Reverend Wright

[lookout123]

Disclaimer: I don't think Obama should be tossed out of the presidential race over this issue.

Radar I don't think you are getting what I'm saying. Forget about all the blowup dolls that pass as journalists today and they way they are blowing things up and taking them out of context. Now stop and think about this:

The people you surround yourself with and the messages you freely choose to ingest repeatedly over a 20 year period speak to who you are and what you believe.

Whether it is political, religious, or philosophical, you certainly have the right to listen, believe, and speak on any issue from any angle you want, but don't be surprised if someday you are held accountable for the beliefs you surround yourself with.

My understanding is that White is well known for his rhetoric. I'm cool with that, it's his right. Obama has chosen to become and remain engaged with this man. That leaves two options: 1) Obama didn't ever agree with the man but became his mentee because of the political power he held and the influence he wields in Illinois, or 2) Obama did agree with the man but is now trying to distance himself so he can get into a bigger office.

That is the real issue I want to know more about because, for me, it speaks to Obama's honesty vs. political cunning. We've been asked to back him because he is going to make a "clean break with the ways of the past". Awesome, I just want to know if his own past is compatible with his new Hope.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by lookout123

My understanding is that White is well known for his rhetoric. I'm cool with that, it's his right. Obama has chosen to become and remain engaged with this man. That leaves two options: 1) Obama didn't ever agree with the man but became his mentee because of the political power he held and the influence he wields in Illinois, or 2) Obama did agree with the man but is now trying to distance himself so he can get into a bigger office.

3) White says other stuff, too, and Obama likes him overall, despite his flaws.
4) Obama originally agreed with him, and as he matured he moved away philosophically, but not personally, like one might do with a parent with different politics.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by lookout123

Disclaimer: I don't think Obama should be tossed out of the presidential race over this issue.

Radar I don't think you are getting what I'm saying. Forget about all the blowup dolls that pass as journalists today and they way they are blowing things up and taking them out of context. Now stop and think about this:

The people you surround yourself with and the messages you freely choose to ingest repeatedly over a 20 year period speak to who you are and what you believe.

Whether it is political, religious, or philosophical, you certainly have the right to listen, believe, and speak on any issue from any angle you want, but don't be surprised if someday you are held accountable for the beliefs you surround yourself with.

My understanding is that White is well known for his rhetoric. I'm cool with that, it's his right. Obama has chosen to become and remain engaged with this man. That leaves two options: 1) Obama didn't ever agree with the man but became his mentee because of the political power he held and the influence he wields in Illinois, or 2) Obama did agree with the man but is now trying to distance himself so he can get into a bigger office.

That is the real issue I want to know more about because, for me, it speaks to Obama's honesty vs. political cunning. We've been asked to back him because he is going to make a "clean break with the ways of the past". Awesome, I just want to know if his own past is compatible with his new Hope.

You've known me for awhile now. You must know by now that in order for me to have any friends, I must have friends that I differ with politically. I've known many of them for decades. The same is true of family members which I've known from birth.

These people have repeated their nonsense to me for nearly 4 decades and my political views are not swayed by any of them in the least. There is no correlation between the people you associate yourself with and your political beliefs.

I don't care what anyone says other than the candidate himself. I don't care who his friends or family are, whom they have sex with, what religion they follow, etc. None of these have any bearing on the candidate's ability to lead or of that person's character.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Radar

These people have repeated their nonsense to me for nearly 4 decades and my political views are not swayed by any of them in the least. There is no correlation between the people you associate yourself with and your political beliefs.

Yabut, you aren't normal.

[aimeecc]

Originally Posted by Radar

I don't care what anyone says other than the candidate himself. I don't care who his friends or family are, whom they have sex with, what religion they follow, etc. None of these have any bearing on the candidate's ability to lead or of that person's character.

That's where we differ. A leader doesn't sit in a church for 20 years and have a personal friend, mentor, and spiritual advisor that is opposite of everything he stands for. Obama is against divisive people and politics. Rev Wright is divisive - Obama admits that. And that's his spitual advisor, and close mentor?

Several years ago I moved to a new town. I went to a new church. As I went in, there were folks standing in front getting peole to sign up for the pro-life movement and collecting donations and holding the vulgar signs of aborted fetuses. The sermon - you guessed it - was all about influencing our politicians to stop abortion. I am pro-life, but I don't want my sermons on Sunday to focus on this. I never went back to that church again.

This isn't some random person Obama talks to on occasion. Its his personal friend and mentor. "God damn America" may have been said to get the people riled up, and as strong language condemning the actions of the government. But were talking about a Presidential hopeful here - and he stands with people that repeatedly say "God damn America" and that whites purposely spread AIDS among blacks, and that its the whites fault blacks break laws and end up in jail. I certainly don't want a President that surrounds himself with people that think this way.

Obama has proven to me he isn't a leader - something I've suspected all along.