To paraphrase GOP messiah, Ronald Reagan, well, there they go again.................
Republican presidential hopeful, Rick Perry, recently launched a television ad bemoaning the horror at gays being allowed to serve in the military while children supposedly cannot celebrate Christmas in school. Gov. Perry, as if on cue, then laments Mr. Obama's "war on religion". Of course, the lapdogs that are the right wing media fell in lock step behind Perry's baseless comments.
Where to begin, dear readers? Perhaps I should give more than passing mention to the good governor's bashing of gay soldiers. Of course, when GOP supporters boo an openly gay solider, why am I not surprised? Still, I digress. Yes, indeed, Gov. Perry, why should these able bodied, patriotic Americans be allowed to serve in the military? Could it be because this country was founded on equal opportunity and due process for all? What a horrific prospect, Gov. Perry!!!!! Gays and lesbians in the military!!!! Oh, the horror. As that old saying goes, in the heat of battle no one cares whether the solider in the foxhole next to you is gay or straight. They just care whether you can shoot straight.What I really can't understand is why so many gay and lesbian Americans are willing to fight and possibly die for a country where bigots like Gov. Perry are viable candidates for president and for a country that won't let them marry who they love.
Ah, and yes, the mythical war against Christmas continues.................... Again, Gov. Perry, this nation was founded on inclusiveness and equality. Is it so horrible to have "holiday" parties and such, so that the children who aren't Christians don't feel excluded? Isn't America about being a melting pot with respect and equality for all? The Constitution that I have studied over the years certainly leads me to think so. By the way, this would be the same Constitution that outlines the number of justices on the Supreme Court. Based on your previous comments, you may not be familiar with it.
Somehow, in Gov. Perry's rather convoluted mind, this equates to President Obama waging a war on religion. Some in the right wing media even suggested that the president attended church for the first time since Easter as a direct result of Mr. Perry's inane comments. As if there is any relevance whatsoever to the frequency with which Mr. Obama attends services. As I often say, sitting in church doesn't make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car.
Interestingly, Gov. Perry, the Christianity that is practiced by President Obama appeals to me. The Christianity that you apparently practice does not. Perhaps that isn't God who you think is speaking to you, but someone who occupies a bit darker and (ahem) warmer locale.
Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Limbaugh Shows His Ignorance Again
You know what I don't understand? I don't understand how Rush Limbaugh can continue to show his ignorance of the world around him, but continues to have untold thousands of followers. I present for your approval the latest example.
Recently, President Obama ordered 100 US troops into Central Africa for the express purpose of assisting in the capture of the Lord's Resistance Army's (LRA) leader Joseph Kony.
US Troops To Assist In Seeking LRA Leader Kony
The LRA is well known for committing atrocities such as mass murder, mutilation, rape as a weapon, and conscripting child soldiers in and around Uganda for well over 20 years.
LRA Background
Here are some examples of their handiwork:
For the record, these were some of the less graphic images available.
It would seem that the LRA and their barbarousness are well known to everyone except Limbaugh as he defended the LRA and essentially told his listeners that President Obama was sending troops to Africa to "kill Christians".
Limbaugh Defends LRA
Limbaugh Listeners Defend LRA
Really, Rush? Are you so clueless about what is happening in Africa that you actually believe what you said, or you just that desperate to disparage President Obama, who really doesn't need any help in looking badly of late? Yes, the LRA professes to be Christian, just like al Qaida profess to be Muslim, but neither is a true representation of their respective faiths. Are you so blind to what is actually happening in Central Africa that you use this issue to unjustly criticize the president? Are your listeners so clueless that they believe the nonsense that you spewed over this matter?
Perhaps, Rush, a better thing to do would have been to explain to your audience that the LRA is not representative of Christianity, that they are criminals and barbarians, and that as the moral compass that we fancy ourselves, America should play a role in eradicating this vermin from the planet. There is a time and a place for partisan politics, but this is not it.
Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.
Recently, President Obama ordered 100 US troops into Central Africa for the express purpose of assisting in the capture of the Lord's Resistance Army's (LRA) leader Joseph Kony.
US Troops To Assist In Seeking LRA Leader Kony
The LRA is well known for committing atrocities such as mass murder, mutilation, rape as a weapon, and conscripting child soldiers in and around Uganda for well over 20 years.
LRA Background
Here are some examples of their handiwork:
For the record, these were some of the less graphic images available.
