President Barrack Obama
I know that I began one entry talking about my feelings on Barrack Obama, but I don't know if I ever finished it. Regardless, I felt as though I should say a few words about today and how I feel.
One, it IS a historic moment. You can dislike everything else about the man if you want to, but it is a victory on many levels to have America elect it's first president of African descent. They are no longer slaves and treated inhumanely and simply as property, they are no longer "separate but equal" which in reality was never equal, they are no longer abused or even simply tolerated in general society. It is now proven and done that they can be elected to the highest position of power in the nation. There is nothing which they cannot do that any other American could. It is a moment to reflect on history and how far we have come from our past mistakes as a country. That is wonderful, and it's important to acknowledge, celebrate, and be proud of it. It has been a long road, and of course we are not perfect, there are still some very racist people within America, as well as those who play the race-card simply to further their agenda and overreach with it, but I think that this election shows that generally speaking we as a nation have moved on from our past errors, at least in how we view and treat people of African descent.
Two, I definitely dislike them politically, but I really do love the "First Family" as a family. They are young, attractive, they look like a family you could easily relate to and admire...the family next door. They all seem very close and happy and involved with each other. I love how Barrack and Michelle treat each other with love, respect, support, and how they are able to joke around and laugh with each other even in times where the stress would be high and when their entire lives may be changing for better and for worse. Times that could very easily bring out the worst in people. But you can see that they are genuinely each others love, rock, and friend. They've said as much. I actually liked the picture I saw on a magazine where they "CAUGHT" the then President-elect Obama nibbling on Michelle's ear. Aside from feeling kind of icky for seeing a private moment like that, I did think it was cute that they would do so to begin with. I mean...hello they ARE married! It shows that they are actually attracted to each other as more than just campaign partners or parents. They still flirt and like each other and are in love. When Michelle made her infamous "pie" analogy and "first time I am proud of my country" remark I disagreed with her vehemently. I had my opinions about it. Then, soon afterward when I saw Barrack defending her in an interview and basically saying "Go after me, fine, but leave my wife, my family alone. Do not go there! That is dirty politics." I had two feelings. First, I disagreed with him BIG time. If your wife is part of your public campaign and going out there to essentially speak for you and what you would do as President and actively trying to help get you elected - we have every right to hear from and to form opinions about what she says in regards to you and what you are campaigning for. We have every right to take issue with what she says if we believe that as a member of your campaign or as your friend or wife etc. it may in turn reflect how you view or may possibly view things. We have a right to vocalize our disagreement and problems with what she says while campaigning for YOU. And no, doing so is NOT dirty politics. It's honest scrutiny if it may tell us more about you and where you stand on such ideas. Second of all, while I completely disagreed with his statements and ideas about what she says and does being "off limits" even if done on the campaign trail in a public speech...I thought that him going out there and defending his wife like that said a lot about him as a husband, father, and man. I respected him for going out and defending his family. It was kind of a conflicting thing - watching that interview lol. Anyway. To find any family and marriage look so loving, solid, involved with each other, happy, respectful, close, and together these days after careers and kids and several years together is refreshing and admirable in and of itself let alone that it is a political family. While I disagree with them on many things I just love that about them and I think it's great.
Three, I love America. No, I didn't vote for Barrack. There were moments in the campaign that I thought he was playing dirty - dirtier than he would admit, that he was being hypocritical, out of line, shutting down any opposition by playing the victim...I do not support his policies and some of what he has said or done up to this point. I think that for the most part I will either disagree with his decisions or he will end up breaking promises to the left that he has implied or outright claimed. I believe that while he is an inspiring speaker most of it was open ended rhetoric that was meant to sound nice and be vague and that it was that way for a reason. I think that is was very likely part of his strategy to be vague so that there as little to definitively hold against him as possible when he does something that ticks anybody off. "Ah, but I never ACTUALLY promised that. It is your fault if you interpreted it in such a way." I also believe that he is a master of words. That he can be saying one thing but throw in so many other pretty words and good sounding points that you completely overlook what it is that he is actually saying and therefore don't question it as much. All of that aside as my opinions, time will tell what he actually accomplishes for good or for bad and how history will view his presidency other than making history because of the color of his skin. So that is some of why I'm not completely in love with him so far as much of the media and liberals seem to be. However, I love America because I think that it is fabulous that in our country you can have a "changing of the guard" from one party to another who oppose each other on nearly every viewpoint and still have a sense of togetherness, unity, patriotism, love, and support. In some countries there would be fighting and riots. The losing party might fight to stay in power and refuse to move on without a fight...I don't know. But I thought that it was cool that with two presidents, one past and one future, who disagree on so much, they could still come together in friendship and love and have such a graceful and supportive transition. Democracy won and the other side gets a chance. It's just the way the cookie crumbled. I think we take that for granted far too often. I know I have. This is the first time I have realized how relatively peaceful we have it politically compared to some other countries, even as much as we do have our divisions and gripe about "the other side" and name call, and label each other, etc. We still have a pretty darn good system when all is said and done.
