Personally, I like the idea of a guy bypassing a lucrative career on Wall Street to 'serve the least of these' for three years. Sounds to like a guy who's putting 'country first.' And I took a quick peek at John McCain's Senate voting record. Stopped counting at 300 present votes. But I still love you!
I recently got this comment from an anonymous reader:
I come here from time to time, reading your posts and, at times, been moved by the sensitivity you document. You have a gift of slowing down and seeing the beauty in life that most people are not even are of. However, I have to say that I'm very saddened by this post, Steve.
I'm guessing you are agreeing with Rudy that either (1) being a community organizer is not qualification enough for President; and/or (2) you agree with Rudy in that it's laughable. Granted, I'm make two assumptions here. So if I'm off here, Steve, you'll need to fill in the blanks with more than "I agree with Rudy... I don't like the booing.....but he does have a point."
On the first count, I am a bit dumbfounded: Being a UCLA graduate, I know you're a smart guy. So I would think that you'd realize that Obama isn't making the jump right from community organizer to DNC Presidential nominee as Rudy (and Palin, ironically) would like you to believe. After Obama did this for three years, RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE, he was a civil rights lawyer for nine years, taught constitutional law for eleven years, worked in the state legislature for eight years, and has been a Senator for nearly four years. Yes, he's young and it would be nice to have more experience.
That brings me to the second issue -- which I find truly troubling given what I've always taken to believe to be truly sensitive posts. Maybe he does not have enough experience to be President. That is a legitimate concern. But to tear the man down and make fun of him is just wrong and hateful. Steve, at the various churches I attended growing up -- ALL very conservative in practice and demographics (e.g., Bel Air Pres, Brentwood Pres) -- the Christ we were taught to emulate was the work of a community organizer. Reaching out in the community or traveling down to Mexico to build houses for the poor -- that is community organizing. How can you stand beside a comment like that that mocks it? IIRC, I have read posts about how you, your family and congregation do this work regularly. Yes, it does not make such good doers qualified to be President on its own... but you DO GET a view of the real world beyond the headlines. I bet your trips to New Orleans or a spouse’s trip to Mexico could shed a perspective on what is REALLY GOING ON there that a Washington bureaucrat would not know from simply passing laws from their ivory tower. Steve, community organizers are the ones who get their hands dirty. They are the everyday heroes who work for virtually no money to help those in need get back on their feet. Community organizers (and this is why I'm especially repulsed by a former candidate who's whole campaign was based upon 9/11) were the ones who got New York back up on its feet. What's more, as the previous poster said, Obama walked away from a lucrative career (as did his wife) to do this work. Pretty amazing for an "elitist" wouldn't you say?
I just don't understand when it became acceptable in this country to utter and condone such hurtful and hateful comments. Seems that no ones "slows down" to stop and see the collateral damage it does to people and our country.
I'm not trying to convince you to vote for Obama. You want to vote for a guy who's wife was a USC cheerleader, go for it. (I'm joking here as one Bruin to another). I'm honestly not writing here to convince you otherwise. With all do respect, I don't care whom you vote for. I'm just asking you to be stand up and break the destructive pattern of tearing other people down. It does not make McCain or Palin look at better. At best, it just tells me what your against (which is all I seem to distill from the GOP for the last eight years). At worst, the ugliness becomes pervasive and taints what I thought was a genuineness in life’s daily observations you post. It just points to an incongruence between a man who loves his family enough to share the real beauty he sees, yet is willing to condone a statement mocking 36 months of loving actions hoping to rebuilt the most trouble-ridden parts of Chicago.
With real estate down, maybe now is a good time to take a break from your career and take the short drive from South Pasadena to South Central. Maybe 40 hours of community service over the next three years would help you understand how offensive it was and how ashamed I am to read your post.
Thank you that you think I might be a sensitive person. Lots of time I am not, just ask my family. I think your comment can be classified as a "rant".
Clearly, by merely posting a video, you seen to think that I endorse every word of it, inclusive of the tone. I found it humorous, please relax a bit.
