Obama's remarks about his Grandmother melted my heart.

[Raven]

Imagine being him and having your beloved white Grandmother saying that she was afraid of black men...or making racist comments. Imagine growing up with that disconnect. Growing up with a grandparent who sacrificed so that you could be successful in your life. Imagine having to somehow find meaning, love, forgiveness in this and harmonizing all of it to try to make sense of it. Imagine going on national TV and trying to explain it, talk about it. If anyone here does not think that this man has character, grace and strength then I don't want to be in the lifeboat with you but he'd be my first choice to man the oars.

Whether Obama ended his career tonight or began it, whatever the talking heads decide to make of all of this, I heard a voice for our age and for the ages tonight and I will never forget that speech. I hope we can all rise to its subtle challenge.

[IndianaJones]

1. heh. nt

[better tomorrow]

2. Barack's two grandmothers......

Talk about cocoa and sugar combining to make something as sweet as him......

[NOLALady]

39. Cafe au lait.

[1800flowers]

3. I still ask, was he unaware of Wright's views of America?

20 years knowing him. It looks like enough time to me.

[Raven]

5. I guess you never had an obnoxious Aunt. I wouldn't even want

to discuss the ideas that the Priest who married me and baptised my child held.

[democrattotheend]

7. Are these necessarily Wright's views of America?

Or are these possibly just snippets taken out of 30 years worth of sermons? If the guy hated America so much why did he serve in the marines?

[2rth2pwr]

38. Lee Harvey Oswald served as a Marine.

[roguevalley]

47. For godsake. You are incapable of shame. truth to power? HA!

[Hieronymus]

8. Obviously, you didn't hear Obama's speech today.

[better tomorrow]

12. wrong thread....this is about grannies......

[ElsewheresDaughter]

14. Oprah had the good sense to leave Wrights church years ago after attending for only 2 yrs

she got as far away from his racist bigotry before it ruined her career

[woolldog]

42. Do you know Oprah personally?

If not, how do you know why she left that Church? Do you speak for Oprah?

[NOLALady]

43. Did she say that?

[KittyWampus]

17. what are Wright's views of America? Have you listened to his entire body of sermons and biblical

scholarship that you can give us an informed comment regarding his outlook?

Or are you just intent on being disruptive?

[Forkboy]

19. Welcome back!

[merh]

25. You didn't read the speech did you.

And you haven't watched Wright's sermons in toto, you have just focused on the blurbs taken out of context.

Sad, to be lead to hate with snippets. Or is it the snippets help you rationalize and support your hate?

Your mischaracterizations of Wright the man are hate speech, imho.

[marmar]

28. What is with all the hit-and-run attack posters?

You spew the most inane and ridiculous bullshit, then run and hide!?!

[Forkboy]

37. They come out at night.

:)

[NOLALady]

41. Maybe. Maybe not.

Wrightd views , Obama's GrandMothers views have nothing to do with how well he will run this country.

[BenDavid]

4. He thew the woman who raised him and sacrificed for

him under the bus by painting her a racist and embraced the man who preaches hate to his congregation to ensure its continuance. I cringe at the thought of the hatred and lies that are inculcated into the young minds (all minds actually) at that church. I envision people walking out of church after services hating whites and american more than they did going in. Obama agreed w/ this organization by his and attendance and financial support. And somehow this qualifies him as the one to bring racial healing to this country? The sheer audacity.

[marmar]

9. Oh please.....Surely you don't even buy your own bullshit.

The sheer audacity indeed - YOURS!.... Have you no decency, sir?

[XemaSab]

10. So you've never had a racist relative?

Where's your family from? :shrug:

[donheld]

16. No they (ignored) never had a racist relative

they are the racist relative.

[durrrty libby]

11. I know. He threw poor grammy under the bus. Obviously, he'll

do anything to win.

[Forkboy]

21. Projection

[my3boyz]

13. Liar..he did not throw her under the bus! He did not use the

story for political reasons either. He mentioned that about his grandmother in his first book. However, of course you would not know that. You prefer to go around spewing your hate.

