Inaugural benediction by Rev. Joseph Lowery:
‘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’… “
It’s just as easy to forget the responsibility of the individual to choose what is difficult but right NOW and not make an excuse to choose what is easy now because of the past.
Tim in VT, news flash for you – slavery in the US ceased to exist a very long time ago. As for who was capturing and selling the slaves, well guess what it wasn’t “whitey”
Even more interesting as a fact is that black Americans are much better off than Africans and have no interest in moving back. Of course if you are one of the leftist loonies who love to wallow in self-hatred and imagine guilt, you will not be interested in truth.
stuck in the workshop with nothing but CBC radio in rural ON – live feed from an Ottawa teacher with the girls in her class at the big show in DC – Q. What struck you about his speech? A. well it wasn’t so much what he said as how he said it. He’s so passionate
Pretty well sums it up for me
Jim
Lowery’s comments are indeed far from “post racial”. I believe they are also inaccurate, describing more closely the America of 60 years ago rather than the America of today. To the extent that Obama knew of Lowrey’s comments in advance, I suppose he can be held somewhat responsible for them. Nevertheless, I chose not to dwell on the matter excessively.
In the midst of our folly, we Americans get either the leaders we deserve or those that God, in his infinite mercy, sends us. I hope that Barack Obama is among the latter, and I think it is contemptible to anticipate, if not to wish, his disgrace solely because it would vindicate our opposition to his election. Let us wait and see what he does rather than whip ourselves into a rightious froth over what he might do. If his actions violate our principles, let us oppose his actions rather than the man himself. The vitriol that I’ve occasionally seen on this and other websites is appropriate for war against a tyrant like Hitler. I am not at war with my fellow Americans, and Obama is not Hitler.
One black Rev who is not impressed with Obama’s blackness.
Her name is “Ms. Ann”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuEc-nFULY8
Glen Beck on Fox just ripped Rev Lowery for his remarks and also pointed out that Obama smiled when Lowery made his remarks.
Not a good start for Obama if he wants to unite and time for Obama to replace all his rhetoric with positive action for Americans.
I look forward to a day when a black American can play at the Masters and be welcome there.
I look forward to a day when a woman can run for president.
I look forward to a day when Hispanics will be welcome to live in Nuevo Mexico, and will not be turned back at the border.
I lost my mind about twenty years ago.
And what about Asiatics? I would never include Chinese/Japanese/Korean in ‘brown’, were I to be classifying people that way. Or are they totally beneath notice?
RSP
Much of our skepticism comes from his campaign. It is true that we can not judge his Presidency before it happens; but, is it wrong to anticipate he will do things we disagree with based on his campaign promises? BO appears to have moved a bit “right” since winning the election, and from what I can tell he has been applauded by the “right” for it.
So in short:
If Barak does what we(conservatives) think he will do, then we will be unhappy; but, if he doesn’t keep many of his election promises(which it appears he might not), then most of us will be very happy. Who knows, if he strays far enough away from his election platform, conservatives may vote for him in numbers next time, considering conservatism seems to be a lost art in the GOP.
And what about Asians? I would never include Chinese/Japanese/Korean in ‘brown’, were I to be classifying people that way. Or are they totally beneath notice?
Hitler?
RSP are you kidding?
Remember way back like 4 hours ago,….Chimpy Mc BushHitler?
Helicopter back to Texas?
Ring a bell?
I do hope there enough high horses in the land for everyone to take a turn?
Yeah, Obama’s in big trouble if his presidency is about — or seen to be about — being black.
Watching CBC a while ago, newscaster Harry somebody turned us over to “Canadians’ reactions” to the Inauguration. Well, who would have thought that Canadians were 100% black? Those are the only “Canadians” who were asked for their opinion. I guess mine doesn’t count.
GIVE. ME. A. BREAK.
Now the shoe’s on the other foot, Mr. President Barak Obama. Let’s see YOU wear “tolerance,” “openness,” and “diversity” the way you expect white presidents to.
I’m not getting a good feeling about the racial “harmony” this new presidencey is supposed to be fostering. For two countries — the U.S.A. and Canada — who say they believe in “equality” I’m seeing and sensing some “gotcha” stuff going on, to the extent that after the first few bands in the parade, I asked my husband (seeing as I’m blogging and watching at the same time) if there had been any white bands, or mixed bands, yet. “Nope, not yet.”
I think it was the Marine Band that broke the black band syndrome. A sign of things to come?
On inauguration day the stock market Changed.
On inauguration day the stock market Changed.
