Barack @ MindSay

So BO made a "passing statement" about the Special Olympics... Where's the goddamn ACLU right now? Why aren't they sueing him for hate crimes? Why aren't the civil rights groups up in arms about this? This is the garbage I hear about every day, whenever somebody says something that could be interpreted as offensive the ACLU and every civil rights advocate is on the news and threatening to sue. So BO slanders one of the greatest organizations in the country, and nothing.
Kinda like how there's no hippies out in front of the White House protesting the addition of troops to Afghanistan.
Its Obamamania, brother!

 

Be Excellent

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States just sent out a special letter addressing the significance of the outcome of the 2008 U.S. presidential election to the American Baha'i community which i think is encouraging for everybody, not just Baha'is.  It represents clearly the feeling of all Baha'is everywhere regarding the election of President Obama.
______________________________________________________________________

February 16, 2009

To the American Bahá'í community

Dearly loved Friends,

Your National Spiritual Assembly has reflected on the significance of
the outcome of the recent presidential election in light of the Bahá'í
teachings about the oneness of humanity and their compelling vision of
the destiny of America, and we wish to share the following thoughts.

The election of an African American for the first time to the
presidency of the United States is an event that transcends partisan
politics. It clearly marks an important new stage in the social
evolution of the American people and is an achievement that all
Bahá'ís can wholeheartedly celebrate. The citizens of the United
States have with this action, as much as with any in the long struggle
to combat racial prejudice-the "most vital and challenging issue"
confronting the nation-demonstrated their will to embrace more fully
the unifying spirit of the age.

The many statements of 'Abdu'l-Bahá [son of Founder, Bahá'u'lláh*]
during His sojourn in this country nearly a century ago,
praising America's material achievements, her spirit of enterprise,
and her democratic form of government, still inspire us. Yet
He was also uncompromising in His assessment that our nation,
sunk in the morass of engrained racial prejudice, materialism,
and accelerating moral decay, would go through a long and difficult
period of trials that would gradually cleanse these various impurities
from its social fabric, thereby preparing it to realize its ultimate
destiny to "lead all nations spiritually."

Concerning racial issues, much progress has been made since the
beloved Master ['Abdu'l-Bahá**] visited these shores [in 1912 CE].
Undoubtedly, it is in large measure a credit to the courage,
leadership, and sacrifice of countless individuals, the persistent
efforts of organizations of civil society and of various religious
institutions, and the bold actions of judicial and legislative
bodies that such progress has been possible. The Bahá'í
community also played a role, having striven earnestly for nearly
a century to uphold by word and deed, in every region of the
country, the pivotal principle of the oneness of humankind.

But there can be no sense of complacency nor any rest. The ideals of
justice, equality, and unity have yet to be fully realized; the roots
of racial prejudice are old, deep, and widespread. No single victory,
political or otherwise, however groundbreaking, is sufficient to
remove conditions so intractable and institutionalized.

Bahá'ís believe that the ultimate solution lies in the application of
spiritual principle in the lives of individuals, in approaches to
community-building, and in the operation of social institutions.
People of every age and background can increase their individual and
collective capacity to further progress through a learning process
that is founded upon essential truths contained in the teachings of
Bahá'u'lláh. Promising patterns of activity, now emerging in every
part of the country and throughout the world, should give us the
confidence to strive with even greater urgency to address the needs of
humanity.

Our ultimate success in this will depend, as the Universal House of
Justice [the Bahá'í International, democratically elected, governing body]
recently reminded us, "on the qualities that distinguish your
service to the peoples of the world. So free must be your thoughts and
actions of any trace of prejudice-racial, religious, economic,
national, tribal, class, or cultural-that even the stranger sees in
you loving friends. So high must be your standard of excellence and so
pure and chaste your lives that the moral influence you exert
penetrates the consciousness of the wider community. Only if you
demonstrate the rectitude of conduct to which the writings of the
Faith call every soul will you be able to struggle against the myriad
forms of corruption, overt and subtle, eating at the vitals of
society. Only if you perceive honor and nobility in every human
being-this independent of wealth or poverty-will you be able to
champion the cause of justice."

