Election Thread 2008

[V_Translanka]

Doesn't his first name mean Lightning or something? I think that coolness far outweighs any stupidness over a middle name he happens to share with some dead dbag...

Wisconsin's now got medical marijuana and Massachusetts has actually decriminalized possession under an ounce! Now that's hope for the future of the country right there.

[KebreI]

Our country is saved? By one man? I think not!
Its doesn't matter that Obama was the one who won, or if it had been McCain, no man is going to single-handedly "save our country." It is going to take an effort on all our parts.
How can you all be so excited? Don't get me wrong, it is an exciting time in our history, but the picture is just so much bigger than alot of people realize. We have so many internal issues in our country, so many! (And not to piss anyone off, but I find the all the people going crazy for Obama, saying they'll move out of the country if he doesn't win etc slightly creepy. Its like he is some god-like rockstar. I didn't like McCain either though).
And before anything great comes out of this, things are gonna get worse.
"It's always darkest before the dawn."

They both had potential to lead us down the right path I think, but will it happen thats a real thing to worry about.

[Jutty]

I also don't like the fact that Reverend Wright considers white people to be rich white devils he are just out to hold down other races. He went there 20 years so if he didn't know his reverend was like that he is too gullable to run the country.

[Radical_Dreamer]

I also don't like the fact that Reverend Wright considers white people to be rich white devils he are just out to hold down other races. He went there 20 years so if he didn't know his reverend was like that he is too gullable to run the country.

Just so we're clear, you believe that all people believe absolutely everything that their preachers say?

[Jutty]

I believe that if you choose to go there for 20 years then yes I can confidently say that he believed what he was going to hear or else he was a big fan of wasting time.

[nightmare975]

I believe that if you choose to go there for 20 years then yes I can confidently say that he believed what he was going to hear or else he was a big fan of wasting time.

QFT!

He also never said a thing until he ran for president.

Also seemed to be good friends with him.

But whatever, he's the president now.

[placidchap]

one person's prejudice is not necessarily anothers.  all of one's views are not necessarily that of another. etc etc.

McCain himself defended Obama when this was of media interest.

also, that thing you said before you edited your post didn't make sense either.

Echinsu Ocha!

[ZeaLitY]

His racial feelings aside, Wright was presented as bad because of his criticism of America. As we all know, criticizing America automatically makes you a godless terrorist baby-killing drug addict antichrist, so they tried to get as much mileage as possible out of his "goddamn America" soundbite. Some of his sermons are halfway sensible, like the one about how American bombing of Middle Eastern countries prompted 9/11 in kind.

[placidchap]

hmph...How unamerican.  he  said  that we brought 9/11 on ourselves, that unpatriotic loon!  we are freedom fighters...anything we say or do is in the name of freedom and democracy and anything against us is against freedom and democracy!

[mav]

Wright is an intense man, and if you go to some churches you're going to find people espousing and saying terrible terrible things, that's just the way it is. But the issue was never supposed to be how unpatriotic Wright (and by extension, Obama) was, it was supposed to be about how Obama tended to tie himself with man who have said and done despicable things, and then dismissed them with the wave of his hand. People focused too hard on the people Obama was connected to, rather than the connection itself. But last I checked, Wright wasn't running for president. I know we hate to trust politicians and we hate to believe what they tell us, but if you want to judge a politician, judge him by his policies.

McCain's campaign relied too heavily on fear mongering, if you ask me, whether it was "noting" Obama's name and heritage, noting his somewhat radical connections and implying that he was terrorist-friendly, or labeling him a socialist. The truth is that the Obama that people fear is more of a caricature of the man than the man himself. He's an elusive figure, if you want to fear him, at least wait till he's actually president.

Big changes are in way, good or bad.

[Jutty]

Most of the time you are who you associate with. If anyone really wants to believe that Obama didn't know what Wright was about then let's assume you are right. The man was associated with him like a family member. If he didn't notice the hate Wright spewed then he is a very gullible human being and unfit to hold the position he does. The debate on here changes nothing Obama is our president and I wish him and our country the best and I truly hope he proves me and all his doubters wrong.

[Agent 12]

Some of his sermons are halfway sensible, like the one about how American bombing of Middle Eastern countries prompted 9/11 in kind.

That's dramatically simplifying it.   Don't let the hatred for a president lessen the atrocity of 9/11.

--JP

[Daniel Krispin]

I find it strange how something like this can make someone in another country feel so incredibly interested. Obama has an interesting aura about him that even we Canadians seem enthralled by. I don't know if I'm being deceived by the media in that or if that's how it really is. But at any rate, I'm hoping much good comes out of this. As Kreon says in Antigone, we can't know what's in his heart until we see how he governs, well or badly. But here's hoping for the good.

Oh, and honestly, I think there's something almost fitting to have someone with the middle name of Hussein in the role of the most important person in the world. It breaks down to some extent the simplistic dichotomy of the good self and the evil other which is to some extent rampant in the US.

[placidchap]

The man was associated with him like a family member. If he didn't notice the hate Wright spewed then he is a very gullible human being and unfit to hold the position he does.

When it comes to family members, both by blood and otherwise, it is common to overlook/ignore issues that they don't particularly care for or agree with, when amongst each other.  And it is not because they are gullible.  but anyways...

That's dramatically simplifying it.   Don't let the hatred for a president lessen the atrocity of 9/11.

The truth is there regardless of any hatred.  it didn't just happen.  And it is only an atrocity because it happened on our soil, otherwise it would be another "oh that sounds bad" and business as usual occasion.

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

9/11 was pretty bad.  Yeah, it was rough because it occurred on home soil.  ANYTHING on home soil hits close to home and hurts more.

But 9/11 resonated with the whole world.  Name the last time a terrorist action killed 5,000 people.  It was the "big kahuna" of terrorism.  Plus, it happened at one of the major financial sectors of the world (even though it happened on American soil, the World Trade Center was just that - a WORLD TRADE CENTER).  It hit a lot of other countries, too.