[clue-talk] Obama, McCain, and the American flag

[Collins Richey]

On Sat, Nov 1, 2008 at 6:23 PM, David L. Willson <DLWillson at thegeek.nu> wrote:

> Obama never said anything against the American flag, and he's not friends with a terrorist.

As Mr. Clinton said, it all depends on what the meaning of is is.

After reading through the Snopes article several times, it does appear
that he refused to wear a flag lapel pin after the Iraq war started,
not wanting to appear to be a "false patriot".  True patriots, of
course, oppose the war, and you can see where that leads.

The long association (business and personal) with Mr Ayers is well
documented, so I guess it depends on the meaning of "friends".  Which
one of you could stomach any association with a man who conspired to
bomb police stations and other public buildings? Probably only the
"true" patriots.

>
> Obama is not the enemy within.

The jury is still out on that one. I'm undecided.

> If anything, we all are the enemy within when we hate and fear each other, when we trivialize each other's
> beliefs, rather than taking the time to understand them.  Let us be willing to listen to one another, to
> understand one another.  Let us be prepared to say what we believe, and why we believe it.  Let us be
> prepared to be "wrong", and let us be willing to become right, even if it means the loss of some excess
> pride.

I don't believe that anyone has trivialized Mr. Obama's beliefs, at
least the few of his beliefs that he has let slip out. In spite of the
veil that hides more than a brief glimpse of the real Barack, we do
indeed understand his beliefs, and they are the classic beliefs of the
Democratic party, best summarized by the Joe the Plumber incident:
take from those who have achieved a little success and give to those
who have not.

>
> We can vote on facts, rather than hysteria.  I'm sorry some of our religious leaders believe outrageous things.  It seems that fear passes as faith sometimes in the Christian community, but I believe that fear and faith are opposites.  Neither of the candidates I liked made it onto the Colorado ballot, so I'll choose the best man that ~is~ on the ballot, because we are in a too-militarized world, because he has good experience with military conflict, and yet he is a peaceful and loving man, and because his running mate has good common sense and really ~does~ believe that no child should be deprived of life, no matter it's age, if it can possibly be avoided.  I will somehow get over my belief that privately he is willing to continue to tolerate the offering of horrible choices to our young people.  I will get over my perception he is playing political games with the people's money when he offers tax incentives.  I will get past, somehow, my belief that he will not reform the government, and will instead hold the line, just barely, even if he wins.  I will vote for John McCain, not because I approve of him entirely or even mostly, but because he's the best man on my ballot, that I know of.
>

That summarizes the choices in any election. It all comes down to the
lesser of two evils. Seldom do the best choices (from our own personal
view) get the nominations. Although I agree with your reasoning for
choosing McCain (I already voted for him), I do believe that McCain
will indeed do his best to reform Washington, to the limits of what he
can accomplish with a Democrat controlled congress.

I do not subscribe to the now widely held misbelief that both parties
are essentially the same. That may be true in terms of the current
almost depression and in terms of the fraud, corruption, and deception
that led to this miserable state of affairs, but there are major
differences.

Since at least the time of FDR, the Democrat party has supported
maximal government, maximal government intervention in social matters
(call it socialism, if it walks like a duck and quacks), and the
misguided belief that the constitution is a work in progress (old
fashioned, needs overhaul) , whereas the Republicans for the most part
(despite unfortunate aberrations in the near past) have stood for
minimal government interference and the constitution as it is written.
Other distinctions. The Democrats believe in judicial activism, thus
violating the intent of the framers of the constitution. The Democrats
believe that the religious beliefs, customs, traditions, and
celebrations  that were present at our founding and continue to be of
value (IMHO) must be purged from public view, lest anyone be offended.
And, of course, for the Democrats income redistribution (in short,
theft) is the only fair thing to do. And it seems that most Democrats
believe that we should abort the now rather  successful attempt to
insure the survival of Iraq as an independent entity and abandon the
people of Iraq to the certainty of a bloodbath instigated by Iran.
After all, we will save trillions of dollars.

So, with these things in mind, on my scale of 1-10 of what is best for
our country, McCain is at best a 4 or 5, and Obama is at best a -15.

Now to the rest of David's impassioned plea. I do not believe in
abortion. It is a horrid practice, and I would never recommend it for
any woman. That being said, I do not believe that it is my
government's responsibility to enact laws that prohibit abortion.
That's the principle reason that I cannot be a registered Republican.
The concept that a woman has no rights to her own body is foreign to
me. Until such time as $DEIITY makes it possible for me to become
pregnant, I have no say in this matter. Nevertheless, I consider Mr.
Obama's failure to support laws that protect viable human beings born
in a failed abortion attempt to be unconscionable. How anyone could
favor the killing of infants actually born is totally unfathomable to
me. That fact alone should render him unsuitable for public office,
but the Bush haters don't see it that way.

I believe that abortion should be safe, affordable, and rare with the
emphasis on that last qualifier. The best thing that the right to life
group can do (IMHO) is in the realm of education and prevention of
unwanted pregnancies.

-- 
Collins Richey
     If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries
     of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.