I will openly and willingly admit that I do not like Obama very much politically based on what I have heard him say. Yes hope sounds great. But I will not have hope in what sounds very similar to socialistic policies such as redistribution of wealth. The idea of us only being happy and pursuing happiness if working as a group effort. Collective welfare over individual rights. That is not what I want for my country. That is not what I believe this country was founded on. However, I will give him a chance. I am cautiously curious to see how open he really is to all sides and if he will listen to all opinions and then have the courage and conviction to do what he feels is in the best interest of AMERICA. Not his party and not the other side and not for any other group.
I will not support him blindly though. If I disagree, I will say so and not feel bad doing so. Supporting him does not mean always agreeing. It means acknowledging that he is probably doing his best and loving him and praying for him. It does not mean agreement. HOWEVER - I am not doing this because of what ANY liberal has said. In fact in pisses me the hell off that they have done nothing but ridicule, trash, make offensive, crude, vulgar, distasteful, downright mean, out of line jokes, comments, etc. about President Bush and act as though he is the most evil man to walk the earth...and then when their Holy Messiah and Savior of the Country is elected tell me that I OWE him respect. That he is MY president. That I need to sit down and shut up and give him a chance. Really? And would I know how to do this from the WONDERFUL example that the crazy and hypocritical liberals showed me when dealing with Bush? When we said "We need to work together, do what's best for the country, stop playing these stupid political games." What did the liberals do? I don't recall them saying "Yeah you're right. Let's compromise. Let's make this work." Nuh-uh. But NOW they are all about unity and acting as though to think of doing anything else is evil and un-American. It's not unity if you are only willing to give it a try when YOUR side controls the argument and it isn't unity and bipartisanship if by that you simply mean for the other side to agree to your rules and demands. Nope. So I am not doing anything from here on out for those people, because frankly, I would like them to sit down, shut up, and to not ever speak another hypocritical and self righteous word to me. But I will give him a chance and pray for him and respect him and give him the benefit of the doubt because I believe in democracy. He won the election. I believe it is what a true American should do for the ELECTED leader of this country. And by the way, should people disagree with his policies and call him out for it liberal nut jobs need to remember their motto of the last 8 years, "Dissent is patriotic!"
As a final thought there is one more group of people who have been getting under my skin. The "newfound patriots." The ones who finally have hope and believe in America again. The ones who are finally happy. The ones who feel they can reach for their dreams. The ones who are now PROUD to be American whether for the first time or again. SCREW YOU!!! You don't deserve America and the blessings she offers. America isn't great or not great because of one man getting elected or being in charge. She wasn't screwed because of Bush. She won't be permanently screwed because of Obama whether he makes disastrous and socialistic policies or not. America is above ANY of these stupid, hypocritical, and self serving parties. American rights and freedom and the ability to pursue your own dreams have existed long before President Obama and they will exist LONG after him. If any President enacts policy that puts a dent in those ideals there will always be a chance in the future to elect a different congress and representatives and a new President and demand as the people of this country to have it changed. If we choose not to that's our own damn laziness and fault. If it weren't true that those American ideals existed long before Barrack Obama, he wouldn't be where he is today! In the White House as one of the most powerful people in the entire world. I vehemently disagree with him on SEVERAL things - but him being our new leader does not, by any stretch of the imagination, make me less proud of being an American. I may end up being quite disenfranchised and pissed off at our "American" politicians but they are not the heart of America and do not define my trust or pride in her as a country and what she offers. He may be huge mistake...we'll move on from it. He may be a great success and just what we need to fix some of our issues. Even better. But the core of America and the potential she offers remains the same if you are willing to WORK for and PURSUE it. His story and his life prove that more than anything I could say here - he IS the American Dream. And he got to that while living through Republican AND Democratic governments. They didn't make him nor break him. Sure, he is inspirational. He might even ignite something in you that makes you say to yourself "I can do it!" and lights a fire in you to pursue your dreams. But your ability to do so was there long before he came around. Stop pretending that he is a freaking god or something and has magically opened up a whole new realm of possibility and freedom to you. It's been there. He found it. Stop playing the victim and find it yourself - with or without his help. He is a man with his own political ideologies who I believe will do what HE believes is best for the country and the people in it. Whether or not it helps us in the long term or further messes us up and takes us further away from our roots as a nation remains to be seen.
