Ok, so I don't ACTUALLY think that Barack Obama is the reincarnation of the Old Testament figure Nehemiah. However, I do want to put forth that as far as a Biblical comparisons, you could do worse.
Why make the comparison at all? Well, those of us who are quite fond of the work that Senator Obama has done (so far) are frequently attacked for ascribing messianic characteristics to our favorite presidential nominee. (I don't actually know anyone who has claimed that they think Obama is our savior; not saying it hasn't happened, but I haven't seen it.) So, apparently, being enthusiastic about someone who is doing good works means that we have a horrible case of ObamaisJesusitis.
I would disagree. I don't think that if Senator Obama wins, all of our worldly troubles will vanish in the blink of an eye, that dogs and cats are going to start living together or anything. Hardly. It's not like the guy is perfect. He's just someone who (I think) is incredibly capable in the arena of bringing people together for a common cause, and someone who knows the proper balance between civic responsibility and faith-inspired duty.
Which brings me to my original topic.
Nehemiah was a civil servant. (He was the King's food taster.) Upon realizing the hardships that people were facing in rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, he asked for permission to leave his post in the King's presence, and go to work with his fellow Israelites. Senator Obama left his cushy job in the halls of academia to go to work as a community organizer. He saw the difficulties people were having in their every day life, and saw a position he could fill.
Both Nehemiah and Senator Obama were/are able to rally people around a common goal and to get people to work together for that common good. (Interestingly enough, Nehemiah's opponents ridiculed him openly by saying that the wall would never be fixed b/c there wasn't enough tax revenue to do so, and that raising taxes was the only option. Of course, that doesn't parallel to Senator Obama's work at all...oh...wait, it kind of does, doesn't it?)
Finally, Nehemiah knew that in order to get the people together, the task had to be blessed by God, but that just as important in the grand scheme of things was inspiring and assisting people to work together NOT for their own interests, but for the common good. Rebuilding the wall could certainly be described, if one was so inclined, as a "socialist" activity. (I mean, why couldn't the King subcontract that job out to the highest...er, lowest bidder, "Haliburtoniah?")
And, Senator Obama, in my very humble opinion, understands the need to balance individual responsibility and social responsibility. This plays out very differently for Mr. Obama then it does for most Republicans, but it is no less sincere and legitimate in it's differences.
But, that might be better saved for another time....
Anyway, thanks for stopping by...
Tommy
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Is there anybody out there? (Or, We Won't Get Fooled Again)
Hi.
So, it's been a while, no?
Yeah, sorry about that.
Last time I posted was sometime last school year. (I think it was near the end of the year, at least.) Obviously a lot has changed since then. I taught summer school, celebrated my daughter's first birthday, celebrated my second wedding anniversary, turned 30, went on a family vacation, and saw My Morning Jacket in concert. (It was GREAT.)
So, in case you haven't noticed, there's this election going on. And, since I kind of pay a little attention to it, I thought I might jot down a few notes here. Now, nothing I right here originates with me. Most of what I will be writing can be found, albeit better written, somewhere else on the internet. I just wanted to put what I thought went well together, here.
So, with that in mind, I will now give my two cents.
I have just a couple of thoughts on the candidates, and the majority of my focus will be on something else.
Senator McCain is a great American hero. He fought hard for our country in the military, and served our country admirably for many years as an elected official. For these years of service, we do owe Mr. McCain a debt of gratitude. We do NOT owe him our votes for President of the United States. Senator McCain has disappointed me a great deal in the past year or so. The John McCain we see now is NOT the John McCain we saw in the 2000 election. That is our loss. If he was the same man, this election would be one worthy of the office of the Presidency. My reason for stating that? For one thing, Senator McCain's claim that Senator Obama has 'forced' Senator McCain to lower the level of nation discourse to name calling, character assassination, and plain-old lies, (I would be politically correct and call them "falsehoods", but that just pisses me off) because Senator Obama has "refused" to join Mr. McCain at the townhall meetings is a ridiculous notion. (It reminds me of the schoolyard bully grabbing your hand and saying "Stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself.) Mr. McCain, your choices are, indeed, YOUR choices. You have no one to blame but yourself. I teach my fifth graders that every day. Saying that Mr. Obama wants to teach kindergartners comprehensive sex education? False. Senator Obama wants to teach kindergartners about saying no to strangers and understanding that bad touches are a bad thing. However, Senator Obama has NOT struck back by saying that Mr. McCain is FOR child molesters. (That kind of logic is beneath Senator Obama but apparently NOT beneath Senator McCain)
Govenor Palin. See, the thing is, it would appear that Senator McCain merely wanted a woman on the ticket. There are NUMEROUS Republican women who have years of experience in public service and who are actually literally ready for the office of the Presidency. The fact of the matter is that Sen. Obama has worked on Foreign Affairs committees, Health Care committees and numerous other committees which at the very least mean that Sen. Obama is familiar with what the President needs to be dealing with. I find that even as I type this, I can't even coherently type all of the issues that I have with Ms. Palin. I will however quote John McCain in his description of this opponents last fall. Being the mayor of a town for a small time and the governor of a state for a small time does not make someone ready to be President.
