The REAL Obama bird:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1072391/barack_obama_bird/

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Thankyou for the link, Fit Fit. However it just confirms what I said… that Obama will not only continue to support affirmative action policies, but add to the list of “classes” that are benefitted by this mentality.

I do not support affirmative action. Never have, and never will. It does nothing more than remove incentive for anyone to excel. What is the point, when you will lose out – despite your work – to a disadvantaged “victim” of American society?

Obama and I are miles apart because he believes disadvantages exist for most, and it is never the fault of the “victim”. I believe the disadvantage stems from within, and that the “ladders of opportunity” Obama speaks of are already in place in ample arenas.

That ladder for the perceived “victim” of America also proves to be a dead end cul de sac for another who may have worked their butts off to get where they are. You eliminate one supposed “victim”, and gain another… one who didn’t deserve to be a victim of his achievement.

We are slapping too many caps on success in this country over the past decade or so. You aren’t supposed to get “too rich”, be too successful. Via the DNC/Obama route, the quest for “equality” merely results in the achievement of widespread mediocrity.

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MataHarley,

LINK

Quote:

STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Obama, last May we talked about affirmative action, and you said at the time that affluent African- Americans, like your daughters, should probably be treated as pretty advantaged when they apply to college and that poor, white children, kids, should get special consideration, affirmative action.

So as president, how specifically would you recommend changing affirmative action policies so that affluent African-Americans are not given advantages and poor, less affluent whites are?

OBAMA: Well, I think that the basic principle that should guide discussions not just of affirmative action, but how we are admitting young people to college generally, is how do we make sure that we’re providing ladders of opportunity for people? How do we make sure that every child in America has a decent shot in pursuing their dreams?

And race is still a factor in our society. And I think that for universities and other institutions to say, “You know, we’re going to take into account the hardships that somebody has experienced because they’re black or Latino or because they’re a woman”…

STEPHANOPOULOS: Even if they’re wealthy?

OBAMA: … I think that’s something that they can take into account, but it can only be in the context of looking at the whole situation of the young person.

So if they look at my child, and they say, “You know, Malia and Sasha, they’ve had a pretty good deal,” then that shouldn’t be factored in.

On the other hand, if there’s a young white person, who has been working hard, struggling, and has overcome great odds, that’s something that should be taken into account.

So I still believe in affirmative action as a means of overcoming both historic and potentially current discrimination, but I think that it can’t be a quota system and it can’t be something that is simply applied without looking at the whole person, whether that person is black, or white, or Hispanic, male or female.

What we want to do is make sure that people who’ve been locked out of opportunity are going to be able to walk through those doors of opportunity in the future.

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>>Suek, don’t ask me to explain Obama’s words. They are his words and his beliefs… not mine. I’m not in the man’s head, fer heavens sake! :0)>>

Sorry…that was a rhetorical question! Didn’t expect you to have an answer. I’m not sure _he_ has an answer! That’s the frustrating part. If you accept his premise (I don’t, by the way) what is the solution? I agree about the socialist part, though I’d go even farther and consider him a full fledged Marxist. Knowing that he’s an Alinsky disciple simply accenuates the fact that all he wants to do is stir up trouble – of whatever sort – in order to precipitate some sort of political “change” – yes…_change_… which of course will result in his being in power. At which point, we’re going to be back to the Carter years… I found these links while looking for something else…might as well use them! The middle one – the pdf. – is 20 pages. Ought to keep you busy for a Sunday!

http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/viksning/papers/Reaganomics.html

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/images/IBDeditorials_CarterSeries.pdf

http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=244423511626964

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Curt wrote:

The blogosphere was considered “vaunted”? Puhlease…..

I’m sorry, but when I see bloggers on TV next to former Cabinet Secretaries, 20-year journalists and the like…yeah, the “blogosphere”–or, if you prefer, “new media”–qualifies as “vaunted.”

Having said that, it’s stuff like this that drags down the reputation of everyone who “reports” it, much less those who attempt to “analyze” it in some fashion. It ranks right up there with the lefties who read evil into every eyebrow lift performed by Dick Cheney or caterwaul over every “smirk” that crosses George Bush’s face.

