A Day Of Firsts Celebrated By Second-Rate Festivities

The Stiletto Blog ^ | January 21, 2009 | The Stiletto

[theothercheek]

So does a $170 million price tag buy you the bestest inauguration ceremony in the history of these United States of America? Surprisingly, no. It was a day of mediocrity and mess-ups. Here's an example:

Ironically, Rev. Rick Warren was supposed to be “the designated bigot” but his invocation was uplifting, awe-inspiring – and joyous ...

Now consider by way of comparison Rev. Joseph Lowery's anachronistic and racially divisive benediction:

God of our weary years, god of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far along the way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our god, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee …

[W]e ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right.

Lowry starts by quoting the last stanza of “Lift Every Voice & Sing” (AKA “the Black National Anthem”). But he left out the end of it:

May we forever stand / True to our God / True to our native land.

...

[T]he Black National Anthem is a pledge of loyalty to Africa, not to America.

And leaving aside that The Stiletto doesn’t know what in the world Lowry means by “yellow will be mellow,” she finds it odd that he should speak of “working for that day when black will not be asked to get in back” on the very day that a man whose father is black has assumed the highest office in the land and is the first among equals.

Finally, considering that Obama won with a seven point margin over McCain (53 percent to 46 percent) and got 44 percent of the white vote (as compared to Kerry’s and Gore’s 41 percent each), why does Lowry still look to a future when white “will” embrace what is right? White Americans did not vote for McCain just because of Obama’s race. Can Lowry and other civil rights leaders give the accusatory guilt-trip a rest already?

[Past Your Eyes]

Old fools like this Lowery idiot are standing in the way of real progress and change in attitudes. Insulting me is not the way to endear me to your cause.

[CPOSharky]

Demonrat, pessimist, is there a difference?

[theothercheek]

Sorry - I hit "post" instead of "edit." This is an excerpt; the entire post can be read here.

For those who don't know, The Stiletto writes about politics and other stuff at The Stiletto Blog, chosen an Official Honoree in the Political Blogs category by the judges of the 12^th Annual Webby Awards (the Oscars of the online universe) along with CNN Political Ticker, Swampland (Time magazine) and The Caucus (The New York Times).