Letters to the Editor for Wednesday, September 3, 2008
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Published: September 2, 2008
For inspired leadership, vote Obama
In a recent letter to the editor, a writer asks about Barack Obama, “He can inspire, but can he lead?” I think the author has it backwards. The better question is, “can the candidate for office inspire?” Can the candidate inspire us to act to our better natures instead of playing to our fears? Can the candidate inspire us to do the hard things that will preserve the freedoms we cherish so greatly instead of allowing the winds of opinion to sway the agenda?
Click to sendThe News & Advance gave the conservative Christian views of John McCain’s vice-presidential pick headlines. Yet, the only qualifications stated for Sarah Palin were her opposition to abortion and her support for the traditional family. It is a sad day in America when the only qualification for the second highest office in the land is to make public statements opposing abortion as a legal option and opposing recognition of homosexual unions.
The right-wing radicals will question the leadership of a man who is inspiring many to go beyond disagreements and find room where we can work together. After all, in a politics as usual, controversy is used to create fear, radical organizations can then ask for money, and lobbyists can keep their cushy jobs. We need inspiration. We need inspired leadership. America needs Obama.
BRIAN JABLONSKI
Lynchburg
Don’t forget Barr
I’m fed up with the onslaught of negative television ads that have been polluting the airways of the past few days. I expect we will see even more between now and Nov. 4. Why can’t the politicians just tell us what they are going to do for us, and more importantly, how?
Both John McCain and Barack Obama are slinging mud like there is no tomorrow. Neither is focusing on solutions to the problems we face. Thankfully, there is a choice. Former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr, Libertarian party candidate, is also on the ballot in Virginia and he’s won my support. Barr has a record of integrity and accomplishment and his campaign is running on the issues. Bob tells us in great detail of his plans for dealing with our nation’s energy needs, the war in Iraq, our economy and so many, many more.
A few examples. Barr has a plan to increase domestic energy production. He supports the building of new refineries and expansion of the use of clean coal and nuclear resources, both of which would be a source of jobs and income to Virginians, and a boost to local economies. Barr is 100 percent pro-gun and he deserves 100 percent of the votes of gun owners and hunters everywhere. He has been a champion of gun ownership rights and was elected to the board of directors of the National Rifle Association. And lastly, he is a bright man who has the courage to stand up against the powerful special interests in Washington, with the experience of being a former congressman. He will fight to shrink government spending and lower our taxes. And these are only a few of the examples of his plans for a Barr presidency.
I just can’t bring myself to vote, with integrity, for the lesser of two evils. The lesser of two evils is still evil.
DANA HALE
Appomattox
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Posted by ( Fred ) on September 05, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Egotist,
Some Europeans leaders may believe they are acting on orders from God but, at least, they have enough sense to keep their mouth shut, knowing they would be laughed out of town if they didn’t. Here leaders don’t have to because they are safe; most of the others are just as crazy as they themselves are!
Tony Blair himself made the comment about the American religious bullies not his communications chief who only said they “did not do God”.
I am not, as an atheist, pushing my views on anybody else. I am just trying to prevent some religious morons who believe they hear divine voices from destroying the planet. In case you have not noticed, atheists are not proselytizing. The last I heard, they don’t have missionaries! Maybe they should?
Unfortunately, the French Terror was not very successful. You would be surprised to see how much of the nobility and clergy survived! If you looked at who actually rules France now, you would be shocked at how many members of the nobility have key rules.
I disagree with you. Palin is pretty much part of this discussion as another religious looney who may be fostered upon us by her accomplices, with terrible consequences for all. Bush was more than enough!
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Posted by ( Individualist ) on September 05, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Fred, how can you be so sure the European leaders don’t believe they are acting on orders from God? As far as Tony Blair goes, according to your post, it was his communications chief who made the statement. I have always found that Europeans view their religious beliefs as a personal matter and are not vocal like folks on this side of the pond. It would however, be nice if the fundamentaists, and the atheists quite pushing their views on everyone else.
The idea of protecting the French citizens was also the idea behind the reign of terror. I always worry when a government wants to look out for my good. Nazi Germany, Stalin’s Russian, and Mao’s China, were all for the good of the people. That’s why Obama scares me too.
Palin is not relevent to our present discussion.
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Posted by ( Fred ) on September 05, 2008 at 9:52 am
Egotist,
It is impossible for me to imagine a present-day Old European leader (even Sarkozy!) claiming that he receives his marching orders from his other Father (the One seating on clouds) and that launching a war of aggression against Iraq was the fulfillment of God’s will. But if one was (were?) looney enough to do so, I would hope he/she would immediately be impeached or recalled (that is what I meant by “locked up”). In fact, I believe it would not be such a bad idea to lock him/her up and throw the key away!
But now we have another dangerous looney on the horizon, Sarah Palin. She too claims Iraq was God’s will. Not only that! A new gas pipeline in Alaska is also in God’s plans! But the “bridge to nowhere” was not? Very strange. I will have to talk to Him about those inconsistencies.
