I read the New York Times this day and was not surprised. On the left side, all the way down the front page, they began a story about protesting Catholic Nuns. There are about sixty thousand of them left out there in the world. At one time there were many many more than that. They, apparently, do not wear the revealing (and respect demanding) habits of the past. I kind of knew that from somewhere, but it hit home with this article. The substance of the article was about how the leadership of the Catholic Church (read Pope Ratso) is opposing the Nuns because they have kind of gotten together to argue against a few idiotic things still supported by the Roman Catholics of Rome. They oppose, for example, the required celibacy of priests. The Pope is still big on this malformed and unsuccessful doctrine. And it is not, or at least I do not think so, that the sixty thousand remaining nuns are simply horny and want all those priests for their own. No, I am afraid that the nun's logic is more factually grounded (however fun it might be to think otherwise). It seems that, over time, the celibacy thing just has not worked at all. Priests have been out there screwing just about any human they could get their hands on for many many years. The Catholic Church is currently paying out billions in reparations because of the failure of celibacy among its priests. It seems that the pent up sexuality of these guys has led them to exploit young boys under their care. But the payouts have not fazed Ratso. He contends that celibacy works and must be kept in place. All priests must be male and they must not have sex. The male only thing is another piece of studied stupidity that the nuns oppose.
I was raised a Catholic and went to Catholic schools all the way up through my undergraduate degree in college. My elementary school nuns were the most noteworthy of my teachers. It was Hawaii right after the big war. The nuns at St. Augustine Elementary School, just off Waikiki, had just returned from surviving the entirety of WWII in Japanes prison camps. Those nuns were in no mood to take any garbage from elementary school children. Later, I was to train and then serve in the United States Marine Corps. The Corps had nothing on those nuns. My D.I., SSgt. Baines, could not have gone one round with Sister Michael Marie (a.k.a. Sister Joseph Louis), much less the dreaded Sister Gregoria (called the 'Flying Black Axe' for reasons unknown).
I am a writer today because of those nuns. I miss their disciplined learning techniques. Techniques no longer applied to school children anywhere. I learned the ABC's, how to decline a sentence, phonics, and the Chicago Style Manual of English. I learned them by trial and error, and the studied application of attentive pro-active pain. Those nuns did not have to strike often. They used a form of willful psychology and parental support no longer existent within the confines of our culture. I learned to speak in front of groups and to overcome embarrassment and failure. I got a C Plus in English at the end of 5th grade. And I still write very regularly to Sister Michael Marie and Sister Gregoria. In fact, when my book was recently published, I sent Sister Michael Marie a copy of the book (lovingly inscribed) and a copy of my fifth grade report card. I high-lighted the C Plus I received in English with a yellow marker, to point out the error of her conclusion. That was a month ago. I got a letter yesterday. She sent me the report card back with a note stuck to it. "You have improved" it said, and there was B Plus written in red over the crossed out C Plus. She also noted a few grammatical errors in the final production hard-cover novel! I suppose that is why I, and my publisher's editors, did not get an A.
The Catholic Church has not supported nuns in any way for fifty years. The older ones live in near poverty under poor conditions in run-down care facilities. The few younger ones do not even get habits to wear. They are allowed to work for the Church for free and get by as best they can. It is a shame. The value those women provided to millions of children across the world goes unrewarded and barely even thanked. Yes, they did it for the love of God, but come on! The Catholic Church is run by men. By White old men living in splendor inside stone chateaus. They are just like human leaders everywhere on earth. There is no difference, and there is about the same level of compassion exercised and exhibited toward those whom worked to put and keep them there, as exists in the civilian world outside.
I loved those nuns and tried my heart out for them. I did that because I knew, down inside, near the bottom of my little well of souls, they wanted the best for me. I really believed that they wanted me to succeed and enjoy life, and a good measure of bliss. They wanted me to be successful, simply because, well, in their prayerful and hallowed way, they loved me. They loved God above all, and then all the children in their charge. They still do. Their belief in me, and my belief in them, sustains me to this day.