Senator's Biden and Obama are respectable candidates, too. The thing about these two men is that they recognize something that I have realized slowly over the past few months. In real life, not in speeches or in theory or in the official party line, in REAL life, there are very few black and whites. Is abortion ALWAYS wrong? Is increasing taxes always the wrong thing to do? Should health care issues be handled by individuals, or should we joing the 21st century and realize that we are one of only TWO countries (in the whole world) that doesn't view health care as a right, but a priviledge. These gentlemen see that there are myriad views and perspectives and that while it may be a more difficult task, for the future of our country, maybe we should stop trying to simplify things and actually address the nuances and subtlties of the issues. (See here for a great example from Senator Biden.)
I will try to post more about why I am voting for Senator Obama and Senator Biden, but for now I want to talk about something that really bothers me.
The press.
The media has often been referred to as 'the fourth branch' of the government. It is supposed to be an additional support in our system of checks and balances. It has become apparent that this branch has become nothing more then dead weight. It should not be the candidates jobs to fact check each other. We should not depend on Senators Obama and Biden to point out in their every interview that Gov. Palin was FOR the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it, and that even when she was against it, she still took the money, and has a record as receiving more earmarks than most governors in the country. The media should point in every headline and in every major story that Senator McCain's add about sex education is at the very least misleading and pushes the very bounds of taste and integrity. Neither party, none of the candidates should be allowed to get away with out and out ridiculous statements. (For example, saying that because Gov. Palin can see Russian from her state, she is ready to deal with foreign affairs. That is an offensively insulting statement, and it proves that those who utter it are unworthy of the office of the Presidency.) But, my point is NOT that Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin are making ridiculous statements. (That should be obvious.) What outrages me is that the media reports that they are saying things like that without pointing out the ridiculousness of the statements. The medias job is to report the TRUTH, not what the candidates are saying. For example, Senator Obama claims that Senator McCain is going to only give tax relief to the richest Americans, and to major coporations. Is this true? It should NOT be up to Senator McCain to prove or disprove this. It should NOT be up to Senator Obama to prove that he does not want to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000. However, the media is not doing a damn thing to verify the truth behind the claims on either side of the aisle.
I'm mad. I'm mad as hell at what this election has become about, but I'm furious that the media is not only allowing it, but perpetuating it.
Please. Vote for Senators Obama and Biden. Our country, our children, and the entire WORLD depends upon it.
Thanks,
Tommy
So, it's been a while, no?
Yeah, sorry about that.
Last time I posted was sometime last school year. (I think it was near the end of the year, at least.) Obviously a lot has changed since then. I taught summer school, celebrated my daughter's first birthday, celebrated my second wedding anniversary, turned 30, went on a family vacation, and saw My Morning Jacket in concert. (It was GREAT.)
So, in case you haven't noticed, there's this election going on. And, since I kind of pay a little attention to it, I thought I might jot down a few notes here. Now, nothing I right here originates with me. Most of what I will be writing can be found, albeit better written, somewhere else on the internet. I just wanted to put what I thought went well together, here.
So, with that in mind, I will now give my two cents.
I have just a couple of thoughts on the candidates, and the majority of my focus will be on something else.
