I’m sitting here listening to CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Roland Martin and others talk about how Barack Obama’s pastor’s anti-white tirades are not “relevant” to the issues of the campaign.  Does anyone seriously buy that?  In their report, CNN very obviously left out Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s most inflammatory comment that “blacks should not sing ‘God bless America, but ‘God damn America.’”  Rev. Wright is the pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side.  Barack Obama has been a member of the church for more than twenty years.

I looked for some information and found this report. 

Rev. Wright married Obama and his wife Michelle, baptized their two daughters and is credited by Obama for the title of his book, “The Audacity of Hope.”

An ABC News review of dozens of Rev. Wright’s sermons, offered for sale by the church, found repeated denunciations of the U.S. based on what he described as his reading of the Gospels and the treatment of black Americans.

“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, God damn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people,” he said in a 2003 sermon. “God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”

In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda’s attacks because of its own terrorism.

Barack Obama has been a member of that church for over twenty years, and he has helped to support the church with significant monetary donations.  You don’t financially support an organization if you don’t agree with the basic principles that the organization espouses.  Obama insults the intelligence and common sense of the voters by passing off Rev. Wright’s comments as like those of an “uncle you don’t agree with.”  If you have an uncle who preaches hate repeatedly, you don’t continue to listen to him.  You don’t have that crazy uncle baptize your children.  You don’t have that uncle perform your wedding ceremony.  You don’t give that uncle lots of your money in order for him to continue to spew all those things you supposedly “disagree with.”

Isn’t it interesting that Barack Obama, who is living the American dream and is a shining example of what people can accomplish via the opportunities they have as Americans, attends a church that calls for God to damn America.  Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

If a white candidate attended a church where the minister was a member of the Ku Klux Klan and preached sermons that were anti-black, that candidate would not have a chance in the world of being elected.  No one - white or black - wants a president who socializes with and sympathizes with racists.  Well, no, I take that back.  If the candidate is black, apparently it’s okay.

Barack Hussein Obama did not distance himself from the church until he started running for president.  And THAT is a strong indication of his character.  Racism is racism is racism.  Blacks are not immune from being racist.  A racist is a racist is a racist.  Rev. Wright is a racist of the worst kind.  He not only has his own racist beliefs, but he uses his influence as a mnister to preach hate and racism - exactly what the Bible tells us not to do.  And Barack Obama has supported him generously for TWENTY YEARS!

I wonder why Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson aren’t calling for Rev. Wright to apologize and for Obama to publicly denounce Rev. Wright and the Trinity United Church of Christ.  I thought they were such outspoken critics of racism. Could it mean that they, too, only care about injustice and wrong when it’s against black people. They, like Rev. Wright, are racists of the worst kind.

The MSM is out of control.  Apparently nothing is safe from their lust for “breaking news.”   Prince Harry was withdrawn from his tour of duty in Afghanistan because getting a story is more important to news organizations and gossip blogs than a person’s safety or privacy or . . . anything.   I guess Drudge Report got more advertising revenue and more readers because of his role in breaking the news.  The fact that the news put Prince Harry and the other soldiers in his unit - and really all soldiers - at risk wasn’t important. 

It’s bizarre, really.  Reporters can be censored or even lose their job for uttering words that some might find offensive, and yet when they report information that endangers people, it’s considered “news” and it’s okay.  In the minds of the MSM, the “right to know” trumps decency, kindness, consideration, and common sense much too often.

It’s going to be a long, long wait for the election to be over in November.  RT and I’ve been watching CNN and their coverage of the South Caroline Democratic Primary.  Lord help us!  They’re bringing in every Tom, Dick, Harry and Soledad to give their opinions and analysis of what’s going on. 

They’re giving us information/opinions on:

How the black vote might go.

How the white vote might go.

How the female vote might go.

How the Hispanic vote might go.

How the lower income vote might go.

How the affluent vote might go.

What the racial break down might be.

Whether a particular candidate might “over-perform” or “under-perform.”

They explain what they mean by “exit polls.”  It’s such a difficult concept, you know.

They have a countdown clock for when the polls will close and they will start getting numbers to put on the boards.

They tell us about each of the candidates - about their goals, their dreams, their tactics, their biographies.

The worst folks to give opinions couched in “reporting” are Roland Martin, Gloria Borger, Candy Crowley, Donna Brazile and Jeffrey Toobin. 

Jeffrey Toobin had the ultimate patronizing and inane comment:  ”Let’s not forget that John Edwards is a human being with a distinct story. . .  This IS his life - to be a presidential candidate.”  What an idiot!

With the victimization mentality of the Democratic party, this should prove to be an interesting campaign. All the political commentary on the MSM is a frequent source of entertainment.  There have been discussions about how the fact that Obama is black might influence his campaign in one way or the other - either from people voting FOR him because he is black  or from people voting AGAINST him because he is black.  There have been some wonderfully revealing soundbites on that particular topic that show just how racist many in the wonderfully “progressive” Democratic party are. 

I don’t recall any discussions in the news about how a person’s being white might affect their chances in an election.