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Fit Fit said

During the debate he [Obama] proposed removal of the racial component to affirmative action in college admissions, that other factors should be considered more important.

I must have missed this in one of the debates, Fit Fit. Then again, I can’t stand watching them anymore.

Care to provide a source link and quotes for me? Because right now, I don’t see him slamming the door on affimative action at all. Instead, I see him increasing them.

And, by the very nature of “affirmative action” – whether it’s giving the edge via race or another component – how is chosing the underdog “fair” as a method of equalization? Exactly what would inspire anyone to excel if they can lose to an “underdog” for whatever reason??

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Suek, don’t ask me to explain Obama’s words. They are his words and his beliefs… not mine. I’m not in the man’s head, fer heavens sake! :0) I will re’quote what Obama said in his More Perfect Union speech.

snip…that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination – and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past – are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds -…snip

Full paragraph of his speech is quoted in my 4/18, 10:20am post above.

As for if I accept that as “fact”, I can only say my grandparents are the first here thru Ellis Island. They had their fair share of discimination in that era, but they never once whined. And it did not affect their success for a happy and fruitful life. They did not harbor animosity and pass it on to their children and grandchildren. Tho I can remember my mother clinging to my hand tightly in an elevator as a child when one scowled at her very dark, Hungarian appearance. (I resemble my Ukraine grandparents… fairer) She was nervous at that moment, but never “bitter” about anything. Nor was her mother.

So I personally don’t accept it as fact. But I can only speak for myself.

The way I see Obama proposes to address his perceived racial divide problem (ala his “not only words but deeds” comment) is to strongly focus on affirmative action’esque domestic policies. Certainly he is a fan of nanny government from top to bottom. He’s never hidden that. Just most refuse to acknowledge it.

I have two problems with Obama. First, he’s too socialist for me. Second, I have this nagging feeling he’s a black American first, and an American second. He has reminded me of that way too often. And, ya know, I don’t care he’s black. I care about his socialist plans.

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[How about just turning the whole government over to blacks…is that what he has in mind?]

I think you hit it on the head right there…and, of course, anyone else who absolutely agrees with every philosophy he espouses, with no questions asked, whether they be white, black, or otherwise.

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>>Since he was discussing that discrimination is real, grounded in legacy,>>

If you accept this as a fact, just how..

>>and needs to be addressed>>

is this supposed to happen? We can’t change the past..unless he knows something the rest of us don’t know. So, is just stating that “yes, dicrimination is real, and yes, discrimination has existed since the Civil War” going to do the trick? Since it seems to be that whites are simply oblivious to this basic “fact” that makes blacks so angry and indeed…bitter…, what does he propose will make a difference? Talking about it? but aren’t we racist if we talk about race? How about just turning the whole government over to blacks…is that what he has in mind?

Really. Just exactly what is he proposing? _Any_ ideas?

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Fit Fit, obviously you and I interpret that segment of his speech with his views on the racial divide in America differently. If you notice, the entire paragraph I quoted is a single thought – and starts out with “in the white community, the path to a more perfect union means…”. This was two paragraphs after his “in the black community” moment.

Since he was discussing that discrimination is real, grounded in legacy, and needs to be addressed, I don’t know how else to interpret a “your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams” as anything *other* than the fact he believes the white community’s dreams have oppressed the racial minorities’ dreams. The entire thrust of that portion was delivered *specifically* and directly to “the white community”.

Your quoted paragraph appeared nine paragraphs ahead of this “for the black community” and “for the white community” bit. How do you suggest that one thought had direct bearing on the other being minutes apart in presentation?

He continues to insist that oh so many Americans (white or black or whatever “class”…) feel “cheated”. And if you insist on bonding your quoted paragraph with the “dreams” remark, then he still feels that those that have achieved their dreams did so on the back of another segment of Americans.

Pure BS. In fact, I’m really tired of a party that is so disingenuous to suggest that we are all equal and life would be rosy without division… then do nothing but divide us into categories of white community, black community and financial classes.

But then, his entire appeal is made to a constituency that he suggests is victimized and cheated. Thus the absurdity of his slogan on the dais…. “reclaim the American dream”. He is promoting the notion it’s lost to minority Americans because of privileged white Americans. This is an equal opportunity for success country, as he and his wife are proof.

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