[cottonseed]

15. Go to your bathroom. Crawl into the toilet. Reach for the handle and flush.

[Raven]

18. Listen, we have to own up to the violence and damage we did

to other people. Your mentality is the same as GWB who wants us to think that somehow we've done the Iraqi people a favor by destroying and looting their country. We did terrible things to black people in this country and it can't be sugar coated or wished away. What I think is behind all of this is that we'd like to forget we did this damage. Now we are being reminded that the memories and distrust don't fade that fast.

In Boston, when I ws a child, my father was the first Irishman to become a partner is a large Yankee law firm (notice after all these years later I still call this a "Yankee firm"), we used to have to go to these outings and my mother would tell us "You are going to be the only Irish Catholics at this thing and you better be cleaner and better behaved that anyone else because it will be noticed if you are not." This is nothing compared to what black people have been through in this country but I can understand. In Boston Irish couldn't get jobs, couldn't live where they wanted to. This doesn't die, the hurts aren't that easily put aside. I lived a very advantaged life but my father had to be much better that everyone else and I always knew that. I take that with me even today.

[Forkboy]

22. Raven, you're totally wasting your time trying to reach Ben with any sense.

All his posts are like this. Hate filled and moronic to the the extreme.

[WillyT]

30. Yep...

And not an ounce of useful info in almost any of them.

:shrug:

[Forkboy]

31. Almost?

:D

[WillyT]

33. Trying To Be... Kind ???

:evilgrin:

[Cha]

46. Oh you let out what

I had on ignore.. Such freedom I've had for months now.

[cali]

50. I don't know why she's allowed to post her racist filth here

[Forkboy]

51. One of the worst here, no doubt.

And no attempts made to even hide it. :shrug:

[woolldog]

44. Raven, how could they tell whether you were Irish or not?

forgive my ignorance but I was wondering that as I read your post. Thanks.

[Raven]

48. Well, it was the little matter of having the "map of Ireland on my face"

as they used to say. In addition to that, my last name and the fact that everyone knew because he (my Dad) was the first Irishman in that alw firm.

[madrchsod]

23. you need to get a grip on reality.

[KingFlorez]

29. He didn't throw her under the bus

He was making a point and a very valid one at that.

[NOLALady]

45. Somehow

the vision of a bunch of white folk walking out of a Church like zombies hating themselves and other whites is hilarious.
His congregation is mixed, predominately white.:rofl:

[cali]

49. He did nothing of the sort. And he wrote about his grandmother

years ago and her fears and bias. Oh never mind. You are what you are. And most people here know bigots when they see them spewing their filth here day in and day out.

[marmar]

6. Yeah, that was quite powerful....And it just showed how complex and amazing....

.... and seemingly contradictory our society is. That the woman could harbor racist thoughts, and at the same time love her half-black grandson with all her heart. And a preacher could say something that sounds "anti-American" but is actually supporting the American ideals.
It's so easy to dismiss someone as a white racist, or a black radical or nationalistic Mexican immigrant or angry feminist or breeder-hating gay without trying to understand the complexities of it all. We once went through a diversity workshop at work that was pretty intense - there were tears, there was yelling, there was anger - but in the end there was greater understanding.

[madrchsod]

20. my dad who never said anything bad about the "negroes"

always made remarks about the jews..nothing really offensive it was just something he never got over since he was a kid in the 20`s..

[Upton]

24. My late grandparents were both racists

some of the things they'd say would burn my ears, but like Obama I loved them all the same. Different generations, different times, different experiences, all that has to be taken into account. People are so quick to judge.

[Raven]

26. God! No one can deny this...we love, we reject some things, we

accept and go on. This is the human condition and Obama described it to a tee today.

