Today I read a comment here about Barack Obama that didn’t sit right:
Barack had trouble answering the questions, not because he was “thoughful”, but he couldn’t remember which position he had stated last–a common problem with liars.
Look, Barack Obama may be the wrong choice for our country right now, but he is not a liar. He is an honest man who believes passionately in the wrong things. If we go out making unsubstantiated, vitriolic arguments like that, we will be seen as churlish ideologues, not intelligent conservatives. Thinking people won’t respect us, and we will lose.
In all candor, I have been somewhat shocked by the grotesque accusations made by some of my fellow Republicans on this site over the past week. If we are going to win this election, we need to win by convincing a majority of Americans that our way of running government (or shrinking government) will improve their lives. Though I disagree with Mr. Obama on many issues, I respect his right to believe what he believes. He is no more a “liar” than our candidate. Though it pains me to admit it, I’ve seen a lot of thoughtful and reasoned arguments coming from the left in these threads. I disagree with them, but they make the corresponding comments from the right seem downright ignorant and, even worse, intellectually dishonest. Brothers, we owe ourselves more than this.
This experience has also shown me that some of my own statements have been a bit over the top–I am not an innocent here. So I apologize. And in the spirit of this post, I have removed some of the angrier thoughts from my own description of what I’d like this blog to be. This is a place for unheard voices to be sounded and reasoned arguments to be made. If that doesn’t interest you, or you are not capable of it, there are plenty of sites on the web where you will be welcomed.
I’m looking in the mirror, brothers, and I don’t like everything I see. That may be a more a personal journey than a public one, but my father taught me to be an honest man at all costs, and I plan to follow his advice. So let’s tone it down, listen to each other, and make our cases on the merits. It’s how Dr. King, Republican, would have wanted it.
Wendell
15 Comments
August 20, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Well said. I hope your commenters heed your advice. Over at my blog we try to maintain the same level of discourse- though I am the first to admit that we are decidedly pro-Obama. I look forward to substantive disagreements rather than childish charges of dishonesty and lack of patriotism.
- Legal Eagle
August 20, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Thanks for the thoughtful post Wendell.
polisciafterparty:
What is your blog?
August 21, 2008 at 12:21 am
http://polisciafterparty.wordpress.com/
It’s run by myself and a few of my friends. We post under pseudonyms- I am Legal Eagle.
August 21, 2008 at 2:09 am
Who are you calling churlish? Asshole.
August 21, 2008 at 4:23 am
Ummm McCain voted against MLK to be a national Holiday and he voted FOR allowing GA to fly the confederate flag. Invoking MLK in this post that supports McCain is hardly something an honest man would think MLK would approve of.
August 21, 2008 at 12:47 pm
You are so right, we do need to stop and be more thoughtful, and try to not let passion rule our remarks. I was just so upset by some of the vile remarks displyed here. I do stand by my statement though. Barack did lie about his position on the Born Alive Protection Act, though he tried to say that others who spoke against him were liars. I use that as an example among many ohers–campign funds, debates…
McCain may have changed his mind in the 30 years that he has been in Congress, (thank God ), and I am glad that he is able to see the whole picture. He doesn’t have blinders on, and he is not ideological. He is a maverick, which I appreciate as I am not a “straight down the line Republican.” I do not believe in abortion, but I believe in a woman’s “informed” right to an abortion–meaning show her what stage of pregnancy her baby is in–let her make that choice. Life is about making the right choice, and I don’t believe we can “legislate” choice.
When McCain has changed his position, he ACKNOWLEDGES this, he doesn’t try to bloviate and say he “mis-spoke.” About the flag, he apologized for his position, and this is more than I have seen ANY politician ever do. Have you ever heard a politician admit he lied?
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/04/19/mccain.sc/
As far as the MLK day goes, give it a rest. That has already been explained ad nauseaum. McCain was against another holiday for the civil servants, another taxpayer paid holiday. THAT is the only reason he voted against it. Move on, and get over it. Compare that with being in a racist, anti-semantic church for 40 years.
Thank you moderator for your reasoned comment. I would hope that comments involving doing phyical harm to someone would be removed (as in the vile Ann C. comment.)
August 21, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Lone Eagle, that was a great comment. Reasoned discourse, along with facts,always works outbest in the long run. That’s what debate is all about. It is fun and invigorating when done with a level of integrity and consideration for the others’ opinion.
August 21, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Legal Eagle: Why is a charge of anti-patriotism not substantive? Obama does not to like the country he wishes to lead. He has said that repeatedly (and his wife, too).
That is a very substantive, big picture issue. If he doesn’t like us, how can we trust him to work FOR us and not against us?
