Does the Shoe "Fit" ?

[steelish]

I don't know that Obama is trying to rule the world. If so, he's going about it the wrong way by bowing and scraping to other country's dignitaries while also presenting them with lackluster items as a show of appreciation. I hardly think any of them feel he might "take over".

What I don't like about Obama is his views on social justice and his verbal attacks on the constitution and capitalism. He supports abortion rights but opposes gay marriage. He candidly states that he did not come into full religious faith until his adult life and he has credited the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a man who states,

"And the United States of America government, when it came to treating her citizens of Indian descent fairly, she failed. She put them on reservations. When it came to treating her citizens of Japanese descent fairly, she failed. She put them in internment prison camps. When it came to treating her citizens of African descent fairly, America failed. She put them in chains, the government put them on slave quarters, put them on auction blocks, put them in cotton field, put them in inferior schools, put them in substandard housing, put them in scientific experiments, put them in the lowest paying jobs, put them outside the equal protection of the law, kept them out of their racist bastions of higher education and locked them into positions of hopelessness and helplessness. The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, not God Bless America. God damn America — that's in the Bible — for killing innocent people. God damn America, for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America, as long as she tries to act like she is God, and she is supreme. The United States government has failed the vast majority of her citizens of African descent.

Just a few points here...

1. Indian reservations were established long ago and there is NO law that says they Indians HAVE to stay on that land.
2. Yes, the American citizens of Japanese descent were treated unfairly, remember, there was a war on and many of the Japanese Americans who were sent into internment camps still believed in the American way and sent their sons to serve alongside American-born soldiers.
3. Quite frankly, I'm tired of this. Truthfully, I am. Yes, slavery happened...but it happened so long ago that it is time to MOVE ON. (and I know some of you are gasping) I am horrified at the treatment our ancestors gave Africans. I am appalled that they thought it was ok to treat people like livestock. However, to grasp this and use it as an anchor is reprehensible. This is being used to weigh down African American children and rather than simply state the facts and tell stories of the past, it feels as if this is being used as ammunition against a generation that had nothing to do with it. All of this happened long before I was born and long before Rev. Jeremiah Wright was born. Instead of ranting about it, he could inspire his congregation. He could encourage them to study, to stay in school, to go to the library where it's free to read books. He could encourage kids to get jobs, even if it means sweeping floors. (that's what I told my son...he's not too good to clean toilets, sweep floors, etc.) Why incite people to rage against another race? THAT is what he is doing. He's putting a white face on the government.
4. By the way, the three strike rule applies to EVERYONE

[DuncanONeil]

Just a few points here...

1. Indian reservations were established long ago and there is NO law that says they Indians HAVE to stay on that land.

Basically what you say is correct, to a point. But Wright is totally wrong. What we actually did with the Indians was to attempt to create independent nation states for them on the continent. The reservations still exist and they still hold the benefit of being a separate state.

2. Yes, the American citizens of Japanese descent were treated unfairly, remember, there was a war on and many of the Japanese Americans who were sent into internment camps still believed in the American way and sent their sons to serve alongside American-born soldiers.

This interment is not as bad as what was done to them in the community. Think "carpetbaggers", with the Japanese being treated the same as the South after the Civil War!
There is a measure of disingenuous speak in this entire internment issue. A similar action occurred to Germans, although apparently to a lesser degree.

3. Quite frankly, I'm tired of this. Truthfully, I am. Yes, slavery happened...but it happened so long ago that it is time to MOVE ON. (and I know some of you are gasping) I am horrified at the treatment our ancestors gave Africans. I am appalled that they thought it was ok to treat people like livestock. However, to grasp this and use it as an anchor is reprehensible. This is being used to weigh down African American children and rather than simply state the facts and tell stories of the past, it feels as if this is being used as ammunition against a generation that had nothing to do with it. All of this happened long before I was born and long before Rev. Jeremiah Wright was born. Instead of ranting about it, he could inspire his congregation. He could encourage them to study, to stay in school, to go to the library where it's free to read books. He could encourage kids to get jobs, even if it means sweeping floors. (that's what I told my son...he's not too good to clean toilets, sweep floors, etc.) Why incite people to rage against another race? THAT is what he is doing. He's putting a white face on the government.

For me this is about the worst argument possible for attacking "white" America! My grandfather and Grandmother did not come here until after the Civil War. More than that My cultural ancestors on coming to this country were treated at least as bad as blacks. In fact in order for my cultural ancestors to get a job they were required to take wages less than those available to blacks. I do not believe that the Rev Wright rant is as applicable as he wants it to be. It is just a means for him to either inflame his "flock", or control them. The man is just angry.

4. By the way, the three strike rule applies to EVERYONE

Hear! Hear!

[steelish]

[QUOTE=DuncanONeil;839661]

Basically what you say is correct, to a point. But Wright is totally wrong. What we actually did with the Indians was to attempt to create independent nation states for them on the continent. The reservations still exist and they still hold the benefit of being a separate state.

Yes, and they still have separate laws governed by their own councils. BUT...they are not required to reside on the reservations. There are many American Indians who live off reservations.

This interment is not as bad as what was done to them in the community. Think "carpetbaggers", with the Japanese being treated the same as the South after the Civil War!
There is a measure of disingenuous speak in this entire internment issue. A similar action occurred to Germans, although apparently to a lesser degree.

Yes, but instead of dwelling on it, the Japanese Americans sent their sons off to fight against the Japanese along with the American-born soldiers! They still believed in the American dream/ideal, despite the treatment they received. They recognized why it happened. They set about to change opinions by setting an example of American pride and citizenship, rather than propagate racial animosity.

For me this is about the worst argument possible for attacking "white" America! My grandfather and Grandmother did not come here until after the Civil War. More than that My cultural ancestors on coming to this country were treated at least as bad as blacks. In fact in order for my cultural ancestors to get a job they were required to take wages less than those available to blacks. I do not believe that the Rev Wright rant is as applicable as he wants it to be. It is just a means for him to either inflame his "flock", or control them. The man is just angry.

I don't believe his rant is applicable at all...at least, to me it's not. Unfortunately, to his congregation it is, otherwise they would walk out on him.