Did you hear his speech?
If yes, what do you think?
If no please don't try to offer an opinion by only listening to the media's digestion and thinking for you.......seek it out and sit still for 30 minutes and listen.....ONLY then will you be able to offer a credible opinion.

After the speech two questions were hypothetically posed:

Do you think YOU could make that speech? The most likely answer ....yes.

If you are a politician could you make that speech? Most likely answer....no!!!

He decided to make the speech and wrote and edited it himself against the wishes of many of his campaign advisers.

What do I think? I learned a lot more about who he is....hence in my opinion....mission accomplished.

Search it out on the internet I am sure it will be there soon....reading the text of the speech will not come close to the same impact as listening.

BTK

Thanks for the heads up, billethekid. :bigthumbsup:

BTK,

I found the video of his speech on http://www.MSNBC.msn.com/ . This gives me an idea of the character of the man. I can see how he has gotten as far as he has today. I would recommend anybody who is interested in the political process to look at this speech. I have not engaged myself in the process till this point. I am not committed to any one candidate at this time and usually wait till after the conventions to pay attention to the candidates. I will adhere to that process this election also. If Obama is the Democratic nominee it will be interesting to see how the character of both candidates plays out leading to the general election.

pure, unadulterated crap

Sorry, Muncle, don't think that speech was crap -- not of the horse nor any other variety.

There's no question the speech was made to repudiate Rev. White's sermons. I wasn't impressed with the comments about health care, etc. -- they just seemed to be throwaways to remind people this was his platform.

Obama made some very valid points on racism. I've been privileged to have a dear friend who was black and be invited into her home for holidays. He's right, the talk was of racism the family had been forced to participate in and in perceived racism. There was anger in those discussions. Some things were said that would have made Rev. White's statements seem to be devoid of any anger.

As he said, America is not stagnant. It grows and changes with the times. I do remember Rev. King's marches and speeches. I have seen black men hung by the side of the road as a warning to other black men to not get "uppity" and date white women. I have also seen young white men and women risk their lives to help blacks vote. While I have never served in a war, I have seen where the role of the African-American has grown from being cooks and drivers and human cannon fodder to respected members of the military -- people who have fought side by side and become the brothers and sisters of their comrades in arms.

I was impressed with his honesty in discussing these issues. Personally, I think he said some things that needed to be said. I hope most Americans listen to them -- whatever their race, whatever their political persuasion, whatever their beliefs. So, to me, call them crap is an insult to this great nation and its willingness to change.

His speech still hasn't convinced me he's the man to do the job but it has made me respect him a little more.

The entire purpose of this specious twaddle was to stop the uproar about Wright's rantings. First, lets deal with one subject. Last weekend, in a couple venues, Obama claimed that he never heard Wright spout any of his BS previously, in private or in the church, that had he done so, he'd have walked out. Today we find out that yeah, he had been in church and heard him. Oh, he disagreed with them, though.

Later Obama explains that he cannot disown Wright any more than he can the black community or his white grandmother. Does the black community need disowning? Is he attributing Wright's ignorant comments and thought(?) behind them to the black community? Does he think that poorly of an entire community? And then he pulls out the old chestnut about his "white grandmother" who helped raise him. This isn't the first we've heard of her fear of blacks or occasional racial/ethnic stereotyping. And of course, let's liken Geraldine Farraro's non PC comment to all this (oh, he wouldn't do that, but some have attributed deep-seated racial bias to her.

The political speech was just that, yet another talk by yet another politician. He bemoans the idea that some have brought race into the campaign, yet he takes pains in stressing age-old grievances, some valid, some not. And again, he offers no solutions. His claim throughout the campaign is to be this seasons's "Uniter", that he'll bring us all together. Yet his only attempt at bringing anyone together is to bring together the poor against the rich (white) power.

Let's all do it for Ashley. Then we can have change and hope. Bull crap

Just a couple of questions before I tell a story.

One, who's Ashley :dontknow: And, again I ask this, when did hope and change become dirty words?

