was generated simply because Bush made no secret about the fact that he was a Christian, so many people assumed that he was somehow demented. I don't even want to go there..it all makes me a little sick.
What is the info that you are being prompted to supply...about my email address? All you have to do is click on the link that says 'email' and you will get it.
Is that what you meant?
Jan.....criticism of the current administration doesn't mean I'm giving Clinton a free pass. No one I know has done that. It was a shameful time for us. Where we differ, I think, is that my view of what Mr. Bush has done is far worse than what Pres.Clinton did. On the one hand is an illicit sexual affair being carried on inside the White House; on the other hand is a man who declares himself Christian yet he denies health care for millions of children of the working poor, who has consistently under funded the VA while wounded vets wait and wait for treatment, he vetoed a 3 1/2 % pay increase for servicemen when many military families need food stamps to get by, he has spent this country into the poorhouse, weakened the dollar to a point at which countries that hold our debt won't take dollars for payment, he pandered to the Christian wing of his party, gave them $2 billion prior to the '04 election, gave them an office inside the White House, then the Christian man who had worked on this with Bush since '03 quit [I forget his name] because Bush had not delivered on his promises and, more importantly, he repeatedly heard the Christian Coalition being referred to inside the Bush White House as being "a bunch of goofballs" after Bush won the election. During Vietnam troops could stay home at least as long as they were in the war zone. This president has allowed the tours to be increased to up to 15 months with just a few weeks to a few months between tours. His actions and those of his administration have not matched his words as a Christian. Never heard him criticized for being a Christian.
Yup, I just click on the "email" under your picture. The info I'm being prompted to supply is about my email , my email server, inbound, outbound mail, do I want POPS, IMAP?, etc. Your email is "Mail" mine is "Gmail". I need to find the answers before I can proceed..... I've sent an inquiry to the Gmail help desk.
Richard
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