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Tag(s): 2008 Election Presidential; 2008 Elections; Change; Columnist; Consciousness - Enlightenment; Democratic; Fear; History; Locale-world; Obama-Barack; (more...) Peace; Politics; SOUL; Sonoma; Sonoma County; Transformation; Unusual; World Issues (less...)
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May 31, 2008 at 15:58:19

OBAMA MYSTIQUE EXPLAINED

by Allen L Roland Page 1 of 2 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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There is a longing within the soul of America for a return to our noble origins, to our original just principles and to our standing of honor in the world ~ Barack Obama touches that deep chord and reminds us that it is not only possible but, more importantly, it is now : Allen L Roland

The Obama Movement is real because it touches a deep longing for our nation's original authenticity and noble origins. The last eight years under the black neocon cloud of the arrogant and self serving Cheney/Bush administration have almost erased the memory of these ringing words of Thomas Paine ~

Never had a country so many openings to happiness as this. Her setting out in life, like the rising of a fair morning, was unclouded and promising.

Her cause was good ~ Her principles just and liberal ~ Her temper serene and firm.

Her conduct regulated by the nicest steps, and everything about her wore the mark of honor.

It is not every country that can boast so fair an origin.

Very few columnists have grasped this truth but Mark Morford, SF Gate columnist, comes awfully close in his perceptive column yesterday where he talks of the fear of this return to our original noble roots ~

Excerpt:" It is a fear borne of a truly rare historic circumstance, the amazing idea that someone like Obama is, to put it bluntly, too good for this particular role, a bit too conscious and enlightened for what is a brutal and soul-numbing and potentially deadly political machine. Then again, maybe, in a morose way, this is how we know transformative change is arriving, perhaps quicker than expected, but arriving nonetheless. We're already deeply scared of losing it. Really, how long's it been since we've felt anything like that ? "

Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2008/05/31.html

The great Barack Obama insurrection

Hillary was ready. Hillary was unstoppable. Hillary was, by all accounts, a lock. What the hell happened?

By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist

Full URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/05/30/notes053008.DTL&nl=fix

Friday, May 30, 2008

Are you paying any sort of attention to this moment in time? Are you reading bits and hints about the transformation, the shift, the unusual and slightly surreal energy coursing through the nation? Are you tattooing this seminal period on the sacrum of your sociopolitical consciousness? Are you under 50? Then there's been nothing else like this in your lifetime. And there probably never will be again.

You gotta take it all in, you know? Because it was no time at all ago, less than a year, and Hillary Clinton's presidential nomination was pretty much a given, and even I was relatively thrilled and gung-ho for her candidacy, especially given how she was so ahead in the polls and so ahead in fund raising and so ahead in public opinion her imminent nomination felt much like a slam dunk, a forgone conclusion, a sure thing.

And therefore it was all something rather otherworldly for progressives, a bit unprecedented, a Democratic race to watch only for the sheer historic value and for the surprising quality of the other candidates involved, and not because there was any doubt as to the eventual outcome.

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4 comments

Joel S. Hirschhorn is the author of Delusional Democracy - Fixing the Republic Without Overthrowing the Government (www.delusionaldemocracy.com). His current political writings have been greatly influenced by working as a senior staffer for the U.S. Congress and for the National Governors Association. He advocates a Second American Revolution, beginning with an Article V Convention to propose constitutional amendments. He is Chair of the Independent Party of Maryland.
Joel S. HirschhornJoel S. Hirschhorn is the author of Delusional Democracy - Fixing the Republic Without Overthrowing the Government (www.delusionaldemocracy.com). His current political writings have been greatly influenced by working as a senior staffer for the U.S. Congress and for the National Governors Association. He advocates a Second American Revolution, beginning with an Article V Convention to propose constitutional amendments. He is Chair of the Independent Party of Maryland.

