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Title: Obama's Speech Wasn't About Race. It Was About Leadership (PHILIP WEISS)
Source:
Mondoweiss
URL Source: http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/03/obamas-speech-1.html
Published: Mar 19, 2008
Author: Philip Weiss
Post Date: 2008-03-19 15:52:03 by aristeides
Keywords: None
Views: 1028
Comments: 76
Obama's Speech Wasn't About Race. It Was About Leadership Admit it: This has been the most magnificent campaign of our lives. Entertaining, uplifting, full of surprise and great characters. Who will ever forget Mike Huckabee or Ron Paul. And today it outdid itself. Obama's speech on race was stunning. I can't be the only sophisticated person who was blown away. I thought I was used to his style, to the quality of his thought. I thought he was going to be careful. I was amazed. What he did was call us to the better angels of our nature. He told us that blacks are angry for a reason. He said that racism has been persistent and disabling. He said that blacks have been viciously discriminated against. And he said this in a way that was not divisive. This is true leadership. Rather than pandering to the racists out there, as Hillary has been doing, he spoke openly of a deep divide in American society and then called on American idealism to deal with it. He embarrassed the racists for the backwardness of their vision. This guy is truly historic. I want him to be my president. And I can't wait for his speech--one day, not so long from now--on Israel/Palestine. The day that he honestly addresses Palestinian suffering and doesn't scare Jews, but brings us together. And forward.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 45.
#2. To: aristeides (#0)
I think Weiss is in a good position to know what the feelings of Jews, at least in this country, are. Maybe he's concealing what he really believes, but he strikes me as an honest -- and brave -- man.
I gotta see to taking care of my people now, I think. I'm fairly close to giving up on this shit. You're counting on Obama, Farrakhan, Jesse J, Sharpton, and the Black Panthers to save America?
Exactly! Pat Buchanan and Ron Paul were forced to disown "racist" groups on national television. The tenuous connection ruined both of their campaigns. Will Obama receive the same treatment in the media? If not, I would question the integrity and agenda of the media.
Rather than debate guilt by association, I think Obama missed the opportunity to discuss 9/11, Blowback, and demanding Pastor Wright be allowed to speak for himself. That would open up a gateway to discuss where the crackpot line falls, and who decides what is or is not kooky. Let then Obama and the other candidates come forward to present their own opinions. Obama danced through 3 of 4 issues yesterday, to open up a dialog on race. As a leader, he had time to do more of it.
Rather than debate guilt by association, I think Obama missed the opportunity to discuss 9/11, Blowback, and demanding Pastor Wright be allowed to speak for himself. Well, I think he learned watching Ron Paul take on these issue honestly where the media will put the crackpot line, and he doesn't want to cross it - if he even thinks about "blowback" and whatnot. I don't know if he does. I'd feel much better about his candidacy if I thought that he did. Perhaps he should go 3rd party then.
Why not? I understand that true reform can not be accomplished from within. I've already seen that Obama has comprimised his principles for political gain. Why should he have to? Or perhaps it is, we just don't know who Obama really is, and what he stands for. Gramma overboard! Pastor overboard! Backed off from troop withdrawal. Global taxation! Socialized healthcare. And now, we are too stupid to understand the level at which he speaks? Uhhhhhhhhhh. Let him be himself, run as the person he is. If his support is so large, leaving the party behind should not be a concern.
#47. To: Peppa (#45)
4 is a mystery. But it's interesting to see people flocking to another Establishment puppet because he's "different." I wish them luck, but it's a vain hope that anything better will come out of this CFR member than the other two.
I see you've gotten the talking points. Do you watch Fox News?
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#4. To: ghostdogtxn (#2)
#15. To: aristeides (#4)
#18. To: ghostdogtxn (#15)
I'm not too sanguine about any of this crap today. I liked Obama's speech. I thought it struck the perfect note, but if today's threads here and elsewhere are any indication, it appears that the injection of race and the black boogieman into this election has had a toxic effect on the national conversation. Apparently the thought of nigras taking over the management of the plantation is just too much for a lot of folks.
#20. To: Vitamin Z (#18)
#27. To: ghostdogtxn (#20)
No, I was counting on Ron Paul, David Duke, the Ku Klux Klan and Stormfront. Obama, Farrakhan, Jackson, Sharpton and the Black Panthers were my second choice.
#32. To: Vitamin Z (#27)
#35. To: ghostdogtxn (#32)
#38. To: Peppa (#35)
#39. To: ghostdogtxn (#38)
To: Peppa
#42. To: Peppa (#39)
#45. To: ghostdogtxn (#42)
Why go third party when you are the frontrunner in one of the major 2?
Replies to Comment # 45. 
#49. To: Peppa (#45)
Uhhhhhhhhhh.
#57. To: Peppa (#45)
#71. To: Peppa (#45)
(Edited)
Gramma overboard! Pastor overboard!
End Trace Mode for Comment # 45.