Back in 1997 I was poking around a used car lot, looking for a medium quality, medium mileage and medium appearance used vehicle. I did find one. It was a Volvo, and is still running, just passing the two hundred thousand mark. I love that car, and, as unreasonable as I can be, I have put three times it's worth into maintaining it. It's name is Henry. I know that is not a truly sane thing to do, name a car, much less talk to it, but there we are. You are reading this blog, so you may now silently shake your head...either in disdain and superiority, or because you have read this far and, exasperating as it is, you just have to finish. I don't know. I have no clue as to who you, the reader, are, or what you might think. Most of you never say 'boo' when it comes to comments. So....'Boo'!
While I was homing in the Volvo 'R' car I ran into a homeless guy. He had been 'hired' to provide night security. In reality, the owner of the lot let him sleep off his drunken episodes in one of the 'deaders' in the back of the operational rows of automobiles. I liked that about the owner. He was a tall good looking guy who wore a Stetson and dark glasses all the time. He was lean and ropy, like what I imagined a real cowboy would look like, but he was from New Jersey, which became evident as soon as he took the piece of straw out of his mouth and spoke. I liked that about him too.
The homeless guy was named Thomas, and he lived off a seven hundred dollar a month veteran's check which came to the car lot mail box, because he had none of his own. The owner did not charge him to do that either. Thomas was 'lounging' on the ground near the front door, when I finished walking around the lot and was about to go in and confront Kevin, the owner and lone salesman. "You play guitar?" Thomas asked me. That stopped me on the first step. Unusual question to come from a drunk, anywhere, much less a down in the dumps used car lot. "A little," I said, truthfully. The drunk took a pull on a bottle he kept inside a brown paper bag, swallowed, then asked another question. "You wanna play?" He smiled with amazingly clear eyes, in a creature so damaged. I smiled down at him benevolently, "I don't have a guitar," I stated, then turned to enter the office. "I do," the drunk said, before I was through. I squinted back at him, but stopped with the door open. The drunk rose up and reached around the corner of the mobile home. He brought his arm back with a guitar case in it. "Here, give it a shot," he smiled, holding the case out by the strap. I took it, more by reflex than intent. I almost handed it back, but then I read the word 'Martin' in faded gold letters that were stamped into the top. Martin. Just about the best guitars in the world, I knew. I had never played one. I had never been good enough to actually buy a guitar for myself. Or so I believed. I sat on the step and opened the case. Inside was a different world from the one Thomas inhabited at the lot. A light wood top Martin guitar lay nestled inside the deep plush of the blue interior. I looked between the nylon strings through the hole in the guitar's center. D-28 was stamped there in small faded black letters. I was holding a Martin Dreadnought. One of the deep-bellied beasts that Martin had come out with many years earlier, and dominated the acoustic guitar industry with.
"Is it for sale?" I asked Thomas, not moving to take the instrument from it's case. "Can you play?" the drunk asked again. "If you can play good enough I'll sell you Virginia." He held up the hand not holding his bottle. "Had a accident a few years back." Three fingers on his hand were missing. "Play," he gestured with the broken hand. I took the guitar out of the case very carefully. It was pristine. The strap was of some Indian bead stuff sewn into soft leather. I threw it over my back. It fit. I tried a simply strum to check the sound. "It's tuned. I can still tune, just not play," Thomas gestured again as he spoke. I nodded. It was his guitar. I thought for a moment. I could sing, but not well. I could remember the chords to some songs but not any of the words I would need to sing them. I really only knew one piece without words. It had been the tune I played over and over again when I had been learning. I breathed in deeply and then began performing Greensleeves. The memory of the individual notes and then the chords to the chorus came on their own, as if never gone. And then I remembered the words to the chorus and sang along quietly; "Greensleeves was my only joy, Greensleeves was my delight...."
