"Where are the racists, Mr. Obama?"

[Luminous Animal]

By request, I am posting this comment as an OP.

From John Aravosis at Americablog...
http://www.americablog.com/2008/12/obama-we-have-to-be-able-to-agree-to.html

Great, then where are the racists, Mr. Obama? We don't see you embracing too many of them in the name of learning to agree to disagree. Or does your desire to create a new "atmosphere," and reach out to our enemies, stop when it's your own people, your own children, you'd be betraying? Funny how you only reach across the aisle when it's someone else's family, gay families in particular, getting the shaft.

[ogneopasno]

1. Good point.

[ikojo]

2. So I guess we can look forward to having

Noam Chomsky speak or Medea Benjamin appointed to a cabinet position?

[Luminous Animal]

4. Nope.

Just the rightwing is worth reaching out to.

[county worker]

3. Are we going to read Obama slams daily now?

A while ago, when the primaries ended it seemed like we had a Messiah to put in office. Now that it is going to be a reality there is constant criticism of him yet there is nothing solid to base any of this on. It is based on speculation of what is to come. My take is that some just need to play the victim roll no matter what the hell is going on.

For me, I am going to wait and see what happens before making a judgment on the Obama administration.

[BR_Parkway]

5. Why are you offended that I'm offended?

I'm the one who's been kicked around for 40+ years because I'm queer - what's your stake in this fight?

[county worker]

16. I'm looking forward to 8 years of progressive change of the mess made during

the last 8 years.

Are we going to get perfection? No. Are we going to get our every want? No. Are we going to get a continuation of the last 8 years? No. Are we going to get something better? Yes.

That's my speculation. I'm happy today. Until I have reason not to be I will remain happy about the election of Obama and the Dem Congress.

I have great empathy for you. If I were able, I would make life fair for you. I can't but I can sure as hell support working to make it so and I do. I have a gay sister-in-law. I feel for her and what she goes through. I hate prop 8 and hope it is over turned. You are the point of the hate but many of us who are not are as angry at the situation as you are.

But like I said, the next 8 will be heaven compared to the last 8. No not everything we want will happen. I hope and pray you get justice from this administration and our country during Obama's term.

[ColbertWatcher]

23. "Until I have reason not to be I will remain happy" ...

... how good of you to recognize who this is all about!

"Until I have reason not to be I will remain happy"

[Orsino]

42. Praying for justice?

I'm sure Warren will invoke that term, too.

[Luminous Animal]

6. In regards to Warren...

people are not making judgments about his administration, they are questioning his judgment of elevating to the national stage, at one of the more important events in history, a known bigot.

[county worker]

15. I'm told that Obama did not choose Warren

Maybe he will make a change.

[Luminous Animal]

21. You've been told wrong. (n/t)

[Ms. Toad]

30. Absolutely correct.

[nichomachus]

7. If they're called for -- yes n/t

[mondo joe]

9. Don't blame me because you thought he was the Messiah. NT

[SammyWinstonJack]

37. !

:thumbsup:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

10. Victim roll...

[PVnRT]

13. Please inform us of what we are allowed to have opinions about

kthxbai

[Creideiki]

32. This is what's happening.

Agribusiness in for Sec. of Agriculture.

Salazar for Sec. of Interior.

Gates staying in as SecDef.

Where are the progressives?

What a fucking shame that Kucinich is short and has big ears.

[nichomachus]

8. To hell with the racists

why didn't he pick Gene Robinson to give an invocation? That would have been a very powerful statement, and he could ask people on the other side to overlook their differences with Robinson on "one small issue."

[GodDamLiberal]

11. Plus he lies

Obama says "I am a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans."
No he's not.
He does not and never has supported gay marriage. He supports civil unions.
That is not equality, that is separate but equal.
Perhaps he should get in touch with some of his "roots" over that.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

25. Now he is a liar

No fucking respect for the President Elect. This is sickening. President Bush was attacked on Sunday and people here just laugh, now they are throwing insults at the new democratic president. Looks like people here just want anarchy. Maybe you would be happier living in Somalia.

This place is very disturbing. Luckily, the vast majority of Democrats and Americans in general are still happy with Obama. Oh, by the way, no matter what these disrupter's do, or say they will do, Inauguration day will be a great one for America.

[Mari333]

27. Respect has to be earned. n/t

[Ms. Toad]

31. I would not call him a liar,

but his statement that he is a fierce advocate for gay rights is not the truth.

In my opinion, he made the statement because he really has no clue about gay rights - and did not understand what inviting Warren to give the invocation would mean to those whose families Warren is actively seeking to destroy; those who Warren has called equal to child molesters. In an very human attempt to try to minimize the damage, he seriously overstated his position on gay rights.

It doesn't make him a liar - but that statement which anyone who has reviewed his record and his statements on the matter knows is false, compounds the initial error he made in selecting Warren.

[otherlander]

36. Would we be happier

living in Somalia? Oh, God, where to start with that one...


