God Bless America - The speech Obama could have given.

National Review Online ^ | March 27, 2008 | Victor Davis Hanson

[neverdem]

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March 27, 2008, 0:00 a.m.

God Bless America
The speech Obama could have given.

By Victor Davis Hanson

Had Sen. Barack Obama (D., Ill.) said the following words in his speech last week on race in America, his problems with his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, would probably now be over:

“You have all heard the racist and anti-American outbursts of my pastor Rev. Wright. They are all inexcusable. His speeches have forced me to reexamine my long association with Trinity United Church of Christ. And so it is with regret that I must now leave that church.

“I had heard similar extremist language of Rev. Wright in the past, and now apologize that I did not earlier end my attendance and contributions. Had I long ago expressed my strong objections to Rev. Wright’s views, such opposition might have suggested to him a more moderate path.

“But any good that now might come by remaining steadfast to Rev. Wright in consideration of our long past friendship is outweighed by the damage that would accrue from the sanction of his extremism that my continued attendance at his church might convey.

“I have loyalty aplenty, but it is to the truth, my country, and universal tolerance, not to any one friend — however long and close our association.

“Allegations that America helped to cause — and thus deserved — 9/11 and that the U.S. government engineered the AIDS epidemic, as well as the pastor’s slurs against ‘white people’ and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, are not reflective of the views of mainstream black America and they have no place in any house of Christian worship.

“It would be easy to claim that Rev. Wright’s biases are no different from those voiced on occasion by our own family members, our pastors, or political leaders in the public eye, and therefore not so injurious to America. That defense of false equivalence, that ‘others do it all the time,’ is a common one offered by those who offend the public sensibility.

“It would also be easy to excuse my pastor’s outbursts by citing the long tragic history of the African-American experience. After all, every extremist outburst always has a particular and perhaps mitigating context.

“And finally it would be easy to suggest that the special landscape of the black church allows a sort of venting and role-playing unlike other common venues in America. It has often been a refuge from white oppression and a place to make sense of the tragic history of race relations that plague us still. That and the good that Rev. Wright has done could also be an extenuating circumstance.

“But neither Pastor Wright nor I — a candidate for the presidency of the United States — can afford to find refuge in any of these relativist explanations. To do so would not merely exempt the statements of Rev. Wright from proper censure, but also would have the effect of offering endorsement to them. Here is why we must not and will not do that:

“First, today’s America has evolved into a multiracial society unlike anytime in our long history. Each of America’s groups has unique grievances, based on their own past ordeals.



“So now more than ever in American history, there is need to establish a universal, absolute standard of public discourse in which no individual or group claims extenuating circumstances to demonize other Americans. Otherwise, the bar will have been lowered — and merchants of hate of every sort will soon follow, each citing Rev. Wright’s allowance as a pass for his own hate speech.

“Second, we are in our fifth decade since the landmark civil-rights legislation of the 1960s. And while the African-American community has made enormous strides, it still has not achieved parity with either the white majority or some other minorities. The reasons are complex, but they cannot be simply reduced to white racism or the purported pathologies of the United States, as Rev. Wright supposed. We African-Americans must be as vigilant in demanding an equality of opportunity for all Americans as in ensuring that crime, illegitimacy, drug use, and high school dropout rates are no higher in the African-American community than in others.

“Third, Americans were appalled, as was I, at my minister cursing the United States. But we must always appreciate the unique nature of America, an experiment that unites a multiplicity of religions, races, and ethnicities, and endures only to the degree we all adhere to a common set of values. We must never think that because the United States has sometimes not been perfect, it is not good.

“The hard work of creating and improving the United States required centuries; the easier task of tearing apart America can be done in a generation. But neither you nor I can or will allow that to happen. Thank you, and God bless the United States of America.”

— Victor Davis Hanson is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and author, most recently, of A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War.

© 2008 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

[Republicus2001]

BAM!

Nuff said.

[Always Right]

I wonder if Ms. Obama is still proud of America. I am betting not.

[Revolting cat!]

"are not reflective of the views of mainstream black America "

And VDH knows this how?

[calex59]

It doesn’t matter what he might have said, he didn’t say this, he sided with Mr. Wright and excused him on the grounds that he is black and therefore has the right and the duty to curse American and call white people racist.

[EyeGuy]

“The reasons are complex, but they cannot be simply reduced to white racism”.

I love VDH but “complex” is a cowardly smokescreen. The reasons for blacks failing to achieve lie squarely with their own behavior and have nothing to do with alleged white “racism”.

Asians, as an example, generally take full advantage of the historically unique opportunities for success offered by this magnificent country.

[A CA Guy]

Barry Obama to the audience during the speech.