Now my story. I had a best friend, not just a good friend, my BEST friend, disappear in the middle of the night about 4 years ago and I haven't seen or heard from her since. Now keep in mind, I saw her every week, sometimes 2 or 3 times a week, for almost 20 years. She saw me through hard times, during my father's stroke, through my father's death, she came out in the middle of the night to help me, she was my shoulder to cry on, she was my confidant, she bought me inspirational books and cards when I needed them, she was every inch a Best Friend. She was my Vanessa. Nessie. And she just happened to be black. She is one of the dearest souls that God has ever put on this earth. She put herself through college in New Orleans and held a great job as Asst. Mgr. to one of our suburban villages in Illinois. I watched her raise her two sons without the financial help or the physical presence of their father. I went to their graduations, and to one wedding. And in 20 years, there was never talk of race or race issues between us. Not once. Until her youngest son went for his driver's license. Her oldest son spent lots of time with his Grandfather in Tennessee, so this issue never came up. But when her youngest son was going for his driver's license, she was scared to death and I didn't know why. "Why?" she said, "I'll tell you why. A young black boy driving a car is a target, not talkin' about gangs, but of the police. It's never touched you, so you wouldn't know," she said. And to look at this good woman with tears in her eyes, broke my heart. Well, her worst fears came to be. Her youngest son was picked up by the police, beaten within an inch of his life, and she was called to jail to pick him up. He was doing NOTHING WRONG! Just driving through a predominately white neighborhood around midnight on his way home from a concert. "Mistaken identity," the police mumbled. After that day, I felt a subtle tension between us. We still loved each other. But I could feel her anger and I think she felt my overwhelming shame. It just never was the same. Soon after, her oldest son, came and took them away in the middle of the night because wanted his brother and his mother safe. They had become targets because she had the audacity to start to sue that police department. We never said goodbye. She just disappeared. And I miss her everyday and pray she's safe. And this was only 4 years ago folks! This isn't a movie -- this is the here and now! There is an anger that this country just won't face. I applaud Barak Obama for his speech. Bravo! He was telling you like it is and you don't want to believe it. Do I agree with his pastor? NO! Of course not! Do I know there's an anger? YOU BETCHA! I don't believe Obama spoke like a politician, I believe he spoke from his heart. I'm still in the Hillary camp, but Obama has always had my respect, now even more, and if he wins the nomination, I'll vote for him. If you want to talk about angry white men, (a despicable term) you don't have to look very far. Just turn around and look at McCain. His temper tantrums are on record. That's one short fuse too near the button for me.

Originally Posted by chelsea24

Just a couple of questions before I tell a story.

One, who's Ashley :dontknow:

You might want to listen to or read his speech.

Yes, I know who Ashley is in the speech, I just didn't get your last sentence. It didn't make sense to me. I also didn't get the part in your post where you thought he could magically and immediately come up with a solution to the race problem. I'll say it again, he spoke from his heart and I applaud him. and one of my favorite quotes:

"Never take a person's hope away, it might be all they have."

I expect people will view Obama's speech along partisan lines. If you're a Democrat you'll be wowed by it; vice versa if you're a Republican. I do agree it probably was a speech he would have preferred not to have to give. He's wanted to stay above the fray and not let race come into the equation, but the reverand thing forced his hand. Ultimately I think he would have had to give it though. I just heard a poll that gave numbers for the percentage of people in America who won't vote for him or any other candidate simply because they're black. There is a racial divide out there, and and he's been forced to acknowledge it. Frankly I'm suprised the reverand thing has become so big. Haven't we all at some point been in church where a political stance was taken that is not in keeping with our views? Obama is runnng here, not his former pastor.

Chelsea and Red - :bigthumbsup:
I expected no less from you than a willingness to assume that what a person says is rooted in their honest feelings.
I, too, have not decided on whom I will vote for, but to dismiss this speech as political rhetoric is part of what is keeping us divided on this and other issues. I also elect to learn something from this.
Maybe we are naive, but let's 'hope' not.

I do believe that some of what Obama said was nothing but political rhetoric. I also believe much of what he said was the absolute truth. There is still racism in America. Chels' story is but one example. This racism causes anger and a chasm that needs to be filled. That chasm must be filled by everyone, not just one side or the other.

I had the pleasure of experiencing racism in TV on Monday night. A friend called to say he was in the area and could visit for a few hours. I picked him up in the Miata and we drove to Applebees so he could say hi to Jess. I took him back to his vehicle by I-75 in Wildwood around 10:30 that evening. I was pulled over on Buena Vista. I wasn't speeding, had run no lights or stop signs, made no illegal maneuvers, my car was legally tagged and, so far as I know, the Miata was not on any "hit list." I can only assume I was pulled over because I had a rather well-muscled black male in the passenger seat. While it was not confirmed this was the case when I specifically asked, I was told that it was policy to pull over cars that were "questionable." Gee, never been pulled over before in TV in my car. "Just doing my duty, ma'am. And what's your business in The Villages? Isn't it kinda late to be driving around?" EXCUSE ME???? Ken is holding my arm, trying to calm me down. I'm ready to get out of my car and read the cop the riot act. As it was, I'm sitting in my car muttering quite a few deprecations under my breath. Had Ken not been in the car, I would have not been saying things under my breath. I would have been blasting this cop with every ounce of my being. Of course, I wouldn't have been pulled over had Ken not been in my vehicle.