The numbers of nuns are dwindling rapidly, as the older ones die off and no new ones come aboard. This is part of the design of the Catholic Church. I do not know why. Maybe, like most male leaders everywhere, Ratso and his Italian Mafia fear women. I just don't know. But I lament their passing. They have been a force for good and love out here, across the surface of this troubled earth. Those nuns left now deserve honors and a great retirement. The young ones, the few, deserve our endearing support...financially and emotionally, because it is good for us all. I am not much of a Catholic anymore, but I know a good thing when I experience it. I love those nuns, and you should too.
http://www.jamesstraussauthor.com
http://www.themastodons.com
http://www.from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com
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Abbeville * Aberdeen * Ackerman * Algoma * Alligator * Amory * Anguilla * Arcola * Arkabutla * Artesia * Ashland * Avalon * Avon * Bailey * Baldwyn * Banner * Bassfield * Batesville * Bay Saint Louis * Bay Springs * Beaumont * Becker * Belden * Belen * Bellefontaine * Belmont * Belzoni * Benoit * Benton * Bentonia * Beulah * Big Creek * Biloxi * Blue-Mountain * Blue Springs * Bogue Chitto * Bolton * Booneville * Boyle * Brandon * Braxton * Brookhaven * Brooklyn * Brooksville * Bruce * Buckatunna * Bude * Burnsville * Byhalia * Caledonia * Calhoun City * Camden * Canton * Carriere * Carrollton * Carson * Carthage * Cary * Cascilla * Cedarbluff * Centreville * Charleston * Chatawa * Chatham * Chunky * Clara * Clarksdale * Cleveland * Clinton * Coahoma * Coffeeville * Coila * Coldwater * Collins * Collinsville * Columbia * Columbus * Como * Conehatta * Corinth * Courtland * Crawford * Crenshaw * Crosby * Crowder * Cruger * Crystal Springs * D-Iberville * D-Lo * Daleville * Darling * De-Kalb * Decatur * Delta City * Dennis * Derma * Diamondhead * Doddsville * Drew * Dublin * Duck-Hill * Dumas * Duncan * Dundee * Durant * Eastabuchie * Ecru * Edwards * Elliott * Ellisville * Enid * Enterprise * Escatawpa * Ethel * Etta * Eupora * Falcon * Falkner * Farrell * Fayette * Fernwood * Flora * Florence * Forest * Foxworth * French Camp * Friars Point * Fulton * Gallman * Gattman * Gautier * Georgetown * Glen * Glen Allan * Glendora * Gloster * Golden * Goodman * Gore Springs * Grace * Greenville * Greenwood * Greenwood Springs * Grenada * Gulfport * Gunnison * Guntown * Hamilton * Harperville * Harriston * Harrisville * Hattiesburg * Hazlehurst * Heidelberg * Hermanville * Hernando * Hickory * Hickory Flat * Hillsboro * Holcomb * Hollandale * Holly Bluff * Holly Ridge
God, it is funny out there in the real world. I live in a pocket of irrational misunderstanding. Out there, those people have a corner on that rational thing. Let's see, in the Boston Globe this day they are writing, with wild liberal cheer, about the abolition of all nuclear weapons. Former Secretaries of State are in favor of it. The Pope loves the idea. And I am laughing, from my pocket of strange humanity. We, the USA, is going to get rid of our existing stockpile? That is just hilarious. About the only way that you can assure that nobody will nuke you, in that whole rational world beyond, is too find, build and keep nuclear weapons. We, as a country, did not attack Iran or North Korea. Why? Well, we don't know if either really have nuclear weapons. Did we want to attack them? Hell yes. Even here, in Quasi-Lake Wobegone, we know that! Instead we attacked Iraq and Afghanistan. We knew they did not have nukes. How do you find out whether a country has nukes or not? You can attack them, if you don't believe them when they say they do. If you lose your entire 6th Fleet, well, then you know for sure. Kissinger is in favor of getting rid of all the nukes. That is rich, in of itself. This guy can only travel to Switzerland and back, as far a foreign travel goes. He is wanted for international war crimes around the planet. But, you see, out there, in the real world, he is a master liar as well as a craven killer of men, women and children...all on your behalf, you know.