I finished without having made a single error and I was proud. Thomas smiled. "Virginia's your's for five hundred bucks cash. Take her." I nodded. I had twenty dollars on me but that Martin was not going to leave my hands. "Is there an ATM around here?" I asked the drunk. "What for?" a New Jersey accented voice spoke over my shoulder. I jumped, but held onto the guitar. "Ah, hello," I said. The tall hatted man smiled and nodded, waiting. I could not see his eyes and he was so far above me that my voice broke a bit when I spoke. "Ah, I want to buy this guitar from this...ah, fellow." The man's smile disappeared. He took the straw from his mouth and leaned past me, down towards the drunk. "You sure that you want to let go of Virginia, Thomas?" the man asked, gently. "He's the one," the man replied, taking another pull from the paper covered bottle. "I'll get the cash," the tall man said, twisting back and going through the door. He reappeared in seconds, leaned down again and counted over five one hundred dollar bills. Thomas disappeared them into his front pocket instantly. The man stood again on the ground next to Thomas, taller than I, and I was atop the bottom step. "You got a check or you want to go to an ATM?" he asked, his straw back in place.
I bought the Volvo that day, and the guitar. Kevin took my personal check and let me drive away in the car, and with the Martin. We had bonded. I recalled my last question to him. "Why did Thomas sell his beloved Virginia?" He had taken in a breath, then looked away. "He saw some hard times in that there Vietnam war, back a few years, and he isn't expecting to be around much longer. He wanted to give it a good home. And, but the way, that was the best Greensleeves I've ever heard in my life." I had nodded sheeplishly, then drove out.
I kept track of Kevin and Thomas, as I went back with the Volvo a few times to make believe I needed some advice. In truth, the car, like the guitar, was made of bullet proof cast iron. A few years went by and then I heard that Kevin had committed suicide. I was hurt. I found the obituary and then went out to the burial. I did not know his family so I didn't go to the service or the reception. I stood in the cemetery, well back of everyone. Then I saw Thomas, way off to the side, as well. I walked slowly and carefully among the stones to reach his side. "You brought Virginia," he whispered, pointing at the guitar case. I nodded. We both waited until the people down at the graveside went away. Then we went down to the mound of new earth. I took out the guitar and played Greensleeves. This time I knew all the lyrics. Some words of the last stanza applied so badly that I hesitated there: "Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu, To God I pray prosper thee...." But, I got through, and I thought about Kevin. He would have been happy. I know Thomas was.
from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com
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After loosing the elections to Obama. John Mccain goes home with hope of having a wonderful Thanksgiving with his immediate family. Mccain flew into his hometown on his private jet but when he reached the airport, his usual guest didn’t greet him. There weren’t any balloons, the bands weren’t playing or crowds weren’t cheering. This was unusual, he didn’t even see Sarah Palin. He looked into the distance but all he could see was snow and his cold breath in the air. He looked at his secret service and even they looked shocked about what was happening. For 40 years his town greeted him every Thanksgiving, so WHAT HAPPENED.
He looked at his wife and gave her a smile then said, “Moneys been tight this year for everyone baby. Maybe the town couldn’t afford a celebration this year”
Mrs. Mccain looked at her husband with her devilish grind, “You’re probably right baby. Everyone can’t afford the things we have!”
Mccain grabbed his wife arm and helped her through the snow. He looked at his wife then said, “At least we still have our limo!”
Mccain’s limo was black and warm inside. The bar was filled with Champaign, just like years before. His secret service followed the limo in their black Yukon. Mccain could see despair in his wife’s eyes. He looked at her and said this while he rubbed her thigh, “Baby, I’m still your little P.O.W, right”
Mrs. Mccain’s wife batted her eyes then ran her finger thru Mccain’s hair and gave him a hug as he continued to rub her thigh, “You are my little soldier. Don’t worry!”
Mccain leaned back in his leather seats proud of what he just heard. But when he looked out his window it all disappeared, “What’s going on here?”, Mccain yelled.
Mrs. Mccain rushed to the window because she wanted to see. But what she saw she couldn’t believe, “Why do everyone in your town have Obama campaign signs in there yards!’
Mrs. Mccain looked at John and she immediately knew he was scarred. His eye lit up like a deer staring into your headlights, “I can’t believe it. My own people voted for Obama. What’s going on?”
Alarms kept ringing in John’s ears as he looked out the window and things slowly started to become clear. Most of the people he knew was in Obama’s below 250 thousand dollar tax bracket. While Mccain was trying to help the rich, he was forgetting about the poor. This is something that Republicans have done thousands of times before. As Mccain’s thoughts lingered as his wife started to scream.