Senator McCain is a great American hero. He fought hard for our country in the military, and served our country admirably for many years as an elected official. For these years of service, we do owe Mr. McCain a debt of gratitude. We do NOT owe him our votes for President of the United States. Senator McCain has disappointed me a great deal in the past year or so. The John McCain we see now is NOT the John McCain we saw in the 2000 election. That is our loss. If he was the same man, this election would be one worthy of the office of the Presidency. My reason for stating that? For one thing, Senator McCain's claim that Senator Obama has 'forced' Senator McCain to lower the level of nation discourse to name calling, character assassination, and plain-old lies, (I would be politically correct and call them "falsehoods", but that just pisses me off) because Senator Obama has "refused" to join Mr. McCain at the townhall meetings is a ridiculous notion. (It reminds me of the schoolyard bully grabbing your hand and saying "Stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself.) Mr. McCain, your choices are, indeed, YOUR choices. You have no one to blame but yourself. I teach my fifth graders that every day. Saying that Mr. Obama wants to teach kindergartners comprehensive sex education? False. Senator Obama wants to teach kindergartners about saying no to strangers and understanding that bad touches are a bad thing. However, Senator Obama has NOT struck back by saying that Mr. McCain is FOR child molesters. (That kind of logic is beneath Senator Obama but apparently NOT beneath Senator McCain)
Govenor Palin. See, the thing is, it would appear that Senator McCain merely wanted a woman on the ticket. There are NUMEROUS Republican women who have years of experience in public service and who are actually literally ready for the office of the Presidency. The fact of the matter is that Sen. Obama has worked on Foreign Affairs committees, Health Care committees and numerous other committees which at the very least mean that Sen. Obama is familiar with what the President needs to be dealing with. I find that even as I type this, I can't even coherently type all of the issues that I have with Ms. Palin. I will however quote John McCain in his description of this opponents last fall. Being the mayor of a town for a small time and the governor of a state for a small time does not make someone ready to be President.
Senator's Biden and Obama are respectable candidates, too. The thing about these two men is that they recognize something that I have realized slowly over the past few months. In real life, not in speeches or in theory or in the official party line, in REAL life, there are very few black and whites. Is abortion ALWAYS wrong? Is increasing taxes always the wrong thing to do? Should health care issues be handled by individuals, or should we joing the 21st century and realize that we are one of only TWO countries (in the whole world) that doesn't view health care as a right, but a priviledge. These gentlemen see that there are myriad views and perspectives and that while it may be a more difficult task, for the future of our country, maybe we should stop trying to simplify things and actually address the nuances and subtlties of the issues. (See here for a great example from Senator Biden.)
I will try to post more about why I am voting for Senator Obama and Senator Biden, but for now I want to talk about something that really bothers me.
The press.
The media has often been referred to as 'the fourth branch' of the government. It is supposed to be an additional support in our system of checks and balances. It has become apparent that this branch has become nothing more then dead weight. It should not be the candidates jobs to fact check each other. We should not depend on Senators Obama and Biden to point out in their every interview that Gov. Palin was FOR the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it, and that even when she was against it, she still took the money, and has a record as receiving more earmarks than most governors in the country. The media should point in every headline and in every major story that Senator McCain's add about sex education is at the very least misleading and pushes the very bounds of taste and integrity. Neither party, none of the candidates should be allowed to get away with out and out ridiculous statements. (For example, saying that because Gov. Palin can see Russian from her state, she is ready to deal with foreign affairs. That is an offensively insulting statement, and it proves that those who utter it are unworthy of the office of the Presidency.) But, my point is NOT that Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin are making ridiculous statements. (That should be obvious.) What outrages me is that the media reports that they are saying things like that without pointing out the ridiculousness of the statements. The medias job is to report the TRUTH, not what the candidates are saying. For example, Senator Obama claims that Senator McCain is going to only give tax relief to the richest Americans, and to major coporations. Is this true? It should NOT be up to Senator McCain to prove or disprove this. It should NOT be up to Senator Obama to prove that he does not want to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000. However, the media is not doing a damn thing to verify the truth behind the claims on either side of the aisle.
I'm mad. I'm mad as hell at what this election has become about, but I'm furious that the media is not only allowing it, but perpetuating it.
Please. Vote for Senators Obama and Biden. Our country, our children, and the entire WORLD depends upon it.
Thanks,
Tommy
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