After I was given "permission" to leave, Ken and I talked about what happened. He was used to it. I'd had it happen before in California about 20 years ago but not since. My friends are my friends -- their color, sexual persuasion, sex, size, etc. are irrelevant. To think that someone I care about is used to being subjected to police harassment simply because he is a man of color makes me sick to my stomach and brings tears to my eyes.

While Obama may not have wanted to say what he did and while there is no question it was politically motivated, it was needed. People need to understand there is a lot of anger in this nation. The riots of the 70s may never occur again but the anger that fueled them is certainly very much alive. Until the day comes when the color of someone's skin truly doesn't matter; when we all say we are first and foremost American rather than German, Irish or whatever even though our families are at least one generation removed from the proclaimed "homeland;" when women actually make the same wage for the same work; when equality is more than just a word but a true way of life, the words of Obama and others like him are needed. I just hope that those who think all is well and that equality is here hear what was said and take it to heart.

So, I will stand by my comments that Obama's words were not crap. I just wish we could all get past the politics that caused the words and feel shame that they were needed.

The only reason there is a racial problem is the few who want notoriety in the race in question continuously and constantly harp and hype it.

Special interest, interest groups (like people running for office) tend to polarize for their advantage.

And of course the ever present media there continuously and constantly making a banquet out of a ham sandwich.....on any subject they can flare into higher viewer/listener numbers.

This thread was originated BECAUSE a speech was heard that was extremely well done objective wise, content wise and delivery wise. The concept of anticipating a person's purpose because they are Democrat, Republican, Pinko, black, brown, democrat, Italian, Jewish, rich or poor or etc, etc never even came into play. It isn't necessary for those who still know how to think for themselves and reach a conclusion without any polarizing external influencing and have no obligation to be bent one way or another by the minority (not race) chiding. No agenda required to think, evaluate and reach a conclusion.

BTK

Chelsea, I read the story you posted about your friend and the alleged police misconduct. Let me share a couple of my stories for balance. I remember a complaint that was made charging the police in an alleged beating. Lawyers pursuing a suit eagerly showed pictures that were taken of nasty bruises all over the alleged minority victim. It looked bad for the police until investigators interviewed one of the children who blurted out that mommy put shoe polish on daddy and took pictures. Case dismissed. While I am not saying there was fraud committed in your case, I certainly would like to hear the other side before rushing to judgement.

Three other cases immediately come to mind involving policemen I knew. I will be brief. One was beaten to death with a shopping cart while trying to control an angry black mob. Another was working traffic at a church bingo a week before his well earned retirement. He was approached by two black youths in a the parking lot. One was the son of a local preacher. They walked up behind him and shot him to death. The third was young patrolman who thought he was responding to a call for help in an ethnic neighborhood. When he arrived a sniper shot him dead as he stepped out of his cruiser. I don't believe he was twenty-five.

There is anger on both sides of the equation. In my opinion, Obama's background suggests he is militant and he certainly does not deny his relationship with a man who uses his ministry to preach hatred of whites and America. I am not optimistic about Obama being a healer.

My point is that we all have stories but some of us just listen to and pass on the ones that satisfy our predisposition regardless of what side of the race issue the opinion holder is on. The anti-cop venom is spewed with equal disdain from both sides of the race equation. He is frequently caught in the crossfire.

Redwitch, it would really be cool if all the bad guys wore signs identifying them as such. However, that is not the case and when a police officer makes a routine stop (there is no such thing as a routine stop for him/her) he has no way of knowing what he is going to confront. Frequently he does not know the age, sex, race or number of occupants until he approaches the driver's window. Cut him some slack, he would like to go home to his family at the end of his shift.

Time magazine last September reported that 54 officers were shot and killed in the line of duty up until the published edition hit the street. They expected it to go over a hundred for the year. They also noted a large number of Florida police officers made that tragic list.

I am not sure if "driving while black" stories are that good a ground to discuss the racial problems in many communities still.

I posted and still post on Findlaw's message boards a lot and there were various active police and or correctional officers on there for years. One story comes to mind of a scantilly clad very attractive African American-Asian American 21 year old woman with severe mental problems who was stopped by police but let go not too soon afterwards even though she had a long history of suicide attempts and the like. The police should have done more with this black-asian woman but she did not seem to be any kind of threat so they let her go. She drove her car over the median into oncoming traffic a few weeks after according to a TN or KY newspaper article of around New Year's Day 2004. She died not to soon after this collision.