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THE ABSURD TIMES
CREDO QUIA ABSRUDUM EST
Illustration: Two coins and their explaination, illustration donated by one of you. I have come to the conclusion that the motto: "In God We Trust" should be replaced with the motto, meaning essentially the same thing, "Credo quia absurdum est." This would certainly fit the situation more aptly.
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So let us say a few words about how religion has been a part of this political campaign. Back in 1958-59, Nixon was running against JFK and pointed out that he had nothing against Kennedy being a Catholic, but he was not so naive as to assume the nobody would. This time around, the pulpit pounders, the fundamentalists, the ignorant, and the stupid are being treated to a festival of religious absurdity that is overwhelming. The voting public is a group from which I am serious considering resigning. If I thought MENSA was shallow and thus resigned, I can hardly be consistent if this idiocy continues or if it makes any difference at all.
We will start with John McVain, now that Hucklebery Hound is out of the race. McVain has been endorsed by religious leaders who consider the Catholic Church an agent of the devil. McVain said "Thank you, sir, I'm honored." Another of McVain's religious supporters asserts that the United States was founded to oppose Islam. [The truth is that John Adams, our second President, explicitly stated otherwise.] McVain said "Thank you, I'm honored." There has been virtually no criticism of McVain about this.
Hillary Clinton, former Goldwater Girl, was asked about the "charge" [what is the penalty?] of Barak being a Moslem. She paused, and finally said "Not that I know of."
But the real absurdities surround Barak Obama. First, Farrakan says its nice to see an African American with a chance to be President. Obama was forced to "denounce" that. Hillary demanded that he "reject it." Well, ok, although it seems that "denounce" is more proactive than "reject," he added "reject." Got any more words for me?
Well, now it is clear that he is a "christian." So, they went after the ex-pastor of his church and I'm pretty certain you have seen them on the networks. Obama said he had never heard those words from he and he "rejects them too."
But what were those words? Well, "The chickens have come home to roost," was one point, a rather trite, homey one. The preacher then elaborated as his point can be paraphrased thus: the U.S. supported the Aparteid government in South Africa in defiance of every other country in the world, except Israel. Since South Africa finally changed somewhat, we have an aparteid situation in the West Back and Gaza in the Middle East. Jimmie Carter was castigated for even suggesting this. [Another ex-President.] The United States invaded Mexico, stole the country now called "Panama," from Columbia, set up dictators in Iran, and around the world. When we captured Norriega, a graduate of the School of the Americas and ex-cia employee, we also killed thousands of his countrymen, all civilians. We killed millions of Vietnamese, mainly civilians. We have killed Iraqis recently, mainly civilians. Osama bin Laden first fought in Afghanistan (on our side v. the Russians) and most of the 9/11 participants were Saudi or Egyptian. We blamed Saddam Hussein, one person bin Laden hated more than us, and attacked him for it. All this while, we were correct and serving God's mission. The preacher said that the 3,000 who died, did so because bin Laden was retaliating against us. Who is surprised that such a thing would happen?
If Obama pointed out that the remarks were correct, how would not have a chance to win. I should point out here that Obama, Clinton, McVain, and George Bush all know these facts, but are quick to deny them. That is why the espression "speak truth to power" is meaningless. Power already knows the truth, and it will continue. Why bother telling them what they already know?
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The article below is a rumincation on Race and Politics in the U.S.:
(And lest I be accused of being racist, the author is African American, so it's ok):
Barack Obama's Problem -- And Ours Along the Color Line
March 15, 2008 By *Manning Marable*
Source: BlackCommentator.com
<http://www.blackcommentator.com/267/267_along_the_color_line_obama.html>
Source: BlackCommentator.com
<http://www.blackcommentator.com/267/267_along_the_color_line_obama.html>
Manning Marable's ZSpace Page </zspace/manningmarable>
Several years ago, I was walking home to my Manhattan apartment from
Columbia University, just having delivered a lecture on New York State's
notorious "Rockefeller Drug Laws." The state's mandatory-minimum
sentencing laws had thrown tens of thousands of nonviolent drug
offenders into state prisons with violent convicts. In my lecture I had
called for more generous prisoner reentry programs, the restoration of
felons' voting rights, increased educational programs inside prisons,
and a restoration of judges' sentencing authority.
