Granfalloon

As noted in the post below, what people seem to forget is that Obama is human. He will inevitably let people down, because “people will eventually diappoint you if you know them long enough.” (“Synecdoche, NY” – Fascinating movie)

I’ve criticized his pick of VP ( I never hesitate to mention that Biden received the Friend of Zion award from Israel). I’ve also expressed disdain for his choice for Chief of Staff (see previous post from Electronic Intifada). But in the end, they won’t make the final decisions. That is left to a man who has shown clear judgement in the past. But, still, I am reminded of what Presidential candidate Eugene Debs said early in the 20th century: “It is better to vote for what you want and not get it – than to vote for what you don’t want and get it.” Have I become, as one writer has termed it, a political “Judas, selling [my] ideals short for political gain?”

Below is an excerpt from a popular Middle Eastern professor’s blog who is, often times, quite “angry.” He brings up valid points. But what’s important is not to dismiss his criticisms, as a lot of Obama supporters do, but USE them. Be aware of them. Listen to them. Because it is this criticism, this disagreement that fosters change. But at the same time we must be sure not to blame all the injustices on some conspiracy that will constantly keep Arabs down, or keep Palestine or Iraq occupied, but instead turn to ourselves. How do we, as people, inform the public, and thus give Obama a platform on which he can remove support of Israel as an occupying force. In the end it’s easier to give up on change. It’s easier to say Obama is just like the rest of the politicians. It’s easier to back down and blame Obama for selling out, to give in to that self fulfilling prophecy, than to pressure him and ourselves to live up to the ideals set before us. So, to the author of the excerpt below, I welcome your Obama bashing. In fact, I demand that it continue. Because without it, we would be nothing more than sheep.
We have at least four years. While we shouldn’t be praising him as our saviour, we shouldn’t be prejudging him on decisions he hasn’t made yet.

oj

REMEMBER ME: OBAMA BASHING BEGINS HERE

It was a noisy night in Washington, DC. Cars were parading the streets and honking their horns all night long. People around were very excited and people walked the streets and yelled and shouted in joy. AlJazeera offices: now that was a different story. The chaos there could not hide the festive atmosphere. People took bets and they had a sheet with staff names. I asked who was betting on McCain: no one, they said but they were betting on when the results would come in with news of Obama victory. People were excited and emotional. As I sat with the three anchors listening to Obama victory speech, I would make critical comments. I could tell that people did not enjoy that and there was a white technician who was very emotional got really mad at me because I was being critical of Obama. I ran into Lawrence Korb (former assistant secretary of defence under Ronald Regan) and I asked him if he had endorsed Obama. He said that he did not do that publicly but that he was advising him on defense and national security policies. He said that there is a move to appoint Richard Halbrooke as Secretary of State. I said: but the man (in addition to annoying the hell out of me) is the biggest self-promoter in the world. I woke up to day and put on Fox News: yesterday, at the GYM I turned to Fox and the people in the GYM were about to kill me. Not Fox, they yelled. I said: are you kidding. They are hilarious and I will derive a lot of pleasure watching them this week and in weeks to come. Fox mentioned the headline of Al-Akhbar newspaper which referred to Obma as “the black Jack Kennedy”. I was not amused and I did not like that headline by Al-Akhbar at all. Why should the White Man always be a term of reference? He is not Jack Kennedy: and even though I don’t support Obama but he is much more capable and effective than Kennedy, and he did not use his daddy’s money to achieve victory, and Obama wrote his own words. The festive coverage of the Arab press is really bothering me and I tried to express that in my appearance on AlJazeera. I will write about that soon in Al-Akhbar. Those who supported Obama: you will be disappointed and you will remember my caution. Remember me when Obama will endorse an Israeli war on a refugee camp and on a Lebanese village, and he will call that justified self-defense. Remember me when Obama will mourn the deaths of Israelis and will celebrate the deaths of Arabs and Muslims. Remember me when he orders his first bombing campaign on some remote area of Pakistan. Remember me when he betrays the poor in favor of Wall Street. Remember me when he will betray the aspirations of black people in favor of the white middle class that is now the headline of the Democratic Party. Remember me when Obama will not fight for his health reform plan, and will he not deliver on many of his promises. Remember me when Obama will stick to his campaign promise of opposing gay marriage. Remember me when when Obama will continue to blame the failure of the American occupation of Iraq on the Iraqi people themselves. On Angry Arab: the Obama bashing has just begun and will continue unabated.

