<p>I get TerpDad…Obama and his wife allowed their children to hear what Wright spewed. I think many people don’t get that other voters have an issue with him as a parent to allow his children to hear this. I take pride in the fact that I have shielded my children from the horrific acts of reality. My children ages 11,9, and 7 on 9-11 did not see the news, there was no need for it. I can respect and accept Obama and his wife for attending this particular church, however as a parent I cannot and will not accept any reason for subjecting their children to this venom </p>
<p>Sorry, but you cannot say to me I disagree with him and then allow him to baptisize your children. Many people have used the connection of Wright to Pedophiliac Priests in the Catholic Church. I am an adamant that if I heard or saw anything in the Catholic Church which made me even question the Priest I would not allow him to baptisize my child, and I can guarantee everyone here that I would be bolting for the door before I would sit in the pew for 20+ yrs with my children. </p>
<p>Let’s see it from a different pt in a Catholic Religion, what if a Presidential Candidate was married, baptisized their children, attended church for 20+ yrs, tithed 22K in 07 to the parish and titled his latest book after a sermon from a Priest who made Pedophiliac comments…what chance would he/she have?</p>
<p>Or add change the pedophiliac Priest to a congregation that supports and awards anti-semites (Farrakhan</p>
<p>"In a statement to CNN on Thursday, McCain said “Obviously, I find these remarks and others deeply offensive and indefensible, and I repudiate them. I did not know of them before Rev. Hagee’s endorsement, and I feel I must reject his endorsement as well.”</p>
<p>What he didn’t do is repudiate HAVING ACTIVELY SOUGHT Hagee’s endorsement. Can’t he at least take responsibility for his actions?</p>
<p>I love the final line…I keep my mouth shut…that says it all to me!</p>
<p>Are we all to believe that the reporter didn’t follow up the question with why or who are you voting for? Anyone with half a brain knows the NYT leans left, they have as much admitted it. This woman has placed her name, age and location in the article so why didn’t they follow the comment up with Ms. Grossman will be voting for Obama? Simple answer because she isn’t going to!
Please don’t tell me you allow yourself to be in an article for a world-wide reknown newspaper, but now are afraid of what your neighbors think! SHe states she was thinking that is so vague…is she thinking about him if Hillary doesn’t win, is she thinking about him b/c she is not sure of McCain…thinking is not the same as supporting…if a reporter knocked on my door he could get the same quote out of me.<br> TO Pima: As a democrat would you support/vote for Obama</p>
<p>**Ans:**Yes I would think about supporting Obama if Hillary did not win the nom, however, I am also thinking about McCain</p>
<p>Reporters have the same ability as forum posters to cut and paste for their position!</p>
<p>Also remember she stated they are going to vote for McCain, but she did not agree fr their reasoning! The fact is her friends are voting for McCain…notice friends are plural!</p>
<p>This analogy does not really work because the context of even Wright’s praise of Farrakhan is quite specific to the black community. Blacks have a strange love/hate relationship with Farrakhan. Most reject him, else his Nation of Islam would be massive indeed. Most think the Black Muslims are wrong. Most, like me, reject them outright. But even I must admit that Farrakhan hits at least near the right place when he teaches self-reliance, scholarship, strength and discipline, when he is anti-drugs, pro-family, and when his organization helps hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions now, of blacks on the street in real tangible ways. Many blacks have a hard time just denouncing the guy because they know his anger comes from the exact same place their anger comes from. He just responds inappropriately to it.</p>
<p>As a supporter of Israel’s right to exist, as one who has defended Jews against anti-Semitic comments all my life, even from blacks, I think there is no excuse for this, and I make none. But I also understand what these people are going through. They are catching some serious mess out there, and as they watch white guys controlling the law and everything else, as their lives get harder, and their children waste away in prisons or die of crime and disease, many will reach out and take anything that looks the least bit encouraging to them. This is how Farrakhan survives. When Obama denounces Farrakhan, I have no doubt at all that he is genuine. But he must be careful as he denounces him not to do it too harshly lest he appear to be denouncing those who are reaching out for Farrakhan’s help. Obama knows this. It is a very tricky situation, and I have never met a white person in all my life who has been able to understand it.</p>
<p>In essence she is saying he didn’t leave her due to the fact she was disabled.</p>
<p>John McCain’s reflection
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<p>This must be true since Carol’s biological son/McCain’s adoptive son is on the stump for him</p>
<p>Let me ask you how will your marriage stand after your husband has been beaten, tortured and lived in a 5 ft high by 5 ft wide cell for 5 yrs…I have a phenomenal marriage and I have been truly blessed, but I will be honest I have no idea how I could help him, especially if I was dealing with my own physical handicaps and a single mom wondering everyday if he was alive</p>
<p>Let’s be politically savvy and realize if she harbors any ill will to him, it would have been flushed out many yrs ago. If his adopted son (her birth child) thought he did any harm to his Mom he wouldn’t be on the campaign…thus, saying you wouldn’t vote for him due to the fact he lft a disabled wife is ignorant when his ex wife is on good terms! Don’t accept everything the media throws at you…do some research that will allow you to get the real facts</p>