Mrs. Mccain, “What the hell did you do? You lost to a black man. Now our lives are ruined. No one will ever remember you for being a prisoner of war. Now everyone will look at us and laugh. And our friends want come to our parties or to any of our functions because you were the first White Republican Man to loose to a Black Democrat.”
Mccain couldn’t believe what was ringing in his ears. He looked at his wife because he felt like he had to make things clear, “LooK!”, pointing, “This race wasn’t about color. I lost to a great man. A-----smart guy!”
Mrs. Mccain laughed, “You lost to a Smart Guy… You lost to a great man”, She paused, “You didn’t say that when you were running around calling him a terrorist. You didn’t say that when you made allegations that Obama was a socialist or he wasn’t fit to be President for the last 23 months”
John looked his wife dead in her eyes, “Now you listen here. I only said those things because your family was about to be taxed because of his policies, if your family loose money then I loose money. I didn’t marry you for only your body, Baby. I married you for power and your family seen me as an opportunity to increase their power.”
Mrs. Mccain was furious about what she just heard. Her eyes was red and her vision was blurried, “You little short dwarf. I know you are angry right now, so I’m going to act like I didn’t hear what you just said. But remember one thing! I made you and I’ll break you… Believe it..You had a chance to get power but you lost, I never lost and I can changed your world with a flick of the wrist”
There are just three days to go until Election Day, and there's no time to waste. I've seen how excited Georgians are for Jim and how ready they are to vote for change. The momentum is on our side. We can't stop now.Every dollar you give helps us rent more vans to take voters to the polls, buys us more radio time in key markets, and funds our final get-out-the-vote push. Please click here to make a contribution of $50, $100, or $250 today. We will rush every contribution directly into the field to be used immediately.If there's one thing I know, it's what a winning campaign looks and feels like. There's a buzzing headquarters, dedicated volunteers pounding the pavement, and a candidate sprinting to the finish. That's what we have in Georgia, and that's how I know we can win this race.I’m doing everything I can to help Jim win – I hope you're doing the same. I know you've dug deep for Jim before, and I know you'll dig deep again to help Jim finish strong. Sincerely,Donna BrazileP.S. There are just three short days left – don't wait until it’s too late to make a contribution. Please click here to make a contribution of $50, $100, or $250 today.
Aberdeen * Alcester * Alexandria * Arlington * Armour * Ashton * Avon * Baltic * Belle Fourche * Beresford * Big Stone City * Blunt * Bonesteel * Bowdle * Box Elder * Brandon * Bridgewater * Bristol * Britton * Brookings * Bruce * Bryant * Burke * Canistota * Canton * Carthage * Castlewood * Centerville * Central City * Chamberlain * Clark * Clear Lake * Colman * Colome * Colton * Columbia * Conde * Corsica * Crooks * Custer * Deadwood * Dell Rapids * Delmont * De Smet * Doland * Dupree * Eagle Butte * Edgemont * Egan * Elk Point * Elkton * Emery * Estelline * Eureka * Faith * Faulkton * Flandreau * Fort Pierre * Frankfort * Freeman * Garretson * Gary * Geddes * Gettysburg * Gregory * Groton * Harrisburg * Hartford * Hecla * Herreid * Highmore * Hill City * Hitchcock * Hosmer * Hot Springs * Howard * Hurley * Huron * Ipswich * Irene * Iroquois * Jefferson * Kadoka * Kimball * Kosmos * Lake Andes * Lake Norden * Lake Preston * Lead * Lemmon * Lennox * Leola * McIntosh * McLaughlin * Madison * Marion * Martin * Mellette * Menno * Milbank * Miller * Mission * Mitchell * Mobridge * Montrose * Mount Vernon * Murdo * Newell * New Underwood * North Sioux City * Oldham * Onida * Parker * Parkston * Philip * Pierre * Plankinton * Platte * Presho * Rapid City * Redfield * Roscoe * Salem * Scotland * Selby * Sioux Falls * Sisseton * Spearfish * Spencer * Springfield * Sturgis * Tea * Timber Lake * Tripp * Tyndall * Valley Springs * Veblen * Vermillion * Viborg * Volga * Wagner * Watertown * Waubay * Webster * Wessington * Wessington Springs * White * White Lake * White River * Whitewood * Willow Lake * Wilmot