Columbia University, just having delivered a lecture on New York State's
notorious "Rockefeller Drug Laws." The state's mandatory-minimum
sentencing laws had thrown tens of thousands of nonviolent drug
offenders into state prisons with violent convicts. In my lecture I had
called for more generous prisoner reentry programs, the restoration of
felons' voting rights, increased educational programs inside prisons,
and a restoration of judges' sentencing authority.
A white administrator from another local university, a woman, who I had
always judged to be fairly conservative and probably a Republican, had
attended my lecture and was walking along with me to go to the subway.
She told me that my lecture about the "prison industrial complex" had
been a real "eye opener." The fact that two million Americans were
imprisoned, she expressed, was a "real scandal."
always judged to be fairly conservative and probably a Republican, had
attended my lecture and was walking along with me to go to the subway.
She told me that my lecture about the "prison industrial complex" had
been a real "eye opener." The fact that two million Americans were
imprisoned, she expressed, was a "real scandal."
Then this college administrator blurted out, in a hurried manner, "You
know, my son is also in prison . a victim of the drug laws."
know, my son is also in prison . a victim of the drug laws."
In a split second, I had to make a hard decision: whether to engage this
white conservative administrator in a serious conversation about
America's gulags and political economy of mass incarceration that had
collaterally ensnared her son, or to pretend that I had not heard her
last sentence, and to continue our conversation as if she had said
nothing at all. Perhaps this is a sign of generational weakness on my
part, but the overwhelming feeling I had at that precise moment was
that, one day, the white administrator would deeply regret revealing
such an intimate secret with a black person. I might tell the entire
world about it. Instead of proceeding on the basis of mutual trust and
common ground, transcending the boundaries of color, it would be better
to ignore what was said in haste.
white conservative administrator in a serious conversation about
America's gulags and political economy of mass incarceration that had
collaterally ensnared her son, or to pretend that I had not heard her
last sentence, and to continue our conversation as if she had said
nothing at all. Perhaps this is a sign of generational weakness on my
part, but the overwhelming feeling I had at that precise moment was
that, one day, the white administrator would deeply regret revealing
such an intimate secret with a black person. I might tell the entire
world about it. Instead of proceeding on the basis of mutual trust and
common ground, transcending the boundaries of color, it would be better
to ignore what was said in haste.
All of this occurred to me in the span of one heartbeat. I decided to
say nothing. Two seconds later, I could visually detect the signs of
relief on the woman's face. African Americans have survived in the
United States for over four hundred years because, at least up to the
most recent generation of black people, we have made it our business to
study white Americans generally, and especially those who exercise
power. This explains why so many African Americans, at the very core of
their being, express fears that millions of white Americans will be
unable to cast ballots for Obama for president solely due to his racial
identity. Of course, the majority of them would deny this, even to
themselves.
say nothing. Two seconds later, I could visually detect the signs of
relief on the woman's face. African Americans have survived in the
United States for over four hundred years because, at least up to the
most recent generation of black people, we have made it our business to
study white Americans generally, and especially those who exercise
power. This explains why so many African Americans, at the very core of
their being, express fears that millions of white Americans will be
unable to cast ballots for Obama for president solely due to his racial
identity. Of course, the majority of them would deny this, even to
themselves.
Among the remaining Democratic presidential candidates, former Senator
John Edwards (albeit with a "suspended" campaign) has been consistently
the most progressive on most policy issues, in my view. On issues such
as health care and poverty, Edwards has been clearly to the left of both
Obama and Hillary Clinton. But since Edwards probably cannot win the
Democratic nomination the real choice is between Clinton and Obama.
John Edwards (albeit with a "suspended" campaign) has been consistently
the most progressive on most policy issues, in my view. On issues such
as health care and poverty, Edwards has been clearly to the left of both
Obama and Hillary Clinton. But since Edwards probably cannot win the
Democratic nomination the real choice is between Clinton and Obama.
