Posted on 01/24/2007 10:18:10 AM PST by presidio9
Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo, seated next to first lady Laura Bush and proudly flashing his familiar broad smile, was honored by President George Bush Tuesday at the State of the Union Address in Washington.
Mutombo, working almost daily, raised $29 million (donating $15 million himself) for the construction of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mutombo plans to open the hospital — Kinshasa's first new one in 40 years — this summer. It is named for his mother, who died nine years ago when civil unrest and a curfew prevented her from getting to a hospital.
Mutombo was honored during Bush's speech as an example of "heroic kindness, courage and self-sacrifice."
"When America serves others," Bush said, "we show the strength and generosity of our country.
"The greatest strength we have is the heroic kindness, courage and self-sacrifice of the American people. You see this spirit often if you know where to look — and tonight we need only look above to the gallery.
"Dikembe Mutombo grew up in Africa, amid great poverty and disease. He came to Georgetown University on a scholarship to study medicine, but coach John Thompson took a look at Dikembe and had a different idea. Dikembe became a star in the NBA and a citizen of the United States. But he never forgot the land of his birth — or the duty to share his blessings with others. He built a brand-new hospital in his old hometown.
"A friend has said of this good-hearted man: 'Mutombo believes that God has given him this opportunity to do great things.' And we're proud to call this son of the Congo a citizen of the United States of America."
Said Mutombo in a phone interview afterward: "My heart was full of joy. I didn't know the president was going to say such great remarks. He raised me so high. I'm so happy. I'm so proud to be a citzen of the United States of America and to be recognized for my work. God is good to have put this work in my heart."
Hildy, it may come as a great surprise to you but there are many things we agree on, albeit not in direct discussions. Now I need to watch John Gibson's bit on Sandy Burglar ...
That's very Christian of you to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I'm fairly certain that Oprah has not built any hospitals that we don't know about. And while Dikembe Mutombo is a very wealthy man, she could buy and sell him many, many times over.
But he's accepting the accolates now, is he not? There's really no difference. He built something and Oprah built something. In all honesty, I didn't know about Oprah's school until the grand opening, did you? What's the difference. These are people doing wonderful things for other people. Is it better when a "real" Christian, as you called it, does something generous. I don't get it at all. And for those who say Oprah does it just for adulation? Here's a woman who doesn't have to do anything for the rest of her life and she will be admired forever. Does anyone think the people who benefit from the hospital and the school really care who or who doesn't get credit for building it? I think it's more a reflection of the people here who would tear down good works because they don't care for the people who do them. It is very, very "unChristian."
Oprah thinks she's a female Jesus; she's full of herself.
She deserves any humbling she gets on this site.
She has a 1.5 Billion, and she spends a little, so she's to be prasied?
Nope.
Did I hear (here) you correctly?
BTTT
2. I did not overlook the "real essence" of your commentary. Rather, you provided an opportunity for additional levity that I could not resist.
Ouch!
LOL!
You nailed me!
;-)
Ouch!
LOL!
You nailed me!
;-)
;-)
Do the adults here really need to explain the difference between taking action without expecting any earthly recognition and personally publicizing one's own good deeds? Wesley Audrey also accepted the president's invitation. Does that make his action any less selfless?
The President welcomed Mutombo, and Autrey and Sergeant Tommy Rieman to the SOTU as examples of how selfless compassion makes our country great. People who can't appreciate are stuck on the lowest rungs of the morality scale.
Oh BS. There are plenty of fat cats who give money away without publicly presenting their ass for the prerequisite kiss-fest.
You can take your snide comments elsewhere. You don't like Oprah Winfrey. Period. That's all there is to it. I'd respect you more if you just said it and didn't argue the ABSURD notion that charitable works are only charitable if one takes no credit. People in the spotlight know that their presence brings attention to something. That's just the way the world works, and if you don't think Oprah does things every single day that benefit other people and you don't know about is really one of the most naive things I've ever read..so don't go lecturing me on adult mind process.
LOL, I could care less about Oprah. I don't watch daytime tv, or E!, so she rarely enters into my consciousness. I was talking about selfless acts of kindness. As soon as one publicizes such acts, they cease to be such. Period. BTW, I volunteer in a soup kitchen in the Bronx, but I don't walk around with a button proclaiming it. Get over your obsession with Oprah. The woman is a billionaire. She's SUPPOSED to be giving millions away to charity. Every day. I would find it more newsworthy if she didn't.
Good one. Thanks. Mxxx
Ah, no. She's all grown up now with a husband and baby of her own.
Oh, that's too bad. God's not happy with our taking Jesus' name in vain like that. Neither am I, but you're a big boy and you can do what you want (I think you're a 'big boy' and not a big girl?).
I thought it was a very good speech, and also a good excerpt.
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