Aberdeen * Adairville * Adolphus * Ages Brookside * Albany * Alexandria * Allegre * Allen * Allensville * Almo * Alpha * Alvaton * Anchorage * Annville * Argillite * Arjay * Arlington * Artemus * Ary * Ashcamp * Asher * Ashland * Athol * Auburn * Audobon Park * Augusta * Aurora * Austin * Auxier * Avawam * Bagdad * Bakerton * Bandana * Banner * Barbourville * Bardstown * Bardwell * Barlow * Baskett * Battletown * Baxter * Bays * Bear Branch * Beattyville * Beaumont * Beauty * Beaver * Beaver Dam * Bedford * Bee Spring * Beech Creek * Beech Grove * Beechmont * Belcher * Belfry * Bellefonte * Bellevue * Belton * Benham * Benton * Berea * Berry * Bethany * Bethelridge * Bethlehem * Betsy Layne * Beverly * Bevinsville * Big Clifty * Big Creek * Big Laurel * Big Sandy * Big Spring * Bighill * Bimble * Blackey * Blackford * Blaine * Bledsoe * Bloomfield * Blue River * Boaz * Bonnieville * Bonnyman * Booneville * Boons Camp * Boston * Bowen * Bowling Green * Bradfordsville * Brandenburg * Breeding * Bremen * Brodhead * Bromley * Bronston * Brooklyn * Brooks * Brooksville * Browder * Brownsville * Bruin * Bryants Store * Bryantsville * Buckhorn * Buckner * Buechel * Buffalo * Bulan * Burdine * Burgin * Burkesville * Burlington * Burna * Burnside * Bush * Busy * Butler * Bypro * Cadiz * Calhoun * California * Calvert City * Calvin * Camp Dix * Camp Springs * Campbellsburg * Campbellsville * Campton * Canada * Cane Valley * Caneyville * Canmer * Cannel City * Cannon * Carlisle * Carrie * Carrollton * Carter * Catlettsburg * Cave City * Cave Run Lake * Cawood * Cecilia * Center * Centertown * Central City * Cerulean * Chaplin * Chappell * Chavies * Cisco * Clarkson * Clay * Clay City * Clayhole * Clearfield * Cleaton * Clermont * Clifty * Clinton * Closplint * Cloverport
Adams * Adamsville * Alexandria * Algood * Arlington * Ashland * Athens * Baneberry * Bartlett * Baxter * Bean Station * Bell Buckle * Bolivar * Brentwood * Brighton * Bristol * Brownsville * Charlston * Chattanooga * City of Crossville * City of Parsons * Clarksville * Cleveland * Clifton * Clinton * Collegedale * Collierville * Collinwood * Columbia * Cookeville * Coopertown * Covington * Cowan * Crossville * Dayton * Decaturville * Decherd * Dickson * Dover * Dresden * Dunlap * Dyer * Dyersburg * Eagleville * East Ridge * Elizabethton * Erin * Etowah * Fairview * Farragut * Farragut City * Fayetteville * Flag Pond * Franklin * Gallatin * Gatlinburg * Germantown * Gleason * Goodlettsville * Grand Junction * Greeneville * Greenfield * Harriman * Harrogate * Hartsville * Henderson * Hendersonville * Humboldt * Huntingdon * Huntland * Jackson * Jamestown * Jasper * Jefferson City * Jellico * Johnson City * Kimball * Kingston * Kingston Springs * Knoxville * Lafayette * LaGrange * Lake City * Lakeland * Lavergne * Lawrenceburg * Lebanon * Lenoir City * Lewisburg * Lexington * Livingston * Lookout Mountain * Loretto * Lynchburg * Lynnville * Manchester * Martin * Maryville * McEwen * McKenzie * McMinnville * Medon * Memphis * Milan * Millersville * Millington * Monteagle * Monterey * Morristown * Mount Carmel * Mt Juliet * Mt Pleasant * Munford * Murfreesboro * Nashville * New Johnsonville * Newport * Nolensville * Oak Hill * Oak Ridge * Oakland * Old Hickory * Oliver Springs * Paris * Pegram * Pigeon Forge * Pleasant View * Portland * Pulaski * Red Bank * Red Boiling Springs * Roan Mountain * Rockwood * Savannah * Scotts Hill * Selmer * Sevierville * Seymour * Shelbyville * Signal Mountain * Smithville * Smyrna * Soddy Daisy * Somerville * South Fulton * South Pittsburg * Sparta * Spring Hill
After our stunning Election Day sweep of the White House and Congress, Democrats still have one remaining opportunity to finish 2008 with a win. Even as Senate races pending recounts in Minnesota and Alaska hang in the balance favoring Democrats, one Senate runoff in Georgia remains offering Democrats the possibility of a 60% majority in the upper house of Congress. Recent polls show the Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss (pictured on left) holding a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Jim Martin (pictured on right) with just two weeks to go until the Dec. 2 runoff.
