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Originally Posted by BeautifulBurnout
Obama's landmark speech at Philadelphia today. (It's 37 mins long but worth the investment)
This man inspires hope. I just hope all you yanks have got the gumption to vote him in  |
I was very impressed by this speech. There was really nothing he could have said differently. Of course its not going to be enough condemnation for half the people and too much for the other half, but in terms of finding yoruself in a no win situation, it was a pretty incredible performance.
I really hate to think of the man losing because of this issue. I can handle corruption, should that be deserving, or weak demonstration of political knowhow. But losing because of this is pretty hard to swallow.
EDIT: what follows is a strangelet rant, read at your own risk.
What continually surprises me is how many times the more patriotic of my fellow citizens need to be reminded that a higher level of patriotism exists above "America: like it or lump it" That to criticize one's country is the true work of a patriot, and the refusal to do so a subtle kind of treason. Several groups have been blamed for 9/11. Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell made the bald face assertions on 9/12/2001 that the ACLU, fags, pagans, feminists, and abortionists are directly responsible for the act of God's retribution. Rev Jeremiah Wright's assertion is that white men are responsible. Neither of them have a legitimate place in the nation's dialog, but its interesting to me how pointing the finger at fags, pagans, and feminists does not imply a hatred towards america but pointing the finger at white men does. Why is this when all three men of God see the country the exact same way: wicked and deserving of God's Judgement?
Obama was right to distance himself from the Pastor's remarks and call them indefensible. None of them have any place in a campaign whose popularity was based on a hopeful look to the future, as opposed to a divisive retreading of villains and scapegoats. Most importantly all of these arguments, Wright's, Falwell's, Robertson's, need to be seen for what they are. Stupid? Yes, although there's more traction blaming rich white men over pagans. Unamerican? absolutely not.