January 20, 2009: Inauguration
There are many people of whom I am very fond who hold vastly different views than I do, but this is my blog, so....
Happy "New Years" Day
May this day be the beginning of a new and wonderful era not just for America, but for the world.
Hope is a wonderful thing. Laurie
posted by Laurie @ 10:18 AM
4 Comments:
At 9:17 PM,
Katie said…
I was telling Matt last night that no matter what you think about him politically, there is no denying that he is a powerful and moving speaker.
Matt's response..."ya, so was Hitler."
I don't think he's bought into the hoopla.
At least maybe Obama will help improve our world image since we someone manage to insert ourselves into every other country's business!
At 9:19 PM,
Katie said…
That last sentence was supposed to say, "somehow" not "someone"!
At 1:17 PM,
Anonymous said…
This is Laurie's blog but one has to remember when you post your opinion that your going to get a different one that is not the same as yours. This will be the only polictical comment I put on Laurie's blog.
So if you have a complaint about Barack Hussein Obama then I suggest you call his hot line at the White House or on his BlackBerry.
202-Fo Fo Fi- Sebin Sebin Fo Fi.
----------------------------------
What a difference 4 yrs. makes!!!
Liberal Press at It's Best
Headlines on This Date 4 Years Ago:
"Republicans spending $42 million on inauguration while troops Die in unarmored Humvees"
"Bush extravagance exceeds any reason during tough economic times"
"Fat cats get their $42 million inauguration party, Ordinary
Americans get the shaft"
Headlines Today:
"Historic Obama Inauguration will cost only $120 million"
"Obama Spends $120 million on inauguration; America Needs A Big Party"
"Everyman Obama shows America how to celebrate"
"Citibank executives contribute $8 million to Obama Inauguration"
Isn't life grand?
At 9:09 PM,
Laurie said…
No, I don't want this blog to become political. And, really, I don't need negative comments about my health/life postings. But, as J.T. so accurately says, if you post a comment you have to be prepared for a response, especially when I'm the one who broached the hot-button political issue. So, here it goes....
If you google "Obama inauguration cost" or similar, you get a lot of hits. Here's what seems to be the most accurate: the prices quoted have no grounding in reality and are false. BOTH W's inauguration as well as Obama's were largely covered by donations, although both needed additional security from the D.C P.D., etc. Were there corporation contributions? Of course. It's a capitalistic society. You'll never completely get rid of those. Was the political left any better when W. was in power? No. And the news agencies are there to get you all excited and--here's the important part--have you watch them so you see their commercial sponsers. They are NOT a wonderful, impartial group that is there to inform you and allow you to draw your own conclusions. They vomit out their opinions and see how many people will swallow them. As with all disagreements between two factions, the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.
Yes, Obama's middle name is Hussein. Yes, his biological father was Muslim. Yes, his stepfather was Muslim. Obama was raised in an interesting society and religion: in Hawaii, which is very racially diverse without as much of the racism found in mainland America AND Obama was raised by a Unitarian grandmother. (The chalice is behind him in at least one widely distributed childhood photo and his grandmother was just memorialized at her UU Fellowship.) Unitarian Universalism has it's basis in Christianity, but it is much broader and very liberal. One of my favorite aspects is that the children are taught about all beliefs: Christianity, Jewish, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Paganism/Earth Based Worship, Wiccans, Quakers, Humanism, Confucianism.... So Obama was exposed very early on to being open-minded. Clearly, he decided that a more typical Christian religion worked for him, but will have maintained his appreciation for wisdom that can be found in all religions. He's been under a microscope for the last two years and has been in the public eye since his college days. Never once has he displayed any Muslim rhetoric. So, really, get over the name.
We now live in a global community with all of the above religions. And, statistically speaking, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. It isn't going away. Yes, there are extremists, and we need to root them out and exterminate them. Frankly, I'd like to do the same thing with the Christian Right in this country. I resent any group who not only claims it has all the answers about what and who God is and what s/he wants, but especially those who insist that everyone else believe the same thing. But isn't it time to start opening up to the Muslim world, who will be the most effective in policing and rooting out their own extremists? The past several years of war in Iraq and the promise of escalations in Afghanistan are proof that just shooting at them isn't working. They are still out there and still want to kill us. Our current strategy isn't working. For more of the same, keep doing what we're doing. He offers the promise of change from what hasn't been working. He has a long-time history of being an outstanding negotiator and bringing people together. Doesn't that sound like a better option over continuing to spend billions of dollars and see our young men and women keep getting slaughtered?
Someone else's beliefs don't have to be yours, and learning about other religions doesn't mean that you have to change your thought processes. But it's time to be respectful of other people's beliefs and learn to live together, accepting that there will always be differences in opinions. And that's OK.
Laurie
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