Kool aid alert.

Okay, very funny! Not that it takes great wit to make fun of other people’s idealism.

In seriousness, though, I don’t confuse Obama with the Messiah. He gave a great speech today, with deep Biblical resonance. But I stress that the good that needs to be done needs to be done by us, not by him.

Rev. Lowery also said,
“Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest,
and in the joy of a new beginning,
we ask you to help us work for that day
when black will not be asked to get in back,
when brown can stick around…
when the red man can get ahead, man…
and WHEN WHITE WILL EMBRACE WHAT IS RIGHT!…
That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. Say Amen”

Rev. Lowery, an icon of the civil rights movement of the sixties was speaking not like one who intended to forgive the sins of the past, but as one who sought to avenge them.

So much for the idea that Obama’s inauguration would “begin the healing”.

If you find moral inspiration from the guy that will bring us FOCA, more power to you.

If his moral compass doesn’t pick up on the biggest moral issue to face mankind…blah, blah, blah, you’ve heard it all and dismissed it because of your pre-held political persuasion. Be a liberal first I guess. I’m sounding more aggressive than I mean to be so I’ll quit now.

You’re moved easily Pam. His speech was filled with all kinds of words that mean nothing because that is precisely what they were supposed to mean. Instead of saying specific things about a national health care plan or how he will pursue wind and solar energy options, he made another campaign speech full of vague ideas. While at the same time all sorts of people in the Dem and Black communities were trying to push down the expectations on him every chance they could.

Rev. Lowery’s first words were from the “Negro National Anthem”. Let the healing begin.

“sacrifice, duty, and responsibility”, these are words that INCLUDE the least among us, not just the prosperous.

Our country already is one of the most moral on the planet (just ask Africa). The UN is a joke (where were they exactly when Saddam was slaughtering his people).

Leave it to a journalist to take a beautiful speach (Obama’s, not Lowery’s)and turn it into an anti-American rant.

Color me unimpressed. That speech could have been given by any of the last 5 presidents. Obama didn’t say anything he hadn’t already said a thousand times already on the campaign trail. I’m honestly confused as to why people think he’s a great orator. Has he made any speech that wasn’t instantly forgettable?

“While some of Obama’s detractors seem to hear in such statements a kind of muffled threat of socialism…”

Muffled? Try roar. Not that you’d know it from the hagiographies written by a sycophantic media, but everything in Obama’s background screams neo-Marxist.

“I hear instead an echo of the Biblical imperatives to love one another and to care for the least of our brothers and sisters.”

Really? Where exactly in the Bible does it say that that love and care cannot be completely bestowed unless it’s provided by the all powerful federal govt? I seem to recall another passage about God helping those who help themselves. How’s about we try that route before abdicating the last of our liberties and dignity to the nanny state?

“The beautiful benediction offered by the Rev. Joseph Lowry ended with the words: “Let all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen!” Those are Biblical values, but they are American values as well, and they will serve our new president well as he navigates the many difficult decisions that lie ahead.”

Umm, religious sentiments are nothing new in American politics, but I seem to recall that on Nov 4th, we voted for a president, not bishop or rabbi. Democrats and Obamalytes are an odd bunch. If you’re going to take umbrage at Obama being labled a Messiah, you might want to lay off the religious analogies yourself.

Oh, and Rev Lowery? Offending white folks isn’t helping your cause one bit.

“I thought of the Millenium Development Goals and the United Nations’ ongoing commitment to ending world hunger and poverty.”

Which has done nothing but line the pockets of tyrants and petty bureaucrats and left millions in misery. The world can do without useless entities like the UN, thank you very much.

Boy, you guys are really on point today. I missed the ceremonies, I had to work. I can see that the guy is really going to get a fair shake.

Don’t mistake anyone’s comments about his speech as meaning he won’t be given a fair shake. I personally have said I will do just that before in these blogs. That doesn’t preclude us from answering the questions and topics being posted by Pam and others, does it hs? He will have his oppurtunity, but since he failed to outline anything specific I have no idea what he plans on doing next…

I won’t try to respond to everything that’s being posted here, but I am curious about those who were offended by the Rev. Lowry’s prayer. As a white person myself, I don’t at all mind being asked to “embrace what is right.” Why feel attacked by that?

And Go_Fish, I didn’t take umbrage at Obama being labeled a messiah. I just clarified that I don’t think of him that way. And I don’t think his speech or my response to it indicated that the federal government is the only entity that can do good. Quite the opposite; I was lauding the fact that his speech struck a balance between the poles of personal and communal responsibility. He spoke of how individuals can help, but also posited the importance of the common good.

I’m more open to the criticism that his speech was too vague, or that he didn’t say anything that hasn’t been said in inaugural addresses before. But this isn’t the time for policy particulars, it’s the time for broad themes that will carry the country’s agenda forward. And I think his speech did that.