Just thought you might like to take a look:
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
DID JIM ADKINSON READ YOUR BLOG?
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD TO ALL EXTREMIST BLOGGERS
Yesterday morning, Jim D. Adkisson walked into a Tennessee church with a 12 gauge, semi-automatic, shotgun and 76 rounds of ammunition. He began to shout “hateful things” according to witnesses and then proceeded to open fire on the congregation that was gathered to watch a children’s play. Two were killed, seven were wounded, five of whom were critically injured. All were traumatized, especially the children on stage.
According to a letter found in the killer’s car, the reason was his hatred of the liberal agenda of the church.
Below I have listed one quote from the letter. Can you guess which one it is?
1. Liberalism IS a confirmed Mental Disorder.
2. Yes, and when free thinking American Patriots take back this country, one of the first orders of business will be to deal with all of you idiotic, liberal, bleeding heart, anti American traitors appropriately
3. We have a traitor among us. GET A ROPE
4. The revolution I spoke of will not be North against South, but will be free thinking American Patriots against anti American traitors such as you, aks/ablaze, and the rest of the bleeding heart, liberal idiots
5. you anti American, liberal traitors still refuse to face the facts, and continue to live in a state of brainwashed, blind denial..
6. Muslims are a cancer on this planet, and guess what? I'm not joking 1 bit.. I say drop a nuke on the mid-east and then stuff pork up their *ss's!
7. I think pink is great color for liberals, that and yellow
8. Liberals are a cancer on the world.
9. Why is it that spoiled kids of prominent people always become liberal and bitter, but have never made much of a difference in anything??
10. [I have a] stated hatred of the liberal movement
11. As a veteran I say to you be thankful for the anonymity the internet gives you, there are probably more than a few ex-military on this site that would get gratification from a face-to-face with you, but you are not worth going to jail for. You are despicable and disgusting. Go see your proctologist, you may be developing brain damage. Now FOAD!
12. Why don't we test out your real courage and pick a nice quiet dark spot to meet so i can bust your jaw. No more words, Just you, me, and blood. You talk awfully tough on the internet now let's test out what your REALLY made of.
The statement written by the gunman was number 10. (One of the mildest statements from the list) Your next question should be: where did you get the rest of these quotes? The answer is simple.
Every quote (other than #10) listed, came from a MYFox Local website from across the country.
We must always remember that we as a nation are more than conservative & liberal. WE ARE AMERICANS. We can disagree on the direction of our country, but we must learn to control our love of hateful rhetoric. God alone knows how many blogs Adkisson read before he decided on his own twisted and warped answer to the problems of our country.
Maybe Jim Adkinson read YOUR blog!!!
(And this should not just be a warning to conservative bloggers. There are a great many liberals on Daily Kos and other left-leaning sites that can be just as bad.)
Yesterday morning, Jim D. Adkisson walked into a Tennessee church with a 12 gauge, semi-automatic, shotgun and 76 rounds of ammunition. He began to shout “hateful things” according to witnesses and then proceeded to open fire on the congregation that was gathered to watch a children’s play. Two were killed, seven were wounded, five of whom were critically injured. All were traumatized, especially the children on stage.
According to a letter found in the killer’s car, the reason was his hatred of the liberal agenda of the church.
Below I have listed one quote from the letter. Can you guess which one it is?
1. Liberalism IS a confirmed Mental Disorder.
2. Yes, and when free thinking American Patriots take back this country, one of the first orders of business will be to deal with all of you idiotic, liberal, bleeding heart, anti American traitors appropriately
3. We have a traitor among us. GET A ROPE
4. The revolution I spoke of will not be North against South, but will be free thinking American Patriots against anti American traitors such as you, aks/ablaze, and the rest of the bleeding heart, liberal idiots
5. you anti American, liberal traitors still refuse to face the facts, and continue to live in a state of brainwashed, blind denial..
6. Muslims are a cancer on this planet, and guess what? I'm not joking 1 bit.. I say drop a nuke on the mid-east and then stuff pork up their *ss's!
7. I think pink is great color for liberals, that and yellow
8. Liberals are a cancer on the world.
9. Why is it that spoiled kids of prominent people always become liberal and bitter, but have never made much of a difference in anything??
10. [I have a] stated hatred of the liberal movement
11. As a veteran I say to you be thankful for the anonymity the internet gives you, there are probably more than a few ex-military on this site that would get gratification from a face-to-face with you, but you are not worth going to jail for. You are despicable and disgusting. Go see your proctologist, you may be developing brain damage. Now FOAD!
12. Why don't we test out your real courage and pick a nice quiet dark spot to meet so i can bust your jaw. No more words, Just you, me, and blood. You talk awfully tough on the internet now let's test out what your REALLY made of.
The statement written by the gunman was number 10. (One of the mildest statements from the list) Your next question should be: where did you get the rest of these quotes? The answer is simple.
Every quote (other than #10) listed, came from a MYFox Local website from across the country.
We must always remember that we as a nation are more than conservative & liberal. WE ARE AMERICANS. We can disagree on the direction of our country, but we must learn to control our love of hateful rhetoric. God alone knows how many blogs Adkisson read before he decided on his own twisted and warped answer to the problems of our country.
Maybe Jim Adkinson read YOUR blog!!!
(And this should not just be a warning to conservative bloggers. There are a great many liberals on Daily Kos and other left-leaning sites that can be just as bad.)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
GOD SPEED GREG MCKENDRY
It's happened again. Another place of safety and refuge has been invaded by the violence of a world slightly off-kilter. This morning during a performance of "ANNIE" at a Unitarian Church, a lone gunman walked in and began to fire. And as seems to always happen during these moments of insanity....one person reminds us that we can be a little better than we thought.
In coming days we will debate the reasons for the killer's actions. We will be told reasons they think he did what he did. And the reasons will fill us with dispair, for no matter what the reason we know that it was not good enough to destroy the lives of so many people.
So now, before we know why the killer acted as he did, let us remember the spirit of a good man...Greg McKendry. A 60 year old usher who was married to a woman who loved him. A foster parent and a man who helped others. He was a big man physically and cared deeply for his church and it's people. A soul who obviously believed that caring for others was worth his life. A REAL CHRISTIAN WHO SHOWED HIS LOVE THROUGH HIS LIFE.
You see, when a gunman walked into that church in Knoxville, Tennessee today, Greg McKendry stepped in front of the first shotgun blast and protected everyone behind that giant-sized body given him by his god. And God only knows how many lives he saved with that simple action. His death granted time to others to run to safety.
Tomorrow we will talk about the why and probably forget that the most memorable act was not the act of pulling the trigger...but that in the coldness of that moment, ONE MAN STOOD UP. So tonight before the media circus begins, let us simply say, "God Speed Greg McKendry. "
In coming days we will debate the reasons for the killer's actions. We will be told reasons they think he did what he did. And the reasons will fill us with dispair, for no matter what the reason we know that it was not good enough to destroy the lives of so many people.