<p>Yes Mini, and as McCain will take some heat for this endorsement and repudiation it is just as correct that BO take heat for BELONGING to a racist anti-semitic church for 20 odd years.</p>
<p>I get what you are saying and I respect your answer, but in your own way you are making a blanket statement that caucasians do not understand your plight. No, I have not lived your life, but for the millionth time stop believing we are the enemy. I personally believe that your color is about genetics, just as color of someone’e eyes! IMHO you have made a blanket statement about my genetic make up
Imagine me walking around on any of these forums saying I have never met a black person in my life who has been able to understand it
Farrakhan maybe an inspiration, but at the same time he blames Jews for the problems. Wright maybe an inspiration, but he states to his parishioners that the USA infected African Americans with AIDS. </p>
<p>Many people say GW and the repubs instill fear, can you honestly say that Farrakhan and Wright haven’t done the same?</p>
<p>I am sorry you haven’t met a white person who doesn’t get your plight…come over to my house where my brother who is an Albino had to fight his entire life b/c he is literally 1 in a million. Live your life where everyone stares at you b/c you are not a part of any race…when you live as a sibling in that situation with wonderful parents who teach you that he is the same as everyone else except he has no pigment than you’ll get it. My folks would point out African Americans when I was young (5-10 yrs old) and say to all of us…Do you know what the difference between your brother and that person is…he has more pigment!</p>
<p>What you’re seeing here is the imbedded recognition that the Wright association is an absolute anchor around his Obama’s neck and the frantic groping around for something to put on McCain’s. Especially after the hour long speech of non-repudiation that had to be repudiated not much later. Can you imagine the discussion in the Obama camp after Preacher Wright brought his southside gig to the national press club?? Priceless. </p>
<p>The dem strategists should stick to the issues. He’s much more evenly matched there than on any other dimensions like experience, character, national service, …you name it. The attempt to equate Wright to Haggee is a loser. The more its raised, the more it hurts Obama as it focuses attention on it.</p>
<p>Dadx, you’re entirely right. The only area where the democratic candidate will have a clear advantage is on the issues. When it comes to mudslinging, fear, hate and deception the Republicans have the advantage in experience, skill and practice.</p>
<p>bulletand/or pima: Sorry. You don’t get it. No on said you were “the enemy” - saying that pretty much just shows how much you don’t get it. But - you don’t get it. Being angry at people who don’t pretend that you do get it won’t change that. Insisting that you do too get it and no one can say otherwise won’t change that. You don’t get it. The only difference between your albino brother and a black man is pigment? No. You really, really don’t get it.</p>
<p>You could take a lesson from Donald Rumsfeld and at least try to figure out what you know you don’t know. Insisting that you do know things that you really don’t know is a recipe for disaster - or at least for never figuring it out.</p>
<p>If blacks had oppressed whites and then tended to state to whites ad nauseum that “while it was bad, it is all over now. So forget it”, I would fully expect you to say you had never met a black who could understand it, especially where someone like L. Farrakhan is concerned. In response, I would pause, and then out of sheer curiosity about whether I could understand it, I would try to be the first black to actually get it. I have met a lot of whites who understand the effects of the past and even many who have great ideas about overcoming it. I have never met even one who understood Farrakhan, I think mostly because they could not overcome their initial revulsion toward the guy. I understand this. I am revolted too. I am simply encouraging you to try to see this as a poor black guy might see it. Then you will understand how a guy like Wright might reject Farrakhan while praising his work in the community.</p>
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<p>I think Farrakhan is wrong, and this is one reason (among many) that I reject him out of hand. But I understand his anger because I share it. I understand why others might follow him because I understand the desperation that causes people to do stupid things.</p>
<p>As for Wright’s AIDS claim, I do not think this entirely unreasonable, especially since America has a long history of running vicious experiments on blacks, since slavery right up to the 1970’s. Perhaps America did not infect blacks with AIDS, but it could have because it has already done similar things even in modern times.</p>
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<p>I cannot, though in Wright’s case the fear is justified. No black man should trust the United States as uncritically as you apparently do. I do not think such trust is warranted or healthy. I look back at Katrina at all the blacks who sat around waiting for help that never came, help that would have been there at once had Katrina affected mostly whites. No, it is not wise. I believe America is about to endure historic pain and suffering, and it is going to take down scores of whites and blacks alike. I think when the mess hits the fan, the US will not be there for blacks. They had better get the real lesson of Katrina and do what they can to prepare, and stop all this nonsense about trusting America.</p>
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<p>It is not my plight that whites do not get. I know plenty who in fact do get it. I have never met one who was able to see Farrakhan as poor blacks see him. I think it takes a special sense of desperation, especially mental desperation that probably only affects black Americans. Not sure about this. But, you know, Farrakhan teaches some really messed up things. It takes a specific sort of racial insecurity and desperation to entertain them. Not sure if whites in American culture can feel this in their minds enough to actually get it. I certainly could be wrong, but I do not think so. I think it is a cultural barrier that likely cannot be breached, else it seems to me I would have met a white person who would have breached it by now.</p>