We've all heard the arguments explaining why Obama's "not qualified" to
be president. Chief among them is that he "doesn't have enough
experience in government." As a historian, I think it may be instructive
to observe that three of the twentieth century's most influential
presidents had shorter careers in electoral politics than Obama.
Theodore Roosevelt, for instance, served as New York's governor for only
two years, and was William McKinley's Vice President for barely six
months. Woodrow Wilson served as New Jersey's governor for only two
years before being elected president. And Franklin D. Roosevelt, our
only four-term president, had served in Albany as New York's governor
for four years. None of these leaders was ever elected to Congress.
be president. Chief among them is that he "doesn't have enough
experience in government." As a historian, I think it may be instructive
to observe that three of the twentieth century's most influential
presidents had shorter careers in electoral politics than Obama.
Theodore Roosevelt, for instance, served as New York's governor for only
two years, and was William McKinley's Vice President for barely six
months. Woodrow Wilson served as New Jersey's governor for only two
years before being elected president. And Franklin D. Roosevelt, our
only four-term president, had served in Albany as New York's governor
for four years. None of these leaders was ever elected to Congress.
Obama's seven years in the Illinois State Senate, according to the New
York Times' Nicholas Kristof, show that "he scored significant
achievements there: a law to videotape police interrogations in capital
cases; an earned income tax credit to fight poverty; an expansion of
early childhood education." To be perfectly honest, there are some
public policy issues where I sharply disagree with Obama, such as health
care. Obama's approach is not to use "mandates" to force millions of
healthy twenty-somethings into the national health insurance pool. He
claims that you won't need mandates, just lower the price of private
health insurance and young adults will buy it on their own. Obama's
children are still small, so maybe he can be excused for such an
irrational argument. Obama's reluctance to embrace health mandates is
about his desire to appeal to "centrists" and moderate Republicans.
York Times' Nicholas Kristof, show that "he scored significant
achievements there: a law to videotape police interrogations in capital
cases; an earned income tax credit to fight poverty; an expansion of
early childhood education." To be perfectly honest, there are some
public policy issues where I sharply disagree with Obama, such as health
care. Obama's approach is not to use "mandates" to force millions of
healthy twenty-somethings into the national health insurance pool. He
claims that you won't need mandates, just lower the price of private
health insurance and young adults will buy it on their own. Obama's
children are still small, so maybe he can be excused for such an
irrational argument. Obama's reluctance to embrace health mandates is
about his desire to appeal to "centrists" and moderate Republicans.
Not getting email from BC?
That brings us back to Barack's unspoken problem: white denial and voter
flight. It's instructive to remember what happened to David Dinkins, the
first (and still only) African American elected mayor of New York City.
According to Andrew Kohul, the current president of the Pew Research
Center, the Gallup organization's polling research on New York City's
voters in 1989 indicated that Dinkins would defeat his Republican
opponent, Rudolph Giuliani, by 15 percent. Instead, Dinkins only
narrowly won by 2 percent. Kohul, who worked as a Gallup pollster in
that election, concluded that "poorer, less well-educated [white] voters
were less likely to answer our questions;" so the poll didn't have the
opportunity to factor in their views. As Kohul admits, "Here's the
problem - these whites who do not respond to surveys tend to have more
unfavorable views of blacks than respondents who do the interviews."
flight. It's instructive to remember what happened to David Dinkins, the
first (and still only) African American elected mayor of New York City.
According to Andrew Kohul, the current president of the Pew Research
Center, the Gallup organization's polling research on New York City's
voters in 1989 indicated that Dinkins would defeat his Republican
opponent, Rudolph Giuliani, by 15 percent. Instead, Dinkins only
narrowly won by 2 percent. Kohul, who worked as a Gallup pollster in
that election, concluded that "poorer, less well-educated [white] voters
were less likely to answer our questions;" so the poll didn't have the
opportunity to factor in their views. As Kohul admits, "Here's the
problem - these whites who do not respond to surveys tend to have more
unfavorable views of blacks than respondents who do the interviews."