So now, before we know why the killer acted as he did, let us remember the spirit of a good man...Greg McKendry. A 60 year old usher who was married to a woman who loved him. A foster parent and a man who helped others. He was a big man physically and cared deeply for his church and it's people. A soul who obviously believed that caring for others was worth his life. A REAL CHRISTIAN WHO SHOWED HIS LOVE THROUGH HIS LIFE.
You see, when a gunman walked into that church in Knoxville, Tennessee today, Greg McKendry stepped in front of the first shotgun blast and protected everyone behind that giant-sized body given him by his god. And God only knows how many lives he saved with that simple action. His death granted time to others to run to safety.
Tomorrow we will talk about the why and probably forget that the most memorable act was not the act of pulling the trigger...but that in the coldness of that moment, ONE MAN STOOD UP. So tonight before the media circus begins, let us simply say, "God Speed Greg McKendry. "
Thursday, July 24, 2008
OILS WELLS THAT ENDS WELLS
As more and more Americans feel the pinch at the pumps, our presidential candidates have turned their focus onto a new Energy Policy for the U.S. Sen. John McCain has offered us several quick solutions. He wants a gas tax holiday and he wants to open up off-shore drilling. (Which he has opposed in Washington for the last 30 years. We’ll leave the flip-flopper argument to another time.)
But what REALLY causes such high prices? It isn’t any one thing but a combination of factors that increase oil prices. Supply & Demand is an important part of this. More and more nations are using more and more oil which means we have to out bid other countries to purchase oil. The dollars we use to purchase oil with are worth less today than they were a year ago and that drives up the price. And finally, oil speculators have artificially inflated the price due to a lack of regulation on their practices.
Today, Sen. McCain was scheduled to go to New Orleans to visit an off-shore rig for a great photo op showing how off-shore drilling will solve our high gas prices. Unfortunately it was cancelled due to weather. After all, a hurricane went through the Gulf yesterday. Nobody can expect to fly over the gulf today. Except, the weather in New Orleans today was hot and clear. Four mile per hour winds with a ten mile visibility limit. Seems like today’s weather shouldn’t be a problem for helicopters.
Maybe it wasn’t the weather, maybe he cancelled because at 1:30 AM yesterday the AP reports:
When you are trying to convince people that drilling is safe, you don’t want them to know that 419, 000 gallons can form a twelve mile slick and then have MSM remind you that during Hurricane Katrina 6.5 MILLION gallons of oil were spilled in the Gulf.
You don’t want people to be reminded that while the US consumes 25% of the world’s oil, even with off-shore drilling we only own 10% of the world’s oil. That’s a sizable gap to overcome. Even if we increase domestic production of oil, there is no promise that it will only be sold for domestic consumption. So we have to question how much of an impact that “extra” oil will have on the world market. Will it be enough to significantly reduce oil prices? And since it will be 5 to 10 years before that oil actually gets out of the ground…it is not a quick fix. So rather obviously, as T. Boone Pickens states, “This is one emergency we can’t drill our way out of.”
Think of it this way: I have a pot of soup of soup that will feed 100 people. I have to feed 150 people. If I add one cup of soup to the pot, I can now feed 101 people. I HAVE INCREASED SUPPLY. But, if everyone knows that 49 hungry people are not going to get soup the price of that soup goes up and the addition of one cup will do little to keep the price down. I can also expect to have 10 more people show up in line for soup while I add my one cup of soup, so now 59 people will not get soup today…unless they out bid everyone else for soup. The price of soup is going to go up!!!
This is not to say that off-shore drilling should not be examined. Whether Ecologists like it or not, we may need to drill in new areas; if not today then probably someday. Safety measures have increased over the past several decades. We do need all the oil we can get. But we have to realize that drilling is not a complete solution. It should be a possibility under discussion, not a knee-jerk reaction to filling your SUV. And the dangers inherent in off-shore drilling need to be taken into account. How do we get the oil we need without endangering the coast line. (Take away the Florida beaches and see how many tourists visit and what THAT does to the Florida economy.)
So what can be done to lower prices immediately? Unfortunately, very little. One suggestion has been that we re-instate the regulations that guided the actions of oil speculators. This was an industry that was de-regulated by Phil “The American People are Whiners” Gramm. Recently one of the largest speculators overextended and came up without enough collateral to cover its futures purchases. So SemGroup, an Oklahoma private oil marketing fund declared bankruptcy and sold its oil futures for a loss. Since that time, oil prices have fallen 14% in the last 10 days. If Congress can set new rules that require a larger “down payment” it will help to keep oil prices down. Will it solve all of our issues with high fuel costs? NO!!!!! But as we have seen, it can have a significant impact and in a short period of time. (Note: John McCain insists that the decline in price is because George Bush said he wants off-shore drilling and that was all it took. The Wall Street Journal says it was the demise of SemGroup. The question is…who do you trust? George Bush or the Wall Street Journal?)
The important thing for America is to develop the political will to decide that we HAVE to change how we think about energy. Where we get it from, how we use it and where we intend to get it from in the next year, in the next decade and beyond. That’s the real answer. We as Americans have to realize that the age of unlimited oil is gone and we must move forward to find new ways to power our country.
KNEE JERK DRILLING AND A SUMMER GAS TAX HOLIDAY ISN’T GOING TO CUT IT!
But what REALLY causes such high prices? It isn’t any one thing but a combination of factors that increase oil prices. Supply & Demand is an important part of this. More and more nations are using more and more oil which means we have to out bid other countries to purchase oil. The dollars we use to purchase oil with are worth less today than they were a year ago and that drives up the price. And finally, oil speculators have artificially inflated the price due to a lack of regulation on their practices.
Today, Sen. McCain was scheduled to go to New Orleans to visit an off-shore rig for a great photo op showing how off-shore drilling will solve our high gas prices. Unfortunately it was cancelled due to weather. After all, a hurricane went through the Gulf yesterday. Nobody can expect to fly over the gulf today. Except, the weather in New Orleans today was hot and clear. Four mile per hour winds with a ten mile visibility limit. Seems like today’s weather shouldn’t be a problem for helicopters.
Maybe it wasn’t the weather, maybe he cancelled because at 1:30 AM yesterday the AP reports:
“ NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard closed 29 miles of the Mississippi River at New Orleans after a 600-foot tanker and a barge loaded with fuel oil collided Wednesday, breaking the barge in half.
Nobody was injured, but more than 419,000 gallons of heavy, almost tar-like fuel oil spilled from the barge, forming a slick 12 miles long, said Lt. Cdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau, a Coast Guard spokeswoman.” (Note: That slick is now 100 miles long and growing.)