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<p>Well I certainly do get it. I can transfer my own experience (though it is vastly different) to this person and feel him right now through your description. Even if you are lying, I can feel this person’s somewhere in America-- his insecurity, doubt, isolation, his hurt. I get it as surely as I get breathing, and eating. This is all natural to me. If your brother were to speak to me, I would not be telling him ‘its all in the past’, and ‘get over it’, and ‘it doesn’t matter’, and all the sort of utter nonsense whites tend to tell blacks. I would be telling him ‘I understand everything. You don’t even have to speak it because I am feeling it right here with you. Now lets push forward with everything you got!’</p>
<p>BulletandPima - I never read your posts, I find you to be VERY uninformed, nothing you would say would ever interest me.</p>
<p>I happened to see my name on your post as I was scrolling through. Please save your opinions for others who will appreciate them.</p>
<p>You probably don’t remember, but on one occasion when you printed highly inaccurate information, and I called you on it, your reply was, “Oh, sorry, my high school kid told me to write that.”</p>
<p>I gave actual quotes from Carol Shepp McCain, if you have made the decision that the fact that she will not slander her ex as you have, than all the more power to you, but I will live in the naive world that she and her son support him, especially when his adoptive son is on the campaign trail.</p>
<p>You may attack me personally and that is your choice, I harbor no ill will, but in this case do all the research you want it will still show that this what she said. </p>
<p>As far as my son, he is not in this forum thread and to bring him up is disingenuous.</p>
<p>I only have 2 questions left for you:</p>
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<li><p>Where is your refute that my facts presented were incorrect? Prove to me that Carol Shepp McCain said he left her b/c she was disabled as you eluded. Did he have a mid-life crisis and was it wrong? Yes, but she in her own statements said it was just that and he did not leave her because of an accident as you infer</p></li>
<li><p>Do you know anyone who has been a prisoner of war and how that messes with someone’s mind? This is a guy who gave up the chance to come home because he was an Admirals son and refuse to be propaganda. Go and sit in your powder room for 1 week, talk to nobody, have a pot to urinate in while your bones are broken, no shower, no one to converse with and don’t forget you need to crouch because the ceiling is only 5’ high. Now multiply that by 260 times (5 yrs @ 52 weeks) Let’s see if your mind can handle it.</p></li>
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<li>Do you know anyone who has been a prisoner of war and how that messes with someone’s mind? This is a guy who gave up the chance to come home because he was an Admirals son and refuse to be propaganda. Go and sit in your powder room for 1 week, talk to nobody, have a pot to urinate in while your bones are broken, no shower, no one to converse with and don’t forget you need to crouch because the ceiling is only 5’ high. Now multiply that by 260 times (5 yrs @ 52 weeks) Let’s see if your mind can handle it.</li>
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<p>YES, YES, YES AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT NO ONE NEEDS AS A PRESIDENT!</p>
<p>Also, I have heard much worse, so take your intimidation tactics elsewhere</p>
<p>You took an assumption that I am lying! My brother is an Albino. Not only did he live this life, but my family did too. When my eldest was born I kept asking what color is his hair as I was pushing…Bullet finally asked whty are you asking? I told him that if it was red, that meant he was an Albino…Bullet’s answer was G*d won’t give us an Albino because we have learned every lesson about prejudice that can be taught. Our DS is not an Albino, but I also had to teach my children that their Uncle wasn’t different.</p>
<p>I really do resent the implication that you have implied, you have no personal knowledge of me and it truly offends me that you have taken the leap that I would lie to make a point</p>
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<p>No you don’t know the feeling of an Albino, he is talked down as in mentally handicapped, he is stared at by every race and accepted by none. Have you personally seen an Albino? </p>
<p>So when I say I get it …I get it. I get how people make judgements on skin color…be it mentally or physically. I get ignorance and how many people don’t understand dominat/recessive genes. What I don’t get is how you made a judgement about me. How you doubted me because I didn’t agree with your view. How you gave me no benefit of doubt, and thought so little of any poster to believe they would maniplate their family to make a pt. </p>
<p>The lying statement that you implied about me illustrates how low our country has sank.</p>
<p>My heart goes out to who ever it is that you know who was a POW. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their service and I truly hope that the pain they endured has been offset by the appreciation of every American.</p>
<p>Hearing worse pain is not the same as enduring it. You stated that you know how being a POW messes with someone’s mind…quite emphatically, can you please share it with us?</p>
I did not. Instead, I do not trust that you are telling the truth. I have no reason to do this, since I do not sense an even hand and open mind in you in these forums. I have little doubt you think likewise about me. So there we are. My point is that even if you are lying, it does not matter because there is an albino experiencing what you are describing here. Taking the description of this person, and transferring my own experience to him, I am able to sense him where he is.