To be frank, I am very unhappy with the tone of both political parties. The Republicans certainly do not have a corner on mean spirited politics. Forgive me, but at this point, I am very pragmatic as a voter. Obama is a good, intelligent, and I am sure, kind man, who attempts to serve the people as best he can.
I am very concerned about his experience and ability to lead, beyond the fact that he is a political "rock star". It is as simple as that. Platitudes and promises of massive government spending do not sway me. I did not mean in any way to demean his job experience; and I did not, Rudy did.
I simply think we need someone with about 10 more years of leadership at the national level on the democratic ticket. Rudy's comment struck a note with me in that regard.
At this point in time we do not need on the job training in a President.
Please, when you respond, do not assume to know things about my life you do not. Your snide judgment of me was painful and ill-informed. Your comment was not dialog, it was condemnation.
I apologize for my seemingly thuggish behavior.
I continue to stumble forward, leaning on God's grace.
I think the calming down needs to come from your side, Steve. I have to say your reply seems to be projecting a bit. If you are upset that I'm assuming you are lockstep with Rudy, then I suggest (1) you say how you feel rather than using a video and say "he has a point" and hope the reader has ESP to what you REALLY feel; (2) re-read what I wrote in the second paragraph about assumptions.
Obama might very well be unqualified. If you feel that way just say it. If you need to use a video that questions his character, then you better own up to the implications if you say "he has a point." It's as if you used a sound byte from Rush and now are cowering away from it's implications.
As for me pretending I know you... I would check that at the door. I never claimed to know you beyond saying your posts (non-political) seem to be sensitive.
But truth be told, you have said a lot on your blog: your church struggles, the loss of your parents, your family, vacations, etc. So you've put a lot out there about yourself. The only assumption I've made about YOU is that I think you have a gift for sensitivity -- which I questions given your hostile reply. But I stand by what I feel your POST (see the difference here?) and what it implies.
you don't need to know ME wrt this issue. it's superfluous. this is such an american issue of politics and it being personal. i've never understood that.
6 comments:
Personally, I like the idea of a guy bypassing a lucrative career on Wall Street to 'serve the least of these' for three years. Sounds to like a guy who's putting 'country first.' And I took a quick peek at John McCain's Senate voting record. Stopped counting at 300 present votes. But I still love you!
I recently got this comment from an anonymous reader:
I come here from time to time, reading your posts and, at times, been moved by the sensitivity you document. You have a gift of slowing down and seeing the beauty in life that most people are not even are of. However, I have to say that I'm very saddened by this post, Steve.
I'm guessing you are agreeing with Rudy that either (1) being a community organizer is not qualification enough for President; and/or (2) you agree with Rudy in that it's laughable. Granted, I'm make two assumptions here. So if I'm off here, Steve, you'll need to fill in the blanks with more than "I agree with Rudy... I don't like the booing.....but he does have a point."
On the first count, I am a bit dumbfounded: Being a UCLA graduate, I know you're a smart guy. So I would think that you'd realize that Obama isn't making the jump right from community organizer to DNC Presidential nominee as Rudy (and Palin, ironically) would like you to believe. After Obama did this for three years, RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE, he was a civil rights lawyer for nine years, taught constitutional law for eleven years, worked in the state legislature for eight years, and has been a Senator for nearly four years. Yes, he's young and it would be nice to have more experience.
That brings me to the second issue -- which I find truly troubling given what I've always taken to believe to be truly sensitive posts. Maybe he does not have enough experience to be President. That is a legitimate concern. But to tear the man down and make fun of him is just wrong and hateful. Steve, at the various churches I attended growing up -- ALL very conservative in practice and demographics (e.g., Bel Air Pres, Brentwood Pres) -- the Christ we were taught to emulate was the work of a community organizer. Reaching out in the community or traveling down to Mexico to build houses for the poor -- that is community organizing. How can you stand beside a comment like that that mocks it? IIRC, I have read posts about how you, your family and congregation do this work regularly. Yes, it does not make such good doers qualified to be President on its own... but you DO GET a view of the real world beyond the headlines. I bet your trips to New Orleans or a spouse’s trip to Mexico could shed a perspective on what is REALLY GOING ON there that a Washington bureaucrat would not know from simply passing laws from their ivory tower. Steve, community organizers are the ones who get their hands dirty. They are the everyday heroes who work for virtually no money to help those in need get back on their feet. Community organizers (and this is why I'm especially repulsed by a former candidate who's whole campaign was based upon 9/11) were the ones who got New York back up on its feet. What's more, as the previous poster said, Obama walked away from a lucrative career (as did his wife) to do this work. Pretty amazing for an "elitist" wouldn't you say?