Bahá'ís of every race and ethnicity rejoice with our countrymen in
this significant step forward. We remain aware of the challenges ahead
and are unswervingly committed to facing and overcoming them. We march
forward with unshakable confidence that God's purpose for His
children will not be thwarted, and that Bahá'u'lláh's statement of
spiritual reality will be fully realized: "The earth is but one
country, and mankind its citizens."

With loving Bahá'í greetings,

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
BAHÁ'ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES

* Bahá'u'lláh translates into English as "The Glory of God"
** 'Abdu'l-Bahá translates into English as "The Servant of Glory/Baha"

America made history again today,... but in a good way, this time!

Dear President-elect Obama:
   
First, congratulations on your victory. The historical magnitude of your presidential win is nothing short of stupendous and a colossal fulfillment of the American dream (an achievement embedded long ago in the equality clauses of the Declaration of Independence).
   
It's likely no big surprise that I don't see eye to eye with you politically. Actually, I stand in stark opposition to most of your politics. Still, I realize that we must learn to work together if we are to see our country get back on track. After Election Day, I asked myself, "How can I work for our new president to help better America?" Then a thought occurred to me. The first question that should be answered is: How will you work for me? After all, "We the People" of the United States employ you, correct?

So here are a few ways you might begin to gain the respect of those who oppose you and to show that your campaign pledges to bridge the divides were not empty promises to get you into office. And these requests I make are based upon the inaugural oath you will make Jan. 20, "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." No doubt these won't be my only requests through the years, but they serve as a good beginning:
   
-- Use and cite the Constitution. If that constitutional oath ("preserve, protect and defend") is the central duty of your job description, then I assume we will be hearing often from you about exactly how you are doing just that. There is no replacement for strict adherence, application and defense of the Constitution. And it's high time that presidents quit reciting the presidential oath tritely and then abandoning its tenets when they enter the Oval Office. You should be quoting from the Constitution publicly as often as a preacher quotes the Bible to his congregation -- at least weekly. If you take this oath and challenge seriously, you will limit the powers of federal government, reduce taxes (for everyone), encourage the freedom of religion and expression (even in the public square), and stand up for such things as our right to bear arms. The American public and the government have lost their grip on the content and role of the Constitution, but if you daily choose, you can help to re-educate and model its usage for them.
   
-- Protect American life. Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1809, "The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government." Those are powerful and enlightening words. Of course, such a role was created and secured in the very fabric of our nation -- in the Declaration of Independence. The commitment to protect life should serve as the basis for all you do, even as a foundation for your national defense strategy. I'm sure the first of your secret briefings this past week on our global security threats have opened your eyes to the extensive onslaught of our enemies. Don't allow your pride, partisanship, personal bias or political abilities to jeopardize the safety of Americans lives. As commander in chief, you are called to preserve American life. Quite frankly, that is why I'm surprised that a man such as you, who professes to fight for minorities, would not recognize the clear value of a human life in a womb. Federal law should not decree the sacrifice of one human life for the preference of another. Both lives should be protected. Otherwise, what do Jefferson's 1809 words mean? As president, you are called to protect (not destroy) human life; it is the "first and only legitimate object of good government."
   
-- Lead more from the center. It's been pointed out by countless pundits, and your track record is clear: You have one of the most liberal records in the Senate. You've had the liberty of voting and fighting for an agenda "from the left" as you've tried to persuade state and federal lawmakers to do the same. But if you continue to lead our country down a more liberal road, you will follow the peril of Bill Clinton, who stepped into office and initially tried to lift the ban on gays in the military and extend abortion rights, only to prompt the creation of a more balanced and strong Republican Congress in the 1990s. Don't underestimate the resurrecting power of the conservative voice. You observed in last week's election how three states across this union voted to protect marriage in their constitutions (the 28th, 29th and 30th states to do so -- California, Arizona and Florida).
   
We will be watching who you choose to be in your Cabinet. We will discern how you lead Pelosi and Reid. We will be observing those you select as candidates for Supreme Court justices. The election is over. No more promises. No more words. You might work well in a team, but this time, you don't have congressional members to hide behind. You're on your own -- leading the pack -- and the whole country is watching. I, especially, am watching. So make sure you lead more from the center.

One of your 300 million bosses,

Chuck Norris