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Mar. 18th, 2008
I want this man to be my president
Mar. 18th, 2008 02:07 pmfrom Obama'a speech today in Philadelphia:
For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle – as we did in the OJ trial – or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright's sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.
We can do that.
But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.
That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, "Not this time." This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can't learn; that those kids who don't look like us are somebody else's problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time.
This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who don't have the power on their own to overcome the special interests in Washington, but who can take them on if we do it together.
This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race, and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion, every region, every walk of life. This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesn't look like you might take your job; it's that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit.
This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never should've been authorized and never should've been waged, and we want to talk about how we'll show our patriotism by caring for them, and their families, and giving them the benefits they have earned.
For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle – as we did in the OJ trial – or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright's sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.
We can do that.
But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.
That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, "Not this time." This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can't learn; that those kids who don't look like us are somebody else's problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time.
This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who don't have the power on their own to overcome the special interests in Washington, but who can take them on if we do it together.
This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race, and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion, every region, every walk of life. This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesn't look like you might take your job; it's that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit.
This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never should've been authorized and never should've been waged, and we want to talk about how we'll show our patriotism by caring for them, and their families, and giving them the benefits they have earned.
(no subject)
Mar. 18th, 2008 03:28 pmThis almost merits being posted to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
northwatfordgap
from MLSnet.com
"And while the [US top division, Major League Soccer (MLS),] continues to build soccer-specific stadiums, it's unlikely MLS will follow the [English Premier League's] model and have all-grass fields.
"In the United States some of the weather issues are a bit different," [MLS Dputy Commissioner Ivan] Gazidis said. "In an ideal world, we would all live in England where it always rains and there are lovely grass fields. But we don't live in that world."
Erm, some of us would prefer to live in Scotland, thank you! :-)
northwatfordgapfrom MLSnet.com
"And while the [US top division, Major League Soccer (MLS),] continues to build soccer-specific stadiums, it's unlikely MLS will follow the [English Premier League's] model and have all-grass fields.
"In the United States some of the weather issues are a bit different," [MLS Dputy Commissioner Ivan] Gazidis said. "In an ideal world, we would all live in England where it always rains and there are lovely grass fields. But we don't live in that world."
Erm, some of us would prefer to live in Scotland, thank you! :-)
I know a number of people who do the Fifty Books Challenge regularly. I'm not really sure what my consumption of books is (a lot more purchased than read, I realise!), but it wouldn't hurt to chronicle my fleeting impressions of what I read. I'll try and at least mention what I finish; if I have time and enthusiasm, I'll provide a proper review.
I'm not sure if I can recreate what I've done so far this year, but I can try. As is my wont, I've started more than I've finished (I think the "partly read" pile by my bed is about a half dozen at least by now).( here there be book comments )
I'm not sure if I can recreate what I've done so far this year, but I can try. As is my wont, I've started more than I've finished (I think the "partly read" pile by my bed is about a half dozen at least by now).( here there be book comments )