The commentary after the New Hampshire primary was particularly humorous.  First they had to decide if Hillary’s “human” side (i.e. her “I don’t want us to fall back” stage act) made more people vote for her - or was it because when it came right down to it, some people just couldn’t vote for a black person.   Then they ponder whether America is ready for a female president.

Depending on who wins the Democratic nomination, there will be serious charges of either racism or sexism.  It’s a lose-lose situation for the dems, and I think it’s hilarious.  If Hillary is the nominee, the Obama crowd will claim that America is too racist to elect a black president.  If Obama is nominated, the Hillary crowd will claim that America is too sexist to elect a woman president.  And if John Edwards is elected, Obama’s and Hillary’s folks will claim that the nation is both sexist and racist.

I know absolutely no one who gives a rat’s ass whether our president is black, white, male or female.  What people DO care about is what that person will do as president.  Will he/she secure our borders?  Will he/she handle the millions of illegal immigrants fairly but without compromise? Will he/she fight the war against Islamic extremism with courage and honor?  Will he/she work to minimize people’s dependence on government? 

So give it up, folks.  If you lose a primary, or the Democratic nomination, or the presidential election, it will be because your beliefs and actions don’t mesh with the beliefs and actions of the majority of Americans.  Period.  Quit the blame and victim game.

Okay, I won’t do any editorializing about this story.  I’ve been home sick most of the day, and I had not heard anything about this double homicide until I read it at Michelle Malkin  and Hot Air.  

Here’s the news story from a Dallas newspaper about the Texas Muslim father who is being sought for the murder of his two daughters.  According to the story this Muslim father apparently didn’t approve of his daughters’ behavior and considered the killings part of maintaining his “honor” as a Muslim.

I found the following site that has 2007 Quotes of the Year.  Amazing things that people say.  This will make you incredulous . . . and angry!

 Okay, I can’t resist.  Here are a couple samples - and neither of these quotes were the winners in their respective categories:

ABC’s Sam Donaldson: “[Senator Barack Obama is] an African-American. Is the country ready? Well, I think it is. And he said he thinks it is. He said he thinks he’ll lose some votes because of that, and so the question is, what does the word ‘some’ mean?…”
Moderator George Stephanopoulos: “Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m naive, but Sam, I guess I think that anyone who’s not going to vote for Barack Obama because he is black isn’t going to vote for a Democrat anyway.”
— Exchange on ABC’s This Week, May 13. [71]

“I think a draft produces a better Army than the one we would have with all volunteers, because I think you get average Americans if you have a draft. And if it’s an all-volunteer Army, you get people who join up because of some problem in their own lives. They don’t have anything else to do, they don’t have a job, or they can’t find what they want to do, so they join the Army. And it doesn’t produce the best Army.”
— CBS’s Andy Rooney on MSNBC’s Imus in the Morning, March 14. [71]

Tiara-Tip to Beth at Yeah, Right, Whatever.

As a Tennessean, I’m embarrassed for Tennessee.  The pompous windbag, Al Gore, has been named the 2007 Tennessean of the year.  Today’s newspaper had pages about him.  I tried to read most of it, but he is so insufferably and unwarrantedly self-righteous, it was difficult.  He and his disciples see him akin to Jesus - saving the world.  My gag reflex worked overtime getting through all the praises for this silly man.  His only claim to fame is that he lost the 2000 election and he and his supporters have spent the past eight years trying to prove that he isn’t really the loser he is. 

I was just watching CNN and saw a promo for a show about “The noose as a symbol of American hatred.”  How stupid.  Why not have a knife or a gun or a stick or a pipe or a spitball or any of a million things that people use as weapons against someone they hate.  You can select just about any object, and it has been used for ill will towards someone else.  The noose is definitely a symbol of something awful - hanging someone is terrible.  It was used by some racists against the racial group they hated.  However, it isn’t a symbol of racial hatred.  That’s ridiculous.

Unfortunately, hatred is something that people do.  We wish it weren’t so, but it’s true nevertheless.   Are we to do away with nooses as a prop for Halloween ghouls?  Should old western movies that show a noose hanging from a tree be banned now?  Should we push legislation to criminalize anything that has ever been used to show racial hatred?

Similarly, consider the words “nigger” and “fag.”  Sure, they’re reprehensible words.  So are the words “ho” “redneck” “honky” “jap” “wetback” “fuck” “fat” “skinny”, to name just a few.  Just because they’re reprehensible words doesn’t mean that people who use them should be charged with crimes.  Using such language is in bad taste and it is unkind, but it isn’t against the law.   For that matter, perhaps we should ban speech altogether. No telling when someone might utter a word that someone else might consider hateful or hurtful.  The jury of public opinion will curb hate speech of all kinds - not the court system.

Another “symbol” that has been vilified to the point where it is banned in certain places is the Confederate flag. It’s getting ridiculous. I won’t even get into all the positive things that came out of the Confederate states. Slavery was something that only a very small percentage of the wealthy could afford. Many, MANY white Southerners fought against slavery. Many MANY white Southerners knew that slavery was wrong and they worked to end it.  White people are not the enemies of the black people, and black people are not the enemies of white people.  We all are God’s creatures, and the sky is blue above all of us.