Okay. I am very sorry I did this. Perhaps it was wrong. I am not yet sure about it, but whether wrong or right, I regret the skepticism. I accept that you are telling the truth. But, as I said, people lie all the time to defend the indefensible. I was just hedging to speak to your mind even if you are lying. You see, I am trying to make a point here. If you are lying, and I persist with the point using your lie, you are liable to dismiss the point altogether. My aim was to let you know that even if you are lying, I am still sensing what I would otherwise.
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<p>I do not have to be an Albino to feel this guy. I’m black. All this stuff you are talking about here, been there! I understand that Albinos experience a level of existence that I can never experience, and that at this point I can only listen – NOT PREACH about how it doesn’t matter, and how people don’t care, and about how it is just “the content of your character” and all that empty nonsense. I am telling you that being black makes me enough of a freak in America that I can feel your brother and that where I cannot feel him completely, my experience has taught me that I must keep my mouth shut and let folks like your brother complete the picture for me. Indeed, he need not even speak it after a time. I’ll be right there. I do not have to be Albino to do this.</p>
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<p>And so do I. I tell you I do not have to be Albino to get this. I only need be human. Don’t you have enough of a clue about how it feels to have your head bashed in to have intense empathy for folks who have had their heads bashed in? Did you actually have to have your head bashed in to get this? Not at all. I do not claim my experience is identical to your brother’s. But even were I Albino such a thing would be impossible. I am saying that your brother and I are not so much freaks from each other that I cannot get where he is. The one benefit of being black in America is that I get to really feel folks.</p>
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<p>Been there! Except I think I scored 800 on my entire SAT, math and English. Still, I have lost job opportunities, housing opportunities and a whole lot else b/c of prejudices. I know the hurt and shame of this. C’mon now. His being Albino doesn’t mean he is gonna be hurting like some green-blooded Martian. I mean, he is human, right? His cells and enzymes are essentially mine, right? That means the guy hurts like me.</p>
<p>I do not wish to dismiss his differences here. I understand they are considerable. The point I am trying to make is that we are not such freaks from each other that I cannot allow him to make a bridge to me. It is what all human relationships are about in my view.</p>
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<p>Hey. If you want me to say I do not get him, fine. But I do get him. If he has ever felt shame inside his hyperwhite skin, isolation because of it, despair and desperation. If he has ever been hopeless because of something he can never escape, then I know where that cat has been. There are other aspects to his existence that I undoubtedly do not have. But your brother is not so much of another species that I cannot get where he is going through.</p>
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<p>I really don’t. Not really. I am locked away from everyone in this body. That is just the miserable truth of it. I can use the truth about myself to get your brother.</p>
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<p>I know one currently, and had one as a teacher when I was a kid.</p>
<p>I am not trying to be an antagonist. I get the fact that there are morons in the world who can’t see past skin color.</p>
<p>I am willing to accept hat you know 2, I only hope that you can understand this disease effects 5 out of 100K. To say as an African American you get being that island means in NYC you hang with the other 400 people out of the the 8 million. NYC has a larger pop. of African Americans and Caucasians than 400 people.</p>
<p>The true pt does come down to this what do I need to prove that I am not prejudice…would you like family pics?</p>
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<p>You still question by saying if…instead of saying I get it you are real.</p>
<p>You go onto say you got a 800 score in total and lost jobs b/c of youyr skin…reality check when my bro took the SAT you got 400 for filling the bubbles correctly…he got a 1560/1600 total. He lost jobs because he does look weird to the avg person…kind of like the green martian.</p>
<p>Back to the OP…</p>
<p>Hagee has never been a part of McCains circle unlike Wright</p>
<p>BTW can you prove to me that you are not lying? Should we all live our lives questioning, or maybe just maybe we should start giving our neighbor the benefit of the doubt! The boogey man only exists if we believe in it!</p>
<p>My heart goes out to who ever it is that you know who was a POW. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their service and I truly hope that the pain they endured has been offset by the appreciation of every American.</p>
<p>Hearing worse pain is not the same as enduring it. You stated that you know how being a POW messes with someone’s mind…quite emphatically, can you please share it with us?</p>