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***A Brief Intro: This was originally posted on OpEdNewson April 2, 2009. In a few days, 296 comments were posted making it the article with the second most comments this year (of course, some of those comments were responses from me). It also was the second most rated article posted on OpEdNews this year (most rated goes toan article on Alan Graysonposted earlier this year).
There are lines in this article that are very striking because they were written based on instincts and intuition months ago. There was no way of knowing what Obama would do.
Sadly, a lot of what I suggested would happen if people "gave Obama a chance" happened.
I find myself thinking about how to write an article that describes all that happened this year politically but this seems to encompass what happened perfectly. Most Americans stepped aside, gave up their civic duty as citizens, disengaged themselves from vibrant activism they were willing to vociferously and boisterously engage in under Bush, and let Obama steer us forward in a manner that might lead one to believe he was nominated for president by the Regressive Party, not the Democratic Party.
Enjoy this classic. And, plan on taking to the streets in the new year.***
April 2, 2009
If it weren't for all the excuses being made for Obama's and his administration's actions, I would feel a whole lot better. I think others who suffered under the Bush Regime would too.
The populist anger across America is refreshing. People are angry and getting into it over issues that need to be deliberated over.
For all the problems America faces, its citizens do not have the time to give Obama a chance.
Americans should not just trust that Obama knows what he is doing. Political dithering should not be accepted on the basis that he eventually will get done what needs to be done. There are plans and policy proposals out there for doing what needs to be done now.
It does not make sense to give any president or leader no matter who he or she is a chance especially when giving that chance means letting a president or leader placate a public with wishful thinking, especially when it means brushing aside and hushing the populist rage that is currently inescapable in America.
When one says give Obama a chance, it means tens of thousands more troops deploy to the Middle East for wars of choice, not necessity. It means thousands redeploy for third and fourth tours of duty. It means maybe a million more brown people die, maybe trillions of more dollars are looted, and maybe some more no-bid contracts are given to dirty rotten private contractors.
When one says give Obama a chance, it means one more day where others have to listen to excuses on why America cannot investigate and prosecute the war criminals for torture, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. It means one more day when others have to deal with the reality that a constitutional law professor-in-chief lacks the moral fortitude to do what Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor at George Washington University, has the moral fortitude to do.
When one says give Obama a chance, it means allowing climate change, mountaintop removalmining, environmental racism, and an addiction to oil, coal, nuclear power continues unchallenged. It means further political manipulation of science so corporations can make profit at the expense of Mother Earth and the biological material which populates it.
When one says give Obama a chance, it means ICE raids. It means government secrecy and lack of transparency. It means a vicious erosion of civil liberties and constitutional rights continues.