I’m tired of people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton making racial issues out of everything - to their own advantage.   Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are two of the most blatant racists in our world today.  Everything they say and do is all about white against black and black against white.   They are black, though, so they get a pass on their racial words and actions.  They are so color-driven, they can’t see anything else.  The amusing thing is that the ONLY slur that won’t be tolerated from a black person is a gay slur.  i.e. Isaiah Washington. 

Some day people are going to wake up to the fact that we’re all people, and we’re all in this together. All this racial hyping is hurting everyone.

Last night I gave in to all the pre-debate hype - all the talk about how THIS debate would be so unique and driven by the common people.  So I watched it.  At least for awhile.  Once you’ve heard a politician give his/her talking points, there’s no need to hear it regurgitated again and again. 

CNN screened the questions and selected a few out of hundreds submitted.  So only the questions the powers-that-be at CNN deemed worthwhile were asked.   What a waste of time.  And what a bunch of crap that the slightly varied format was something unique.

My guess is that the candidates probably had at least an idea of what the questions were prior to the “debate.”  But whether or not they did isn’t important.  Nothing new was brought out.  No new questions were asked.  Nothing of substance was learned.  It was just another re-hashing of talking points. 

The one small benefit of the debate is that it clearly showed that Barack Obama has no business whatsoever being president.  He answered that yes, he WOULD meet with the leaders of Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea and Venezuela his first year as president.  YIKES!   I hope people aren’t stupid enough to elect him.

AOL had a recap of the debates and included these quotes that had me shaking my head with incredulity:

“The greatest innovation of this debate is that we’re seeing candidates respond to real voters instead of polished TV personalities,” said Michael Silberman of the online consulting firm EchoDitto. “It’s a win for the candidates who are at their best when addressing voters. It’s a win for democracy, since average Americans outside of the early primary states now have the opportunity to ask direct questions of candidates.”

Incredible!  Not even a minimally rational person could honestly believe that last night’s debate was different in any major way than any other debate by presidential candidates.  The only difference was that people other than news reporters/journalists were the ones that asked the usual questions that enabled the candidates to give their talking points to a national audience.  The average American citizen learned nothing and gained nothing.

Listening to the candidates’ responses reinforced my belief that voting Democratic means voting against what America stands for.  It means voting for punishing people for working hard (via higher taxes - the harder you work and the more successful you are - the higher your percentage of taxes), rewarding people for not working (welfare and subsidies) and rewarding people for breaking the law (assistance to illegal immigrants).  They couch their socialist leanings in very lofty phrasing, but it is still socialism - and socialism has never been successful for any length of time.

Let’s get back to the basic American principles of rewarding and encouraging hard work and self-sufficiency, helping people rise out of poverty and bad circumstances by giving them a hand UP and not a hand-out, and having enough patriotic pride that we insist that anyone who wants to move here follow the legal channels to do so.  All are welcome - just follow the rules to get here. 

Seems simple, but there isn’t a single Democratic candidate that supports those basic tenets of American citizenship. 

And how about standing by your country’s leaders instead of doing everything in your power to bring them down?  Sure, the Dems have the right to disagree and protest and be general asses about the war in Iraq.  No matter that their words and actions result in the deaths of our soldiers or the destroying of our reputation abroad - criticize, lie and generally make it impossible for policies to succeed.   To the dems, as long as their protests put THEM in a good light (in their own minds), it’s okay.   It’s hard for me to respect anyone who believes that the policies of the Democratic party are in line with what America is all about.  It takes someone who is easily swayed by lofty sounding rhetoric.

There’s only one thing to say about last night’s debate:  ZZZZzzzzzzzzz!

Beth over at Blue Star Chronicles has a post containing an email from an American soldier responding to allegations by a  New Republic reporter about supposed crimes.  The Army officer responds to each of the allegations to show just how ridiculous they are. 

Here’s a snippet from the email Beth received:

The U.S. Army today is the most disciplined and professional Army in the history of the United States. This is the only war in our nations history where we have not instituted the draft to fill our ranks. Every man in the service today is there because he volunteered. They stood up in the face of danger, knowing we were at war, and said “I’ll go”. Most of these men are on their second deployment in support of the War on Terrorism, some are on their fourth and fifth. After five years of war with an increasing number of casualties, longer and more frequent deployments, and no end in site, these brave young men continue to volunteer their services, many of them reenlisting. No other Army in our history has been able to do that without the draft. Our military men and women today are true professionals, they are truly America’s best and bravest. While there are some bad apples and non-conformist in our ranks, we are quick to identify them and remove them from the service. The author of this story is a bad apple. He is trying to get attention by telling wild stories. He too will be identified and removed from the service.

What saddens me is that so many of the anti-war crowd will believe the allegations - no matter how absurd - because they want to.  It won’t matter what is true.  It will be one more arrow of discredit grasped from thin air to try to harm and dishearten our honorable service men and women.