So, here is the real pitch. We say that we have gotten rid of all our nukes. We do the usual. We lie. Who knows what we have anyway? You think you do? Where are they? How many are there? What happens to old ones? Where are new ones built? You think you know? If you have any idea at all then you are a true believer, in what those people tell you to keep you from really knowing. As for the rest of the world, oh please. We, the USA, has had nukes in other countries for years, much less our own. Yes, even in Allied Countries. They have not known and do not know. They won't know anything and neither will you. It is for your own good, you know. And more rubbish. It is all about control. The idiots interviewed for the Globe article (the Pope, the former Secretaries of State, Etc.) speak as one. Let's make the world nuclear free, they cry. Anyone who disagrees with that is considered part of the 'forces of evil.' We are the good guys. With the nukes. And we are never, ever, ever, giving those up. Because we are not stupid. Once that genie was let out of the bottle, it was out to stay. But we still work with this belief thing. We want others to believe that we are something or have something other than what we really are or have. It is simply a negotiation tactic. We supposedly know that Osama is in Pakistan (which he is not!) but we never threaten Pakistan with anything at all. They have nukes. Instead, we give them billions to do nothing about producing him. Except, they are not stupid either. They keep trying to convince us that he is still there so that we will keep giving them even more money to find him. So, we are clever in coming up with idiotic belief scams but we are dumb as a post in dealing with these clever Pakistanis. Rats. The world out there is so damned intelligent that I can only laugh. I can't possibly understand it.
It is all pretty funny, once you take the pieces apart. Like the Palin thing. She is so dumb she probably needs help to butter her toast in the morning. But there she is, still being interviewed. Writing a book, which has to be a new standard for defining 'oxymoron.' She spoke about Obama being so accurate in his verbal presentations. His sentences are spoken in real English. She took umbrage with his presentation, which speaks volumes in of itself! But then, to add to this, she spoke in that weird 'stupid-speak' she has in common with our current President. I call it the 'celebration of stupidity.' And it makes me laugh. Her seven million should not be paid out for a book. It should be paid out to get her on television doing her own show. She has those legs, and a dedicated willingness to show them. Look at Kelly Rippa's success. As Regis rapidly loses his marbles in front of us all daily, she shows more and more leg....and everything is okay. Writing of 'losing one's marbles,' the Attorney General went back to work right after he got out of the hospital for his stroke. Oh, they said he did not have a stroke. You know, the same one's that will be more than willing to tell everyone that we have gotten rid of all our nukes. But there the guy was, the day before, having such an obvious stroke that the film can be used in any medical school as a descriptor. Hilarious. We all saw it. We all know exactly what it was. But, like the the dolls in the back windows of some old cars, we just keep nodding away. In my little pocket of isolation we would have this guy over there in Aurora Health Care trying to make sure he was okay. But not in the real world. Out he goes, to lance some more windmills before he hits the stage floor for good. The real world is smarter, much more experienced and knowledgeable, but oh so much harsher and colder.
The Emperor has no clothes. That is an accurate description for our economy. The media is telling us that this will all pass. It will all be okay. And i twill for them. They are the same people, by the way, that give us the garbage about some future that is nuclear free, with a straight face. They tell us and we nod. One and all. It is really really funny. Why are their tears in my eyes, as I laugh?
I am getting reports from Americans abroad that the VATICAN is calling loyal members of God's universal church 'heretics and sinners' for voting for Barack Obama as President of the United States.
GOD BLESS AMERICA - This is why we have separation of Church and State in our political system.
The real sin is the fact the Vatican allowed child molesters to reach their highest ranks of ministry. Where were the shepherds during this period? Where were the Bishops? Where were the Cardinals?
In the eighties, POPE JOHN PAUL II, in a speech given to faithful Catholics around the world, stated; "THE NEXT POPE WILL BE THE ANTICHRIST." The pope he was referring to is known today as POPE BENEDICT XVI - a NAZI DURING THE HOLOCAUST.
Perhaps John Paul was right. Who knows? Only time will tell.
Meanwhile, my message to Benedict is "Leave this country in peace. You have no authority here. This is not a Roman Catholic Empire or a Vatican mini-kingdom. THIS IS AMERICA - A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS, DEFEND WITH THEIR VOTE, THE RIGHT FOR ALL PEOPLE TO BE FREE."
For those who were hurt by the words of this pope and other high-ranking roman catholic bishops, MAY I REFER YOU TO THE 2000 YEAR-OLD TEXT WRITTEN BY THE APOSTLE JOHN - 1 JOHN 1:1-4
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and demonstrate to you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;)3 That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.4 And these things we write to you, that your joy may be full.
May all understand that Jesus did not come to judge, but to save the world. Use of sin as a method to control people with fear was abolished at the resurrection of THE JEWISH MESSIAH - YEHOSHUA; known as MELCHIZEDEK; son of ELOHIM; of the seed of DAVID; and powered by THE HOLY SPIRIT.