I guess I too am tired of a world were ALL white people are free and rich. A world where ALL white people have no problems, no misery, only good times and happiness. Where the world is an oyster open to ALL white people. Where ALL white people treat all who are not white like crap. Where counties ruled by white people don’t let anyone in who is not white. Where no one who is not white can have a decent life let alone become president of the most powerful nation in the world.
Ya, I am really tired of that state of affairs.
Who will ever do anything for the non white folks of the world?
From what I have seen around this world the people who do the most for black people are white people.
And here’s the surprise … Most white people are not rich and do not have perfect lives. They struggle like anyone anywhere to make a life for themselves. Did you get that … “for themselves”.
All the Obamites need to know that know one gives you a life. You have to make it for yourself. Now that a black man is in the oval office, all the Obamites will be forced to accept that fact because believe as you might, Obama is NOT going to deliver black, brown, yellow, red or white people to Nirvana. Nothing is changed … reality will still rule.
If Obama is for real, and I hope he is, things may improve over the next four years generally, but nirvana ain’t on the menu … ever!
Best wishes to the Obamas and a big thank you to the Bushes for keeping us safe for the past seven years.
richfisher:
“Chimpy Mc BushHitler” is precsely the sort of vitriol I think is counter-productive. The left descends to it at least as often as does the right, perhaps more so. I’ve never claimed otherwise. I would point out, however, that Obama does not speak that way. Nor does George Bush or John McCain.
Now, if you would explain your use of the term “high horse”, perhaps both of us might benefit.
I am still waiting for the day when I can park in Toronto and not worry about the low-panted, bandanna wearing wobble-walking black dude who wanders to my window and asks me for asmoke while his eyes are darting around my truck’s contents.
“The vitriol that I’ve occasionally seen on this and other websites is appropriate for war against a tyrant like Hitler. I am not at war with my fellow Americans, and Obama is not Hitler.”
I’ll explain “high horse” when you kindly point out one Hitler Obama equivalency smear you see occasionally here.
I always thought of myself as not white but more of a pinkish tone with small spots of melanin and a sunburned reddish neck….
I did notice that the great Obama’s facial expression changed with the “white” part of the prayer.
,
Being raised in Mt. Olive, Louisiana USA, IMHO,
we should re-negotiate the Louisiana Purchase.
,
Yeah … every new POTUS deserves the chance to make or break it on the job. That’s how it works.
Vitrol?
Well I for one Hope that I won’t have to hear or read more azzgazz from the likes Joseph Lowery.
Lowery who has apparently had his head up his sphincter for the last 50 years and found this to be the appropriate time to come out and breath on us.
Hope so … not expect it to happen though.
You may wish to take note of the behaviour of Obama supporters in regard to the departing GWB …. especially the gestures of one Rahm Emanuel
Also you may note that other post on Drudge concerning the DOW.
Having just heard the Rev. Lowery’s full prayer, taken in context, he was having some fun, lightening the sombreness of the occasion.
I say, God bless President Barak Obama and God bless the United States of America.
I have grave doubts about President Obama’s preparedness for this office. I have grave concerns about the route he has taken to the White House via the circumlocutions of the Chicago “newtwork.”
But, for the sake of sanity, for the sake of a genuine need for the redemption of a me-first, selfish generation and its need for real reform, I hope and pray that Barak Obama’s presidency is a step forward. To do this, it can’t get bogged down in partisanship or more racial divisions.
All I can say is, good luck to him. And God bless him. He’s going to need God’s help.
batb,
I agree he was pulling out the old Black Church chestnut of rhyming and Say amen….thats all well and good…it is fun and i wish my church was a little lighter sometime…but the content chosen to pull the moment off was wrong.
I mean couldnt he find another word to rhyme with white, like light, bright, sight etc etc
of course you can imagine the other bad words he might have chosen
fright, fight, might,
Bad choice, more reflective of an attitude that would make sense in front of a black church than a multiracial audience that “shock” includes white people.
Once again, being charitable, if this is the only time this comes up then fine. But it only serves to confirm the worst suspicions of some. It was an error.
Thanks rural and Right, I thought for sure that Obama noticed the sour note in the rhyming as well. Lowrey is from a different time. I dont think a younger preacher would have made the same comment.
Its an indulgent conversation and mistake that the U.S. cannot afford to engage in.
As someone said, the danger is that the Presidency is seen as a Black Presidency, as opposed to an american presidency then Obama has a political problem.
anyway, one day, one line by one preacher. All should be forgotten by tomorrow..
richfisher:
By “vitriol” I mean contempt, usually motivated by fear, that we direct at a person rather than at his ideas. It needn’t take an explicit “Obama = Hitler” formulation to qualify.
