Barack Obama: My Favorite Politician (aka Deep Thoughts for Wednesday)
For those of you unfamiliar, Barack Obama is a Democratic Senator from Illinois who has single-handedly renewed the hopes of many regarding the democratic process. I wish he was our President. He gave a speech the other day and said (as usual) some really good stuff. I thought I would share:
"Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concernes into universal, rather than religion-specific values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason," Obama said on Wednesday in a talk to the Call to Renewal group. Government action must be "accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.
"Now this is going to be difficult for some who believe in the inerrancy" of sacred scipture. "But in a pluralistic democracy, we have no choice. Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality... At some fundamental level, religion does not allow for compromise. It's the art of the impossible. If God has spoken, then followers are expected to live up to God's edicts, regardless of the consequences. To base one's life on such uncompromising commitments may be sublime; to base our policymaking on such commitments would be a dangerous thing."
Summary: Barack is the man!
Hoagland, Jim. "The growing clash of true believers." The Commercial Appeal. July 2, 2oo6.
"Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concernes into universal, rather than religion-specific values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason," Obama said on Wednesday in a talk to the Call to Renewal group. Government action must be "accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.
"Now this is going to be difficult for some who believe in the inerrancy" of sacred scipture. "But in a pluralistic democracy, we have no choice. Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality... At some fundamental level, religion does not allow for compromise. It's the art of the impossible. If God has spoken, then followers are expected to live up to God's edicts, regardless of the consequences. To base one's life on such uncompromising commitments may be sublime; to base our policymaking on such commitments would be a dangerous thing."
Summary: Barack is the man!
Hoagland, Jim. "The growing clash of true believers." The Commercial Appeal. July 2, 2oo6.
posted by Becky Heineke at 7/04/2006 08:18:00 PM
Comments on "Barack Obama: My Favorite Politician (aka Deep Thoughts for Wednesday)"
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Nothing Really Matters said ... (12:43 PM, July 05, 2006) :
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Linna said ... (2:56 PM, July 05, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (3:37 PM, July 05, 2006) :
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Nothing Really Matters said ... (4:13 PM, July 05, 2006) :
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Anonymous said ... (6:33 AM, July 06, 2006) :
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Linna said ... (2:48 AM, July 07, 2006) :
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Ninni said ... (11:34 AM, July 07, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (8:51 PM, July 07, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (10:58 AM, July 08, 2006) :
post a commentI'm with you PG. If i lived in the US i would vote Democrat!
I wish he was your president too!! Sounds like a very intelligent man (or a man who has really good speechwriters, but it still can't go against his values)
I'm actually quite surprised how present God is in much of American politics, it's really strange for a country that is based on immigration from all parts of the world, and on immigration based on people fleeing religious persecution.
I know! We're supposed to be a country based on the separation of church and state, but somehow the two always intermingle and that's never a good thing. He's just a really intelligent and thoughtful individual and not at all like your typical politician. Unfortunately, he's in the serious minority as far as political leaders go. And NRM, I'll hold you to your Democratic vow when we move to LA! :)
Blue is my colour and alway will be!
OMG...LURVE me some Barack!! Well done!!
Maybe this is really old for everyone who dislike Bush, but I just saw it yesterday and I think it's a gem!
Sorry for not being able to link it...
http://www.freespaces.com/no_war_in_iraq/bushliberty4.jpg
About the separation of church and state in the US... I've always found the mere idea of it rather amusing since it says "In God We Trust" on the dollar bill...doesn't sound like separating to me.
Oh and btw, in the US blue is the colour of the democratic party, no? It gets confusing since here conservatives use blue and democrats use red..
Speaking of which, could somebody please explain the donkey to me? I mean, what the hell? If I wanted an animal to represent my party I'd go with something cool and kick-ass and smart like a dolphin or something but a donkey? A fucking donkey?? I don't get it.
Simon, thank so much for the comment. I must admit that I've only recently become so politically aware (since the last presidential election). The 2004 election hit me hard, much harder than I thought it would. I guess you could say I was suffering from idealism myself since I thought that after the horrors of the war in Iraq, the raging ineptitude of the administration on environmental issues, and the hundreds of books, new articles, movies like Fahrenheit 9/11, etc. there was no way W would be reelected.
Obviously I was very wrong and sunk into a depression of epic magnitude about the future of this country. My parents were VERY politically active when they were younger and I think they were actually proud that I was affected so deeply. They campaigned heavily for McGovern in 1972 and even met with him in person on several occasions. They still talk about the wrongs of the Nixon administration, and here we are in a very similar situation all over again, the biggest difference being the inclusion of religion this time around, which acts a terrifying invisibility cloak for so many wrongs.
So, basically, the only thing that made me feel better (i.e. gave me hope) was talking to other people (usually older, although I am very proud to have several friends my age with whom I talk freely and openly about such issues...and who agree with me!!) and this blog has been incredible in that it has shown me that I'm really not alone in my beliefs.
I get really upset when people are ignorant of things and don't want to educate themselves, which is an enormous issue living in an extremely conservative suburb in the South. I'll be the first say that I miss out on a lot that goes on in the world, but at least I care enough to try to catch up.
OK, sermon over. But thank you again for your comment. I feel validated in my feelings when other people comment on what I have to say, good or bad. :)
And wesntia, yeah, Democrats are blue and Republicans are red for reasons unknown to me. I also have no idea where the mascots came from but both donkeys and elephants are stupid animals to use as mascots if you ask me.
Wow, that quote is amazing. Talk about eerie...I just wish he was right.