THE MESSENGER
Most of us who are bi-racial, tri-racial and heaven knows what else are grateful to be seen as individuals on the basis of character.
The victory of Sen. Obama as our new President-Elect has set a new milestone in that direction.
As a Christian from a spiritual perspective, I think that the Bible gives us wise counsel about "digging pits for others that we may eventually fall into ourselves." The definition of who is "white" is so narrowly defined in this country that the White people who came up with this stuff have unwittingly defined themselves into the minority of the future and it was a pit they dug for themselves. Their own children with slaves were categorically treated as slaves and segregated for economic gain and not allowed to learn or live with their own parent in a loving manner except for very few. After all miscegenation was against the law but it went on anyway although on an illegimate basis. In order to be considered "white" you had to be eighth generation white washed or 1/16 "black". Now what if that definition had been just the opposite. We would not have a race problem in this country. We all would be "white" just like Arabs are white, Hispanics are now white.. by the capricious definition of a government. Well what does the Creator think? Probably that we have a lot of grandiose, vain imaginations about our own superiority and inferiority.
If we all had a DNA test to truly see what percentage of each race on the planet we have inherited from it would truly be amazing. A lot of people who appear "white" might not be even 50% white, and a lot of people who appear "black" might might actually be 60-70% white. So other than one gene of skin color determining the future potentiality of a human's contribution to mankind and neglecting to appreciate their genius and character, we as Americans have truly shortchanged ourselves of so much progress and advancement because of this retarded attitude of racism. And now we outsource jobs to people of other nations with less DNA in common than each of us, who never lived in this nation and never fought a war side by side with us regardless of race, who never lived here period and yet we expect them to have our best interests at heart because they sell us oil and keep our Dollar stores full of goods.
Universal health care and many other so-called "socialistic" programs are much easier to adopt in nations where racism is very minimal because you are caring for your extended family.. your nation. You respect that when they get sick that's your problem, that the fence is as strong as the weakest link and your nation's identity is measured by the weakest individuals in terms of its overall status economically, culturally and ultimately spiritually. If we have a nation where only 2% live well and the other 98% are just struggling to get by with a middle class that is shrinking than what does that say about America? I believe Sen. Obama sees the big picture and gets it. I believe he will do a lot to restore America's standing-- not as a shallow veneer of prosperity showcased by a few--, but a real prosperity that strengthens all Americans and is solid and more lasting. If you don't have a stake in this nation, why would you sacrifice your life for it? Is it any surprise that African-American participation in the Armed Forces has dropped from 25% to less than 10% in spite of the difficult economic times.
If college students at campuses as prestigious as Purdue University want to write racist graffiti on November 5, 2008, about President-Elect Obama and about niggers and lynching, well why would any person of color want to put their life on the line for these type of people except for the love of God that you love your enemies. What FOX news and others neglect to report about Rev. Wright is that although he exposes the hypocrisies, the immoral behavior of government which Rev. Graham and others have done as well, he also encourages his flock to love, forgive, pray, repent and reconcile and not return evil with evil, but to return evil with good, to develop the fruits of the spirit in one's character in having to be subjected to the persecuting ways of the world. If we weren't filtering his sermons through race-baited fear, we might be able to hear what the "Spirit of the Lord" is saying to exhort us to become better people. All the prophetic teachers in the Bible never sugar coated anything and they got stoned, drowned, locked in dungeons, heads cut off because they spoke the "truth". God sees everything. Nathan spoke to David about his adultery.. he didn't get the insight from the 6:00 pm news. We nowadays rely more on the media and our circle of friends to inform us, however, some of us dig a little deeper and through prayer see clearer. God does not need the CIA, NSA, FBI to show us reality or to inform us. People do and can manipulate and cherry pick the data they receive from these entities and turn it into what they want... misinformation, disinformation, manipulation... short of lying. What God sees and what we know is vastly different... God's ways are not our ways and therefore God's sermons through His servants may offend us, but that is par for the course. What use is "salt" if it has lost its saltiness and no longer disinfects and preserves the meat? That goes for Pastor Hagee, Pastor Tarpley who McCain eventually distanced himself from and the many others who faithfully teach every Sunday ... and for that matter the Pope as well who admonished us against the War in Iraq and all people of faith and non-faith who seek honesty, integrity, fairness and justice for all.