When you are trying to convince people that drilling is safe, you don’t want them to know that 419, 000 gallons can form a twelve mile slick and then have MSM remind you that during Hurricane Katrina 6.5 MILLION gallons of oil were spilled in the Gulf.
You don’t want people to be reminded that while the US consumes 25% of the world’s oil, even with off-shore drilling we only own 10% of the world’s oil. That’s a sizable gap to overcome. Even if we increase domestic production of oil, there is no promise that it will only be sold for domestic consumption. So we have to question how much of an impact that “extra” oil will have on the world market. Will it be enough to significantly reduce oil prices? And since it will be 5 to 10 years before that oil actually gets out of the ground…it is not a quick fix. So rather obviously, as T. Boone Pickens states, “This is one emergency we can’t drill our way out of.”
Think of it this way: I have a pot of soup of soup that will feed 100 people. I have to feed 150 people. If I add one cup of soup to the pot, I can now feed 101 people. I HAVE INCREASED SUPPLY. But, if everyone knows that 49 hungry people are not going to get soup the price of that soup goes up and the addition of one cup will do little to keep the price down. I can also expect to have 10 more people show up in line for soup while I add my one cup of soup, so now 59 people will not get soup today…unless they out bid everyone else for soup. The price of soup is going to go up!!!
This is not to say that off-shore drilling should not be examined. Whether Ecologists like it or not, we may need to drill in new areas; if not today then probably someday. Safety measures have increased over the past several decades. We do need all the oil we can get. But we have to realize that drilling is not a complete solution. It should be a possibility under discussion, not a knee-jerk reaction to filling your SUV. And the dangers inherent in off-shore drilling need to be taken into account. How do we get the oil we need without endangering the coast line. (Take away the Florida beaches and see how many tourists visit and what THAT does to the Florida economy.)
So what can be done to lower prices immediately? Unfortunately, very little. One suggestion has been that we re-instate the regulations that guided the actions of oil speculators. This was an industry that was de-regulated by Phil “The American People are Whiners” Gramm. Recently one of the largest speculators overextended and came up without enough collateral to cover its futures purchases. So SemGroup, an Oklahoma private oil marketing fund declared bankruptcy and sold its oil futures for a loss. Since that time, oil prices have fallen 14% in the last 10 days. If Congress can set new rules that require a larger “down payment” it will help to keep oil prices down. Will it solve all of our issues with high fuel costs? NO!!!!! But as we have seen, it can have a significant impact and in a short period of time. (Note: John McCain insists that the decline in price is because George Bush said he wants off-shore drilling and that was all it took. The Wall Street Journal says it was the demise of SemGroup. The question is…who do you trust? George Bush or the Wall Street Journal?)
The important thing for America is to develop the political will to decide that we HAVE to change how we think about energy. Where we get it from, how we use it and where we intend to get it from in the next year, in the next decade and beyond. That’s the real answer. We as Americans have to realize that the age of unlimited oil is gone and we must move forward to find new ways to power our country.
KNEE JERK DRILLING AND A SUMMER GAS TAX HOLIDAY ISN’T GOING TO CUT IT!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
OBAMA RESPONSIBLE FOR HIGH GAS PRICES?
Today, I saw an ad from the McCain campaign that states that high gas prices are because of Sen. Barack Obama. John McCain is ready to drill for oil and solve our dependency on foreign oil! Sen. Barack Obama is against off-shore drilling and THAT IS WHY GAS PRICES ARE HIGH!
I thought I remember John McCain saying that Obama's inexperience and lack of time in the Senate is why I should vote for John McCain. But now he tells me that in the short time Obama has been in the Senate he has single handed stopped all off shore drilling and driven the price up.
HUH????
I seem to remember that in 2003, Senator John McCain voted AGAINST off shore drilling. That was a full year before Senator Obama ever held the office of junior Senator from Illinois. In fact, John McCain has opposed off shore drilling for his entire 30 years in Washington. So how does he justify blaming this on Sen. Obama?
This is even more incredible when you realize that even if we authorized off shore drilling today, it would be 5 to 10 years before we saw any of that oil. And when that oil finally is pumped, it will be put on the world market instead of being kept to "reduce America's dependence on foreign oil." (Which is also an idea that Sen. John McCain has publicly supported..) The dirty little secret that conservatives would like you to forget is that all American oil is put on the world market. So even today at a time that we scream about the amount of foreign oil we import, we don't like to remember that we also export US oil to other countries. (It's called a Global Economy...for good or bad.) So when oil companies do get this oil, we will still be bidding for it on an open market against China & India.
A discussion on off shore drilling is legitimate. I don't think it will do nearly as much to reduce oil imports as people say, but it is a discussion that should be had. It is not legitimate to blame Senator Obama for the problem as the McCain ad does.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS?
I thought I remember John McCain saying that Obama's inexperience and lack of time in the Senate is why I should vote for John McCain. But now he tells me that in the short time Obama has been in the Senate he has single handed stopped all off shore drilling and driven the price up.
HUH????
I seem to remember that in 2003, Senator John McCain voted AGAINST off shore drilling. That was a full year before Senator Obama ever held the office of junior Senator from Illinois. In fact, John McCain has opposed off shore drilling for his entire 30 years in Washington. So how does he justify blaming this on Sen. Obama?
This is even more incredible when you realize that even if we authorized off shore drilling today, it would be 5 to 10 years before we saw any of that oil. And when that oil finally is pumped, it will be put on the world market instead of being kept to "reduce America's dependence on foreign oil." (Which is also an idea that Sen. John McCain has publicly supported..) The dirty little secret that conservatives would like you to forget is that all American oil is put on the world market. So even today at a time that we scream about the amount of foreign oil we import, we don't like to remember that we also export US oil to other countries. (It's called a Global Economy...for good or bad.) So when oil companies do get this oil, we will still be bidding for it on an open market against China & India.
A discussion on off shore drilling is legitimate. I don't think it will do nearly as much to reduce oil imports as people say, but it is a discussion that should be had. It is not legitimate to blame Senator Obama for the problem as the McCain ad does.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS?
FREE SPEECH AND THE INTERNET
FREE SPEECH!!! There is no concept in America held more dear than our right to express ourselves without censorship. We have the right to say what we want, when we want…but there are some limitations. If you exercise your right of free speech and lie to a newspaper; the paper may be sued for libel. If you go on TV and lie about someone; you may be sued for slander. You can’t yell “fire” in a crowded theater without suffering criminal consequences. You have the right to tell your co-worker that you saw his wife with another man…but is it the right thing to do?
