!!Warning!! Political opinions to follow...
Ever since my guy checked out of the race, I've been pretty apathetic about the upcoming presidential election. I guess McCain would be my unenthusiastic choice, although at this point I feel like I'm just along for the ride. If one of the democratic candidates wins, I'm sure life will go on. It'll be an interesting few years and we can clean up the mess when we're back in 2012.
I personally don't think Hillary has a chance. There are too many people who hate her who will make a point to come out and voice their opinion in the voting booth. Plus I don't think we're at a point where it would be beneficial to have a woman president. I get that "women can do anything men can do" but at this time I think a woman would have to do too much to prove how strong and "manly" she is that it could sometimes get in the way of doing the right thing. Plus no one really wants a "woman" with womanly characteristics to be president - emotional, tender, sensitive. All they want are the characteristics in the woman that are also like a man - strong, smart, determined -- and then just hide all that womanly stuff. That's not better for women.
But Obama seems to have some momentum and frankly I've heard him speak and I can understand why. He's passionate and eloquent and that's sort of inspiring. (Not that I'm at all inspired by the words he says, but by the tone and energy.) There are many things I don't agree with and think would be detrimental to the country, but WHATEVER. We'll be fine...
At least that's what I thought until this week. I'm surprised how much this has effected me but it has. This whole story about Obama's preacher and the anti-American opinions and positions that he's voiced from the pulpit. This is a man who Obama has called his spiritual leader and who has led the Trinity United Church of Christ congregation that Obama has attended for 20 years. This preacher has said amazing inflamatory things about 9/11 being our fault, the AIDS virus being a ploy by the USA to kill the blacks, and said "God Damn America" passionately several times. Obama at this point is trying to distance himself from this preacher and claims he never heard any of those remarks, and maybe that's true. Maybe he wasn't there for those particular sermons that are being cited in the news. But surely the over-arching attitude, the underlying beliefs, the core concepts creep their way into every sermon he's given and that's what troubles me. The big things are easy to disavow, but week after week small subtle comments, opinions, positions are spoken, contemplated, quietly taken as insightful truth and that's not ok.
We do not need a president who has been exposed to or who has chosen to associate with or who has entertained those thoughts and influences even one iota. We need someone who is confident and has unwavering faith in the marvelous country of the United States of America. I'm not saying to be blind to the problems we have or naive about the changes that need to be made, but someone who will not expose those vulnerabilities to our enemies, and who will convincingly lead our country to it's full potential.
11 comments:
Well written indeed. I have to agree completely. I like to think that I'm pretty forgiving, etc., but this pastor guy seems to be just too much to over look. You know how at church if something happens and it's noteworthy, and you aren't there that week, you'll hear about it from lots of other people. If Obama is never there when this guys says those kinds of things, you know his friends are, and he has knowns about them. I don't see how he can distance himself from this. But I'm also curious to see what the public opinion is going to be. Which are we more forgiving of? Personal lives in shables, or "religious" opinions that are off the reservation? Curious to watch.
*shambles, not shables. Although I read this thing once that said if the first and last letter are correct, and all the other letters are basically in the word, just mixed up, the brain will read the word correctly. Go figure.
i am totally with you, loved your thoughts on hillary and a woman pres. my thoughts exactly.
right on.
my vote is still with mitt....
You are so right about it not being a good thing to have a woman president right now. I've asked myself why is it that I don't want a woman president, and now you've answered my question.
It's kind of scary how likeable Obama is. When I hear him speak, I find myself wanting to agree with him, but I can't. It does look like he has a lot of people under his spell, though, and that's just too bad.
I feel like we (us mormons) have had a little taste of religious prejudice this election. I was a little reluctant to make strong opinions about Obama and his pastor based on what the media has said about Mormons and their gross misrepresentation. Then I heard a few things Obama said in response to the pastor fiasco that troubled me. He didn't agree with the pastor on many things BUT the pastor was near retirement AND this guy married Obama AND baptized his kids AND this is where he has attended services for 20 years AND....
What?!? That is troubling. What kind of a leader is this?
Yeah I just can't relate to attending services from and considering someone a spiritual leader who you can't agree with and trust 100%.
There goes all the membership in my ward... :)
This was a great post Sarah. Totally agree.
I think it is unconstitutional to criticize a candidate for his religious beliefs. But Obama's minister's sermons have nothing to do with religious doctrines, they are entirely political and anti-American. He is blatantly pro-Ferrachon and anti-Israel. Current headlines: "John McCain is in Iraq and will visit Jordan, Britain, France, and Israel - our allies. Barack Obama wants to meet with Iran's Ahmadinejad and Venezuala's Chavez. It will be a very stark choice in November." The chickens are coming home to roost.
I am also concerned about Obama's dishonest real estate dealings with a very bad man and accepting favors, which is illegal for a US senator. He calls himself the audacity of hope? I call him the same old corruption in a different suit. Hillary can't blow the whistle because she has a history of shady real estate dealings herself.
Someone please remind me why Mitt’s squeaky clean ethics are a problem. Thanks for the dialogue, Sarah. Great post.
Very well written. You need to send this into a newspaper.
I completely echo your sentiments.
Hillary would be easier to beat because she is so dislikable personally. I think that is why Rush Limbaugh is working against Obama so much. Rush makes Obama sound alarming, but the most alarming thing would be the difficulty of beating Obama if he is the Dem candidate. I agree with Lisa. I didn’t like it when Romney’s religion was distorted against him and I don’t want to do that to Obama.
I think that Obama now needs to make his "Religion Speech" and explain why he has gone to that church. I have liked Obama ever since I read his first autobiography. From the 'character' side I wouldn't be afraid of him. He certainly isn't a "black power" guy.
I wouldn't mind a woman president if she weren't "shrill." No one ever called Margaret Thatcher shrill. Germany's chancellor is Angelica Merkel, very respectable and never shrill. Hillary doesn’t make me proud of women.
That's what I keep thinking, where is America's Margaret Thatcher?
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