You drank too much of the Obama Kool-Aid

I understand the yearning millions of Americans their desire for a political messiah, but my reading of Obama's record shows no evidence that he is what people hope for and what the nation needs. You and the army of Obamatons will, if he is elected president, be sorely disappointed - IF you retain any clear and objective consciousness. Obama is no authentic dissident or revolutionary or a real change agent. He is just a guy with the gift of oratory that knows how to sell slick slogans and highly generalized promises of change, while avoiding any courageous political reforms.

by Joel S. Hirschhorn (126 articles, 30 quicklinks, 57 diaries, 505 comments) on Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 4:16:16 PM

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on Conscious talk radio www.conscioustalk.net
Allen L RolandAllen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on Conscious talk radio www.conscioustalk.net

COMMENT

It tastes so good and so refreshing ~ try some ~ it might restore your faith in the possibility of real change ;-)

Allen L Roland

by Allen L Roland (874 articles, 7 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 346 comments) on Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 7:01:16 PM

We will either survive until the sun envelopes the Earth in millions of years or we will prematurely expire having carelessly and needlessly forfeited the future of the unborn for the mere accumulation of things man-made. An unemotional, instinctive creature would never have done this.
NfamousWe will either survive until the sun envelopes the Earth in millions of years or we will prematurely expire having carelessly and needlessly forfeited the future of the unborn for the mere accumulation of things man-made. An unemotional, instinctive creature would never have done this.

What country are you from?

Mr. Rolland you say "return to our noble origins, to our original just principles and to our standing of honor in the world". What country were you born in? Our origins here are slavery, genocide and nuclear holocaust. Our original just principles just be the Bible and the Constitution, both of which were used to justify genocide and slavery of nonwhites. Our standing is the world is and always has been based on fear and intimidation. We scare other nations with our military might so they will allow corporations to profit from others' natural resources while they languish in povery and misery. We do it here at home too. We promote pro-American, anti-democratic governments and sponsor coups. Haiti and Venezuela are recent examples of hundreds of such breaches of international law. Americans are not good people. We are a bunch of tacit supporters of imperialism that believe our evil government actually tries to do what is right because it helps us sleep at night without the guilt of knowing our enjoyment equates to the pain of others. We are indoctrinated and brainwashed at an early age with the Pledge of Allegiance and other such rote non-sense. You have either been watching way too much CNN or simply have no grasp of reality sir.

by Nfamous (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 57 comments) on Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 1:22:17 PM

Having lived six decades now, I've had a lot of experiences! Grew up in a family often oppressed because of our faith - we stood for peace and against war, and for the rights of all regardless of ethnic background. Active from youth in peace and civil rights. Vietnam-era draft resister. Worked for a while for peace and social justice groups, and then became a civil servant. Felt a call to a consistent life ethic, and am currently serving as President of Consistent Life. All this is out of Chr...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Bill SamuelHaving lived six decades now, I've had a lot of experiences! Grew up in a family often oppressed because of our faith - we stood for peace and against war, and for the rights of all regardless of ethnic background. Active from youth in peace and civil rights. Vietnam-era draft resister. Worked for a while for peace and social justice groups, and then became a civil servant. Felt a call to a consistent life ethic, and am currently serving as President of Consistent Life. All this is out of Chr...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Mystique or false mythology?

There is a longing within the soul of America for a return to our noble origins, to our original just principles and to our standing of honor in the world

But of course we don't have noble origins or original just principles. The Revolutionary War was in the first place a battle between rival mercantile interests. Our "original just principles" included genocide, stealing the land from those using it, slavery, and voting generally limited to white men of property.

Of course it was sold as a fight for freedom. A good cover story is always needed in every war and every political campaign.

Obama's good cover story is "real change." But then you look at his political record and his positions on the issues, and you see that he stands for politics as usual. There is no distinguishing feature at all in what he stands for. He has carried water for special interests - coal, the military-industrial complex (he favors a larger military budget), the nuclear industry, big corporate farm interests, etc. He offers no innovative or daring policy ideas.

He is charismatic. People want to believe. And he has an interesting personal story that grabs at certain idealistic impulses. But the substance is very, very thin.

Obama has actually tried to play two different games - 1) present himself as an agent for change to ordinary people, and 2) assure the establishment that he is no threat because he doesn't stand for change in anything that matters to them. So far, he has been pretty succcessful in this duplicitous strategy. But eventually people tend to get caught and fail when they try to present themselves as two contradictory personas.

Politically, there may be a strategy with this that could win in November. He successfully maintained a public image as someone for change during the primary season, when that was politically advantageous. Perhaps the general election offers the opportunity to emphasize the safe, establishment persona, which possibly could help with swing voters. And that persona can be documented, unlike the other one.

A cynical strategy, but it might work.

by Bill Samuel (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 270 comments) on Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 1:32:21 PM