Obama's speech, and my daughter's tears

POSTED BY: RocketJock
UPDATED: Sunday, March 30, 2008 15:32
VIEWED: 11731
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KIRKULES

Saturday, March 22, 2008 9:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Tankobite:
Not going to get too into this (not a big fan of politics over the internet) but I did find one part of his speech funny: the part where he claimed he had
Quote:
a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas.

Take it from a person from the Ft. Leavenworth area that's plain wrong.
That aside-I'm reading the speech now and it just doesn't speak to me, to be honest.

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I think they built B-17's in automobile plants in Fairfax Kansas during the war. A friend of mine said his mom worked there during the war. Obama was probably trying to associate his grandmother with the patriotic image of "Rosie the Riveter".

TANKOBITE

Saturday, March 22, 2008 9:36 PM

Aye, I have no problem with that-it's politics. But they didn't do it at Fort Leavenworth. That's the Military DB and the Command and General Staff College, no factories here.

Edit: For a humerous look at the speech, I give you the Onion

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/black_guy_asks_nation_for_change

Quote:
Black Guy Asks Nation For Change

The Onion is so damn funny sometimes.

-----------------------------------------------------------
There's a widow in sleepy Chester
Who weeps for her only son;
There's a grave on the Pabeng River,
A grave that the Burmans shun;
And there's Subadar Prag Tewarri
Who tells how the work was done.

EMBERS

Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:59 PM

Thank you for your comments, which were based on personal experience, which means all the more in the on-going discussion....

I hope that others who haven't seen the speech by Barack Obama will take the 37 minutes and listen:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ypjxp9
It is a great speech, one of the greatest I've heard in my life time.

I'll be supporting Obama because of his intelligence, and calm deliberation. I think he can bring a thoughtful grace to the office of President that we haven't seen in this country in ... well, a heck of a long time!

New Firefly fans should check this out: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=15816

FLETCH2

Sunday, March 23, 2008 1:52 AM

It was a great speech.

SIGNYM

Sunday, March 23, 2008 2:14 AM

Quote:
...the reason this speech will hurt Obama's chances of getting elected is not because of the content of his speech, or the content of Wright's sermons for that matter. The problem is the idea that we need to have more discussions about race in this country. We've been talking about race in this country non-stop for my entire life and I'm sick of it

And so is Obama. The point that I got out of his speech is to get PAST it.

---------------------------------
Let's party like it's 1929.

6IXSTRINGJACK

Sunday, March 23, 2008 4:16 AM

Racism, though it is a problem that needs to be remedied, not only in America but the entire world, is very low on my list of priorities for things that need to be taken care of first in this country.

When the housing crisis is over, hyper-inflation is over, when the Government actually recognizes and admits that the Federal Reserve has put us in a recession which 50/50 will become a depression, when the Iraq "war" is finally over, when Haliburton has to pay taxes, and when the Constitution in general stops getting pissed on by the people who claim to protect it.... then MAYBE... you can come to me that next presidential race on the subject of racism/sexism.

Although I doubt it because I can probably think of about 10 other topics which should mean more to Americans today if I gave it even 5 more minutes thought.

"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." http://www.myspace.com/6ixstringjack

PHOENIXROSE

Monday, March 24, 2008 1:06 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
...housing crisis... the Iraq "war" is finally over... when Haliburton has to pay taxes... when the Constitution in general stops getting pissed on by the people who claim to protect it...

So, I'm confused... You're not voting for Obama why?
Cuz dude, McCain has said he can picture 100 years in Iraq, he's all about military. And if you think he's gonna stop giving breaks to Haliburton and companies like it, you really need to pull your head out. Everything you've talked about there came from Bush and those like him. It's madness to vote for the same kind of guy and expect a different result.
Obama has said nothing, as far as I can tell, that you would disagree with. End the war, end tax breaks for big corporations who are sending jobs overseas, stimulate the economy, not with a few checks for a few hundred dollars, but with better education and better business models and new companies doing new things, help those in the housing crisis rather than just helping out the banks. Also the fact that he was a civil rights lawyer, has studied and taught the Constitution, and has endless respect for it, thinks the warrantless wiretaps, etc. are a disgrace... Have you been listening at all? Seriously?
Just curious.