Thank goodness something bigger than us is pushing us to evolve past this. That something bigger lives inside each of us regardless of race, religion and socio-economic status and other superficial differences. This election victory is a victory for those higher angels guiding us all.
"Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today."PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA
"Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today."
PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA
RSVP MIDNIGHT PRAYER AND CELEBRATION - 31 DEC 2008
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS OUR NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
We invite everyone breathing, or not, the opportunity to show global unity and dedicate three [ 3 ] minutes of time on News Years Eve to thank God for President Obama and ask the Creator of All Things for a GLOBAL BLESSING for ALL NATIONS, PEOPLES, AND TONGUES.
May we agree that 2009 can be a year of healing for the nation and the world as we celebrate this historic election. All faiths are encouraged to join the festivities. LET US GO DOWN TO THE RIVER AND PRAY.
Text translations of the readings supplied by GOOGLE TRANSLATE through GLOBAL BIBLE STUDY.
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, OF BARACK, of Samson, of Jephthah; and David also, Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had test of cruel mockings and scourgings, yes, moreover of chains and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were cut in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered around in goatskins and sheepskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; Of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in deserts, in mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, having obtained a good report through faith, did not receive the promise:God having provided something better for us, that without us they would not be made perfect.
Text is available in 35 GLOBAL LANGUAGES
UPDATE: 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES and THE GOVERNMENT OF CHANGE
Laughing at the Republican Convention about the work done by community organizers is demeaning to all of us "ordinary people." Palin and Gulianni feel community organizers are unskilled and unworthy. After Katrina, it was the community organizers who came in, saved lives and helped in the aftermath. Government officials, with great titles, had failed the people - but community organizers helped the people of the community survive and move on.
After 9/11 when the towers fell. The community organizers consoled survivors, helped the firefighters and other community volunteers, offered housing, food, medical care and funds. Government without community support - led by community organizers - would be a total mess. Thank your local community organizers who volunteer at your schools, shelters and churches. Community organizers help the needy, elderly, kids, and disabled every day.
If Palin and Gulianni do not understand the vital roles played by our local community organizers throughout the United States - they are not fit to lead this great country.
Jesus was a community organizer. Martin Luther King was a community organizer. Ceasar Chavez was a community organizer. Rosa Parks was a community organizer. Your local minister is a community organizer. The Pope is a community organizer (on a grand scale). Your PTA members are community organizers. Your local politicians are community organizers. The American Red Cross leaders are community organizers. The list of well-known community organizers is long and distinguished. Palin can laugh at us - but we ARE America.
.....
Lots of news from Sydney (Australia) during the GMG (Catholics Young General Meeting).
The huge community that reach this far Country comes from...USA !
More than 15.000 Us catholics, guided by Cardinal Francis George (tomorrow he will celebrate a Mess for all Us citizen) reached Sydney, about 1.140 groups from all over US.
With them, a selected group of 22 (17 girls and 5 boys) who will pass the news to Home, as they learned in a lamp course of journalism how stay tunes with the thousands at home, posting blogs through Internet in My Catholic Voice.
In the last visit in USA the voice of the Pope was been very clear : stop the bad things in the World !
Your italian friend, from Australia
Simone
I for one will NEVER give up on Barack, he WILL become President of OUR "UNITED" States of America and Michelle WILL be OUR First Lady.
The Pope said it rather well, The Popes message is HOPE, UNITY and RECONCILIATION. Then the Pope said HOPE IS A WAY OF MOVING FORWARD. I wonder what "the Clinton's" think about those statements by the Pope.To those journalist that chose to switch back and forth and play into these Old Washington Political Games, I say SHAME ON YOU! As for C. Matthews he was usually for Barack yet ever since he appeared on a special show (I'm sorry I cannot remember the name it was at a College) hosted by C. Matthews and Barack made a joke about not watching his show, C. Matthews changed. He then changed even more when H. Clinton and others started to say the media was biased. I am very dissapointed with C. Matthews because I loved to watch his show but now all he tries to do is put Barack down and I believe we the American people already have enough bias in the media and specific channels that love to repeat the same old garbage and/or continue to TRY to put Barack and Michelle down.Most Journalists simply stopped doing their jobs, that being Journalism. Then again maybe they are bought and paid for, i.e. George Stephonopolous, what he did in the recent debate was shameful. He even said to H. Clinton at one point I am going to ask you a question and I know you do not want to speake about this, so I will make it a yes or no question.SETUP! SETUP! SETUP! YES OR NO?