[Blue_Roses]

32. Fear and ignorance.

is rooted in prejudice. I grew up living around it too--in the '60's and in the Deep South no less. Yep, I can relate:hi:

[Raven]

36. Here's my bottom line (and then I'm going to bed because I've worked

about 16 hours now and I am beginning to become intollerant and incoherant!) As a young child, I knew hate...nowhere near the violent hate other people experienced. But I knew it was there and I knew it could keep me back. I was white and I could "pass". And I did pass because I could. You go figure that out. All I know is that with the very trivial encounter I've had with this, I get it, boy do it get it.

[mzmolly]

27. Very nicely stated Raven.

:hi:

[arewenotdemo]

34. Ab-so-lutely, and well stated!

:kick:

[elixir]

35. Daily Kos: Let's Have Some Fun

What a great guy Kos is, a true Democrat and clearly a supporter of the Great one. He's screwed it for those that switched over and will want to vote in MI now.

"Now here's the thing -- without a real Democratic contest on the ballot, and a lack of party registration in Michigan, this is an open primary. Anyone can pick up a Republican ballot. So Michigan Democrats and independents who want to see the Republican battle royale continue should just take a few minutes on Tuesday, January 15th to cast a ballot for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary.

If you know someone in Michigan, send them the email I've included below the fold. If you don't know someone in Michigan, send the email to your liberal friends and see if THEY have friends in Michigan. Get the word out, whether by blog, mailing list, MySpace or Facebook page, or whatever.

If we can help push Mitt over the line, not only do we help keep their field fragmented, but we also pollute Romney's victory. How "legitimate" will the Mittster's victory look if liberals provide the margin of victory? Think of the hilarity that will ensue. We'll simply be adding fuel to their civil war, never a bad thing from our vantage point.

Michigan Democrats helped deliver their state to McCain in 2000 to spite their hated governor, John Engler, who had "guaranteed" his state to Bush. To prevent such future mischief, Michigan Republicans helped push through a unified tax-payer funded primary date to supposedly keep Democrats focused on their own race (prior to this year, party contests were funded by the parties). Let's make sure their meddling with the Democratic primary and their misuse of taxpayer funds backfires on them.

Michigan is Romney’s last stand. He has pulled all advertising from other states for a last-ditch effort there. It’s sink or swim time for Romney, and we’re going to throw him a lifesaver.

So why are we doing this? Because we can. Because it'll be fun. And because we've suffered Republican meddling, stealing, and disenfranchisement in our elections for far too long.

So get the word out and get out the vote!. Email below the fold."

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/10/2713/87225

"

[Beregond2]

40. Grandmother

As a gay man, I grew up with the same disconnect. Every time someone makes a homophobic comment, it goes through your heart, but never more so than when it comes from a friend or relative. And yet, you continue to love them. I think this goes a long way toward explaining Obama's wide-ranging compassion, and willingness to build bridges and reach across divides. When you grow up in that kind of a situation, you realize quickly that you'd better learn to love and accept people as they are, or you won't have anyone.

[KoKo]

52. Did you have "Big Problems" with your "Own" Grandma? Seems like it to post this...

He threw his Grandma "out of the bus" portraying her as a "racist old bag."

Hey...many of us have racists in our families (that's why we are here on DU) but Obama's portrayal of his Grandma ..makes me think he has "big time Psychological Problems with the way he was raised."

Reminds me of Chimpy who has so many problems with Bab's Bush...his Mommy...that I worry about Obama. It's not just the psychological problesm with "Mother Abandonment" who dropped Obama on his Grandparents and the Rascist GrandMa...but his other experiences that his father had Four Wives and 8 Children!

Obama has some SERIOUS BAGGAGE TO DEAL WITH! As a person who has had to deal with "serious baggage" of my own...I understand how that stuff comes back and haunts you...eats into your soul and brain...worms it's way in and one always has to FIGHT...do get equilibrium from that "assault of the past" that works against you...

That's what's always worried me about Obama. Another Bush type with Family Problems Baggage who might be so prone to get bogged down in it ....just to PROVE HIMSELF. :shrug: