(no subject)

[primroseburrows]

US faction of flist, take a few minutes out to watch this speech, even if you're not planning on voting for Barack Obama. Because as newleaf31 says, it's a message that needs to be heard.

Everyone else might want to watch it, too. Forget the steretypes forged by people like Rush and Dubya and Fox News. This is what an honest-to-goodness American sounds like:

It's been a long time since I've felt this proud to be an American. It's an unfamiliar feeling given the current climate, but such a welcome one. This is a speech for the history books.

Comments

[karabou.livejournal.com]

When I clicked on yer youtube link from my flist it played me the deleted scene from Battlestar Galactica that's been going around (of Leoben and SB sexin')...needless to say there was a lot of LULZ over here. XD

*edits to add stuff*

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I don't know why it did that, 'cause I haven't been to YouTube to link to that one. I have the clip,but not from YouTube, and I got it AFTER I made this post. LJ is a weird thing. Or maybe it's destiny or something.

So, um, yeah. Try that one again.

Re: *edits to add stuff*

[karabou.livejournal.com]

Oh, it worked when I went to your LJ. I think my flist just likes to meld all youtube links together to make them all the same or something funky like that. XD

Re: *edits to add stuff*

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's a conspiracy.

[newleaf31.livejournal.com]

WORD. And again, WORD.

That is all.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Wasn't that great?

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

It's awesome, in the literal sense.

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I love you.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I'm just the messenger. :)

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

I still love you.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Aww, thanks! *loves back*

You should so visit New England. Boston and Lowell have great music scenes, and Boston has lots of little theatres. :)

[inspiredlife.livejournal.com]

god, i adore him

also...it's so close to spring, yeah?!?!

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I admired him, but I didn't adore him until I heard this. He's just plain awesome. And then some.

And OMG, spring has GOT to come. This winter has seemed endless.

endless winter??

[songdog.livejournal.com]

winter? endless? indeed...we still have 3 feet of snow..but seeded vegetables in trays today

Re: endless winter??

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

OMG SHE'S ALIVE.

I want to plant stuff. I have no idea what's already been planted, though, so I wait. I'm thinking medicinal herb garden.

mr_t00by got accepted to Suffolk. Whee!

[peacey.livejournal.com]

It was an erudite, moving speech delivered by an erudite, charismatic man, one that powerfully called for a healing and coming together of this nation that I feel we are closer than ever to actually achieving.

I admire Mr. Obama immensely, quite like him personally, and feel he may have what it takes to lead this country.

Before his speech yesterday, I was sure he did. Now, I am led to wonder.

That he continues to associate himself with a man who spews such "divisive" (Mr. Obama's word) hatespeech and fringe-element rhetoric is cause for concern. I do not begrudge the man his choice of church or his right to stand beside those who have inspired him in the past. In truth, that loyalty would be admirable if it were directed toward a man who fell under a shadow for preaching unifying principles, as it would have not that long ago. But he does not. Even if he preached for 24 consecutive hours about the glory and magnificence of the principles Jesus Christ espoused, it would all be for naught if, for five minutes, he vomited the trash that we've all seen on the news.

There are many, many churches that do incredibly generous and good works and many, many pastors that are not racists and race baiters, encouraging untiy and healing among all in their communities. The town I live in is statistically one of the most segregated in the country, but we have a council made up of Baptist ministers, Catholic priests, Protestant pastors, and Jewish rabbis that have taken several large steps toward bringing this town together. And this is a small town. Mr. Obama lives in a large community that likely benefits from the efforts of many good-hearted, well-intentioned, inspirational people that we would all do well to emulate.

Mr. Obama has a choice in this matter. I do admire his sense of loyalty, but no matter his condemnation of his pastor's incendiary remarks, his continued association with the man will contradict those condemnations, for words are flimsy and cheap, but actions stand rooted like oaks. Right or wrong, it will be assumed that he spoke as he was expected to while silently approving (or at least tolerating) those hateful, awful, ignorant remarks. And that will lead to questions about the true strength of his character, which will lead to questions about his ability to make effective decisions, which will lead to hesitations about his ability to lead.