TO All Journalits Work for us the American people, NOT your own agenda(s).
Thank You
Barack & Michelle All The Way - Yes We Can - Si Se Puede - OUR Future President of The "UNITED" States of America - A Change We NEED! HERE IS TO MOVING FORWARD...
Further to this morning's blog, I think this link where CNN reports the response of Obama's church to the media assault on Wright is interesting:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/16/obamas-church-lashes-out-at-media-for-character-assassination/
I would add that I think Obama's stance on this issue has been just right, and I sincerely hope he sticks to it. The words of Wright were indeed in some instances appalling, although in most of them, the thought behind the words was actually not so far from the truth. I discussed what I thought about the foreign policy sermon this morning. I also think that Wright's comparison between Obama's and Clinton's respective positions growing up in American society also had a great deal of truth to it. It was more the language that was a problem. If, as the new pastor at Obama's church says, these sermons were exceptions, or, as one blogger put it earlier, "anomalies", then Wright does very much deserve the benefit of the doubt, and it is worth questioning how such a supposed "bigot" and "racist" and "America-hater" can have served for such a long time with such a strong reputation and such admiration for so long.
So I think there is a lot of character assassination going on here.
I also think, assuming that Wright is indeed, in the bigger picture, the sort of spiritual leader and man of God that Obama says he regarded him as, that the calls for Obama to take stronger action, and withdraw from Trinity, are unfounded and excessive. They also smack of a certain degree of bias and even racial prejudice.
For when was the last time you heard a Jewish politician being asked to leave a congregation or a community because of something that his or her rabbi had said? When did you last hear of a Catholic politician being told he has to leave the Catholic Church because the Pope has said something extremely critical of America? (Oh, and by the way, the Pope has indeed been severely critical of many aspects of American policy, including the invasion of Iraq and the continuation of the death penalty in this country.) So how come, when the spiritual adviser of an African-American politician is heard and seen saying some things that might offend white Americans, and even praises someone [Farrakhan] that Jewish Americans (for good reason) do not like, the immediate demand is that that politician not only condemn the statements of that pastor, but actually take the spiritually devastating step (if he really believes in his religion, and in the faith community of which he is a member) to leave that church?
I do not think that is something that in America, where religion and politics are supposed to be separate (aren't they?), can be demanded of someone, unless that is the religious community of which they are a member has been shown to be completely beyond the Pale of civilized society, and that clearly is NOT the case here.
All that this episode has shown is the bias of the media, especially of the Fox network and, I am sorry to say, a certain lack of balance and perspective in certain sections of white and Jewish communities when it comes to Obama’s candidacy. It has though also highlighted, yet again, the central attraction of Obama's message--that we should move beyond hatred and anger, no matter how justified by past actions, and seek to unite our country in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect, and move forward, beyond racial hatred and religious bigotry. Only then can we realise the sort of human society that all of us, black, white, of whatever race or ethnicity, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, of whatever faith or philosophy, believer, agnostic or atheist, desire in our heart of hearts. A recent article compared Obama the "lover" with Clinton the "fighter". There is something to that, although I think that Obama is quite capable of fighting, but cleverly and cleanly. Nevertheless, there is a greater dichotomy which is even truer of where Obama stands today--Obama is a lover, and not a hater. He is on the side of compassion and coming together, transcending race and all the other sources of hatred. And that is one of the main reasons why he will make a great president of the United States, and a superb leader of the global community.
From: www.blog.bekeh.com
In the last few days, we have witnessed a significant moment in the history of the people of Cuba. Fidel Castro voluntarily resigned as the President of Cuba and his younger brother, Raul Castro was elected by the Cuban National Assembly to replace him. While many people will argue about the significance of this moment given that power is passed from one dictator to the next, I still believe the end of Castro's administration is significant. Fidel Castro for many years carried himself as a demigod. Everyone in the island was his subject and he crushed all forms of opposition. This development in Cuba is significant because Raul Castro is less charismatic than Fidel and he has taken softer positions in recent years. There is no doubt the presence of his brother, Fidel would continue to influence most of the decisions he makes. He has clearly pledged in his acceptance speech that he would continue the revolution and seek Fidel's advice. Raul who is 76 has a short time as President of Cuba compared with the close to fifty years the people of Cuba have been oppressed. It is also early to conclude that Raul would not overturn the policies of the brother and make some history for himself.
