Loyalty

[H2O Man]

"I met Malcolm X for the first time in Detroit in 1962. I had driven up from Miami to Chicago to hear Elijah Muhammad address a large meeting, but Malcolm was the highlight of the evening for me. …He was a charismatic speaker, and when he spoke, he could hold you spellbound for hours. Malcolm was among the most hated and feared men in America. I never understood why so many people feareda man who was only pursuing freedom and justice for his people. Perhaps it was because Malcolm was misunderstood: people usually fear what they don’t understand. …

"Turning my back on Malcolm was one of the mistakes that I regret most in my life. I wish I’d been able to tell Malcolm I was sorry, that he was right about so many things. But he was killed before I got the chance. He was a visionary – ahead of us all. … Malcolm X was a great thinker and an even greater friend. … If I could go back and do it over, I would never have turned my back on him."
--Muhammad Ali; The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life’s Journey

There are some people who want to force Barack Obama to turn his back on Rev. Wright, as a litmus test to indicate if he is capable of being president. Passing this type of test is often called "rising above your principles." That translates to being willing to betray your principles. The greater a republican politician’s willingness to betray their core principles, the higher the position they will reach.

There are some democrats who believe that this litmus test indicates strength. They want a candidate to be as willing to betray friends and associates as that guru of back-stabbing, Richard Nixon, was. One can easily picture Tricky Dick trying to manipulate the public by playing clips of Rev. Wright out of context, over and over and over again. I hope that all democrats will reject such tactics. But maybe people are forgetting that cancer on the presidency.

The great basketball player Bill Russell used to say, "Choose your enemies carefully, because they are the people that you may come to most resemble." Interesting thought, in the context of the democratic primary.

[Coexist]

1. I for one, am glad he won't turn his back on Rev. Wright

if nothing else, his detractors would be as loud in their condemnation of his vascillating on this issue, as they are in their calls for him to "denounce and reject".

[H2O Man]

8. The system tests people.

We can see this with John McCain. When he ran in 2000, and was subjected to smears, his party rejected him. It wasn't just the voters -- it was the men behind the curtain. They needed a lower form of life in the White House, and they got it.

Since then, McCain had to take some tests that proved to those behind the curtain that he was willing and able to humiliate himself. Some were public displays of humiliation, such as begging at the feet of that repulsive Jerry Falwell. There was a time in his life that John McCain would never have done that. It would have violated his principles. But he "rose above" those principles, and got the republican nod.

[aquarius dawning]

23. me too. nt

[Me.]

2. When Obama Gave The 'Race' Speech

I sat holding my breath for I knew if he threw the reverend 'under the bus' I would be disappointed and have second thoughts about him. As to the reverend, I've read that the media is outraged that he would dare to try and defend himself when he has every right to. I would be dishonest however, if I didn't say, I wish it had been later rather than now. But perhaps there was never going to be any time when they wouldn't be brought out to make him an Obama problem.

[H2O Man]

9. Republicans often have

trouble understanding the concept of loyalty. A large part of this is because they view their party, and all government, as a big business. And in their business world, loyalty is a sign of weakness. It is considered as much of a ball & chain as a conscience. And no one can deny this: look at the attributes that are considered "important" in creating their legends in the business world -- cut-throats, without conscience, who feel no sense of loyalty to anyone else. "Win at all costs" is their motto.

Look at what ENRON and those others did to their investors and employees. The sad truth is that business rewards psychopathic qualities. And it isn't just business -- it's government. Ken Lay operated without conscience, and then George Bush pretended he didn't know him.

[Me.]

12. You Got That Right

These rodents would chew their own legs off if it would get them elected

[Me.]

3. Oh Wee

Not nearly ready to see this slide down the thread pole

[Uncle Joe]

4. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, H2O Man.

[blm]

5. and another.

.

[H2O Man]

10. Thank you.

It seemed timely.

[againes654]

6. K&R n/t

[Tatiana]

7. Deep thought for the day

"...If I could go back and do it over, I would never have turned my back on him."

That was Ali admitting a weakness.

If Obama had turned his back on Rev. Wright, that would have been more of a slight on Obama's own character than Dr. Wright's. I'm glad my support in Obama was not misplaced.

I suspect Dr. Wright has found himself in the position of leaving a greater, richer legacy as a result of this controversy. I have no doubt he will use the opportunity wisely. When others who support the opposition scream "he sat under Wright for 20 years!" I just smile. That actually reassures me, because, for the most part, Dr. Wright has shown himself a very adept philosopher and student of foreign policy. From serving honorably as a Marine to pastoring a church in a very tough South Side Chicago area, he has more than proved his patriotism. This gives me even more confidence that Obama sees this country for what it is, in all its ugly flaws, majesty and beauty.

You can't begin to solve problems until you know what they are.

[Uncle Joe]

11. I agree and check out this Time article, one of the best ones I've seen in a long time

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1734809,00.html

[H2O Man]

16. Very good article.

Sometimes the truth is reported in the media.

[Uncle Joe]

20. I agree, however

if I were a betting man, I don't think the odds favor that kind of gamble, at least from past performance.

[myrna minx]

13. K&R n/t

[H2O Man]

24. Thanks n/t

[David Zephyr]

14. H2O Man!

Proud to K&R.

[H2O Man]

25. Thank you.

I think that as we move into May, the differences between the two candidates and their campaigns will come into a sharper focus. That gives Barack Obama a big advantage.

[KoKo]

15. Reverend Wright..."got it correct." and I wish Obama had put it into context for us....

but it would have sounded like the Lefty DU'ers that are put off into "Conspiracy Forums" and Obama wil be like you in that you may "feel" you let Malcolm down by not standing up for him, back then.

Reverend Wright was politically correct, though: "A Politician has to say things." But, as Reverend Wright pointed out...HIS OWN DUTY is to his FLOCK isto "lead them." But...a "Politician has to say things" is his way of "chiding" Obama." Maybe his way of "turning Obama to heel?"

We all have times in our lives when we turned our backs or a cold shoulder to those we knew were trying to speak a "TRUTH" that jarred us so much to our foundations it sounded "RADICAL!" And, rather than face the rath of our friends, peers and family...we "backed off."

It's a good thing to always remember that so one can go back in time...and live long enough to have a chance to repair the "rip in the cloth" and hopefully mend it...because it means something to "US" to do it before we move on off this earth.

Thanks for the post reminding folks about this. Time to "Mend and Repair," going back over it years later.

[H2O Man]

26. When Barack was a teenager,

among the authors he enjoyed reading were Landgston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, Richard Wright, and WEB DuBois. I understand that the author he related to the most was Malcolm X. Progressive and liberal democrats will see that as a good thing; our conservative democratic friends will not.

[TragedyandHope]

17. K&R for the insightful post

These words are especially telling for this moment in history.

[H2O Man]

27. Thank you.

Keep on fighting the Good Fight.

[corkhead]

18. k&r

[Scurrilous]

19. K & R

:thumbsup:

[IsItJustMe]

21. As usual, great insight. I am beginning to expect nothing less of you H2O.

[EFerrari]

22. This is why nationalism is so insidious. It disconnects people

from their principles and from their real relationships and makes them feel as if they should be or that they are being loyal to something greater good when in fact, they are only being manipulated out of their own better judgment.

[H2O Man]

28. Monday morning:

Listening to Rev. Wright reminded me of this thread.

[mmonk]

29. Amen.

Such litmus tests are unprincipled both in asking and complying.