So I return to the white college administrator whose son is in prison on
drug charges. I made a mistake. People of color must break through the
mental racial barricades that divide America into parallel racial
universes. We need to mobilize and support the election of Barack Obama
not only because he is progressive and fully qualified to be president,
but also because only his campaign can force all Americans to overcome
the centuries-old silences about race that still create a deep chasm
across this nation's democratic life. In the end, we must force our
fellow citizens who happen to be white, to come to terms with their own
whiteness, their guilt and fears about America's terrible racial past.
drug charges. I made a mistake. People of color must break through the
mental racial barricades that divide America into parallel racial
universes. We need to mobilize and support the election of Barack Obama
not only because he is progressive and fully qualified to be president,
but also because only his campaign can force all Americans to overcome
the centuries-old silences about race that still create a deep chasm
across this nation's democratic life. In the end, we must force our
fellow citizens who happen to be white, to come to terms with their own
whiteness, their guilt and fears about America's terrible racial past.
If there is any hope for meaningful change inside U.S. electoral system
in the future, it lies with progressive leaders like Barack Obama. If we
can dare to dream politically, let us dream of the world as it should be.
in the future, it lies with progressive leaders like Barack Obama. If we
can dare to dream politically, let us dream of the world as it should be.
/BlackCommentator.com Editorial Board member, Manning Marable, PhD is
one of America's most influential and widely read scholars. Since 1993,
Dr. Marable has been Professor of Public Affairs, Political Science,
History and African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York
City. For ten years, Dr. Marable was founding director of the Institute
for Research in African- American Studies at Columbia University, from
1993 to 2003. Dr. Marable is an author or editor of over 20 books,
including Living Black History: How Reimagining the African-American
Past Can Remake America's Racial Future (2006); The Autobiography of
Medgar Evers: A Hero's Life And Legacy Revealed Through His Writings,
Letters, And Speeches (2005); Freedom: A Photographic History of the
African American Struggle (2002); Black Leadership: Four Great American
Leaders and the Struggle for Civil Rights (1998); Beyond Black and
White: Transforming African-American Politics (1995); and How Capitalism
Underdeveloped Black America: Problems in Race, Political Economy, and
Society (South End Press Classics Series) (1983). His current project is
a major biography of Malcolm X, entitled Malcolm X: A Life of
Reinvention, to be published by Viking Press in 2009./
one of America's most influential and widely read scholars. Since 1993,
Dr. Marable has been Professor of Public Affairs, Political Science,
History and African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York
City. For ten years, Dr. Marable was founding director of the Institute
for Research in African- American Studies at Columbia University, from
1993 to 2003. Dr. Marable is an author or editor of over 20 books,
including Living Black History: How Reimagining the African-American
Past Can Remake America's Racial Future (2006); The Autobiography of
Medgar Evers: A Hero's Life And Legacy Revealed Through His Writings,
Letters, And Speeches (2005); Freedom: A Photographic History of the
African American Struggle (2002); Black Leadership: Four Great American
Leaders and the Struggle for Civil Rights (1998); Beyond Black and
White: Transforming African-American Politics (1995); and How Capitalism
Underdeveloped Black America: Problems in Race, Political Economy, and
Society (South End Press Classics Series) (1983). His current project is
a major biography of Malcolm X, entitled Malcolm X: A Life of
Reinvention, to be published by Viking Press in 2009./
["Along The Color Line", written by Manning Marable, PhD and distributed
by.BlackCommentator.com, is a public educational and information service
dedicated to fostering political dialogue and discussion, inspired by
the great tradition for political event columns written by W. E. B. Du
Bois nearly a century ago. Re-prints are permitted by any Black-owned or
Black-oriented publications (print or electronic) without charge as long
as they are printed in their entirety including this paragraph and, for
electronic media, a link to http://www.BlackCommentator.com
<https://mail.zmag.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.BlackCommentator.com>.]
by.BlackCommentator.com, is a public educational and information service
dedicated to fostering political dialogue and discussion, inspired by
the great tradition for political event columns written by W. E. B. Du
Bois nearly a century ago. Re-prints are permitted by any Black-owned or
Black-oriented publications (print or electronic) without charge as long
as they are printed in their entirety including this paragraph and, for
electronic media, a link to http://www.BlackCommentator.com
<https://mail.zmag.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.BlackCommentator.com>.]