Tell me frankly, are you not scared of those raving maniacs? Have you already forgotten what they have done to this country (and the rest of the world for that matter) in the past 8 years? Have you not heard Pat Buchanan declare that McCain, already branded as “Bush on steroids” by some, would make Cheney look like Gandhi?
I don’t see anything wrong with France protecting its citizens from sects. Is it the “mental manipulation” aspect that bothers you? Is it because evangelical “churches” could also be targeted using that standard? In fact, all churches could and should!
Why did you not comment on Tony Blair’s statement
about religious bullies in America? Too uncomfortable for you?
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Posted by ( Randolph Knipp ) on September 05, 2008 at 8:36 am
Fred, I don’t want to bore others with our dialogs, although I enjoy them thoroughly. Regarding your point about Luv’s religious leanings, I was not ignoring them, I honestly see so many atheistic postings about 6K year old earth, eating snakes, whatever, that they don’t register with me. You know the guy who always refers to McBush, complains about mentions of McCain’s service as a POW, rails against LU? Those are so old and trite that I just brush them off! No news there! Same old Same Old! Fact is that although it may be important to you that Luv is an atheist, it makes no difference to me. The world has always been divided between those who choose to believe and those who choose not to. I choose to believe, and of all the reasons I have, the most important is from my personal experience. An atheist would pooh-pooh my experience, but having lived it makes it very important to me. It truly was an “ask and you shall receive” revelation.
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Posted by ( Individualist ) on September 05, 2008 at 7:58 am
Fred, I could just as easily ask you, why do you make such silly statements.
If there is freedom of religion, and freedom of speech (ignoring the “exception”) then a European leader who made a statement such as Bush’s would not be “locked up.“ Hyperbole on your part or personal knowledge?
“France has developed an entire regulatory system to protect citizens against “sectes” :
Mission Interministérielle de Vigilance contre less Dérives Sectaires (inter-office agency to fight sects) established in the early 1990s to monitor the anti-sect policy
Parliamentary Report # 1687 on the financial situation and financial practices of sects (June 1999)
Anti-sect Law (May 5, 2001) including provisions allowing the dissolution of movements already sentenced by a court for sectarian misconduct and legalizing the crime of “mental manipulation”
Protection of the citizens from sects, or restriction of ideas?
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Posted by ( luv2bliberal ) on September 05, 2008 at 7:32 am
the only idiotic rants come from the plastic bag nazi wanting to control our lives without controlling his own.
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Posted by ( Fred ) on September 05, 2008 at 5:21 am
Randolph,
And there is a point in my post of Sept 3, 12:07 pm, you did not address at all (too uncomfortable perhaps?).
Do you condone the fact that luv use his anonymity (for fear of retaliation for being an atheist) to indulge in idiotic rants and snooping into private lives?
I certainly would like to hear your Christian viewpoint on that topic.
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Posted by ( Fred ) on September 05, 2008 at 5:13 am
Egotist,
Why do you ask such silly questions? I thought you were smarter than that. Of course there is freedom of speech (except for holocaust deniers) and freedom of religion (and that includes not having any religion at all) in Old Europe.
What is missing there is the grip of religiosity on public life we, unfortunately, experience here all the time. No incantation (sorry, invocation) there before every single public meeting (not to mention the fascist Pledge of Allegiance). And atheists do not have to keep quiet like here for fear of retaliation.
Tony Blair was probably the most religious recent leader in Old Europe. According to BBC News, after a speech he gave, Blair was asked about reports that Alastair Campbell (his communications chief) had once told an interviewer who asked about Blair’s faith: “I’m sorry, we don’t do God”.
Blair said faith was very important on a personal level but could quickly become misinterpreted. “I don’t want to end up with an AMERICAN-style type of politics with us all going out there and beating our chests about our faith”, he said.
Satisfied? I hope so!
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Posted by ( Fred ) on September 04, 2008 at 4:53 am
Randolph,
As usual. you completely missed the point.
Luv’s problem, in the eyes of most Americans, is not that he is a black supporting McCain (there are probably a fair number of those including Clarence Thomas), on the contrary. His problem is that he is an ATHEIST (if we can trust his word on that). Horror!
Polls have shown that atheists are more feared in America than muslims! I suspect the people he works for would not be too pleased if they found out what he is; that is why he must remain anonymous. I have made this point on numerous occasions. That shows, once again, the level of stupidity and repression prevalent in this proto-fascist country.
A female president? One day. A black president? One day. An atheist president? NEVER!
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Posted by ( luv2bliberal ) on September 03, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Fred your true nature is showing. How sexist can you get?
I don’t remember you telling us that OWLGORE should have spent his time keeping jr. off drugs and alcohol?
How about all of the Kennedys and the nightmare all of their kids have been through?
What about John Edwards baby? (and not by Elizabeth)
Just keep the little lady in the kitchen and feedin’ the kids and let the man run things!!!!!!
I see now why the democRATS didn’t select Hillary as VP.
They want to keep women in their place…
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