We have the right to free speech but we also have a responsibility not to misuse that right. And there has been no greater test of our belief in free speech than e-mail and the rise of the internet blogger. Anyone can create a website that says ANYTHING! Anyone can create a screen name and find the freedom to spew whatever lies they like under the pseudonym of that anonymous name. New technology grants us a greater audience to hear our voice while at the same time it helps to hide the speaker and consequently it relieves that same speaker of the responsibility for his or her speech. The result is an intricate web of deceit spread virally through the internet that creates a modern myth with little if any basis in reality. These myths then become “news” that is shown and re-shown on cable news 24/7. Senator Barack Obama has become the poster child for such attacks. There are now huge numbers of Americans convinced that he is Muslim, was sworn in on a Koran, is the anti-Christ, has a wife that hates America, will raise everyone’s taxes, hates “whitey”….need I go on? As Senator Obama himself has said, “If you see this Barack Obama, let me know. He sounds really scary”
This atmosphere of constant attack tends to make one a bit “jumpy” and I personally thought the Obama campaign overreacted to the recent cover of THE NEW YORKER. (You know the cartoon drawing; showing Obama in Muslim garb fist-bumping Michelle dressed as a machine gun toting, afro wearing, Black Panther, both warming themselves by an American flag burning in the fireplace.) It was a distraction that didn’t need a comment by the campaign…or so I thought.
I read the explanation of the cartoon by the editor of the NEW YORKER. David Remnick wrote that it “ satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the presidential election to derail Barack Obama’s campaign…. Satire is what we do, and it is meant to bring things out in the open, to hold up a mirror to prejudice, the hateful and the absurd. And that’s the spirt of this cover… [It] "combines a number of images that have been propagated . . . by some on the right, about Obama’s supposed ‘lack of patriotism’ or his being ‘soft on terrorism’ That somehow all this is going to come to the Oval Office."
It made sense to me!
Then I read a recent posting on a Fox Website regarding the same magazine cover. The blogger expressed the opinion that, “It seems to me anyone that chooses to run for president should take a good long look at the fact they will be scrutinized, made fun of, even humiliated (in some cases) because of their background or because of a stupid statement that they make.” She then closed by poising the question, “Are we to give up our "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press" because of all the sensitivity or that it's "politically incorrect"? Come on, this is America! I say, if you choose this road, be prepared, keep a sense of humor and if you can't laugh at yourself, "pull up your big boy/girl pants" and move it or lose it.”
In general, I agree with her comments, but it was other comments she made that helped me to understand why the Obama campaign came out so strongly against the NEW YORKER’s cover. She also commented that “Frankly, I don't know if Michelle is a terrorist or not. I don't know that Barrack is a Muslim or not. I do know that as a child he was schooled in Indonesia, and that is the world's largest Islamic Country, with a 90% Muslim population. Coincidence, whatever!” And here lies the problem with the lack of personal responsibility for statements made on internet blogs. By repeating a large lie over & over, it takes on a life of its own. Many people will decide after constant bombardment of a big lie that even if the big lie is not completely true, there must be some basis of truth to the rumor. That is how one goes from “he was schooled in a Muslim country so he must be Muslim”. (Does that mean that a Muslim who goes to a Catholic school must become a Catholic?)
Perhaps most telling of all was the comment, “Frankly, I don't know if Michelle is a terrorist or not.” The blogger who already believed that Obama is a Muslim because of e-mails is now ready to believe his wife is a terrorist because of a cartoon drawing appearing on a magazine cover. (For the record, Michelle Obama is currently on leave from her position as the vice president of community affairs at the University Of Chicago Medical Center. Please explain to me how the right of Free Speech allows you the freedom to make that leap of logic!)
As a nation, we have reached the point where we must defend ourselves from the ridiculous…because there are way too many of us who seem oblivious to irony. And an election is too important to lose due to a lie made true by repetition. Freedom of Speech must not be constrained in any way, but until we learn as a nation to use make use of it responsibly on the internet we must not condemn the victims for protesting the lies spread about them.
We have the right to free speech but we also have a responsibility not to misuse that right. And there has been no greater test of our belief in free speech than e-mail and the rise of the internet blogger. Anyone can create a website that says ANYTHING! Anyone can create a screen name and find the freedom to spew whatever lies they like under the pseudonym of that anonymous name. New technology grants us a greater audience to hear our voice while at the same time it helps to hide the speaker and consequently it relieves that same speaker of the responsibility for his or her speech. The result is an intricate web of deceit spread virally through the internet that creates a modern myth with little if any basis in reality. These myths then become “news” that is shown and re-shown on cable news 24/7. Senator Barack Obama has become the poster child for such attacks. There are now huge numbers of Americans convinced that he is Muslim, was sworn in on a Koran, is the anti-Christ, has a wife that hates America, will raise everyone’s taxes, hates “whitey”….need I go on? As Senator Obama himself has said, “If you see this Barack Obama, let me know. He sounds really scary”
This atmosphere of constant attack tends to make one a bit “jumpy” and I personally thought the Obama campaign overreacted to the recent cover of THE NEW YORKER. (You know the cartoon drawing; showing Obama in Muslim garb fist-bumping Michelle dressed as a machine gun toting, afro wearing, Black Panther, both warming themselves by an American flag burning in the fireplace.) It was a distraction that didn’t need a comment by the campaign…or so I thought.
I read the explanation of the cartoon by the editor of the NEW YORKER. David Remnick wrote that it “ satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the presidential election to derail Barack Obama’s campaign…. Satire is what we do, and it is meant to bring things out in the open, to hold up a mirror to prejudice, the hateful and the absurd. And that’s the spirt of this cover… [It] "combines a number of images that have been propagated . . . by some on the right, about Obama’s supposed ‘lack of patriotism’ or his being ‘soft on terrorism’ That somehow all this is going to come to the Oval Office."
It made sense to me!
Then I read a recent posting on a Fox Website regarding the same magazine cover. The blogger expressed the opinion that, “It seems to me anyone that chooses to run for president should take a good long look at the fact they will be scrutinized, made fun of, even humiliated (in some cases) because of their background or because of a stupid statement that they make.” She then closed by poising the question, “Are we to give up our "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press" because of all the sensitivity or that it's "politically incorrect"? Come on, this is America! I say, if you choose this road, be prepared, keep a sense of humor and if you can't laugh at yourself, "pull up your big boy/girl pants" and move it or lose it.”
In general, I agree with her comments, but it was other comments she made that helped me to understand why the Obama campaign came out so strongly against the NEW YORKER’s cover. She also commented that “Frankly, I don't know if Michelle is a terrorist or not. I don't know that Barrack is a Muslim or not. I do know that as a child he was schooled in Indonesia, and that is the world's largest Islamic Country, with a 90% Muslim population. Coincidence, whatever!” And here lies the problem with the lack of personal responsibility for statements made on internet blogs. By repeating a large lie over & over, it takes on a life of its own. Many people will decide after constant bombardment of a big lie that even if the big lie is not completely true, there must be some basis of truth to the rumor. That is how one goes from “he was schooled in a Muslim country so he must be Muslim”. (Does that mean that a Muslim who goes to a Catholic school must become a Catholic?)