It would seem that the LRA and their barbarousness are well known to everyone except Limbaugh as he defended the LRA and essentially told his listeners that President Obama was sending troops to Africa to "kill Christians".
Limbaugh Defends LRA
Limbaugh Listeners Defend LRA
Really, Rush? Are you so clueless about what is happening in Africa that you actually believe what you said, or you just that desperate to disparage President Obama, who really doesn't need any help in looking badly of late? Yes, the LRA professes to be Christian, just like al Qaida profess to be Muslim, but neither is a true representation of their respective faiths. Are you so blind to what is actually happening in Central Africa that you use this issue to unjustly criticize the president? Are your listeners so clueless that they believe the nonsense that you spewed over this matter?
Perhaps, Rush, a better thing to do would have been to explain to your audience that the LRA is not representative of Christianity, that they are criminals and barbarians, and that as the moral compass that we fancy ourselves, America should play a role in eradicating this vermin from the planet. There is a time and a place for partisan politics, but this is not it.
Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
FOX News Is At It Again
Once again, the fair and balanced bastion of journalistic excellence that is Fox News has shown its true colors by blatantly lying about President Obama's supposed lack of an "Easter Proclamation" after the president issued a statement marking the beginning of Ramadan yesterday.
Some of the lowlights, if I may:
Fox & Friends co-hosts falsely declared that he issued a "proclamation" in honor of the Ramadan. He issued a statement in honor of the holiday, but he did not issue a proclamation.
A presidential proclamation is "an instrument that states a condition, declares a law and requires obedience, recognizes an event or triggers the implementation of a law (by recognizing that the circumstances in law have been realized)" (Cooper 2002, 116). In short, presidents "define" situations or conditions on situations that become legal or economic truth. These orders carry the same force of law as executive orders - the difference between the two is that executive orders are aimed at those inside government while proclamations are aimed at those outside government. The administrative weight of these proclamations is upheld because they are often specifically authorized by congressional statute, making them "delegated unilateral powers." Presidential proclamations are often dismissed as a practical presidential tool for policy making because of the perception of proclamations as largely ceremonial or symbolic in nature. However, the legal weight of presidential proclamations suggests their importance to presidential governance. (Thank you to the American Presidency Project.)
Reviving their attack on Obama for not issuing an Easter proclamation, the co-hosts acknowledged that Obama hosted the White House's annual Easter Egg Roll, they suggested that the rest of Obama's official recognition of the holiday was limited to a brief "mention ... in his weekend address." In fact, in addition to the Easter Egg Roll and his weekly address, Obama hosted an entire Easter Prayer Breakfast in which he discussed how the "resurrection of" his "savior, Jesus Christ ... puts everything else in perspective." In his very personal speech, Obama quoted the Scripture and said of Jesus' "slow march up that hill" and "the pain and the scorn and the shame of the cross" Jesus was subjected to.
Fox News Lobs False Attacks After Obama Ramadan Statement
It seems to me that this begs the question of whether Faux News is once again trying the gin up those who insist that President Obama is a Muslim when he obviously is a devout Christian. I should like to point out, once again, that despite the president's obvious Christian faith, Muslims are not precluded from the presidency or any other elected office; so even if the man were Muslim, why would it matter? Is Fox attacking the president's faith? It would seem that this is their intent.
Why does Fox News continue to spread lies about the president? I would assume for the same reason that they interviewed three times more Republicans than they did Democrats regarding the just resolved debt ceiling crisis. They are nothing more than the propaganda wing of the Republican Party. Fair and balanced indeed. I realize that there are media outlets that exhibit a leftist bias as well. Newsweek, which I read religiously, and MSNBC, whose news coverage or commentary I would not watch if they paid me, come to mind immediately, but I have never seen either of these outlets tell bold faced lies about elected officials like Fox consistently does. Again, fair and balanced, indeed.
Fox likes to say "(They) report, you decide". Well, I have decided that they are a a sodding joke and an insult to serious television journalism worldwide. Maybe they will go down in flames next to "The News of the World"............. We can only hope.
Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.
Some of the lowlights, if I may:
Fox & Friends co-hosts falsely declared that he issued a "proclamation" in honor of the Ramadan. He issued a statement in honor of the holiday, but he did not issue a proclamation.
