Obama Inauguration

I also thought his speech was excellent and contained rather more content than rhetoric. OK, there were no snappy quotes for folk to latch onto, but to me that just made it appear less contrived.

Anyway, I'm delighted he's there - not just because of his mixed race parentage but because he's LEFT-HANDED! Yippee!

quote:

Anyway, I'm delighted he's there - not just because of his mixed race parentage but because he's LEFT-HANDED! Yippee!

Burn him I say, 'tis the mark of Satan

The End of an Error !!!

quote:

One interesting comment here was the Aboriginal community leaders saying they hope that one day we can have the same here.

I think they missed the point. Mr Obama is not an Indiginous American, ie not a North American Indian, but a man of mixed European and African parentage. It is in my opinion important to value both his European and African heritage equally and not just his apparent skin tone. He himself has always made a point of his heritage being mixed race so the contiual reference by many to just his African heritage may not be too intelligent in the long run.

David,
Perhaps the point is that Barack Obama comes from what was (or still is) an oppressed minority.
Ken

quote:

The End of an Error !!!

I'm sure that Bush REALLY meant to say

"The end of an era!"

Cheers

Don

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Just hope he will still be alive this time next year.

munch,
I am really annoyed that you keep saying this again and again .

Anyway, the fact that Obama becomes the President of the USA is a great historical event. It is not only about his heritage and the man himself, but it is also about the progress of mankind, a momentous change for the world and for the USA in particular.

I've got to agree with QTT. Munch, don't take this the wrong way, but whatever your reasons for saying what you just have, it is incredibly crass to keep repeating it so often.

Anyhow, good to see Obama's already got down to business and ordered the closure of Guantanamo. It struck me today that after eight years of having a President with literally no idea about anything, we have one who knows what he wants, and (hopefully) how to get it.

CC

Dear Ken M

I take that you are referring to his Celtic heritage.

In the UK there are moves to protect the Celtic languages and heritage from undue German (Anglo Saxon) influences.

As a Celt myself i am very proud to have a man with celtic heritage as President of the United States.

regards David

.........anyway I reckon that the reason so many people turned out and also watched on TV was just to make sure Bush was really going

By the way do you think the mistake in the oath was a deliberate mistake ???? - wasn't that Judge the one who Obama turned down for a appointment to one of the top jobs - my God, it's Bush looking trying to create the justification to return later

quote:

By the way do you think the mistake in the oath was a deliberate mistake ???? - wasn't that Judge the one who Obama turned down for a appointment to one of the top jobs - my God, it's Bush looking trying to create the justification to return later

It's OK, he took it again just to make sure.

quote:

It's OK, he took it again just to make sure.

I know, I think he must have had the same suspicions as me.

quote:

Originally posted by avole:
David,

Can we stop all this heritage/race stuff now, and just give President Obama the support he richly deserves?

Cheers

Couldn't agree more. I find it quite disturbing that one or two here seem obsessed with his colour/ethnic origin etc.

And what's with the "still alive next year" crap? Jeez no wonder we're into recession with this sort of negativity all over the place.

I agree, all the pundits on TV keep mentioning race. Nobody was saying Clinton or Bush were 42nd and 43rd white Presidents. Give the guy a break he's a capable, professional, intelligent man...period.

I do have to say tho even tho I'm not out in the working world, there is a change in attitude locally. People are smiling a bit more and there's less fear or isolation around town.

Wolf, I understand what you mean totally, and it comes as no surprise to learn that the American media are overplaying it, but I think it would be facile to overlook Obama's background completely. I think people are objecting more to the strange hang-up(s) that a few people seem to have about his ancestry, here or on the news, and those who see his background in a negative light.

After hearing one commentator say Obama's inauguration speech lacked anything new or much of a message, I heard another say it didn't have to say much - the man himself is the message.

I think this is very important and shouldn't be denied. It's not just about his race, it's about his beliefs, and what he represents to people of all backgrounds, everywhere. It's a huge story of great historical significance and says a lot about America's electoral system and its belief in freedom and democracy.

Now, like you say, let's allow him to get on with the job in hand.

Well, he's made a great start. Closing Guatanamo and ending torture show that he is prepared to act on his beliefs.
Ken

quote:

Originally posted by KenM:

quote:

One interesting comment here was the Aboriginal community leaders saying they hope that one day we can have the same here.

I think they missed the point. Mr Obama is not an Indiginous American, ie not a North American Indian, but a man of mixed European and African parentage. It is in my opinion important to value both his European and African heritage equally and not just his apparent skin tone. He himself has always made a point of his heritage being mixed race so the contiual reference by many to just his African heritage may not be too intelligent in the long run.

David,
Perhaps the point is that Barack Obama comes from what was (or still is) an oppressed minority.
Ken

Good point Ken, one I immediately thought of myself. But don't expect to get anything very impressive in response. I expect mostly winding up.

A momentous day, indeed.

Regarding Obama's speech, some complained that it lacked a pithy catch phrase, like "Ask not what your country ... " or " ... but fear itself."

But something he did say, that as far as I know no American president has ever said, was his refreshing inclusion of "non-believers" after his list of religions. To me, that acknowledgment is worth more than a thousand pithy catch phrases.

All best,
Fred

The thing about repeatedly saying that someone is going to assassinate Obama is that putting that kind of thought-energy out there doesn't exactly help. Karma, and all that.

All best,
Fred

The election of the first African-American president, one who identifies as a black man, one who is perceived as a black man, is a monumental sea change for the better in a land where not too many years ago black people could not even vote, let alone a land where they were lynched.

Anyone who is inclined to discount Obama's racial identity as the incredibly significant factor that it is, would do well to spend some time listening to black Americans talk, often through their tears, about what his election means to them.

All best,
Fred

Yeah, but he's in office for 5 minutes and he's already been sworn at twice.

arf arf

Fred
You probably have to thank GWB for getting Obama elected.

quote:

You probably have to thank GWB for getting Obama elected.

100% correct.

If Bush hadn't won a second term, the Democrats would have just concluded their 4 year term and the Republicans would have just moved back into the White House. Obama would be a nobody - but fortunately......

Cheers

Don

I found this great quote by MSNBC commentator Rachael Maddow:

The idea that America is too flawed, too scarred by racism to elect a black president? That idea is over.

That's what she said.

All best,
Fred

quote:

Originally posted by Don Atkinson:

quote:

You probably have to thank GWB for getting Obama elected.

100% correct.

Somewhat correct, but nowhere near 100%. Obama himself deserves much of the credit, his charisma, his intellect, his humanism.

All best,
Fred

quote:

his charisma, his intellect, his humanism.

100% correct about the reasons why he (deservidly) got elected.

I certainly wouldn't quibble over my original quote of 100% and your "somewhat correct" statement. Not many things are literally 100% - its a kinda figure of speech and the point is clear - if GWB hadn't made that second term, events would have dictated different presidential circumstances today.

Whatever our political leanings, presidential personality is important, and the current outcome is probably more optomistic than any of the other scenarios that I could imagine, had GWB not won a second term.

Cheers

Don