It is my impression, admittedly subjective, that opposition to Obama essentially preceeds analysis. I think it arises from the belief held by many white people, myself included, that black people on average are less capable than whites. We therefore fear a black president because we are afraid that he knows what we think and will treat us accordingly. Is this mode of thought “immature”? Perhaps, though I am not entirely convinced that it can be dismissed so easily. Is it common? I think it is.
As I’ve indicated, I myself have had this sort of reaction to Obama and have tried to analyse it. Perhaps I am wrong to think that it is widely shared, but somehow I feel otherwise. I suspect that we are not nearly as rational as we would like to think. In any case, I do believe it is important to stay focused on what actually happens rather than indulge in conjectures that merely confirm our previously-stated positions. That is why I prefer to wait for Obama’s actual performance and evaluate it in accordance with principle. I hope I can do so “rationally”:)
Indiana Homez:
I have no problem with your post. In fact, I could have written most of it myself. The self-betrayal of the GOP is indeed sad.
batb:
Liked your most recent post. Lincoln-like in sentiment if not tone.
Bush gave an awesome “Texan” homecoming speech today, and funny.
Good luck to PrezBarry.
“The white man embrace whats right”??? OK. Obama. It is NEVER going to be enough is it. With you it is always going to be something. You are gonna ride that race train forbloodyever.
Race baiting divisiveness the first frikkin’ day…good start…I can hardly wait to see some of the creeps being kept in the closet until the appointments are made.
Stephen, fright, fight, might … how about trite?
I’m mostly agreed that the Rev. Lowery’s having a little fun was badly timed and that his judgment about the solemnity of the occasion was lacking. On the other hand, I don’t think he was being malicious, just capricious.
If the sticking it to whitey, when all the other rhymin’ Simon stuff was non-judgmental, is indicative of things to come, then Obama’s presidency is in deep trouble from the start (which I’ve been thinking for some months now, but am hoping I’ll be proven wrong …).
More thinking about this: What does the choice of the Rev. Lowery by Pres. Obama and/or his advisors say about their judgment?
Who/what else are they going to foist on “non-ethnics”? It does give one pause for thought …
good thing this isn’t africa whites whould be in deep shit with a blck president.
I appreciate Rudy’s comments from above, and agree with them. An inauguration speech shouldn’t be so somber.
Democracy sure is a pageant, and I can forgive elderly folks their moments of reminiscing.
As bad as Bush was (or seemed), Obama could have complimented him for the millions of African lives his HIV Prevention program is saving, or the Ocean Biosphere he set up. The CAMPAIGN IS OVER!
I don’t know how many of you watched the Party coverage, but many of the young hip-hop stars impressed me in interviews. They have big responsibilities now, and those who are already wealthy and have “arrived” would do well to set a better example than their predecessors.
Looking forward to 2009 in Canadian Politics. Let’s bring down Section 13!
I’m very hopeful to think what the combined Canada/US force can accomplish in Afghanistan.
Congrats again to Kate for another successful, award-winning year.
I think the Rev. was playing off an old blues song that would have been very familiar to people of his generation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZLw5ahxm-Q
Black, Brown And White (Version 1)
by Big Bill Broonzy
recording of September 20 1951, Paris
from, copyright notice
This little song that I’m singin’ about,
people you know it’s true
If you’re black and gotta work for a living,
this is what they will say to you,
they says, “If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, stick around,
but as you’s black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back”
I was in a place one night
They was all having fun
They was all buyin’ beer and wine,
but they would not sell me none
They said, “If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, stick around,
but if you black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back”
Me and a man was workin’ side by side
This is what it meant
They was paying him a dollar an hour,
and they was paying me fifty cent
They said, “If you was white, ‘t should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but as you black, hmm boy, get back, get back, get back”
I went to an employment office,
got a number ‘n’ I got in line
They called everybody’s number,
but they never did call mine
They said, “If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but as you black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back”
I hope when sweet victory,
with my plough and hoe1
Now I want you to tell me brother,
what you gonna do about the old Jim Crow?
Now if you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but if you black, whoa brother, get back, get back, get back
“It is my impression, admittedly subjective, that opposition to Obama essentially preceeds analysis.”
I vote for this for most laughable comment on the thread.
I suggest that the original writer read it over several times, enough times that he can see what is so ridiculous about it.
I am soooo humbled by this prayer and me being a “white man.” I guess I just didn’t realize!