August 21, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I was simply pointing out that anyone who honestly think MLK would want his name used in this post in support of a guy who voted against MLK holiday and voted for allowing GA to fly the confederate flag over state buildings isn’t being very honest. I stand by that. I think the moderator should take it down in respect for what MLK’s wishes would clearly be. Anyone who disagrees with what MLK would think of his name being invoked here isn’t being honest with themselves.
August 21, 2008 at 2:20 pm
It is not a substantive issue because it’s a fabricated one. What evidence do you have that he “doesn’t love our country?” Don’t say because he doesn’t put his hand over his heart. The fact is, the custom of doing so has been declining for quite some time- indeed I was not aware that you were supposed to put your hand over your heart during the national anthem, only the pledge of allegiance. At baseball games, I see more people simply putting their hands behind their backs or holding their hats than putting their hand on their heart.
It is simply ridiculous to charge that someone who has dedicated their life to public service to the United States is somehow “unpatriotic.” This kind of criticism of Obama is not the kind that I can respect- sure, criticize his tax policy, his stance on foreign relations or his likely Supreme Court nominees- but criticizing a United States Senator’s patriotism? It’s both childish and misguided.
- Legal Eagle
August 21, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I have to agree with Legal Eagle on this. Calling a lifelong public servant like Obama “unpatriotic” will only further the all-too-common belief that Republicans are reactionary philistines. Exactly the kind of thinking we conservatives must combat. Suggesting that the opposition candidate is “anti-patriotic”, or even worse “pro-abortion”, does not help our case. It makes us look like ignorant assholes.
August 23, 2008 at 12:42 am
When I read “life-long public servant”–I almost spit my tea out! Where do you qualify Obama as a “life-long” public servant??? He served in the Illinois senate for 7 years, the US senate for about 2 yrs. Please don’t qualify his few years with Acorn, which is notorious for voter fraud, and using taxpayer money in a questionable manor…Being a college professor without any scholarly works to his credit is not “public service.”
Ok, I won’t question Obama’s “patriotism”–but I will question his “Pride” in being an American:
<Please explain being in a church for 20 years that hates America–and Jews.
<Deciding not to wear a lapel pin (even if it is trite–it was not a wise political move for a presidential candidate–especially given his reason–that speaking out against the government as a form of free speech shows his patriotism.)
<Friends with William Ayers–a former Weatherman–an anarchist group dedicated to the destruction of the American system…
<Said the Iraq war success was a result of the Iraq soldiers, and not giving credit to the American soldiers.
<Saying the USA was the same as Russian, and equating the war in Iraq with Russia’s occupation of Georgia! So he thinks of Russia as a “liberator”, and a promoter of “democracies”?!!! Sen. Obama blamed our invasion of Iraq for Russia’s in “charge into” Georgia: (“We’ve got to send a clear message to Russia and unify our allies,” Obama told a crowd of supporters in Virginia. “They can’t charge into other countries. Of course it helps if we are leading by example on that point.”)
<Thinks we should be more like China—(”Think about the amount of money that China has spent on infrastructure. Their ports, their train systems, their airports are vastly the superior to us now, which means if you are a corporation deciding where to do business you’re starting to think, “Beijing looks like a pretty good option.”)” Is he kidding?
So, I won’t question his patriotism, but please don’t tell me not to question his lack of pride in being an American…
August 23, 2008 at 1:15 am
BTW, “Mark” since you are so sure that MLK wouldn’t want to be mentioned in this blog ,that you even persuaded the moderator to remove his mention of MLK from the original blog. King was mentioned (I imagine) for being non-violent, a man who spoke against hatred. At least that was the impression I got when I read the mention. I am disappointed to see that the remark in the the mods” blog was deleted…
Then I look at the mods “related posts”, and I wonder what possible relevancy that they have to the blog…????
Maybe both you and the moderator would be interested in reading this piece:
What Would MLK Do? Obama is not a given.
By Kyle-Anne Shiver
Martin Luther King Jr. gets invoked for political gain just about as often as Jesus does, and, for obvious reasons, I can certainly see where folks might simply assume that if King were alive today, he would be a Barack Obama supporter. Maybe; maybe not.
Of course, it’s pure speculation on anybody’s part, since King isn’t here. But I don’t consider it any more audacious of me to point out the differences that King would most likely have with Obama’s positions, than for anyone else automatically to assume that King would vote for Obama.
— Kyle-Anne Shiver is an independent citizen journalist and a frequent contributor to American Thinker. She welcomes your comments at http://www.kyleanneshiver.com.
http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=ZmNmNzg2M2QzMzkzZjQ2OTY2ZWI4ZjMyNTJjNWJhZWI==
August 23, 2008 at 2:03 am
Is this what you mean by “life-long public service”? The “experience” from working with ACORN served a purpose alright…
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/08/obama_campaign_finance_shenani.html
August 23, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Nope, I think we mean his work as a community organizer, his time as a teacher, his tenure in the state senate and the U.S. Senate…etc
Nice try though!