Bitter – Obama, or voters?
It seems Barack Obama took a slight detour last weekend. He commented about why some people didn’t back him. I found Frank James‘ take on the Obama Snafu.
The quote is “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.”
Those are the words of Oprah’s Boy, Mr. Obama.
EXCUSE ME, but my faith in Jesus Christ has NOTHING, I MEAN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with local employment conditions.
If I recall, ‘frustration’ is an emotion, that happens when you want something that you can’t have. I think the word Obama was looking for was ‘terror’ – fear of something that could destroy you.
The US could survive Obama as president, I am confident. We got inept, crooked, and brilliant but wrongheaded Presidents in the past, and we survived. Some have a legacy of accomplishment, most just managed to avoid blowing something up.
But if Senator Obama wants my willing support, he might start by honoring the flag, and by implication the Constitution, and service in the armed services. His blatant disrespect there is a red flag for me.
Obama doesn’t like how Christians are leery of him, and the portion of the country that recognizes that mass shootings happen in gun-free zones – making more zones free of guns probably won’t reduce mass shootings! I can understand Senator O’s concern about Christians, since he was raised radical Muslim, only he doesn’t like to talk about that. He also doesn’t like to talk about why he seems to be concealing his faith from the campaign process.
Senator Obama doesn’t like guns, or gun owners. He has decided that when Jihad finally explodes onto American soil, there will be less dying if no one can shoot back. And he truly doesn’t understand or respect the constitution, which expressly provides that the government is to remain under the control of the people (2nd Amendment). Leaving weapons in the hand of the people keeps the government honest. A tyrannical government would have to be concerned about citizens overthrowing said tyrant. Is there a particular reason that Obama is already concerned about this?
But this is all speculation about Senator Obama’s campaign. What I think happened for this specific quote, is that Obama fell for his own rhetoric. He made an irrational assumption – that the average voter in America would see him as a mainstream candidate. That isn’t so. Most American’s aren’t educated Muslim. More are every day, but most still aren’t.
And for the most part the issues aren’t about race, whatever the radicals would like to use as Signs of Doom to raise money and influence – the issue is culture. Race is a fact, not a choice. Culture can be a choice.
The United States is not a rigid caste society. We have homeless, and very rich. We have suburban families and single parent families and religious compounds and places where it seems God gave up. But for most of the working, taxpaying voters in America, there is a choice. Whether because our families chose, or we did, we ‘play the game’ of joining the ‘general’ culture of the United States. Most ‘office’ jobs require a resume, that resume can be a pretty standard format with a few common variations. Our public education attempts to instill a similar understanding of civics, English, math, government, art – a common culture.
We tolerate many aberrations. The Amish school their children in their own way, meeting state and federal requirements but keeping to their beliefs – to eighth grade. Then they apprentice their boys to crafts for them to learn a trade.
Many other religions provide schooling for children, with a chosen slant to the standards required of all children. It is called ‘compulsory education’ for a reason. And other groups, too, provide instruction. We tolerate this, because the Constitution forbids interfering – as long as the instruction, teaching, and beliefs don’t violate any laws, and don’t advocate overthrowing the Constitution.
And this is one area I believe Senator Obama is confused. There is a role for his Muslim beliefs in America. The fact that many other Muslims disregard the strictures of tolerance for others and how their worship is constrained by the Constitution work against him. Many Americans of good character look at Obama deliberately turning from the Flag, and being weasely about what his faith is, and worry about whether he has honor, and whether he respects the law.
If the gun-toters and people of faith are bitter, it is from worry. And Senator Obama isn’t doing well at reassuring the people he can’t lay hands on to get excited about hearing ‘a real Presidential Candidate’.
I don’t worry too much about that particular speech, or that particular quote. This is campaign season. Until President Bill Clinton (remember Crooked Hilary’s old husband?) we used to count how many campaign promises were broken. Well, the Democrats broke us of that habit – we just don’t believe much of what gets said in a campaign any more.
Senator Obama could have it all. He could choose to live according within the prevailing culture of most of America. The Irish did. The Hungarians, the Dutch, the Germans – wave after wave of immigrant chose to adopt the culture of their new country. Many African-Americans have made the choice. Oprah has made that choice, to embrace the prevailing culture of America. Only, Senator Obama keeps pulling stunts that stand out as aberrant. Such as swearing into office in the Senate and not claiming to be Muslim. Or explaining why he turns from flags, instead of honoring those that follow the Stars and Stripes into battle and in service to our country.
We could survive as a country, if Senator Obama gets elected. I won’t be helping him get elected.
Don’t worry. He won’t.
Cause, dammit, if he does ~ I’m out fifty bucks!
White people are bitter and frustrated. Better-qualified white students, employees, etc. face intense racial discrimination. Obama and his liberal comrades call it “Affirmative Action”.
Millions of white Americans see “people who aren’t like them” illegals and inner-city parasites sucking up on free benefits.
Millions of tax paying white Americans can no longer use the public school system because “people who aren’t like them” have made the schools awash with violence, drugs, and gangster rap.
Obama slipped and let his real feelings shine through what he thinks about working people to a bunch of elite Democrats. He thinks they are a bunch of gun toting jesus freaks. Obama really thinks like his preacher WRIGHT.
The real tragedy here is that history implies the secret to success is to mingle and merge, as individuals. Stick to those living according to the ‘old country’ rules (whatever that means for African Americans 4 to 10 generations native born), and communities remain isolated and disadvantaged.
For all the millions of African Americans that go by the title ‘neighbor’, fitting in has been tougher than it probably should have been. Almost like someone moving from the ghetto or from being homeless, the understandings of what behavior is appropriate are radically different – culture clash – and those that learn to fit it are allowed to. But it takes a deliberate act, repeated time after time, for years and generations, to make it work. No family, no culture, and few teenagers really make it work all the time. But that has been the path to success – fitting in, culturally.
When I think of the African American community I think of those that have decided to aggressively withdraw into isolated, often disadvantaged communities. And they tend to elevate dynamic speakers and rabble rousers. Malcom X, Dr. Evers, Dr. Jesse Jackson, and Barack Obama’s preacher all make their marks in history by preaching a call to violence – ‘They are the reason you are poor. We have to get them.’ Unlike our neighbors that chose to fit in, the African American community continues to foster a belligerent, violent definition of itself, continues to promote divisive speakers, and fails to follow the path so many of my neighbors have chosen – to think of themselves as citizens and neighbors.
As communities, everyone needs to address how they will deal with drugs and gangs. Because every culture is weakened and threatened when they permit drugs, gangs, and other forms of organized crime to exist. “You are known by the company you keep.”, and “A man is measured by his enemies.” For the most part, my enemies don’t include the police.
You’re so damn smart. Can we have you for president?
Teri,
My goodness. That thought scares me.
My dad raised and milked cows. I have seen and helped handle the cows, the calves, the breeding, the feeding, the barn cleaning, and much of the milk handling.
I can tell, from experience, when a jug of milk is no longer fresh. I can also tell when a President or candidate or other office holder is doing well or doing poorly in my interest. With the milk I have a pretty good idea where to look in the chain of events that produced the jug of bad milk (first guess is to check the freshness date on the jug). With President, I could give it my best shot at learning the job, but I doubt I would do as well as Jimmy Carter. President Carter was bright and honest, and strove to do a good job, and his presidency is remembered for runaway inflation, the 444 days of the Iranian hostage crisis, claiming he would work in blue jeans until the problems were fixed and then he changed to suits.
I would give it my best, but I doubt that I am as bright, or as honest, as President Carter, and I doubt I would do better. Meanwhile, I have an envelope from Ed McMahon about some money that could be coming my way. Excuse me, please?