To Obama: Taking Responsibility In Our Own Lives Is Not Just for African Americans

It's For Today's "Christians" Too!

"If we're serious about reclaiming that dream, we have to do more in our own lives. There's nothing wrong with saying that," Obama told a crowd estimated at 3,000. "But with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV set and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences, helping our children with their homework, setting a good example. That's what everybody's got to do."*

He added: "I know some say I've been too tough on folks talking about responsibility. NAACP, I'm here to report, I'm not going to stop talking about it. Because as much I'm out there to fight to make sure that government's doing its job and the marketplace is doing its job, ... none of it will make a difference — at least not enough of a difference — if we also don't at the same time seize more responsibility in our own lives."

Responsibility

That's something the other guy has to have.

At least, that's what the Religious Right thinks about Obama and his ideals. Let HIM talk about responsibility: he's not talking to us because we're "perfected." What if Obama were talking mano a mano to Ann Coulter(geist)? Or worse, Michelle Malkin. She would counter in such a vicious attack, it would make Washington swoon. She'd sure as hell send him to an internment camp! Or personally attack him with one of her ancestor's machetes. (Oops, that's something she doesn't like to talk about).

Christians - Progressive or Regressive - have to take responsibility for hate speech; the Progressives have to shout against it louder and the Regressives have to stop it. Of course, it does seem to be genetic in some cases: there have to be some Christofascists who had hate speakers in their family tree. One currently comes to mind: Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham. Fortunately for Billy, his rhetoric has slowed to a mellow crawl: everyone, it seems, can go to heaven whether or not they are Christian. It is obvious that Franklin doesn't agree with his father:

(from wikipedia)

• "I believe that God created one man and one woman. He gave sex to us, God did, and sex is to be enjoyed and is to be used within the bounds that God created.... In sexual behavior outside the parameters that God created, we're at high risk, and we're seeing the evidence of this with HIV/AIDS. We're outside of these parameters, and we have a huge global problem now."
• "But let's use the weapons we have, the weapons of mass destruction if need be and destroy the enemy." (CNN, September 14, 2001)

Now THAT'S good hate speech!

Franklin Graham, as only a true Christian would, also refused to be a part of the negotiations between Sudanese Muslim and Christian fighting factions in 1995.

O.K., what IS the responsibility of a good Christian these days?

Maybe it's to help as many people around the world survive as best they can. To go person-to-person, help him or her, then move on to the next person. I was tempted to say "then SHUT UP and move on to the next person." But that's asking a little too much from the few people who have political/proselytizing voices to be heard. After all, proselytizing=money, ah, souls.

Yes, the Religious Right Christians have responsibilities too.
Just not the kind they keep preaching about.
Love thy neighbor? What's that?

Just look at this rant:





*I was going to say something about Rod Parsley's 20,000 righteous teenagers - "Battle Cry" - in San Francisco, but I think everyone knows now that the only thing San Francisco can't tolerate is intolerance.