I just don't understand when it became acceptable in this country to utter and condone such hurtful and hateful comments. Seems that no ones "slows down" to stop and see the collateral damage it does to people and our country.
I'm not trying to convince you to vote for Obama. You want to vote for a guy who's wife was a USC cheerleader, go for it. (I'm joking here as one Bruin to another). I'm honestly not writing here to convince you otherwise. With all do respect, I don't care whom you vote for. I'm just asking you to be stand up and break the destructive pattern of tearing other people down. It does not make McCain or Palin look at better. At best, it just tells me what your against (which is all I seem to distill from the GOP for the last eight years). At worst, the ugliness becomes pervasive and taints what I thought was a genuineness in life’s daily observations you post. It just points to an incongruence between a man who loves his family enough to share the real beauty he sees, yet is willing to condone a statement mocking 36 months of loving actions hoping to rebuilt the most trouble-ridden parts of Chicago.
With real estate down, maybe now is a good time to take a break from your career and take the short drive from South Pasadena to South Central. Maybe 40 hours of community service over the next three years would help you understand how offensive it was and how ashamed I am to read your post.
My reply is this:
Thank you that you think I might be a sensitive person. Lots of time I am not, just ask my family. I think your comment can be classified as a "rant".
Clearly, by merely posting a video, you seen to think that I endorse every word of it, inclusive of the tone. I found it humorous, please relax a bit.
To be frank, I am very unhappy with the tone of both political parties. The Republicans certainly do not have a corner on mean spirited politics. Forgive me, but at this point, I am very pragmatic as a voter. Obama is a good, intelligent, and I am sure, kind man, who attempts to serve the people as best he can.
I am very concerned about his experience and ability to lead, beyond the fact that he is a political "rock star". It is as simple as that. Platitudes and promises of massive government spending do not sway me. I did not mean in any way to demean his job experience; and I did not, Rudy did.
I simply think we need someone with about 10 more years of leadership at the national level on the democratic ticket. Rudy's comment struck a note with me in that regard.
At this point in time we do not need on the job training in a President.
Please, when you respond, do not assume to know things about my life you do not. Your snide judgment of me was painful and ill-informed. Your comment was not dialog, it was condemnation.
I apologize for my seemingly thuggish behavior.
I continue to stumble forward, leaning on God's grace.
I think the calming down needs to come from your side, Steve. I have to say your reply seems to be projecting a bit. If you are upset that I'm assuming you are lockstep with Rudy, then I suggest (1) you say how you feel rather than using a video and say "he has a point" and hope the reader has ESP to what you REALLY feel; (2) re-read what I wrote in the second paragraph about assumptions.
Obama might very well be unqualified. If you feel that way just say it. If you need to use a video that questions his character, then you better own up to the implications if you say "he has a point." It's as if you used a sound byte from Rush and now are cowering away from it's implications.
As for me pretending I know you... I would check that at the door. I never claimed to know you beyond saying your posts (non-political) seem to be sensitive.
But truth be told, you have said a lot on your blog: your church struggles, the loss of your parents, your family, vacations, etc. So you've put a lot out there about yourself. The only assumption I've made about YOU is that I think you have a gift for sensitivity -- which I questions given your hostile reply. But I stand by what I feel your POST (see the difference here?) and what it implies.
Obama is unqualified.
I can't stand Rush.
Anonymity on the internet is not a good thing.
Peace
you don't need to know ME wrt this issue. it's superfluous. this is such an american issue of politics and it being personal. i've never understood that.
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