tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post2281144503031451770..comments2024-03-25T17:38:55.490-07:00Comments on Dar Kush: O.K., so he's not as smart as I thoughtSteven Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13630529492355131777noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-11992588261682351422008-11-10T11:32:00.000-08:002008-11-10T11:32:00.000-08:00I can understand that this is _arguably_ (and I wo...I can understand that this is _arguably_ (and I would argue against it) the best moment in the history of black people, and I can I understand your joy, and I have no problem with you savoring it for a while; I just wanted to put in my $.02 for what this blog is best at as a reminder. <BR/><BR/>Side note; I agree with you that myths are very important to a people, and if you want a good visual example of what the election of a black person to the most powerful position in the world means on a mythic level, I think this captures it perfectly;<BR/><BR/>http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2987<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>MikeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-31921167667092237492008-11-08T08:09:00.000-08:002008-11-08T08:09:00.000-08:00Suzanne--I was making a joke, on myself, not Obama...Suzanne--<BR/><BR/>I was making a joke, on myself, not Obama. <BR/>#<BR/>Mike--<BR/>I agree. One of the reasons I've always been so clear that I don't consider one side of the spectrum superior to the other is that I wanted to vent without insulting or really taking sides. I appreciate your understanding. And I'll start backing off from it now, and concentrating on other things more...but I hope you understand that this is, arguably, the single greatest moment in the history of black people on this planet. My mind is a little bit blown...but I need to get back on balance now.Steven Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13630529492355131777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-89815153046402898982008-11-07T23:41:00.000-08:002008-11-07T23:41:00.000-08:00I'm happy for his victory, and look forward to see...I'm happy for his victory, and look forward to seeing him implement his ideas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-57099149192303132842008-11-07T16:59:00.000-08:002008-11-07T16:59:00.000-08:00I'm just glad I don't have to figure out how to do...I'm just glad I don't have to figure out how to do it. A MASSIVE weight just came off my shoulders and I thank him for having the courage to do this.<BR/>Now there is NO MORE STIGMA. NO MORE STIGMA. America responded to his message and we can finally come together. Not because of racism but because of isolationism (a semantic definition of segregation).<BR/><BR/>I would love to work for him in the area of cleaning up the schools. That's more important than the economy because if we aren't producing SUCCESSFUL, MORE-THAN-PROFICIENT workers there will be no Americans in the offices that have now become more computerized.<BR/><BR/>Even warehouse and fast food workers have to use technology.Christian H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16847810167041864292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-76260408613853933852008-11-07T15:18:00.000-08:002008-11-07T15:18:00.000-08:00arnold your friend lee hit the nail on the head, a...arnold your friend lee hit the nail on the head, and until i read his comments the wisest thing i've heard anyone say came from my 8 year old son who, in casting his mock vote for obama said "white people need to see that black people can do it too."<BR/><BR/>if non-whites needed to see non-white role models most of us wouldn't get even as far as we do. seeing obama in office IS viscerally powerful, but on some level we know that we're part of america. recent research shows this--whereas whites find it subconsciously difficult to associate non-white Americans with American symbols, blacks have no problems whatsoever.<BR/><BR/>it's WHITES who have needed to open their eyes and gain a less parochial and narrow vision of what america looks like. many of my female friends in undergrad are now people like michelle obama. more than a few of my male friends are on par with barack. the america they represent has been a part of my life for the last twenty years. <BR/><BR/>it took my son to remind me.Lester Spencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02545778619369769610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-14571083287406416762008-11-07T07:04:00.000-08:002008-11-07T07:04:00.000-08:00Oops. I meant to say that the video has a brief ad...Oops. I meant to say that the video has a brief ad before it gets to the real video.