A presidential proclamation is "an instrument that states a condition, declares a law and requires obedience, recognizes an event or triggers the implementation of a law (by recognizing that the circumstances in law have been realized)" (Cooper 2002, 116). In short, presidents "define" situations or conditions on situations that become legal or economic truth. These orders carry the same force of law as executive orders - the difference between the two is that executive orders are aimed at those inside government while proclamations are aimed at those outside government. The administrative weight of these proclamations is upheld because they are often specifically authorized by congressional statute, making them "delegated unilateral powers." Presidential proclamations are often dismissed as a practical presidential tool for policy making because of the perception of proclamations as largely ceremonial or symbolic in nature. However, the legal weight of presidential proclamations suggests their importance to presidential governance. (Thank you to the American Presidency Project.)
Reviving their attack on Obama for not issuing an Easter proclamation, the co-hosts acknowledged that Obama hosted the White House's annual Easter Egg Roll, they suggested that the rest of Obama's official recognition of the holiday was limited to a brief "mention ... in his weekend address." In fact, in addition to the Easter Egg Roll and his weekly address, Obama hosted an entire Easter Prayer Breakfast in which he discussed how the "resurrection of" his "savior, Jesus Christ ... puts everything else in perspective." In his very personal speech, Obama quoted the Scripture and said of Jesus' "slow march up that hill" and "the pain and the scorn and the shame of the cross" Jesus was subjected to.
Fox News Lobs False Attacks After Obama Ramadan Statement
It seems to me that this begs the question of whether Faux News is once again trying the gin up those who insist that President Obama is a Muslim when he obviously is a devout Christian. I should like to point out, once again, that despite the president's obvious Christian faith, Muslims are not precluded from the presidency or any other elected office; so even if the man were Muslim, why would it matter? Is Fox attacking the president's faith? It would seem that this is their intent.
Why does Fox News continue to spread lies about the president? I would assume for the same reason that they interviewed three times more Republicans than they did Democrats regarding the just resolved debt ceiling crisis. They are nothing more than the propaganda wing of the Republican Party. Fair and balanced indeed. I realize that there are media outlets that exhibit a leftist bias as well. Newsweek, which I read religiously, and MSNBC, whose news coverage or commentary I would not watch if they paid me, come to mind immediately, but I have never seen either of these outlets tell bold faced lies about elected officials like Fox consistently does. Again, fair and balanced, indeed.
Fox likes to say "(They) report, you decide". Well, I have decided that they are a a sodding joke and an insult to serious television journalism worldwide. Maybe they will go down in flames next to "The News of the World"............. We can only hope.
Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Are Conservatives Racist?
Friends and frenemies, there has been a great deal of discussion and vitriol regarding racism playing a major role for those who do not support President Obama and subsequently whether conservatives in general are racist. Here is my take on the matter.
First, racism is alive and well in this country......sadly. It would seem that there, indeed, is more racism on the right side of the aisle than the left. Rush Limbaugh referring to Candidate Obama as a "Halfrican", and innumerable signs at Tea Party rallies depicting President Obama as either a monkey or a stereotypical witch doctor as merely two of myriad examples.
However................. I think that it is completely out of line to suggest that all those who do not support the president are motivated by racial issues. There are true policy and ideological differences that cause some to not support the president. While there are, of course, racists in all walks of life and from all parts of the political spectrum, it is unfair and shortsighted to say that it is all because of the president's race.
I also find it patently offensive that all conservatives are branded as racist. Are there racist conservatives? By all means, but there are plenty of racist liberals out there as well. Let us not label each other in such broad swaths. It is not conducive to a peaceful, prosperous nation.
Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.
First, racism is alive and well in this country......sadly. It would seem that there, indeed, is more racism on the right side of the aisle than the left. Rush Limbaugh referring to Candidate Obama as a "Halfrican", and innumerable signs at Tea Party rallies depicting President Obama as either a monkey or a stereotypical witch doctor as merely two of myriad examples.
However................. I think that it is completely out of line to suggest that all those who do not support the president are motivated by racial issues. There are true policy and ideological differences that cause some to not support the president. While there are, of course, racists in all walks of life and from all parts of the political spectrum, it is unfair and shortsighted to say that it is all because of the president's race.
I also find it patently offensive that all conservatives are branded as racist. Are there racist conservatives? By all means, but there are plenty of racist liberals out there as well. Let us not label each other in such broad swaths. It is not conducive to a peaceful, prosperous nation.
Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.
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