Monday, April 28, 2008

Reverend Wright

Today Obama's former pastor, Reverend Wright spoke at the National Press Club in Washington. You remember that the media has focused a great deal on his relationship with Obama and the comments that he has made during sermons over the years.  Many have seen these comments as divisive and anti-American.  Clips of the most controversial comments have been playing over and over on You-tube and all over the internet.  I need not repeat them, but to the casual observer they seem a bit crass and yes divisive.  But then again...few people have heard the whole sermons in which these clips were taken.  I, for one, have not heard all of the sermons.  But I can tell you this...I heard the man today...and I understand a little bit about what he has been saying.  This country...which I have served and which I love...has had governments...from time to time.. that have acted counter to our highest ideals.  We stand for human rights.  We believe in equality.  We believe in freedom of religion.  We believe in free speech.   And yet, we have often come up short on these ideals.  And of the last few years...under this administration...we pretty much have spit in the face of all these ideals.  And when anyone has the balls to criticize these clowns...or their policies....they are instantly labeled divisive and un-patriotic.  This is not a new technique of course.  The far right has been pulling this shit since at least the 1960s.  "America....love it or leave!" they would say back then.  Not realizing, that those who criticize the government...did love America.  They loved it so much...they wanted to change it... to make it make more like those high ideals I was talking about earlier.  These are the true patriots.  Those who show the courage to say...what many of us are thinking...but are afraid to say.  America is not perfect.  Our government have made many mistakes over the years.  We should not be shocked that some people hate us...not so much for what we stand for...but what we have done and what we are doing.  Most Americans don't want to think we have blood on our hands or that we should take responsibility for what we have done.  But the only way we will ever make good on all our lofty promises is to come to terms with our past. Realize we have problems...and do something about it.  That's not being unpatriotic.  That's being a good American.  

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Bitter Bitter Bitter

Most people have heard the recent comments made by Barack Obama in San Francisco.  But just to remind you:

"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothings replaced them....."And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."  

Once these comments came to light....it didn't take either Clinton or McCain long to pounce on these remarks as a way of showing that Obama was an "elitist"and out of touch with mainstream American values.  Clinton...all of a sudden....was seen drinking boilermakers and beer with some of the proud "gun owners" of PA.  She was trying hard to show she was one  "them".  One of us.  Now...never mind that her and Bill have not held a real job (outside of politics) for over 30 years.  Never mind that she has made millions since Bill left the white house.  She is so far removed from blue collar she can't tell what shade of blue it is.  And McCain?....Well he is so tied up with advocating for continued war in Iraq and a new one in Iran...(infact he still confuses shia and sunni's and who is doing what over there) he has had no time to develop a plan that addresses the current economic mess that this country finds itself in. 

The fact is...some Americans are angry and frustrated...and yes bitter.  And for good reason. Economic failure...political corruption...a president who has lied to us time after time, endless war with a military on the brink of breaking, and no end in site.  No one wants to think they are bitter...but the fact is at times in our lives when we feel we have been abandoned or forgotten...it is easy to look to lash out or blame others for our struggles.  And yes...to cling to those things in our lives that bring us comfort like religion or hunting or whatever.  Scapegoating is not a new thing.  Hitler used it effectively to blame the jews for the economic mess that was Germany in the 20's and 30's.  Remember...he was democratically elected initially.  Obama's statement was not untrue...it was real...and any politician who ignores the frustration and anger among those hurting the most in this country will get a real slap of reality in November.  They will find out who really is out of touch.  Let's hope so.