Anywho. I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Those are just my thoughts about today and this moment in history and my rants about the attitudes of some people I have seen and heard commenting on-line and elsewhere since he was elected.
One, it IS a historic moment. You can dislike everything else about the man if you want to, but it is a victory on many levels to have America elect it's first president of African descent. They are no longer slaves and treated inhumanely and simply as property, they are no longer "separate but equal" which in reality was never equal, they are no longer abused or even simply tolerated in general society. It is now proven and done that they can be elected to the highest position of power in the nation. There is nothing which they cannot do that any other American could. It is a moment to reflect on history and how far we have come from our past mistakes as a country. That is wonderful, and it's important to acknowledge, celebrate, and be proud of it. It has been a long road, and of course we are not perfect, there are still some very racist people within America, as well as those who play the race-card simply to further their agenda and overreach with it, but I think that this election shows that generally speaking we as a nation have moved on from our past errors, at least in how we view and treat people of African descent.
Two, I definitely dislike them politically, but I really do love the "First Family" as a family. They are young, attractive, they look like a family you could easily relate to and admire...the family next door. They all seem very close and happy and involved with each other. I love how Barrack and Michelle treat each other with love, respect, support, and how they are able to joke around and laugh with each other even in times where the stress would be high and when their entire lives may be changing for better and for worse. Times that could very easily bring out the worst in people. But you can see that they are genuinely each others love, rock, and friend. They've said as much. I actually liked the picture I saw on a magazine where they "CAUGHT" the then President-elect Obama nibbling on Michelle's ear. Aside from feeling kind of icky for seeing a private moment like that, I did think it was cute that they would do so to begin with. I mean...hello they ARE married! It shows that they are actually attracted to each other as more than just campaign partners or parents. They still flirt and like each other and are in love. When Michelle made her infamous "pie" analogy and "first time I am proud of my country" remark I disagreed with her vehemently. I had my opinions about it. Then, soon afterward when I saw Barrack defending her in an interview and basically saying "Go after me, fine, but leave my wife, my family alone. Do not go there! That is dirty politics." I had two feelings. First, I disagreed with him BIG time. If your wife is part of your public campaign and going out there to essentially speak for you and what you would do as President and actively trying to help get you elected - we have every right to hear from and to form opinions about what she says in regards to you and what you are campaigning for. We have every right to take issue with what she says if we believe that as a member of your campaign or as your friend or wife etc. it may in turn reflect how you view or may possibly view things. We have a right to vocalize our disagreement and problems with what she says while campaigning for YOU. And no, doing so is NOT dirty politics. It's honest scrutiny if it may tell us more about you and where you stand on such ideas. Second of all, while I completely disagreed with his statements and ideas about what she says and does being "off limits" even if done on the campaign trail in a public speech...I thought that him going out there and defending his wife like that said a lot about him as a husband, father, and man. I respected him for going out and defending his family. It was kind of a conflicting thing - watching that interview lol. Anyway. To find any family and marriage look so loving, solid, involved with each other, happy, respectful, close, and together these days after careers and kids and several years together is refreshing and admirable in and of itself let alone that it is a political family. While I disagree with them on many things I just love that about them and I think it's great.
Three, I love America. No, I didn't vote for Barrack. There were moments in the campaign that I thought he was playing dirty - dirtier than he would admit, that he was being hypocritical, out of line, shutting down any opposition by playing the victim...I do not support his policies and some of what he has said or done up to this point. I think that for the most part I will either disagree with his decisions or he will end up breaking promises to the left that he has implied or outright claimed. I believe that while he is an inspiring speaker most of it was open ended rhetoric that was meant to sound nice and be vague and that it was that way for a reason. I think that is was very likely part of his strategy to be vague so that there as little to definitively hold against him as possible when he does something that ticks anybody off. "Ah, but I never ACTUALLY promised that. It is your fault if you interpreted it in such a way." I also believe that he is a master of words. That he can be saying one thing but throw in so many other pretty words and good sounding points that you completely overlook what it is that he is actually saying and therefore don't question it as much. All of that aside as my opinions, time will tell what he actually accomplishes for good or for bad and how history will view his presidency other than making history because of the color of his skin. So that is some of why I'm not completely in love with him so far as much of the media and liberals seem to be. However, I love America because I think that it is fabulous that in our country you can have a "changing of the guard" from one party to another who oppose each other on nearly every viewpoint and still have a sense of togetherness, unity, patriotism, love, and support. In some countries there would be fighting and riots. The losing party might fight to stay in power and refuse to move on without a fight...I don't know. But I thought that it was cool that with two presidents, one past and one future, who disagree on so much, they could still come together in friendship and love and have such a graceful and supportive transition. Democracy won and the other side gets a chance. It's just the way the cookie crumbled. I think we take that for granted far too often. I know I have. This is the first time I have realized how relatively peaceful we have it politically compared to some other countries, even as much as we do have our divisions and gripe about "the other side" and name call, and label each other, etc. We still have a pretty darn good system when all is said and done.
