I normally wouldn't have paid too much attention to a flub like that, except that it came right on the heels of (and thus aggravated) a previous flub by Dianne Feinstein, who I was not alone in hearing announce "the Oaf of Office."
Anyway, and FWIW, I thought Obama's speech was well crafted, and rhetorically brilliant. Also, despite my opposition status, I found myself reassured by the sincere display of warmth and friendship by George W. Bush.
It is obvious to me that Bush likes Barack Obama, and it served as a much-needed reminder that we have a new president, and he's the president of the entire country.
Painful as it might be for cynical worrywarts like yours truly, I think we should all wish him and his administration well.
MORE: I did not like Reverend Lowery's prayer. Here's the Drudge version:
'Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. Say Amen'...
Not quite what I heard, as I remembered something about mellow yellow. CNN offers this unexpurgated yet different snippet from the "prayer":
"We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right,"
I think Drudge got it right, minus the mellow yellow.
Yet all versions agree that "white" has not yet embraced "what is right."
Sounds more like simple anti-white bigotry to me than a "benediction." At the very least, it constitutes a racial scolding in the name of God.
A pity, because racial scoldings (especially religious-based ones) ought to have no place in a unity-based inaugural theme.
Can anyone imagine the outcry had the Reverend prayed for gays to embrace what is right?
posted by Eric on 01.20.09 at 01:16 PM
Comments
The Revs Wright and Lowery (at least as shown by their sermons made public) were just the reason I came to deeply distrust O, and suspect his motives and associates.
That O could support and be supported by these loathsome specimens points directly to either his lack of judgement regarding character (arguably an important trait for one who makes executive appointments), or his lack of character with respect to those he chooses as spiritual advisors.
In any case, for me, I don't know how my O-phobia could be addressed. As I am not a religious person, I have no baseline assumption that a preacher is of particular worth apart from what they say - and those two have said despicable, unforgivable things. Until this election, O seemed not to care a bit.
On the other hand, I had a deep distrust of Reagan driven by my bigoted dislike of actors and the state of California - so there is just no pleasing some of us misanthropes out here...
JSinAZ · January 20, 2009 8:51 PM
Lowery's "prayer" implies that all of our problems are caused by "the white man". And supposedly those of us on the right are "simplistic".
Joe Lammers · January 20, 2009 9:12 PM
Actually I would be perfectly happy if white, gay, yellow, and brown embraced the right. At this point only part of each have.
I still wish people would realize that the Republican party
Freed the slaves (arguably it was formed to do so)
Established the first voting rights for people of color in the country
De segregated the south (the Chief Justice on Brown was a previous R vp candidate)
Anyone want to add on?
Jim C · January 20, 2009 10:07 PM
I guess we're not one.
Actually, we're 300 million some-odd ones, but individualism has become an orphan philosophy in America, of all places.
Brett · January 21, 2009 12:30 AM
He left out "when Jews will finally pay their dues".
The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler
Don?t bang your head!
The Revs Wright and Lowery (at least as shown by their sermons made public) were just the reason I came to deeply distrust O, and suspect his motives and associates.
That O could support and be supported by these loathsome specimens points directly to either his lack of judgement regarding character (arguably an important trait for one who makes executive appointments), or his lack of character with respect to those he chooses as spiritual advisors.
In any case, for me, I don't know how my O-phobia could be addressed. As I am not a religious person, I have no baseline assumption that a preacher is of particular worth apart from what they say - and those two have said despicable, unforgivable things. Until this election, O seemed not to care a bit.
On the other hand, I had a deep distrust of Reagan driven by my bigoted dislike of actors and the state of California - so there is just no pleasing some of us misanthropes out here...