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-80298597738734904072008-11-07T07:02:00.000-08:002008-11-07T07:02:00.000-08:00Steve, you might like this video. I love when peop...Steve, you might like this <A HREF="http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1108/567836_video.html?ref=newsstory" REL="nofollow">video</A>. I love when people don't live down to their stereotypes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-76415825155980852812008-11-06T09:10:00.000-08:002008-11-06T09:10:00.000-08:00I feel proud, patriotic and American for one simpl...I feel proud, patriotic and American for one simple reason: a conversation with my friend Lee. Lee is Asian American. It was obvious to me that the Obama victory had a profound effect on him, so I asked him if he was okay. He said: "You know, America always saw itself as great, and the rest of the world was always a little skeptical because America's actions did not always match its claims of greatness. Tonight we finally live up to our own hype."<BR/>I said: "What do you mean?"<BR/>He said: "I as a man of color may understand this better than you ever will. Over the years, I have encountered, from time to time, the persistent meme that being an American means being white. When someone says to me, 'Of course I can't speak Chinese - I'm an American' it means little to you, but to me it speaks volumes. He has an automatic association of his whiteness to his Americanness. But wait one damn minute, there are quite a few people like me, who can speak Chinese and yet are no less American than him, in any concievable way.<BR/>"In this election, we saw this harmful meme again and again. Some whites from the south and rural areas angrily asserted that Obama was not a real American. I recognized the subtext easily: he ain't white - only whites can be real Americans. So of course to them he was not fit to take high office."<BR/>I said: "It's messed up, I agree."<BR/>He continued: "The crushing victory proves once and for all, in the most visceral fashion imaginable, that the bigots are utterly wrong. We're finally the nation where any American, regardless of skin color, really has the possibility to achieve anything. It's no longer just an empty promise. The few who still subscribe to the despicable meme will eventually die of old age, some sooner than others. The new generation that replaces them won't have their prejudice. This is why you see so much emotion out there. I'm all choked up because I was born here and I've been a citizen all my life, but only right now, at this moment can I finally say that America is my country too. Maybe we'll screw up again down the road, but today we live up to the greatness of our highest ideals."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-87934379197908528782008-11-06T07:54:00.000-08:002008-11-06T07:54:00.000-08:00I thought this was interesting.http://www.detnews....I thought this was interesting.<BR/><BR/>http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081106/METRO08/811060411Shady_Gradyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00996625985002373392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-35518595637824301252008-11-06T07:03:00.000-08:002008-11-06T07:03:00.000-08:00I am ecstatic to see this. Steve, you're the one ...I am ecstatic to see this. Steve, you're the one who taught me how rare a public love relationship like the Obama's is, and without knowing you, I wouldn't have even see what a big deal this is. As a white person, I'd never noticed the lack of black role models or positive images of black people in the media or books in my childhood until you explained it back in the early days of Lifewriting.<BR/>As for Obama himself - I think he's gonna be a great President, and we can heal a lot of stuff old white men have been steadily damaging for decades. <BR/>Yipee!<BR/>BTW, My house was full of old white women couples cheering (and crying happy tears). Giggle. His progressive views have values for many of us.<BR/>Hugs to you!Brenda Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07570136758334623870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-17398721821629214142008-11-06T06:12:00.000-08:002008-11-06T06:12:00.000-08:00Nancy: I find the research you quote from an obvio...Nancy: I find the research you quote from an obviously liberal biased group amusing. If you don't think that the economy was the biggest factor in Obama's landslide victory, then look at the polls immediately before the crash and a week or so after the crash. I'm not a big believer in polls, but when the same polls conducted the same way change that much in a short time it says something. All the other issues discussed in the research are at this point sidelights.Marty Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06465745755940914756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-73451327960973908132008-11-05T21:36:00.000-08:002008-11-05T21:36:00.000-08:00At first I was mostly relieved that Obama won, but...At first I was mostly relieved that Obama won, but I'm moving over to delighted. <BR/><BR/>I can see why race is central to a lot of people, but it doesn't speak as loudly to me as that the more intelligent candidate won-- both that I'm pleased we've got someone smart (and God knows, we need that), and that the American electorate isn't addicted to stupidity.