The core of Obama's speech (health care, patriot, thoughts, conservative)

[Yeledaf]

This was the part that needed to be said:

For the African-American community, that path means embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. It means continuing to insist on a full measure of justice in every aspect of American life. But it also means binding our particular grievances – for better health care, and better schools, and better jobs - to the larger aspirations of all Americans -- the white woman struggling to break the glass ceiling, the white man whose been laid off, the immigrant trying to feed his family. And it means taking full responsibility for own lives – by demanding more from our fathers, and spending more time with our children, and reading to them, and teaching them that while they may face challenges and discrimination in their own lives, they must never succumb to despair or cynicism; they must always believe that they can write their own destiny.

Ironically, this quintessentially American – and yes, conservative – notion of self-help found frequent expression in Reverend Wright’s sermons. But what my former pastor too often failed to understand is that embarking on a program of self-help also requires a belief that society can change.

The profound mistake of Reverend Wright’s sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. It’s that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country – a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old -- is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past. But what we know -- what we have seen – is that America can change. That is true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope – the audacity to hope – for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

Was it enough?

[expat007]

“A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.” Edward Abbey

[lilypad]

Too bad he didn't bring in more "conservative" AA points of views, i.e. Bill Cosby. But that would make him look like "Uncle Tom", and he can't be turning off all the black people who are his base. So he is using rhetoric and choosing his words carefully. I think he should be given a high position in John McCain's cabinet, i.e. Secretary of Education. I think he could make a good difference in that position.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by lilypad

Too bad he didn't bring in more "conservative" AA points of views, i.e. Bill Cosby. But that would make him look like "Uncle Tom", and he can't be turning off all the black people who are his base.

You may be right; with all due respect, however, I would deeply appreciate reading the thoughts of some African-Americans on this topic.

[expat007]

thats the point of a uniter, you have to be true to yourself firstly

[lilypad]

Not to be trite, but my grandmother had to go 'round to the back door to deliver the laundry....