"Look, my cracker racist grandmother appears to be passing out from my speech, get that old cracker a water. There you go. I love you racist grandma! KISS KISS "

[PGR88]

“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. “

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home

Words and music by Irving Berlin
© Copyright 1938, 1939 by Irving Berlin

[Corin Stormhands]

bookmark

[Neville Chamberlain]

When the eloquent and inspirational candidate Obama used his great gifts, in the end, to excuse the inexcusable (Wright‘s hatred for America), his political persona was altered irrevocably. If Obama were the next Martin Luther, the next unity leader, the next great racial healer, wouldn’t he be able to make some impact on a very racist, radical church over the course of twenty years? Or is Obama really just a political opportunist who will pander to the worst parts of the American soul to get elected, institute socialism and weaken our hand with Islamofascists? America may never realize how socialist he is or how helpful he’d be to our Islamofascist enemies, but now America will never forget that he’s just a South Side activist.

Signed,
Your Typical White Person

I clipped and paraphrased writers far wiser than me to compile my post, including an earlier column from Victor Davis Hanson which can be found here:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NjBjODFmNmMxZWU2ZGE5YjBhMjZlYmQ2MmM2MzNiZTc=

Also Thomas Sowell’s “The Audacity of Hope”

http://www.primetimepolitics.com/primetime/site/page/the_audacity_of_rhetoric/

[paltz]

[Convert from ECUSA]

Memo to Obama if Obama had given this VDH speech: Senator Obama, though I disagree with many of your policies and won’t be voting for you, you have my respect.

However, Obama gave the other speech, and I lost my respect for him when he disrespected his white grandmother (who took him in, raised him, fed him, clothed him and sacrificed for him to give him a good private school education) in public. It struck me as the highest form of ingratitude and contempt. What respect I had for him, especially in relation to Ms. Rusty-brillo-pad-voice (Hillary), went right down the commode.

[neverdem]

Thanks, I needed that, & a ping

[STE=Q]

It’s a shame Obama did not make such a great speech.

However, Obama was being Obama.

Therefore, he choose to tell us (lecture us ) that even though he (supposedly)did not agree with his mentor’s words still, reverend Wright was somehow justified in what he said because of overwhelming white racism, past and present against victoms like “poor” “oppressed” reverend Wright, you know, the guy with the gold watch and the silk robes... THAT reverend Wright!

Blacks — educated or uneducated, rich or poor — are to be excused from any responsibility for their problems.

Racist like his “typical” white grandmother are to blame for all the woes of the black community.

White-racist America MADE him do it! ... MADE Reverend Wright D*M America.

The above brings up former black comedian ‘flip’ Wilson’s famous mocking line “the devil MADE me do it”.

[TigersEye]

I don't understand. How would a speech like that promote Marxist class warfare?
I don't think it would help Obama at all.

[neverdem]

The 100 Years War That's about the limit of McRINO's ability to persuade, i.e. we can't be perceived as losing.

The Disgrace of Liberalism IMHO, McRINO can't challenge almost any left wing orthodoxy.

The Question McCain Needs to Answer (for Conservatives) Don't hold your breath.

VETS FOR FREEDOM RALLY COMING TO SC Comment# 2 has the schedule! Last stop, NYC ON April 9!

From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[SupplySider]

I don't think he could give that speech, as it contradicts his deeply held views. I think he really buys into the Marxist model as applied to race relations. Whites are the bourgeoisie, blacks are the proletariat, and a revolution is needed to give the power to the people.

Sadly, the juvenile social theories of the late sixties remain very fashionable on the left and in the African-American community.

[metmom]

So true.

My kid’s social studies teacher, who is no conservative, does not like Hillary. She thinks it’s a stealth move to get Bill back in office.

She was a supporter of Obama until this whole church thing blew up. She’s totally opposed to using the pulpit to promote politics, plus the fact that Obama didn’t denounce what the good rev said indicates to her that he really does support it.

She won’t vote for McCain, because he’s Republican.

She said Ron Paul is looking better and better and she’d put his name in as a write-in if she had to.

If Ron Paul simply ran on a *Get rid of partisan politics*, *Break the stranglehold the Dems and Republicans have had on government for over a century* platform, we just might be surprised at the results. I really think that he could stand a chance.

I know college students are very much in favor of him and opposed to the others for the same reasons that this teacher is.

Obama really buried himself with this episode, and Hillary’s crocodile tears turned off lots of people.

[metmom]

"are not reflective of the views of mainstream black America "

Does that mean it's not how the typical black thinks?

[PGalt]

The speech Obama could have given.

My reverend spews a lot of rhetoric and generalities, but he did make ONE TRUE STATEMENT (long pause for dramatic effect)..."Bill Clinton did us just like he did Monica Lewinsky" (thunderous/howling/dancing applause lasting more than 10 minutes).