Perhaps most telling of all was the comment, “Frankly, I don't know if Michelle is a terrorist or not.” The blogger who already believed that Obama is a Muslim because of e-mails is now ready to believe his wife is a terrorist because of a cartoon drawing appearing on a magazine cover. (For the record, Michelle Obama is currently on leave from her position as the vice president of community affairs at the University Of Chicago Medical Center. Please explain to me how the right of Free Speech allows you the freedom to make that leap of logic!)
As a nation, we have reached the point where we must defend ourselves from the ridiculous…because there are way too many of us who seem oblivious to irony. And an election is too important to lose due to a lie made true by repetition. Freedom of Speech must not be constrained in any way, but until we learn as a nation to use make use of it responsibly on the internet we must not condemn the victims for protesting the lies spread about them.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
THIS BUD'S NOT FOR YOU
Recently Missourians have found one issue that seems to bind us all together....liberal & conservative, Republican & Democrat. They have come from both sides of the aisle to voice an objection to the sale of Anheuser-Busch to the European-owned InBev. Unfortunately, the uninhibited sale of a US company to the highest bidder is part of our system of Free Enterprise. So they all gave lip-service against the sale but could do nothing to stop it. It was a decision of the shareholders (as it should be). But even Sen. Obama spoke out against the sale & hoped that shareholders would remember to keep Bud an American Beer.
One political figure was silent on the sale. Now we know why. John McCain's wife may like driving around town in her sportscar with the vanity plates "MS. BUD" (when she's not flying her private plane. But you never heard her voice an objection to the sale. Nor did you hear her husband; who frequently explains how he is looking out for the American Worker, ask shareholders to sacrifice profit for the good of the Americans who hold jobs with Budweiser.
One of the concerns of an InBev buyout is that InBev has a history of buying a brewery and then cutting jobs to raise their profit margin. I hope that all the Anheuser-Busch employees (who now must worry about what changes are in store for them) remember in November who made an estimated 1 - 2 million dollars on the sale. (Insult to injury is that she will be paying capital gains tax at a rate of 15%, a Bush tax cut that McCain opposed until he ran for President. Now he supports it....wonder why?)
So why didn't either of the McCains comment on the sale in advance? How did Cindy McCain vote her estimated 40,000 - 80,0000 shares?
The next time you raise a bottle of Bud....remember: John & Cindy McCain raised not a bottle, but a finger...to all of us!
THANKS A LOT!
One political figure was silent on the sale. Now we know why. John McCain's wife may like driving around town in her sportscar with the vanity plates "MS. BUD" (when she's not flying her private plane. But you never heard her voice an objection to the sale. Nor did you hear her husband; who frequently explains how he is looking out for the American Worker, ask shareholders to sacrifice profit for the good of the Americans who hold jobs with Budweiser.
One of the concerns of an InBev buyout is that InBev has a history of buying a brewery and then cutting jobs to raise their profit margin. I hope that all the Anheuser-Busch employees (who now must worry about what changes are in store for them) remember in November who made an estimated 1 - 2 million dollars on the sale. (Insult to injury is that she will be paying capital gains tax at a rate of 15%, a Bush tax cut that McCain opposed until he ran for President. Now he supports it....wonder why?)
So why didn't either of the McCains comment on the sale in advance? How did Cindy McCain vote her estimated 40,000 - 80,0000 shares?
The next time you raise a bottle of Bud....remember: John & Cindy McCain raised not a bottle, but a finger...to all of us!
THANKS A LOT!
Monday, July 14, 2008
VIVA VIAGRA
The July 9th edition of the Wall Street Journal reported the following exchange between Sen. McCain & a news reporter.
It's been a few days and I haven't heard a response from the McCain Camp! Aside from the obvious jokes, it still leaves the original question unanswered, Is it acceptable for insurance companies to cover viagra but not doctor prescribed birth control? If so, why? If not, then why did Sen. McCain vote against it in 2003?
"A female Los Angeles Times reporter inquired today about comments made earlier this week by McCain campaign adviser Carly Fiorina, the former head of Hewlett Packard.
At a breakfast with reporters, Fiorina suggested that individuals–and women in particular–be given more flexibility to determine what their health insurance plans should cover. “There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won’t cover birth-control medication. Those women would like a choice,” she observed.
When McCain was asked for his position on the issue, he said—with a nervous laugh–“I certainly do not want to discuss that issue.”
The reporter pressed. “But apparently you’ve voted against—“
“I don’t know what I voted,” McCain said.
The reporter explained that McCain voted against a bill in 2003 that would have required health insurance companies to cover prescription birth control. “Is that still your position?” she persisted.
During the awkward exchange, with several lengthy pauses, McCain said he had no immediate knowledge of the vote. “I’ve cast thousands of votes in the Senate,” McCain said, then continued: “I will respond to—it’s a, it’s a…”
“Delicate issue,” the reporter offered, to a relieved laugh from McCain.
“I don’t usually duck an issue, but I’m—I’ll try to get back to you,” he explained. "
It's been a few days and I haven't heard a response from the McCain Camp! Aside from the obvious jokes, it still leaves the original question unanswered, Is it acceptable for insurance companies to cover viagra but not doctor prescribed birth control? If so, why? If not, then why did Sen. McCain vote against it in 2003?
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
Remember how as a kid, about this time of year YOU GOT BORED!!! School had been out, you had already done everything there was to do and you needed something to focus on. (This was also about the time that you started fighting with your siblings.)
We still do it as adults. Look at the Democratic Party. Bickering & picking at each other like a couple of 12 year olds because there's nothing to do until the convention starts.
I have a solution. When we got like this as kids, we played practical jokes against someone we didn't like. Last week, McCain Co-Chair, Phil Gramm said that Americans really weren't hurting from a recession....they just wanted to whine. "We are a nation of whiners!"
So let's fullfill the expectations of the elite who haven't pumped thier own gas since it was below $2 a gallon. Put the following numbers in your speed-dial...(703) 418-2008 (John McCain's National Headquarters) and (202)-863-8500 (Republican National Committee Headquarters).
After it's in your speed dial, any time you fill up with gas or pay more than you expected at the grocery store....call them up for a good old fashioned WHINE FEST! (Make sure you speak with a nasal tone & elongate your vowels). Tell them that it's really bad out here and we expect answers from our next President...not name calling!
Enjoy yourselves! After all, it's our right to have a little fun during the summer...it's not like we can afford to go anywhere.
We still do it as adults. Look at the Democratic Party. Bickering & picking at each other like a couple of 12 year olds because there's nothing to do until the convention starts.
I have a solution. When we got like this as kids, we played practical jokes against someone we didn't like. Last week, McCain Co-Chair, Phil Gramm said that Americans really weren't hurting from a recession....they just wanted to whine. "We are a nation of whiners!"
