Thursday, October 09, 2008

Rising Above Ugliness and Hate

I'm continually struck by the dignity and decency of Senator Obama and his wife. Even in the face of the kind of obscene, slanderous and racially tinged smears which seem to be all that there is to the Palin/McCain ticket, Michele and Barack Obama refuse to get in the mud or respond in kind. I admire how they have the strength and wisdom to remain above it. They are both so thoughtful and intelligent, so well spoken.

The first clip is Mr. Obama speaking with Charlie Gibson regarding "palling around with terrorists." The second two are an interview Michele Obama did with Larry King last night. I found her very impressive.







I was tempted to post some words from Mrs. Palin or Mr. McCain for contrast, but their ugly, slanderous crap has gotten too much coverage as it is. It fascinates me that those on the far right like Mrs. Palin and McCain (although he has only recently become a born-again friend to the powerful religious forces of the right and his conversion seems more pragmatic than spiritual), seem to think that the moral high ground is made of hate and the bodies of "enemies," - enemies being anyonefrom Jews and Muslims to gay people, to "liberals," to anyone who disagrees with them about anything. When Sarah Palin and John McCain ask themselves the question "what would Jesus do," they apparently come up with foment fear and racism. Maybe they read a different Bible than I did.

Then there are the two people you listened to (hopefully) above. What a difference from people who smile or laugh when someone in the crowd they have incited to ugliness yells "Kill him," in reference to their opponent. In my book, these two people - Senator and Mrs. Obama - are true Christians in the deepest meaning of that word. They don't just talk about what would Jesus do, they live it... and they live it in the face of ugliness and lies that make me as an innocent by-stander wince with pain and grief and anger, all three.

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Darryl and I have decided to host a celebratory (or commiserating, if the election is stolen again) party the Saturday after the election. We've invited a number of like-minded people and plan to have a lovely time...we are a hopeful bunch! All of that negative talk will come back to them...don't worry. It will!

Raven said...

kim - I think/hope you are right. I still worry about two things. Covert racism and dirty tricks at the polls. But I think this will be a hard election for them to steal. I think the markets will settle down after the election too... unless we manage to elect a senile old man so desperate to get the job that he has sold his principles and a hockey mom who doesn't have many. (Not that I'm biased.)

Quiet Paths said...

I'm so glad you are writing about this. I am working on a similar post. This is what racism and fear do... and they seem to be easily inflamed.

Raven said...

quiet paths - It's very troubling. When people are as as frightened as they are now, I think they are particularly vulnerable to hate mongerers. I think one of the reasons the market is staying so volatile is because we don't know if we are going to have someone steady at the helm starting in January or an old man who doesn't know or care about the economy and a hockey mom who doesn't know or care about much of anything.

Quiet Paths said...

Absolutely right on target by my sight... I am hoping if we can make it through the next few weeks then things will settle down all across the spectrum. Right now it's very unsettling and frightening. I watched all of these videos just now here and I want to thank you again for posting them because I don't always see this stuff; we don't have TV. I also have been reading on volumes on the political in the day to day but I don't always talk about it on my blog. So, thanks for doing the blogging for us; you are a good resource! hugs, Christine

Carletta said...

Hey Raven,
I always see Charlie Gibson but never see Larry King so thanks. I haven't even heard Mrs. O talk except at the convention.
Like Christine said - thanks for being a good source.

Raven said...

Aw... thanks christine... I find Huffington Post to be a good resource. They are very liberal, but there's lots of good information.

Raven said...

hi carletta - gee, I'm answering everybody's comments today... I have only recently started watching Larry King. Last night he interviewed three conservative Republican women. One was mortified by McCain, one bothered and one psycho babbled about how great Palin is. I'm hoping I can find the video for that conversation. It made me feel better to hear died-in-the-wool Republicans saying honestly that what's going on is disgusting.

Dianne said...

Hade you seen the latest McCain rallies - from today. His supporters in the crowd are grabbing microphones and shreiking at McCain that he's not attacking Obama enough, they're calling him "Obama Osama", they screaming about "socilaists taking over the country"

One observer at the rally said the crowd appeared barely under control and the air was charged with anger and hatred.

McCain and Palin DID this. They started this, they are the ones screaming fire into the crowd.

I also read that 2 regiments have been brought back from Iraq. One is now in CO, the other in TX. They are specialists in "combating civil unrest" !!!!!!!!!!!

So what do the Republicans plan to do? Disrupt election day? Assasinate Obama? Yes I said it, I have no doubt that there are people within the extreme fringes of that party more than capable of doing it.

You know I research everything Raven before I put it out there. I just can't find my links right now, they're downstairs and I'm upstairs. The news at the Dr. was not good. I'll e-mail you :)

I am very anxious about what I have seen and read today plus I sat in the Drs. office with a man wearing a McCain/Palin cap. We chatted about how warm it was today and about torn tendons and then he brought up the economy and that led to how different and wonderful McCain is compared to Bush. I said I supported Obama. He laughed and said I was wasting my vote - Obama he said "will be whacked within 3 months if elected" and he chuckled!!!

The Republicans are like the royals that panic at the idea of losing control and so they kill all the villagers.

Raven said...

dianne - it is indeed all very disturbing. I'm going to hold the faith that Obama will win. I think part of the reason the market hasn't settled down - am I repeating myself here? - is because there is nobody at the helm and the possiblity of a creepy old man and a dim-witted, unthinking, hockey mom taking over. Scarier and scarier. I had read about the troops being stationed here a couple of weeks ago. Much to be concerned about indeed. Sorry about your news from the doctor.

Travis Cody said...

I agree that this is all very disturbing. But I think that we must do our best as responsible and reasonable Americans to follow Senator and Mrs Obama's lead.

Be calm. Raise the level of discourse. Speak about the issues. Expose lies and distortions with truth and facts when we come across them. Although some refuse to let the truth overcome their hatred, that doesn't make the facts wrong.

Rational Americans are turning away from the politics of hate and fear. Let's help Senator Obama lead that change. I want to see my choices to be tolerant and respectful become the normal way we behave as citizens of this country, not some quaint and naive ideal.

Be strong. Be proud. Be fair. Be respectful. Be tolerant. Be an agent of peace.

Raven said...

travis - well said... and it does give me hope that hate speech seems to be costing the McCain campaign more than it is gaining them. It poisons the atmosphere of the nation - and at a time when people are anxious about survival, I think it's extra fertile ground for such fear and hate. I will be glad when this craziness is behind us.

I was glad to see that McCain seems to have at least tried to reclaim a little of his own decency today and took boos as a price, but corrected a woman speaking with fear and hate.

Dianne said...

travis - what a wonderful comment!! I will do my best, I promise.

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