I can’t stand to watch the salivating, nearly hysterical nonsense that passes for news coverage lately, but the little I have seen has included a lot of comparisons between Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr. So today, on the day when we are suppose to remember Dr. King, I’ve been thinking about what is probably his most well-known speech, his “I Have a Dream” speech. In which he said, of course, “I have a dream, that one day a man will be elected president not for his ideas but because of the color of his skin.”
What? That’s not what he said? 
I fear that Obama’s inauguration tomorrow makes a mockery of Dr. King’s dream–the dream of a color-blind society, a nation where people are judged “not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. Or more to the point, where a President is elected not because of the color of his skin, not because he is glib and a good speaker, but because of the content of his speeches. How many of those who are weeping on the mall tonight are there because they believe in his fiscal policies, or his foreign policies, or in any of his stated policies or plans? (Not that it is an easy task to find out what they are since he is very good at talking a lot and saying very little.)
Is it historic that a black man was elected president? Given our nation’s history, certainly it is. But is it good if the color of his skin (and the glibness of his tongue) are the main reasons he will be inaugurated tomorrow? In my opinion, definitely not.
I’ll be honest, I hope he doesn’t do well as president. Not because of the color of his skin, because I don’t care about that. I hope he fails because I am opposed to every stated policy and plan that he has named. I think he will push this country further into an economic mess, he will make government larger, his foreign policies will hurt us, and he will drive us farther down the path towards socialism. (Which, incidentally, has failed abysmally in every nation it has been tried in–why anyone thinks it would work here I don’t know.) I am opposed to him not because of the color of his skin, but because of how he says he will run the country.
Now that is what Dr. King was talking about.
~Amy~
Amos, Amos , Amos. . . always with the anger. As my yoga instructor always says” relax and just . . . (dramatic pause) let it go”. As a right wing anarchist believing in the beliefs of our forefathers that a smaller government is the key to success, I did not vote for Obama, but you know what, he is the winner, and playing by the rules is also another one of the great things about our country.
He won, so I say hey, lets send our positive energies in his direction, that what he is doing will either work and prove us naysayers wrong, or will backfire and he’ll be gone in 4 years. He’s the winner, I wish him the best. It will do us no good, individually or as a collective 46% of the nation who voted against him to be so negative. Look at what the negativity of the nation and the world did with our thoughts and energies in regards to the Bush administration.
I don’t think Barack Obama was elected because of the color of his skin. He’s was elected because he’s just a kick ass salesman, at the right place at the right time, and ready to close the deal. Now he’s got the contract in hand, NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES. You break it you bought it, doesn’t fit, too bad squeeze into it and wear it anyway.
Our country will not be made nor broken in 4 years. And if it does, theirs always cheap land in the carribean…and no snow to shovel
By: Tim DeSilver on Wednesday, January 28, 2009
at 12:14 am
Oh, I agree he’s a kick-ass salesman, I just think that part of what he brilliantly used was his ethnicity. I find it pathetic that it is even an issue anymore.
And you’re right that part of the greatness of our country is playing by the rules. He is our lawfully-elected president and I bear him no ill-will, but I have to admit that I hope he is not able to accomplish what he wants to, since what he wants is an even larger, more bloated, more controlling government. Our federal government is starting to look and smell like Shelob.
Oh, a place with no snow…let’s go! I’m going to post some snow pics soon–haven’t had much time to be on here recently. The snow is getting appallingly deep–and there’s more on the way within the next couple of hours. Yippee.
By: davepear on Wednesday, January 28, 2009
at 12:30 am
The genius master-stroke of salesmanship in his election was in the marketing of his race by NOT aggressively marketing his race. It silently marketed itself.
By: Wildrick Family on Wednesday, March 4, 2009
at 1:09 pm
I have to agree with Amy.
I’m more worried about this country now then I ever was. Especially for the future of our children and their children.
By: April A Bright Watson on Thursday, March 12, 2009
at 12:31 am