Posted on 06/10/2009 1:11:10 AM PDT by NutCrackerBoy
Barack Obama was elected to do exactly what he did last week at Cairo University -- to open a dialogue with the Muslim world. Or at least that was why I, for one, voted for him, contributed to his campaign, and continue to support him. There is no more crucial issue for the future of the West, whose material prosperity masks an increasing uncertainty about its own principles and values. Religion, abandoned by the secular professional class, will continue to be a major marker of cultural identity for most people -- even more so during periods of economic or political instability. But the now widespread stereotyping of Islam as medieval and inherently violent and intolerant ensures eternal war. Visionary leaders are vitally needed on both sides to call for mutual understanding and rational coexistence. Yet, post-9/11, troublingly few voices of Muslim moderation have emerged.
Obama's speech (which I read rather than heard) seemed to my teacher's eye like a strong first draft rather than a polished final product. This could and should have been one of the most important documents in American political history. But any president, given the crushing onus of his daily agenda, needs help from a team of speechwriters and advisors who will flesh out his thoughts and argument with example and detail. Despite his Ivy League background, Obama evidently still lacks a reliable circle of erudite, cosmopolitan analysts like those John F. Kennedy drafted via his Harvard network.
(Excerpt) Read more at salon.com ...
Blaming his weak speech on his staff... the One couldn’t have produced a lousy speech himself.
A “dialogue”?
0bama can talk to them all he wants, but the only compromises will come from our side.
Kind of like stereotyping NBA basketball players as tall.
Another journalist blinded by the ObamaAura.
She admits to voting for Obama in order to open dialogue with the Middle East (as if such dialog never existed ) then totally refutes herself when she admits that tensions and religious differences “ will never be waved away by mere words.”
I’m not so sure about Obama’s lack of religiosity either as she claims. It is pretty obvious which direction Obama bows at least 5 times a day.
Does Camille realize animals are treated better than women in Islamic countries? When in 1300 years of existence has Islam shown any signs of being peaceful? Every Islamic country is a cess poll of bigotry, intolerance, terrorism, and violence. Would you rather be an Arab in Isreal or a Jew in Iran?
Obama speech can be best summarized by one of King’s quote:
“Can’t we all just get along?”
(Rodney King, that is)
“I’m not so sure about Obama’s lack of religiosity either as she claims. It is pretty obvious which direction Obama bows at least 5 times a day.”
Obama’s gets religious only when he’s looking at a mirror.
Paglia understands a lot. She's not very influential within the intelligentsia, unfortunately. If she can't be that, then I wish she could see her way clear to full-throated conservative criticism. But she won't do that either. Not only did she vote for Obama, but also Nader in '04.
Yep, I'm scratching my head over this bizarre turn she's taken.
I've always liked her writings, because despite being a leftist Lesbian, she had little tolerance for fools, dupes, and people who just spout talking points without regard to facts.
I sure hope she'll quit drinking the Kool-Aid, and return to her former irascible self.
At least she acknowledges that 0bama is muslim.
The fact that she voted for him because of that, thinking that somehow that would open up some kind of “dialogue” with the terrorists that works out in America’s favor shows a gross naivety, though.
There was a time I respected you, but since you and the other NOW women do not care about the rights of “ALL” women, all respect is gone.
And don't give us this, well we're trying to setup a dialog. Where are the NOW women here in the USA when Muslim men treat their wives as dogs and abuse them in ways to horrific too discuss OR decapitate them??
Time for some real thinkers to take over, as the polling data is showing, the Democrats are losing numbers quicker than the GOP did in 2005 and 2006.
Oh and Camille, continue to enjoy the kool aid.
Sorry Camille but that is not the President's job. And what the heck is this muslim world anyway?
Fourteen-hundred years of history doesn't lie.
Well, that is pretty damn sad there, Camille.
You're smarter than the average American. You know better.
Get it together girl.
Yo, Camille — you’re no Oriana Fallaci.
Seems to me Paglia is a part of that problem. Too much nuance, not enough core. All meringue and no lemon. Her kind will be the first to be expunged when the muslims take over. They won't be able to decide which cattle car to shove her into -- queer, female, irreligious, educated? -- and they'll conclude her case is too urgent for rail travel.
Got any witnesses to that, Camille? Know anybody who had even one beer with him?
Coexistence? Who has trouble coexisting? Hint: it isn't Christians.
Un-fricken-believable. These terrorist don't wear uniforms. Sometimes, they wear business suits and board airplanes, killing innocent men, women and children. Other times, they hide in Mosques or behind children.
And, for this b!tich to refer to a Marine as an executioner is beyond disgusting.
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