Chambliss remains infamous for his attacks on Democratic opponent Max Cleland in 2002, including an ad showing pictures of disabled Vietnam veteran Cleland along with pictures of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, suggesting dishonestly that Cleland would allow terrorists like those who struck America on 9/11 to strike America again. Chambliss' GOP colleague John McCain called the ad "reprehensible" and "worse than disgraceful" for its attack on the patriotism of a man who lost three limbs fighting for the United States in Vietnam. Ever ready to flip on previously-held principles, however, McCain appears to have forgiven Chambliss for his attack on McCain's fellow Vietnam veteran, and is currently campaigning for Chambliss in Georgia. A noted chicken-hawk, Chambliss avoided service in Vietnam with five student deferments and a medical deferment for a "football knee."
Chambliss is also infamous for his remark, shortly following the 9/11 attacks, that Georgia ought to "arrest every Muslim that crosses the state line."
This year, Chambliss took to race-baiting in the effort to stem a Democratic tide in Georgia that threatened both to unseat Chambliss himself and to deliver the state's electoral votes for Barack Obama. As in other Deep South states, Democratic voters in Georgia are largely African American while white voters tend strongly to vote Republican. Unlike in other regions of the United States this year, white voters in the Deep South broke even more strongly Republican this year than in previous years, owing to racial antipathy toward Obama. Meanwhile, African American voters in Georgia turned out in massive numbers for Obama, producing an electoral result strongly divided along racial lines, and holding McCain's ultimate Georgia victory to a relatively narrow 5.2 percentage points.
Fearing the loss both of his own Senate seat and of his state to the Democrats owing to heavy African American voter turnout, Chambliss not-so-subtly warned his conservative white base of this on more than one occasion as a way of getting them to the polls. In one instance during early voting in Georgia featuring huge African American turnout as expected, Politico quotes Chambliss telling his white supporters that "the other folks are voting" as a warning that they too had better get out and vote. In another instance, Chambliss told the New York Times that the "rush to the polls by African-Americans" in Georgia "has also got our side energized, [because] they see what is happening." Finally, after failing on Nov. 4 to reach the 50% majority required under Georgia law to avoid a runoff, Chambliss again referred in a Fox News interview to the "high percentage of minority vote" this year and the the fact that "we weren’t able to get enough of our folks out on Election Day."
Saxby Chambliss is a liar, a bigot, and a disgrace. In 2001, he openly suggested collective punishment of Muslims for the 9/11 attacks. In 2002, he won his Senate seat by shamefully attacking the patriotism of a disabled veteran in a time of fear shortly following 9/11. This year, he used race-baiting in the attempt to save his own Senate seat and keep Georgia in the Republican column. His Democratic challenger, Jim Martin, is a Vietnam veteran, an accomplished legal scholar, and served for 18 years as a Georgia state legislator. Readers are encouraged to visit Jim Martin's campaign website, to contribute there or at Act Blue to Martin's campaign, to spread the word to other Democrats, and to contact Georgia voters on Martin's behalf.
December 2nd!!!! Mark your calendar! Vote for Martin. Help support President (Elect) Obama's agenda!!! December 2nd-Tuesday.