<BR/><BR/>Steve is right that we need a conservative side in the literal sense, but if <A HREF="http://www.democracycorps.com/strategy/2008/10/the-republican-disconnect/" REL="nofollow">this</A> is accurate, it isn't exactly going to be the Republican party as we know it. I'm hoping for something good from the "my party betrayed me" contingent, but not from people who think that McCain should have run further to the right, or that Palin was a good choice, or that Obama won because he had more money without thinking about *why* he had more money.Nancy Lebovitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07068537632391466902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-66669758738604924192008-11-05T21:20:00.000-08:002008-11-05T21:20:00.000-08:00I have been obsessing about this election. I cried...I have been obsessing about this election. I cried when when NBC projected the win. My heart rose when McCain made a gracious concession speech. My spirit soared when Obama made his acceptance speech.<BR/><BR/>This is the first time that I really cared that a particular person won. I really do not know how I came to this place. Maybe it is transient. However, I will enjoy it while I am here.mjholthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00626250928180743075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-8974260734091211672008-11-05T20:20:00.000-08:002008-11-05T20:20:00.000-08:00I was confident we would win, and Obama would be o...I was confident we would win, and Obama would be our next President.<BR/><BR/>Whet impressed me was the voter turnout! Amazing and humbling, that so many took it all so very seriously.<BR/><BR/>Power to the People.<BR/><BR/>JoAnneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-59008525266488880392008-11-05T19:23:00.000-08:002008-11-05T19:23:00.000-08:00we are no longer waiting on the world to change.we...we are no longer waiting on the world to change.<BR/><BR/>we are living it!<BR/><BR/>i am thankful.<BR/><BR/>amen.Blisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09186476021758334398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-21395904088478742172008-11-05T14:15:00.000-08:002008-11-05T14:15:00.000-08:00I voted weeks ago via absentee ballot. I actually...I voted weeks ago via absentee ballot. I actually didn't watch the returns yesterday because I'd glanced at the polls, saw a potentially close race and thought we'd be lucky to know who won by Thanksgiving. <BR/><BR/>oops. <BR/><BR/>I've been sitting here at work, crying, while watching the acceptance speech. Neither my mother nor my father lived to see this day, but I've been alternately grinning like a maniac and trying not to burst into tears. <BR/> <BR/>I do not envy Obama his job, but after <I>years</I> of incredible amounts of bullshit I can once again say that I'm proud to be an American.Sonchyennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03429073023754619182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-82716331214533314302008-11-05T11:51:00.000-08:002008-11-05T11:51:00.000-08:00This has been an amazing moment. I did know it (or...This has been an amazing moment. I did know it (or something like it) was coming. I'm dispirited by Prop 8's passage in California, but that's a temporary setback -- look at the voting breakdown and that thing passed because of people over 65 -- young people rejected it by 2 to 1. We won this fight and we'll win that one, we just need to come back to it.<BR/><BR/>I haven't agreed with Mike Ralls much lately, but I do agree with him that this is great blog about living. There are other political blogs out there, but not many (maybe none) that do what you do, Steve.<BR/><BR/>That said ... let's all take a moment to enjoy Obama's victory. Lord knows I am. Last night I was sitting in a busy sports bar watching the returns come in, and when they called it for Obama that crowd went crazy. It was mostly white but with half a dozen black people in the crowd -- when they called it this gorgeous black girl kissed the guy she was with ... saw me smiling at her, and came over and kissed me too.<BR/><BR/>I'm hung over for the first time in years today. I don't remember what I was doing when they called it for Clinton in 1992, but I'll never forget what I was doing when they called it for Obama in '08.Daniel Keys Moranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12992599044462413412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-30354341734132106122008-11-05T10:22:00.000-08:002008-11-05T10:22:00.000-08:00To me race was irrelevant. He was the best candida...To me race was irrelevant. He was the best candidate for the job, hands down. I hope race hasn't overshadowed that. I can hope I appreciated what that means to a lot of African Americans.<BR/>And when he said "The UNITED States of America".....