So let's fullfill the expectations of the elite who haven't pumped thier own gas since it was below $2 a gallon. Put the following numbers in your speed-dial...(703) 418-2008 (John McCain's National Headquarters) and (202)-863-8500 (Republican National Committee Headquarters).
After it's in your speed dial, any time you fill up with gas or pay more than you expected at the grocery store....call them up for a good old fashioned WHINE FEST! (Make sure you speak with a nasal tone & elongate your vowels). Tell them that it's really bad out here and we expect answers from our next President...not name calling!
Enjoy yourselves! After all, it's our right to have a little fun during the summer...it's not like we can afford to go anywhere.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
AN OPEN LETTER TO MICHELLE OBAMA
Dear Ms. Obama:
My granddaughter asked me to take her to see you today at the Women's Forum in Kansas City! She's a 12 year old, bi-racial, child of a single FATHER. (Sometimes unfortunately, it's not the father's that are missing in thier children's life.) We didn't have a ticket to get in. It didn't matter to her. She just wanted the chance to see you in person. So we went.
When I asked a campaign worker where we should stand to get a glimpse of you as you entered the building, we were told to follow him. He took us inside and seated us on the front row. I will never forget how her eyes glittered when you entered. She pointed out that you were taller in person & had a great dress on. Then you began to speak.....and she began to listen.
She listened to you and she listened to the other women on the panel & in the audience. She heard women from all social levels and all walks of life talk about the problems that women face. I think it made it easier to understand why her father so often says, "we don't have the money for that". She also realized that you don't have to sit back and do nothing but accept your life as it is. She has questions for me about the event, but she want's to think about them for a while. I hope I can answer them.
I think it was an important event for her. She saw professional women who believe they can make a difference....and I think that may have made a difference in my granddaughters life. Thank you for that! Win or lose in November....today you made a difference in one person's life.
My granddaughter asked me to take her to see you today at the Women's Forum in Kansas City! She's a 12 year old, bi-racial, child of a single FATHER. (Sometimes unfortunately, it's not the father's that are missing in thier children's life.) We didn't have a ticket to get in. It didn't matter to her. She just wanted the chance to see you in person. So we went.
When I asked a campaign worker where we should stand to get a glimpse of you as you entered the building, we were told to follow him. He took us inside and seated us on the front row. I will never forget how her eyes glittered when you entered. She pointed out that you were taller in person & had a great dress on. Then you began to speak.....and she began to listen.
She listened to you and she listened to the other women on the panel & in the audience. She heard women from all social levels and all walks of life talk about the problems that women face. I think it made it easier to understand why her father so often says, "we don't have the money for that". She also realized that you don't have to sit back and do nothing but accept your life as it is. She has questions for me about the event, but she want's to think about them for a while. I hope I can answer them.
I think it was an important event for her. She saw professional women who believe they can make a difference....and I think that may have made a difference in my granddaughters life. Thank you for that! Win or lose in November....today you made a difference in one person's life.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
DON'T BUY IT
I am a strong believer in free speech. I think that censorship is always a slippery slope to walk. I also am a strong believer in avoiding smearing political figures. A new book about to be published has put these two beliefs in direct conflict!
Curtis Sittenfeld is about to publish AMERICAN WIFE, a new novel based "loosely" on the life of Laura Bush. It is not an overly flattering portrait and it is extremely graphic in it's description of the main character's sex life. THE PROBLEM IS...IT'S A NOVEL. (That means it's not all true!) While I might be able to understand if the writer was trying to make some statement as an author....this seems to be nothing more than a cheap trick designed to sell books. So to maintain our committment to free speech I would like to ask everyone to excercise another aspect of our rights. The right of the consumer to ignore a product.
DON'T BUY IT. DON'T PICK IT UP OFF THE SHELF & OPEN IT. PRETEND IT NEVER WAS. IF YOU GET IT AS A GIFT....TAKE IT BACK & EXCHANGE IT.
Curtis Sittenfeld is about to publish AMERICAN WIFE, a new novel based "loosely" on the life of Laura Bush. It is not an overly flattering portrait and it is extremely graphic in it's description of the main character's sex life. THE PROBLEM IS...IT'S A NOVEL. (That means it's not all true!) While I might be able to understand if the writer was trying to make some statement as an author....this seems to be nothing more than a cheap trick designed to sell books. So to maintain our committment to free speech I would like to ask everyone to excercise another aspect of our rights. The right of the consumer to ignore a product.
DON'T BUY IT. DON'T PICK IT UP OFF THE SHELF & OPEN IT. PRETEND IT NEVER WAS. IF YOU GET IT AS A GIFT....TAKE IT BACK & EXCHANGE IT.
Monday, July 7, 2008
NOW CAN THEY COME HOME?
"We are there [in Iraq] at the invitation of the Iraqi government. This is a sovereign nation. Twelve million people went to the polls to approve a constitution. It’s their government’s choice. If they were to say, leave, we would leave."
George W. Bush, May 2007
"Iraq said for the first time yesterday that it wanted to set a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from its territory.
President Bush has long resisted a schedule for pulling his 145,000 soldiers out, arguing that it would play into the hands of insurgents. Nouri al-Maliki, the Shia Prime Minister, .... suggested that it was time to start setting time-lines.
“The current trend is to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or to put a timetable on their withdrawal,” Mr al-Maliki said during a visit to the United Arab Emirates"
THE TIMES, JULY 8, 2008
SO CAN WE LEAVE NOW?
George W. Bush, May 2007
"Iraq said for the first time yesterday that it wanted to set a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from its territory.
President Bush has long resisted a schedule for pulling his 145,000 soldiers out, arguing that it would play into the hands of insurgents. Nouri al-Maliki, the Shia Prime Minister, .... suggested that it was time to start setting time-lines.
“The current trend is to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or to put a timetable on their withdrawal,” Mr al-Maliki said during a visit to the United Arab Emirates"
THE TIMES, JULY 8, 2008
SO CAN WE LEAVE NOW?
VICES SAY SOMETHING ABOUT CHARACTER
A recent article in TIME magazine reported on the gambling vices of our presidential candidates. Senator Obama likes $1 ante poker. John McCain prefers $1,000 dice games.
"We poker players don't call poker gambling. It is a game of skill. Craps is an absurd game of luck. You may have thrilling short term wins but only madmen play craps."
Anthony Holden, the well-known British poker-player and writer
NUFF SAID?
"We poker players don't call poker gambling. It is a game of skill. Craps is an absurd game of luck. You may have thrilling short term wins but only madmen play craps."
Anthony Holden, the well-known British poker-player and writer
NUFF SAID?
Sunday, July 6, 2008
REFLECTIONS ON THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND
I was driving through one of the oldest parts of town today. The streets are lined with brownstone buildings from the turn of the century. It's not considered to be a "nice" section of town anymore. But it's filled with families from all over the world.