I will openly and willingly admit that I do not like Obama very much politically based on what I have heard him say. Yes hope sounds great. But I will not have hope in what sounds very similar to socialistic policies such as redistribution of wealth. The idea of us only being happy and pursuing happiness if working as a group effort. Collective welfare over individual rights. That is not what I want for my country. That is not what I believe this country was founded on. However, I will give him a chance. I am cautiously curious to see how open he really is to all sides and if he will listen to all opinions and then have the courage and conviction to do what he feels is in the best interest of AMERICA. Not his party and not the other side and not for any other group.
I will not support him blindly though. If I disagree, I will say so and not feel bad doing so. Supporting him does not mean always agreeing. It means acknowledging that he is probably doing his best and loving him and praying for him. It does not mean agreement. HOWEVER - I am not doing this because of what ANY liberal has said. In fact in pisses me the hell off that they have done nothing but ridicule, trash, make offensive, crude, vulgar, distasteful, downright mean, out of line jokes, comments, etc. about President Bush and act as though he is the most evil man to walk the earth...and then when their Holy Messiah and Savior of the Country is elected tell me that I OWE him respect. That he is MY president. That I need to sit down and shut up and give him a chance. Really? And would I know how to do this from the WONDERFUL example that the crazy and hypocritical liberals showed me when dealing with Bush? When we said "We need to work together, do what's best for the country, stop playing these stupid political games." What did the liberals do? I don't recall them saying "Yeah you're right. Let's compromise. Let's make this work." Nuh-uh. But NOW they are all about unity and acting as though to think of doing anything else is evil and un-American. It's not unity if you are only willing to give it a try when YOUR side controls the argument and it isn't unity and bipartisanship if by that you simply mean for the other side to agree to your rules and demands. Nope. So I am not doing anything from here on out for those people, because frankly, I would like them to sit down, shut up, and to not ever speak another hypocritical and self righteous word to me. But I will give him a chance and pray for him and respect him and give him the benefit of the doubt because I believe in democracy. He won the election. I believe it is what a true American should do for the ELECTED leader of this country. And by the way, should people disagree with his policies and call him out for it liberal nut jobs need to remember their motto of the last 8 years, "Dissent is patriotic!"
As a final thought there is one more group of people who have been getting under my skin. The "newfound patriots." The ones who finally have hope and believe in America again. The ones who are finally happy. The ones who feel they can reach for their dreams. The ones who are now PROUD to be American whether for the first time or again. SCREW YOU!!! You don't deserve America and the blessings she offers. America isn't great or not great because of one man getting elected or being in charge. She wasn't screwed because of Bush. She won't be permanently screwed because of Obama whether he makes disastrous and socialistic policies or not. America is above ANY of these stupid, hypocritical, and self serving parties. American rights and freedom and the ability to pursue your own dreams have existed long before President Obama and they will exist LONG after him. If any President enacts policy that puts a dent in those ideals there will always be a chance in the future to elect a different congress and representatives and a new President and demand as the people of this country to have it changed. If we choose not to that's our own damn laziness and fault. If it weren't true that those American ideals existed long before Barrack Obama, he wouldn't be where he is today! In the White House as one of the most powerful people in the entire world. I vehemently disagree with him on SEVERAL things - but him being our new leader does not, by any stretch of the imagination, make me less proud of being an American. I may end up being quite disenfranchised and pissed off at our "American" politicians but they are not the heart of America and do not define my trust or pride in her as a country and what she offers. He may be huge mistake...we'll move on from it. He may be a great success and just what we need to fix some of our issues. Even better. But the core of America and the potential she offers remains the same if you are willing to WORK for and PURSUE it. His story and his life prove that more than anything I could say here - he IS the American Dream. And he got to that while living through Republican AND Democratic governments. They didn't make him nor break him. Sure, he is inspirational. He might even ignite something in you that makes you say to yourself "I can do it!" and lights a fire in you to pursue your dreams. But your ability to do so was there long before he came around. Stop pretending that he is a freaking god or something and has magically opened up a whole new realm of possibility and freedom to you. It's been there. He found it. Stop playing the victim and find it yourself - with or without his help. He is a man with his own political ideologies who I believe will do what HE believes is best for the country and the people in it. Whether or not it helps us in the long term or further messes us up and takes us further away from our roots as a nation remains to be seen.
Anywho. I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Those are just my thoughts about today and this moment in history and my rants about the attitudes of some people I have seen and heard commenting on-line and elsewhere since he was elected.