MARTIN LUTHER KING:
“After one has discovered what he is called for, he should set out to do it with all of the power that he has in his system. Do it as if God almighty ordained you at this particular moment in history to do it.”
There is a new peace evolution in America with a new sense of equality, restoring purpose, destiny, dignity, truth and justice, back into the heart of America.
Thank you President Elect Barack Obama for stepping up to the plate for the US Citizens and for becoming a part of the evolution.
Thank you all for checking out his Video at Willie Nelson's Peace Research Institute:
http://willienelsonpri.com/peace/377/a-peaceful-solution-bobby-pizazz-video.html
Ad Hominen Attacks
I hope that Obama keeps his next debate simple and direct. I thought it was very thoughtful of him to mention education at least twice in the townhall debate; an issue that I do not remember McCain even implying.
The false, negative rumors escalated against Obama gained their strength through being recognized and publicized even though they lacked validity. Regarding the contrived, personal attacks, Obama should merely dismiss any ad hominem statements against him as false. It would be a mistake to address, for example, the Ayer rumor at the level of details because a detailed, convoluted response implies its credibility. In other words, if Obama responds to the Ayer rumor in a detailed manner, he will seem deceiving and mildly self incriminating. On the other hand, if Obama dismisses these attacks as falsely poised and invented by an racist, resentful anti-Semitic, he will gain the upper hand through attacking the rumor and the source of the rumor itself. Additionally, if he criticizes the McCain campaign for even recognizing the rumors of the racist Andy Martin he will gain a greater advantage.
The Sadistic Victim versus the Scapegoat
In terms of psychology and literature, there are two scenarios of irony in which an individual is segregated and attacked. The first is as the scapegoat of a tragedy, but this victim, after being tortured and harassed, is reborn as the god of the next generation (ie. Jesus Christ, Dionysus). The second scenario of segregation is that of the sadistic comedy and its victim whose torture is cathartic and pleasant for the audience. The ad hominem attacks by the McCain campaign against Obama represent the sadistic and cathartic torture of comedy, the laughing angry mob, the second type of irony.
Within this article, a functional definition of tragedy and comedy are used. Tragedy is the protagonist and his separation from society; comedy is the integration of society.
Let me explain the differences between the two scenarios; pretend there is a group of x-children who harass a lonely y-child. In a tragedy, the perspective of the audience would follow the y-child and his separation from the group. The audience would be compelled to sympathize with the y-child to and pity this tortured scapegoat. An example of this is the story of the crucifixion of Christ where the audience sympathizes with the tortured scapegoat.
The alternate perspective occurs within a comedy. Likewise, in this scenario, the x-children inflict torture on the y-child. However, from this comedic perspective, the audience feels a sadistic catharsis through the torture of the y-child. Why?---because from this perspective the audience identifies with the x-children. Many Americans ethnically and nationalistically identify with McCain, the Caucasian Patriot, and the associated leaders of campaign. This is why you can search youtube to find some horrifying videos of republicans at campaign rallies making aggressive personal attacks against Obama. Many of his radical supporters are driven by the sadistic pleasures of a comedy and its victim. They empathisize "Hussein", his middle name, to indicate he is an outsider. An this is the least of it, there are plenty of cases were he is called Osama instead of Obama. This is the emotional state of the present, sadistic perspective that permits such segregating, ad hominem remarks against Obama.
Yes, Barack Obama will have no problem appealing to individuals that focus on policy. Some people are usually not able to distinguish correctly between the proposed policies of the two presidential candidates; nevertheless, Obama connects with these people through the clear manner in which he words his proposals making his policies pertinent to all people willing to listen. When Americans listen, they realize that Obama's policies are better for Americans now and better for the future of humanity. But how will Obama appeal to emotional Americans that can not understand policy or perceive their long term effects?
I am a little worried that Obama will lose to the McCain campaign's comedic, angry emotions of identity and segregation. I would suggest that he change the perspective of the dissenting audience from identifying with the x-children to identifying with him, the y-child. I doubt any extreme republicans will budge, but with this change in perspective, emotionally driven swing voters will feel guilty for leaping on to the angry, segregationist wagon, and will join those who sympathize with the scapegoat, the y-child. If Obama makes dissenters emotionally realize that they actually identify with his values and aspirations, the same, authentic values and aspirations set forth by our founding fathers, then he may convince a few of these dissenters.
