Thank god–I was starting to think I was crazier than I already am! No worries. But I still won’t do the HOH thing for the anthem. <d&rs>
So Bricker, they taught you in the Boy Scouts that you’re always supposed to HOH during the national anthem.
Except, I was never a Boy Scout, or a Knight of Columbus. And nobody ever taught me that not putting your hand over your heart during the national anthem was unacceptable or unpatriotic or disrespectful.
As was mentioned earlier, go to a sporting event, and when they play the national anthem, instead of gazing reverently at the graven image that symbolizes this country, take a few peeks (using your peripheral vision, naturally) at your fellow attendees. Do all of them have their hand over their heart? And what conclusions can you draw about the people who don’t have their HOH? That they’re not as patriotic as the HOH people? Or would you instead conclude…nothing?
The fact is, it is not universal behavior among all right-thinking people to place their hand over their heart during the national anthem, and anyone who believes it is universal behavior among all right-thinking people is simply wrong.
Equally, if you placed some of those sports fans on the floor of the Senate, I suspect they would make some pretty significant errors in their first attempt at a floor speech, or at introducing a bill.
Yet if Obama were to make similar errors now, I would find them worthy of negative comment.
Why the difference? Because, as a U.S. Senator of some tenure longer than a few weeks, I expect Senator Obama to be aware of the protocol associated with a floor speech or a bill introduction; I don’t expect it of fans.
Similarly, I expect him to be aware of the protocol of the anthem and the flag.
AS HE IS. So this is, as applied to him specifically, a non-issue. Before and after the event in question, he’s done it correctly, so the Iowa steak fry event was a lapse that’s irrelevant. He does it correctly, and he wants to do it correctly.
If Senator Buford were to consistently fail to place his hand over his heart for the anthem, I’d conclude he’s making a statement. If his second cousin once removed, Kyle Buford, were to be seen without a hand over heart at a baseball game, I’d draw no conclusion.
Similarly, I think you’re underestimating the subliminal, endemic, racism (Islam, and skin color) that exists in much of America- much of it totally irrational- that has been around a lot longer than the Clintons. And it can’t be campaigned against and minds changed.
Pulls what? If Hillary wins, she wins fair and square based on legal votes, same as Obama. It’s not decided yet, and may not be for months to come.
I disagree that it can’t be campaigned against and minds changed. It is extremely difficult to root racism out of people, and I agree that that is not doable in a single electoral campaign. But to get people to change their minds about an individual candidate, all you have to do is convince them that in spite of his race, religion, etc., he is the best man for the job. That is entirely possible. Plenty of bigots will have a person or persons who fit their hate criteria, but who are “different” for whatever reason. Maybe they don’t like black people, but their son’s soccer coach, well, he’s a good guy, he’s not like “them”, and besides, the kids love him and they’re winning the division. Obama campaigning all over the country, letting people get to know him as an individual, can only help in this regard. Sure, right now the bigots are supporting Hillary. Her positions on the issues are almost identical to Obama’s. But faced with the stark choice between a Republican who supports the war, and Obama, he could become the right candidate for some voters in spite of their inherent racism. It won’t happen for everyone, but the more people get to know Obama, the more he can be “that guy,” the one they can support.
Some of it is racism, Monstro. Some of it has been the success of the smear campaign which claimed that he was a Muslim. After all, he has a Muslim name and went to a Muslim school. That’s all it takes for gullible people. And the Muslims are our enemies, right? (I’m rolling my eyes. I live in a neighborhood where there are more Kurds than any other area in the United States.)
But my mother bought into the prejudice against him. It had to be true because her grandson got an email outlining all of the truth. And he told his mother and his mother told my mother. And how could I possibly know more than an email?
I can excuse her a little bit. She is 95 and confused. But it is not an issue of his being black.
There is another prejudice at work here that is just as blatant. Some of you think that just because these people are gullible or racist or ignorant and live in West Virginia that they are provencial, rural and poor. As one poster pointed out, these people are from Martinsburg, West Virginia. That is approximately fifty miles from Washington, D.C. It’s my understanding that it’s on the Metro subway line. I don’t usually think of D.C. commuters as being provencial. I suspect there was some cherry picking going on even though more than one point of view was represented.
You know, Barack was a Jeopardy question tonight. The boys name Barak comes from the hebrew and “means flash of lightning”- One of the prophetess Deborah’s demiurges.
Think Alex Trebek is an Obama man?
Barak is better than Barack, it’s more masculine in its primitive. If he changes his name to Barak, I bet he goes up 3 pts. in the polls.
The muslim smear is just a veiled attempt at racism. Those making the claim do not believe it. They just hope it sticks with some people. Apparently it has. Low .low politics. Black and muslim. how can you trust him.
I do not think if he is elected his wife matters at all. Her attitude is irrelevant. But ,I often have been ashamed of what America does. Interfering in soverign nations, overthrowing governments and endless wars. Does not make me all warm and fuzzy.
Really, I think all this boils down to is moderate versus radical. McCain seems awfully safe to a majority vs. Obama. Hillary has the female advantage and a well-heeded vision and plan and could defeat McCain soundly. Plus you get to see Bill play first Lady.
I’m tired of betting on the ponies when I cast my ballot. I want better odds.
You know a lot of it also ghosts from “uppity”. It is a horrible sentiment and I am ashamed to even mention it, but white people in suburbs and rural areas actually fear some kind of retaliatory response for “being white” and hence will be discriminated against. Real Reverse Racism.