One old brownstone perched on the corner has a muslim family living in it. Today they had a small inflatable pool with three little girls playing in it...wearing swimsuits & headscarves!
It seems that they have created thier own separate peace between cultures.
AND THAT'S WHAT AMERICA'S ALL ABOUT!
WE THE PEOPLE
This has been an unsettling time for many of the most “progressive” followers of Senator Obama. They have listened to the right condemn him for his refusal to join in public campaign finance, they have been horrified by his support of the FISA bill, he ruffled the feathers of the Congressional Black Caucus and reportedly told a former Clinton supporter that other Clinton supporter’s need to “get over it”. Now they wonder if he’s “really who they thought he was” or “he’s just a typical politician”.
If you had envisioned him as some sort of left-wing Messiah come to drive Cheny, Rove & Co. into the seven rings of Dante’s hell at the point of a fiery sword….you’re probably not nearly as disappointed now as you are going to be. If you have always seen him as a practical politician with a realistic vision of where our country needs to go and how we can realistically get there…you may be gaining some real HOPE!
Senator Obama shows a real understanding that he is running for an office that represents more than any single branch of the Democratic Party. A mayor represents his city, the Congressman his district, the Senator his state…but the President represents our country in all its multi-cultural beauty. The variety of interests inherent in the U.S. means that compromise is essential to our survival as a nation.
His change of view on the FISA bill is a great example. Which is more important? Punishing the companies who followed the government’s request after the attacks of 9/11 or ensuring that the Presidency CANNOT wiretap without over-site in the future? Which is more important? Do we want the ability to continue to protect our country from attacks in the future or is our desire to financially punish the corporate entities who failed our trust more important? (Keep in mind that if you have a 401K, you probably have stock in those same companies & it’s your retirement that is going to be hurt by a multi-billion dollar class action suit.) We should also remember that the same bill every progressive is upset about DOES NOT grant criminal liability. (Which means that the corporate executives, who decided on their own to violate our rights are still CRIMINALLY LIABLE)
Where do we turn for guidance to what is really important? Perhaps we should look to the Preamble to the Constitution…Fifty two words that sum up the whole of our political system. It is the introduction to and an outline of one of the most remarkable political documents the world has ever seen. And yet its importance is often overlooked. But not, I think; by the Junior Senator from Illinois, a former Constitutional Law Professor.
“WE THE PEOPLE (Not We the liberals or we the conservatives or we the African-Americans or we the evangelicals or we the upper-middle class. But we the people, who are greater as a sum of the whole than as our individual parts) OF THE UNITED STATES, IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION (Maybe not perfect, but at least a little better than it was before we got it), ESTABLISH JUSTICE (Not necessarily fairness), INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY (bottom line, security of our country is the primary goal), PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE (Not just the rich or the well connected), PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE (It is more important to look after the welfare of the group than of any single segment of the group), AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY(We must look not just to what is good for us today but is good for our children tomorrow), DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
It has been said that “Politics is the art of the POSSIBLE”. Or as Senator Obama has said, “I know you want to go to the moon, but we only have enough gas to go “this” far”. You will never agree completely with a candidate and if you do….he or she is probably not going to be the best candidate for the country as a whole. We as a people need to remember the importance of compromise. Those who refuse to compromise hold a higher moral ground but seldom political office.
One out of four female Clinton supporters insist that they will vote for John McCain. Why? Even if you agree that she should be the nominee and the prize was stolen by the media and gender bias….will you (and our country) be better off in four years under a McCain presidency? How will you explain to your granddaughters that you voted for the man who appointed Supreme Court Judges who will roll back every advancement women have made in the last 50 years?
Remember, in 2000 three percent of Democrats voted for Nader BECAUSE AL GORE WASN’T GREEN ENOUGH!!!! Duuuh!
With all due respect to your beliefs, feelings and political goals….now is the time to “get over it” because the stakes are even higher than they were in 2000.
,
If you had envisioned him as some sort of left-wing Messiah come to drive Cheny, Rove & Co. into the seven rings of Dante’s hell at the point of a fiery sword….you’re probably not nearly as disappointed now as you are going to be. If you have always seen him as a practical politician with a realistic vision of where our country needs to go and how we can realistically get there…you may be gaining some real HOPE!
Senator Obama shows a real understanding that he is running for an office that represents more than any single branch of the Democratic Party. A mayor represents his city, the Congressman his district, the Senator his state…but the President represents our country in all its multi-cultural beauty. The variety of interests inherent in the U.S. means that compromise is essential to our survival as a nation.
His change of view on the FISA bill is a great example. Which is more important? Punishing the companies who followed the government’s request after the attacks of 9/11 or ensuring that the Presidency CANNOT wiretap without over-site in the future? Which is more important? Do we want the ability to continue to protect our country from attacks in the future or is our desire to financially punish the corporate entities who failed our trust more important? (Keep in mind that if you have a 401K, you probably have stock in those same companies & it’s your retirement that is going to be hurt by a multi-billion dollar class action suit.) We should also remember that the same bill every progressive is upset about DOES NOT grant criminal liability. (Which means that the corporate executives, who decided on their own to violate our rights are still CRIMINALLY LIABLE)
Where do we turn for guidance to what is really important? Perhaps we should look to the Preamble to the Constitution…Fifty two words that sum up the whole of our political system. It is the introduction to and an outline of one of the most remarkable political documents the world has ever seen. And yet its importance is often overlooked. But not, I think; by the Junior Senator from Illinois, a former Constitutional Law Professor.
“WE THE PEOPLE (Not We the liberals or we the conservatives or we the African-Americans or we the evangelicals or we the upper-middle class. But we the people, who are greater as a sum of the whole than as our individual parts) OF THE UNITED STATES, IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION (Maybe not perfect, but at least a little better than it was before we got it), ESTABLISH JUSTICE (Not necessarily fairness), INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY (bottom line, security of our country is the primary goal), PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE (Not just the rich or the well connected), PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE (It is more important to look after the welfare of the group than of any single segment of the group), AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY(We must look not just to what is good for us today but is good for our children tomorrow), DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
It has been said that “Politics is the art of the POSSIBLE”. Or as Senator Obama has said, “I know you want to go to the moon, but we only have enough gas to go “this” far”. You will never agree completely with a candidate and if you do….he or she is probably not going to be the best candidate for the country as a whole. We as a people need to remember the importance of compromise. Those who refuse to compromise hold a higher moral ground but seldom political office.
One out of four female Clinton supporters insist that they will vote for John McCain. Why? Even if you agree that she should be the nominee and the prize was stolen by the media and gender bias….will you (and our country) be better off in four years under a McCain presidency? How will you explain to your granddaughters that you voted for the man who appointed Supreme Court Judges who will roll back every advancement women have made in the last 50 years?
Remember, in 2000 three percent of Democrats voted for Nader BECAUSE AL GORE WASN’T GREEN ENOUGH!!!! Duuuh!