Fundamental Values and Aspirations
Listening to Obama's words at last week's townhall debate was reassuring; he had the right experience and the right proposals. However, only until the closing statements was I really pulled in to sympathize with Obama at the emotional level. In these closing statements, he mentioned his background and how the image of a revered America inspired his father. He mentioned, in a thankful manner, the opportunity that America stood for; the opportunity that made it possible for him and his wife to receive an education. He brought us into his perspective and compelled us to relate to him with mutual respect and sympathy. I hope he moves our perspective in the days preceding the election, once again, like he did last week in those closing statements. We must be illuminated; we must associate our values and aspirations with those of Obama; we must identify the inhibiting problem within his opponents; we must realize that through Obama's values and policies our future will be realized.
My hope for America and life took a first hit in 1952. But Stevenson was a funny looking guy, and Ike had that great slogan and even greater hat. And how much hope can a seven year old lose in a deal like that? I recall it clearly, and it was both ominous and fortuitous, I suspect. I lost some more in 1956 when Ike won again. But there was Elvis to hold up our hope in spite of that tragic loss.
Hope took a staggering blow in 1963 when we lost John the day after I saw him while in basic training in San Antonio. It was simply inconceivable. I got a little hope back when we somehow managed to put Goldwater's hatred out to pasture. And while that end result in 64 was depressing in it's own right, we had Dylan and the Beatles to give us occasional blips of hope. Hope returned for a year or two when I convinced myself that I and we were doing a right noble thing in Vietnam. It began to disappear toward the end of that mission as I began to question why we were killing so many for so little.
Hope nearly disappeared altogether when we lost Martin. When we lost Bobby, it was virtually gone. And when our children in uniform opened fire killing our children in sandals at Kent, all hope left and was replaced by rage.
We had a few minor victories after that, but even the man from Hope didn't inspire much hope in me.
And now, dare I say it, in what is likely my last presidential change, I find it's returned even stronger than those wild days with Bobby and Gene. After all these years, there seems to be a chance that we can become the America we were meant to be and to rejoin the world as a true force for good.
Please, whatever you do, do not let our hope go away again.
Thank you, Michelle. Thank you, Barack. Thank you volunteers.
Learn more about the amendments included on our 2008 Election Ballot:
Item one: To encourage the preservation of Georgia's forests through conservation use property tax reduction program.
Item Two: To authorize local school districts to use tax funds for community redevelopment purposes.
Item Three: To authorize the creation of special Infrastructure Development Districts providing infrastructure to underserved areas.
Note: Don’t let the wording fool you, especially on Item three. Very clever wording to take A lot of money from Home buyers.
Item Two seems foolish after telling the teachers that we can not give them the pledged 3 percent raises.
Source: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=146x5856
or_
References:http://www.times-herald.com/Local/Proposed-amendment-wo... http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Georgia_2008_ball... http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/680/public/news915307
GA news ~
ON September 30, 2008
Chambliss leads Martin only 37% to 34% in DSCC pollGeorgia Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin is within three points of Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss and holds Chambliss to just 37% of the vote, according to a new poll taken for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Chambliss leads Martin 37% to 34% in the poll, which also found that only 27% of Georgia likely voters say that Chambliss is doing an excellent or good job as Senator – a ten point drop from a poll taken for the DSCC in early August.“Georgians continue to show that they are unhappy with the job Saxby Chambliss has done in Washington and are ready for a change,” DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said. “With thirty-five days to go until the election, Jim Martin is in a strong position against an unpopular incumbent.”The poll of 600 likely voters was taken September 24 to 28 by the Mellman Group and has a 4% margin of error.