You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one.

FUTUREMRSFILLION

Monday, March 24, 2008 2:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Tankobite:
Not going to get too into this (not a big fan of politics over the internet) but I did find one part of his speech funny: the part where he claimed he had
Quote:
a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas.

Take it from a person from Ft. Leavenworth area that's plain wrong.
That aside-I'm reading the speech now and it just doesn't speak to me, to be honest.

-----------------------------------------------------------
There's a widow in sleepy Chester
Who weeps for her only son;
There's a grave on the Pabeng River,
A grave that the Burmans shun;
And there's Subadar Prag Tewarri
Who tells how the work was done.

There were bomb assembly plants in Kansas City, which is not too far from Ft Levanworth. It is entirely possible that she lived in Ft Leavenworth and drove to the plant.

I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

FORSAKEN original

REGINAROADIE

Monday, March 24, 2008 3:18 AM

I'm glad to have read this and your recollection of your daughter having such a profound experience involving politics that was actually uplifting and not disillusioning. I remember Obama's speech and it did feel like I was seeing why people are so caught up with Obama and why he would be the best choice in running the U.S. At times, it feels like the whole Democratic race is seeing two people fighting over which one gets to be the Saviour. And all the arguments that Clinton is hurling at Obama seem merit less, and yet people actually take them seriously. Like the whole "I have more experience than he does". I actually read an article that the best Presidents have been ones that have had little experience in terms of politics. The Founding Fathers, Lincoln, JFK. I think getting new blood into the White House that hasn't been tainted by the HIV of Capitol Hill and lobbyists would be a lot better than a spawn of big business and presidential legacy. Look what happened with the last guy that did that.

As for the pastor that started the controversy, I guess my reaction to it shows how in the dark I am over stuff like this. When I first saw the video of him, I thought it was a sketch. I thought it was some sort of act, and maybe it is to one degree or another. But I'm surprised to hear that pastors and religious guys like him exist on the other side. Usually the fire and brimstone preachers are on the Republican side.

And yes, immediately after Obama's speech, CNN and Sean Hannity were attacking it and saying that it was a hollow victory. But THE DAILY SHOW commented on that and raised the point that all the big, important and inspirational speeches over the centuries are only revered in context. When they were given, they probably didn't have much impact and were attacked by the conservative pundits of that time.

So yes, I agree with Obama, I think he will get the Democratic nom, and I do honestly think that he has a good chance to be the next U.S. President.

**************************************************
"And it starts with a sentence that might last a lifetime, or it all might just go down in flames. If I let you know me, then why would you want me? Each day I don't is a shame. Each day I don't is a great shame."

Loudon Wainwright III - "Strange Weirdos" off the "Knocked Up" soundtrack

TANKOBITE

Monday, March 24, 2008 4:06 AM

No, it isn't.

Considering that gasoline was being rationed and the commute to work thing is a modern phenomena. Not to mention its doubtful someone who could afford a car (especially since Obama used the words "survived the depression" so I doubt they were rich) in the wake of the Great Depression (or that a woman would be able to drive it, remember it was a different time back then). Add to the fact that she wouldn't be able to live in Fort Leavenworth, which destroys that part of the commute theory. And for the clincher, his exact words were

Quote:
bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth

, so I think that puts that theory to rest.

Like I said, I'm not criticizing him for it; I just thought it was funny.

Also, as to the point about all great and important speeches not being revered in their time...sounds like you guys revere this one already.

-----------------------------------------------------------
There's a widow in sleepy Chester
Who weeps for her only son;
There's a grave on the Pabeng River,
A grave that the Burmans shun;
And there's Subadar Prag Tewarri
Who tells how the work was done.

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