June 16, 2008
POT MEET KETTLE: Obama Says Black Men Should Be Better Fathers
Frankly, I agree with the general sentiment. He's raised valid points few will argue.
That said, I did notice that Obama gave his speech at the Apostolic Church of God, and not Trinity United Church of Christ. Obama recently quit Trinity at roughly the same time it was discovered that Rev. Jeremiah Wright was refusing to relinquish control of the church, and lynching advocate Rev. Michael Pfleger issued forth his most recent offensive comments against Hillary Clinton in specific and white people in general in front of a congregation roaring their approval.
Someone should ask Obama if absentee fatherism is any worst than purposefully exposing their children to the hate speech of that radical church for nearly the entirety of their short lives. One doesn't have to be an absentee father to be a bad one, a point that a man closely aligned with a cadre of racists, conspiracy theorists, political radicals, anti-Semites, and domestic terrorists would no doubt rather ignore.
I had a different thought when I heard him; if absentee fathers are so bad, why is it he, Obama, a child of an absentee father, the candidate of his political party? Don't get me wrong, I'm not supporting the idea of absentee fathers - I just don't think he's the guy who should be preaching the message. The fact that he's in the position that he's in is an argument against two-parent families. Maybe I'm just nit-picking.
Posted by: Jonn Lilyea at June 16, 2008 12:54 PMI fully support Senator Obama and his campaign to be the new Bill Cosby. Obama for Cosby in 08.
Posted by: BohicaTwentyTwo at June 17, 2008 08:20 AMHeh
I had roughly the same thought, BohicaTwentyTwo. When I watched clips of his delivery (the tone, the 'set of his mouth', and the 'looks to the crowd') I had the Cos running through my mind.
Posted by: Mark at June 17, 2008 09:25 AM@john - I would suspect that growing up without a father would give him insight into how difficult it was. The fact that he was able to succeed in a 1 parent home when many don't is a testament to the strength of the rest of his family and his own perseverance.
CY, Trinity United Church = dead horse. Its like bringing up over and over that GWB couldn't remember if he did Coke or not in college or where he was when he was supposed to be in the National Guard. Its jumped the shark...
Posted by: matta at June 17, 2008 10:09 AMThe most important question about Trinity has never been asked. Why does Obama believe in Black Liberation Theology? Why does Obama believe that Jesus blesses the superior Black person against the Evil oppressive White person? Until some reporter actually does his job and makes Obama explain why he attended this racist church for 20 years, this issue will remain.
In any case, Obama should learn to critize his own
absent black father. It's kind of digamous to criticize everyone else's absent black father while worshiping his own completely absent black father by writing a book dedicated to him.
I am not sure what kind of father would deny healthcare to an newly born infant but that person isn't fit to be in anyone's company much less lecture others about their personal conduct.
One might ask what kind of man allows his children to be in the company of people who one normally associates with police lineups, Nuremburg rallies, and communist cell meetings than the Rotary.
Oh. Come. On. Let's be honest, we've all been to church. None of the kids there pay attention. I blame TV: the crutch of real absentee parents.
The whole Trinity thing is a dead horse. I say this not because I think Trinity is an unfair topic to mention — U.S. campaigns have been dirty ever since the election of 1828 — but because I like my campaigns fresh and exciting. What I'm trying to say is that everybody needs to find a new controversy. If the only thing the Republicans had against Clinton was "I didn't inhale," the 1992 election would have been really boring. Fortunately there was Gennifer Flowers, shady donors, draft dogging, etc. That was fun.
I totally agree with what Obama said about absentee fathers, which is a first for me. Usually I think he's totally full of it and has no clue what he's talking about.
But I wish he hadn't said it to a church congregation. Why did he have to start preaching in church? Why is the democrat candidate able to get away with that? Because if John McCain were to hold campaign speeches in churches the left wing would have a fit. Especially the gay left wing. They'd all flip their wigs and say that church and politics shouldn't mix.
And they'd be right. But why don't they have a flipping fit over Obama campaigning at church?
Any church that hosts politicians to give speeches during campaign season should be stripped of its tax exempt status.
Posted by: Melissa at June 22, 2008 09:21 AM