Now! Jim Says:
From 3 to 2 to 1: New Independent Poll Shows Us Within 1 Point of Chambliss!Today brings the third in a series of new polls that pegs our race at a dead heat! Last week, we told you about a new Mellman Group poll that had us within 3 points of Saxby Chambliss - and then a new SurveyUSA poll that had us down by only 2.And now, this morning, a new Research 2000 poll shows that we are trailing Chambliss by only 1 point, 45% to 44%!There can be no doubt that we have the momentum on our side. Over the weekend, while I was meeting with folks in LaGrange, Columbus, and Fayetteville, the papers were full of doom-and-gloom stories for Saxby Chambliss, calling him "beatable in conservative Georgia." The Washington Post described Chambliss as "suddenly teetering." Another outlet lauded us for running a "smart, aggressive operation" in going after Chambliss.
Source: http://www.martinforsenate.com/blog/
Reason for the big jump in the polls is directly related to our hard work registering new voters. Great Job Folks!!!
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WARNING!
Do not watch on C-span the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee hearings about the $700Billion Rescue unless you have a strong stomache. The Greed of LB & AIG executives are unbelievable.
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McCain revisiting Keating 5 banking scandal again after his campaign goes Nasty! It's about time, I think.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081007/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_keating
If we learned nothing from the swiftboating in 2000 & 2004, defend yourself and fast. It's sad but true.
Oh about that Bear DNA POrk Spending McCain Mocked about - He voted for it! Did you Vet your Candidates Sir?
Guess what The Palins were associated with a " Domestic Terrorist" THe Leader wanted to Alaska to Succeed from the US.
Revealed: $Arah Palin Cut $1.1 Million in Funding for Teen Moms
Did He not hear of these issues associated with her?
Vote Early!!!! Obama '08
HISTORY IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SHOW UP AND PARTICIPATE!
My daughter, Emily Lewis, turned 18 on June 1, and she will be casting the very first vote of her life tomorrow, June 3, in Bozeman, Montana, for Senator Barack Obama, the next President of the United States.
I have always told my children that history is what happens when you show up and participate, and this day will be one of those days when that theory will be proven over a million fold, all around the world. Congratulations to Senator and Mrs. Obama and their family, and everyone who has either worked as a staff member or volunteer (such as myself), for an accomplishment of a lifetime. Job well done, all the way around! I am proud and grateful to be able to be part of this movement, this moment in our nation’s history like no other. Abraham is smiling; Martin is smiling; John is smiling; and Bobby is smiling. This is our time, this is our moment, this is our day! Sincerely, Patricia McGahan Lewis Stockton, Kansas Rooks County Precinct Captain
Martin Luther King said that by remaining silent we remain complicit.
Nelson Mandela was head of MK, the armed resistance wing of the ANC which targeted things rather than people, but nonetheless hurt those who ran/owned these targets.
Both men won the Nobel Peace Prize and suffered incredibly for their courage and outstanding leadership.
Starting with our leader, Senator Obama, and followed by his senior campaign staff, we have a duty to help the voters in this primary make informed decisions.
There are many things that the public has a right to know about opposition canadidates and all we hear about are vaguely potential scandals about Barack. Why? What are we going to do about this?
We, starting with our leader, have to be willing to start address these thorny issues without feeling dirty. It's part of the job.
We continue to enable the worst part of the establishment by being silent about it or by trying to protect it in one way or another. Changing dirty diapers is part of bringing up a healthy child.
See the article below for some practical advice from Dick Morris and Eileen McGann:
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I stress all the time how important it is to seize this moment. People speak as though they don't deserve a leader like Obama. They speak as though Obama doesn't deserve to be President. What's sad is that I think that some Black people may vote for Hillary just so they don't seem "predictable." Today, someone asked me (with snark) why i was voting for Barack Obama. To that I replied, "i'm voting for Barack Obama for the same reason you're voting for who you want to be President, assuming that you are voting based on the facts and the record of your candidate. "Oh" was his response. Just "oh." "Call me predictable," I said. I know what's at stake here and I am reminded of the legacy of Harriet Tubman, Marcus G., Martin, Malcom, Ghandi, The Black Panthers, Toussaint L'ouveture, the Freedom Fighters and the unsung heroes who lost their jobs, lost blood and risked their lives for me. When I meet past heroes and when i'm sharing history with generations to come, I want them to be proud of my vote and to know that only had them in mind. Go Barack!