And that will lose him the election.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

See, I think he was responding to the reaction of white people who made a judgement without understanding the history out of which the words came, and also because there can be a basically good person who because of said history has a wrong outlook on the world. Everyone is a product of his or her time (i.e., it pisses me off that so many people put Thomas Jefferson down for owning slaves without noticing that um. He was a great man who helped this country become, well. This country), and this Reverend is no different. I've heard plenty of people I respect say things that I felt were downright wrong.

And he didn't leave it there, he turned to the black people and their misunderstanding of white resentment. I think he gave a very balanced speech. I found myself literally crying during parts of it.

He also speaks of Rev. Wright as his "former pastor", so I don't think he attends church there anymore, not that it matters.

Right or wrong, it will be assumed that he spoke as he was expected to while silently approving (or at least tolerating) those hateful, awful, ignorant remarks. And that will lead to questions about the true strength of his character, which will lead to questions about his ability to make effective decisions, which will lead to hesitations about his ability to lead.

And that will lose him the election.

I hope not, because I think this speech showed a lot about the strength of his character. I hope that whether he's elected or not, the American public will see that more can be done with understanding and empathy than by encouraging divisiveness and blame. Unfortunately, the understanding and empathy doesn't increase ratings, and with the media, that's what it's all about.

The one criticism I do have about the speech is where he says "pastor, priest or rabbi", and doesn't include "imam" in the list. Probably nobody else noticed it (or not very many), but it bugged me a little.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

...the reaction of white people who made a judgement without understanding the history out of which the words came...

Sorry hon, I love ya, but it's patronizing to say that just because one is white, one cannot possibly understand where black anger would come from. I cannot imagine a single person in this country, no matter their race or their view on race, not comprehending why people of color might feel annoyed about the whole slavery and repression thing.

He also speaks of Rev. Wright as his "former pastor", so I don't think he attends church there anymore...

I'm not sure that he does, but he still considers him a "spiritual advisor," which he is wholly entitled to do, and as I said, I support his right to find inspiration wherever he chooses. It just gives me pause that, as a serious presidential candidate, he chooses it with Rev. Wright.

The one criticism I do have about the speech is where he says "pastor, priest or rabbi", and doesn't include "imam"

That's Muslim, right? And it surprises you he didn't include that? Really? Really? *shoves Prim toward Politics 101 classroom*

And might I point out that however this shakes out personally for Mr. Obama, that his speech opened the topic to just this type of discourse is a Very Good and Positive Thing, so bully to him. *raises bottle of Killian's left over from St. Pat's*

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Sorry hon, I love ya, but it's patronizing to say that just because one is white, one cannot possibly understand where black anger would come from.

He also said the same about black people.

I'm not sure that he does, but he still considers him a "spiritual advisor,"

He actually said the words "former pastor", honest. And I get what you're saying, and I don't know if I would continue in a relationship like that, but I also get what he's saying, that one can disagree fundamentally with someone in one area, but not in others.

That's Muslim, right? And it surprises you he didn't include that? Really? Really? *shoves Prim toward Politics 101 classroom*

Yep. And it doesn't surprise me, it just bothered me, precisely because it was the one piece that did stand out as political.

And might I point out that however this shakes out personally for Mr. Obama, that his speech opened the topic to just this type of discourse is a Very Good and Positive Thing, so bully to him.

Yes. Absolutely.

*raises bottle of Killian's left over from St. Pat's*

And woe. I have no Killians. I DO have endless cans of Budweiser that belong to my niece, along with mediocre gin-and-tonic ingredients (gin that isn't Tangueray (*gasp*!), semi-flat tonic water, and lime juice. Bleargh.

I also have freshly-ground coffee to which I added a touch of cinnamon for extra yum, but I've already had two cups when I'm not actually supposed to drink ANY coffee.

I think I might go with the Budweiser. Tomorrow I have money. There shall be Good Beer. Or possibly even bubbly! Except I have to work. Woe.