<BR/>Has many meanings.steve-vhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03889100992443991077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-58120238428285898052008-11-05T10:13:00.000-08:002008-11-05T10:13:00.000-08:00This is a true victory for all Americans. I'm humb...This is a true victory for all Americans. I'm humbled, in awe, grateful. It's historic and I'm proud to be here for it! :-DTyhitia Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14070000168178880911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-12603791191442602192008-11-05T08:53:00.000-08:002008-11-05T08:53:00.000-08:00Oh, and just a personal side note: For pure selfi...Oh, and just a personal side note: For pure selfish reasons I hope this blog stops being as political as it has been the last year. For me, I get the most out of this blog when it's about the personal, the human. I know it's Steve's place to rant and let things go, but I've gotten a lot of wisdom from it when it's about living life to 10/10ths of capacity. That's also what I think its strong point is. <BR/><BR/>There are, probably literally, over a million political blogs out there. And I've read tons of political blogs that are _really_ great for what they are. But this blog, on it's best days, inspires me to be a better me. And it doesn't do that when its all about politics. <BR/><BR/>For those who supported Obama, I don't begrudge you your happy time. Enjoy it. I personally think that your picnic will not be free of ants, but "gam zeh yaavor." <BR/><BR/>But again, for purely selfish reasons, I hope politics can be put aside here soon and a there is a return to a focus to better living.<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>MikeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-52969271769293236722008-11-05T08:41:00.000-08:002008-11-05T08:41:00.000-08:00In my lifetime they killed men for registering Bla...In my lifetime they killed men for registering Black people to vote. Yesterday Barrack Obama was elected President.<BR/><BR/>I never thought I'd live to see this day.Dan Gambierahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04172075070150854447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-49396732063772385902008-11-05T08:36:00.000-08:002008-11-05T08:36:00.000-08:00I'm one of those people who were troubled by Obama...I'm one of those people who were troubled by Obama's past associates, but you know what? None of that really matters now. Unless a video pops up of Obama in a Nazi Uniform doing the Dance of Joy as tower 2 went down, it's all irrelevant campaign talk. What matters now is what he does. The campaign is over. Time to see the results.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-14136171006603911642008-11-05T08:34:00.000-08:002008-11-05T08:34:00.000-08:00Just after the concession speech, when the other m...Just after the concession speech, when the other members of Obama and Biden's families came out on stage, Barack and Michelle hugged. He had his back to the audience, but a camera from the rear of the stage caught it from that angle. She leaned in close and, though I couldn't hear it, and my lip reading is rudimentary, it sure looked like what she said was, "I love you."<BR/><BR/>In a night full of moments, that one shined bright. <BR/><BR/>The man is gonna need a lot of support, and I can see his wife will be there for him.<BR/><BR/>Even as a science fiction and fantasy writer, I never thought I'd live to see the day. I am so pleased to have done so. <BR/><BR/>The times, they are a changin'.Steve Perryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12079658447270792228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-37636110331106648832008-11-05T08:29:00.000-08:002008-11-05T08:29:00.000-08:00Obama's election is all about the NEW. A new way o...Obama's election is all about the NEW. A new way of governing; ushering in the new American industry: Energy Technology aka Green Collar Jobs; service; letting go of stuff that doesn't work. I do not claim we will all hold hands and sing. But be open to the new. Ride the wave.<BR/><BR/>The best thing about this is that my sons, who are the same sandy-brown shade as Obama, can grow up to be president. They really can be anything they want to be. Things are going to rapidly change, in all arenas. <BR/><BR/>I look forward to the first woman president, the first Latino/a president, the first Native American president, the first Asian president. And I look forward to the day where their elections are no big deal. I am so proud right now.Altheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10311926350061672944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9339191.post-78087149121767639722008-11-05T08:05:00.000-08:002008-11-05T08:05:00.000-08:00O.K.--so Obama isn't as smart as I thought he was ...<I>O.K.--so Obama isn't as smart as I thought he was (remember I said that if he was as smart as I thought, he'd win by double digits?)</I><BR/><BR/>and how's that, Steve?!!<BR/><BR/>how is it<BR/>that those who didn't vote for him<BR/>are a reflection on his intelligence?<BR/><BR/>perhaps he copuld have got more vortes<BR/>by pandering<BR/>or buying them<BR/>with promises of <BR/>appointments <BR/>or pushes for various<BR/>agendas<BR/><BR/>as I see it<BR/>he can make his administrative changes<BR/>beholden only to his principles<BR/>and the will of the people<BR/><BR/>I expect we will see<BR/>creative use of technology<BR/>to engage in conversation with <BR/>the citizens of this country<BR/>as decisions are made<BR/>I think input will be welcome<BR/><BR/>and he has said<BR/>no "retreads" <BR/>in his appointments<BR/><BR/>personally I think he ran<BR/>a nigh near impeccable campaign<BR/>and I am delighted and moved by<BR/>the outcome.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com