Should I start with the fact that you just defended Bush?
Or should I start with the fact that you just called dissent and critical thinking, which is the heart of progressivism, "sickening" when applied to a public figure you happen to like?
Or should I start with your inability to use apostrophies correctly?
Or should I start by pointing out that you're accusing us of being anarchists just because we don't agree with the actions of our government?
Or should I start by giving you a basic summary of anarchist thought and philosophy?-After all, though most of us here simply want fairer government, not no government, there are some who would like to see heirarchal nationstates abolished, and there's nothing particularly bad about that, and even Marxists could learn something from reading some Kropotkin or Goldman.
Or should I start by pointing out that what is going on in Somalia is not anarchy, but rather a civil war between warlords over who gets to have power over people, something that a true anarchist would denounce?

Nah, I think I'll just leave this one alone. Sometimes things are just too easy to bother with.

[DonEBrook]

38. So dissent is permissible for every president except the incoming one?

Don't think so, pal.

[SammyWinstonJack]

39. Aw, the 'Love it or Leave it' argument.

:eyes:

[TankLV]

12. Gee - you noticed that, too, huh?

the silence from the apologist assholes is DEFENING - as usual...

[fla nocount]

18. They're conducting a stinkin thinkin meeting via PM.

They'll be here this evening after they learn their new cheers.

[Luminous Animal]

33. Apparently, they are sleeping on it...

HA!

[Luminous Animal]

14. More dirty fucking hippies chime in...

Greenwald...
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/radio/2008/12/18/spaulding/index.html

Of all the preachers Obama could have selected to elevate and validate (and, in every sense, it was Obama's choice), Warren is one of the most destructive -- not only having been one of the most vocal supporters for Proposition 8, but also using the most inflammatory rhetoric on gay issues generally, expressing anti-abortion views in the most fanatical terms possible, and even sitting with Sean Hannity recently and urging the murder of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (making his prominent inclusion in Obama's inauguration -- as Atrios notes -- a rather odd step for a President who claims devotion to a diplomatic resolution with that country).

Digby...
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/praying-for-realignment-by-digby-ive.html

There are those who feel this is a very savvy political move on Obama's part --- by inviting Warren to give the invocation at the most watched inauguration in history, Obama is validating the views of the Christian Right and they may very well be moved enough by that to become Democrats. But it naturally follows that in order to keep their votes, the Democrats would have to honor their agenda and views --- the evangelicals are big voting bloc and if the Democrats become the social conservative party, they could count on their votes for sure. (If they don't make substantial moves toward social conservatism, this won't work, obviously.) It doesn't leave much room for liberals, but perhaps that's a good thing. They are nothing but trouble, defending women's civil liberties, agitating for gay rights and hectoring the government about not torturing and starting wars and all that. It would be a big relief if they didn't need them.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. In the state department.

:shrug:

[AngryAmish]

19. The racists? He has embraced a lot of Hillary supporters.

That said, the OP is right.

[JVS]

20. "Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again"

quoth his secretary of state choice as part of her campaign against him. Hell his VP choice called him "clean and articulate". If you don't think he has had to let a lot of shit slide, you're crazy.
.

[Luminous Animal]

22. Aravosis has posted more...

Okay, I'm game. So we know being a gay-basher doesn't disqualify you from a seat at the Obama table - in fact, it seems to be an outright qualification for proving Obama's post-partisanship. If Obama prides himself on reaching out to all sides of every debate, then why is it that Obama has never sat down with, or promoted at his events, an avowed racist or anti-Semite?

...snip..

Why is that?

If Obama wants to burnish his independent bona fides with a little Sista Souljah now and then, why is his sista always a dyke?

At some point, when your victim is always the same, your actions are no longer a sign of your independence. They're a sign of your bigotry

[ColbertWatcher]

24. Is there a link to this brilliance? n/t

[Luminous Animal]

26. Ooops.

http://www.americablog.com/2008/12/when-has-obama-ever-reached-out-to.html

[ColbertWatcher]

28. Thank you!

Please help with Operation "Make Rick Warren Eat His Words" http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4680741&mesg_id=4680741

[Luminous Animal]

29. On it. Thanks! (n/t)

[glitch]

34. They don't have a reasonable response to this.

Evidently, based on the responses in this thread. Just snark.

[ellacott]

35. Can you name a racist who you agree with on other issues?

Also, would this racist agree to do the invocation and pray for the black President?

[greeneyedboy]

40. can you name one who wouldn't be disqualified for being a vocal racist?

Suppose David Duke or Louis Farrakhan were on the right side of global warming, labor rights, etc. Would they have earned a microphone at the inauguration?

I am amazed at the logical contortions some DUers are going through to justify the inclusion of a bigot in what should (and would otherwise) be a hopeful and inspiring event.

[ellacott]

41. Suppose?

I'm asking you to name one. Most racists don't share positions compatible to Dems. That's why I'm asking.

We can make hypotheticals all day.

[riqster]

43. First McClurkin, now Warren

Obama seems tone-deaf WRT GLBT issues.