With all due respect to your beliefs, feelings and political goals….now is the time to “get over it” because the stakes are even higher than they were in 2000.
,
OPEN LETTER TO AMERICA'S CHURCHES
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COPY THIS OR TO FORWARD TO A FRIEND
AN OPEN LETTER TO AMERICA’S CHURCHES
As a nation, we currently face one of the most important national elections in our nation’s history. It will be an election discussed in the history books for generations to come. And it is an election that both sides realize the importance of.
Little wonder that it is also showing signs of being one of the most embarrassing elections ever. Because each side believes so strongly that it is important; there are supporters on either side willing to say ANYTHING about the other candidate.
For this reason, I am coming to you to ask your help. Since Senator Obama has announced his candidacy numerous false e-mails are being circulated throughout the web. The first round of false rumors stated that Sen. Obama is a Muslim. This is simply not true. Senator Obama speaks eloquently of discovering that the most effective means of community organizing in Chicago is through the local churches. He eventually found salvation in one of those churches and has proclaimed Jesus as his personal savior ever since. You may not agree with him regarding spiritual matters but at least give honest voice to the fact that he is NOT Muslim.
The second round was even more offensive. Lately e-mails have circulated that list “coincidences” that point to the end of the world. It then raises the question of Senator Obama being the antichrist! THIS IS SIMPLY WRONG! Throughout the history of the world people have tried to identify the antichrist. Napoleon, Hitler, Idi Amin have all shared the title. And apparently none of them were the antichrist…they were VERY bad people, but not that bad.
There is no single human more reviled by Christians than the image of this evil world leader who begins the times of tribulation. Naming this person before he is truly revealed is a very slippery slope. The Bible teaches that no one, not even the angels know the time and place of Christ’s return. So technically, no one can really know who this person is. And history teaches us that we can be wrong. By raising the specter that Obama is the antichrist, you have asked an unanswerable question and placed a lingering doubt in the minds of many believers.
This does not strike me as something a church would start. I can see others with a more urgent desire to see Senator Obama lose raise this question. They realize that every church has a member or two that would be willing to pass an e-mail along raising doubts in the mind of thousands. In other words, the Church is being duped for political purposes.
The way people just pass the lies along by e-mail, taking no responsibility for their actions, is the saddest part of all. (Because I don’t think many people truly believe this, otherwise they would be preparing to move to an out-of-the-way third world nation if Senator Obama is elected.) This is merely the 21st Century equivalent of the rumor mill, untrue gossip that we enjoy because it’s so “exciting”. By itself, it means little, but the problem is that it leaves a lingering doubt about the “character” of the candidate. “He’s probably not the antichrist, but if everyone thinks he’s that bad….there must be something to it”.
Jesus said in Matthew 12: 36-37;
If we are judged by & condemned by the words we speak idly, are we also judged & condemned by our e-mails?
I am not necessarily asking that you support Senator Obama for President. I do hope that everyone will take time to examine the issues to make an informed decision, you may find that he is a candidate you can support.
I do however ask that America’s Churches take it upon themselves to speak out strongly against these e-mails and others like them. They are nothing but malicious gossip being used to smear a good man. And even if his political beliefs are not yours, it does not change the fact that he IS a good man with a family that can be hurt by your actions.
Please use next Sunday to speak publicly on this matter This is not an issue of policy but an issue of right & wrong. IT IS WRONG TO SPREAD MALICIOUS GOSSIP BY E-MAIL AND IT REFLECTS POORLY ON THE BELIEFS OF THOSE WHO SPREAD IT.
AN OPEN LETTER TO AMERICA’S CHURCHES
As a nation, we currently face one of the most important national elections in our nation’s history. It will be an election discussed in the history books for generations to come. And it is an election that both sides realize the importance of.
Little wonder that it is also showing signs of being one of the most embarrassing elections ever. Because each side believes so strongly that it is important; there are supporters on either side willing to say ANYTHING about the other candidate.
For this reason, I am coming to you to ask your help. Since Senator Obama has announced his candidacy numerous false e-mails are being circulated throughout the web. The first round of false rumors stated that Sen. Obama is a Muslim. This is simply not true. Senator Obama speaks eloquently of discovering that the most effective means of community organizing in Chicago is through the local churches. He eventually found salvation in one of those churches and has proclaimed Jesus as his personal savior ever since. You may not agree with him regarding spiritual matters but at least give honest voice to the fact that he is NOT Muslim.
The second round was even more offensive. Lately e-mails have circulated that list “coincidences” that point to the end of the world. It then raises the question of Senator Obama being the antichrist! THIS IS SIMPLY WRONG! Throughout the history of the world people have tried to identify the antichrist. Napoleon, Hitler, Idi Amin have all shared the title. And apparently none of them were the antichrist…they were VERY bad people, but not that bad.
There is no single human more reviled by Christians than the image of this evil world leader who begins the times of tribulation. Naming this person before he is truly revealed is a very slippery slope. The Bible teaches that no one, not even the angels know the time and place of Christ’s return. So technically, no one can really know who this person is. And history teaches us that we can be wrong. By raising the specter that Obama is the antichrist, you have asked an unanswerable question and placed a lingering doubt in the minds of many believers.
This does not strike me as something a church would start. I can see others with a more urgent desire to see Senator Obama lose raise this question. They realize that every church has a member or two that would be willing to pass an e-mail along raising doubts in the mind of thousands. In other words, the Church is being duped for political purposes.
The way people just pass the lies along by e-mail, taking no responsibility for their actions, is the saddest part of all. (Because I don’t think many people truly believe this, otherwise they would be preparing to move to an out-of-the-way third world nation if Senator Obama is elected.) This is merely the 21st Century equivalent of the rumor mill, untrue gossip that we enjoy because it’s so “exciting”. By itself, it means little, but the problem is that it leaves a lingering doubt about the “character” of the candidate. “He’s probably not the antichrist, but if everyone thinks he’s that bad….there must be something to it”.
Jesus said in Matthew 12: 36-37;
“But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
If we are judged by & condemned by the words we speak idly, are we also judged & condemned by our e-mails?
I am not necessarily asking that you support Senator Obama for President. I do hope that everyone will take time to examine the issues to make an informed decision, you may find that he is a candidate you can support.
I do however ask that America’s Churches take it upon themselves to speak out strongly against these e-mails and others like them. They are nothing but malicious gossip being used to smear a good man. And even if his political beliefs are not yours, it does not change the fact that he IS a good man with a family that can be hurt by your actions.
Please use next Sunday to speak publicly on this matter This is not an issue of policy but an issue of right & wrong. IT IS WRONG TO SPREAD MALICIOUS GOSSIP BY E-MAIL AND IT REFLECTS POORLY ON THE BELIEFS OF THOSE WHO SPREAD IT.
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