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.”
-Mark Twain

I have this really uneasy feeling about Obama now.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still voting for the guy, and I’ll be happy to have a President I can respect for his intelligence and conduct.
I just feel like I’ve spent so long rooting for this moment that I’m afraid of what will happen afterwards.
What happens now? What do we do now?
I think I’ve used the election as a distraction, along with a litany of other distractions, to take my attention off the stresses of life from personal issues, to romantic issues, to educational issues. Over the past 20 months I’ve been able to watch pundits analyze political minutiae, browse polls, laugh at impersonations, sneer at the mudslings and cheer for the hope of a greater country. I’ve been able to quarrel with friends and family over Healthcare plans, crazy pastors (though he spoke the truth), Ron Pauls and Dennis Kucinichs, a weepy woman, a robotic Republican, a really old man…and the list goes on. When it’s over, whether or not Obama wins, I will feel this sad longing for the struggle.
I think it’s a fear a lot of people have. It’s the type of fear many men have when they get married, longing for “thrill of the chase.” It’s a fear that drives many corporate CEOs to committing suicide once they’ve ascended to the top of their company, knowing they’ve achieved everything they could hope for, and so have nothing left to strive for.
As I write this at 1:30PM on Election Day, nearly five hours before the first polls close, I wonder just what I was struggling for. If Obama wins, how bittersweet will that win be? How much easier was it to blame a shitty life and a shitty world on a shitty President than to have to possibly face the fact that “the fault, dear Brutus, lies in ourselves?” How good did it feel to scapegoat everything on an incompetent President and an evil administration rather than face the reality that evil will exist and still exists everywhere and in everyone no matter what color their skin is, or what color their state is on a political map?
I guess it’s like the feeling a Red Sox fan must’ve had when they finally won the World Series after 86 years. You’ve grown so used to the struggle, that when it’s gone, you miss it. And moreover, you’re scared the struggle was never worth it.

oj

I’m going to be honest. I’ve been wavering on my support for Obama ever since he spoke at the AIPAC conference, and his support for Israel became more and more concrete. He is, after all a politician and I’m just scared that he’s going to disappoint. Maybe it’s so it’ll be easier for me to deal with if he doesn’t come through. I’m scared that someone who can gain such popularity among a group of conniving politicians so entrenched in BS can’t possibly be as noble as he seems. I’m scared that people will think that somehow one man can heal a nation; that all that’s required of a population is to fill out a ballot. That’s just the first step. Without us, one man can’t do anything. Without his people, Ghandi would be nothing. Without MLK’s marchers, he would be a footnote. But most of all, I’m scared that he actually is what he seems. And all it takes is someone with a gun to tear all of it down. In a world where we are bombarded with reality shows, we forget the reality around us, how permanent things are.
We invest so much in one man, and we expect miracles. But isn’t the ascendence of a black man to the White House a miracle itself?
YES, WE CAN.
GOBAMA

oj

If I’ve learned anything after two weeks of swallowing utter bullshit from both parties in their self praising conventions it’s that people are stupid. Well, I already knew that. But watching the conventions reminded me of the fact.

Let me explain.

First off. Anyone who cries at a political convention is a weepy bitch. Wait, that might be considered to be sexist (by Palin supporters). Let me rephrase. Anyone who cries at a political convention is a weepy MORON. Why are you crying?? Get over it. It’s a freakin convention. Why don’t you cry over the millions who are dying around the world??? Cry over the AIDS patient who died cuz her tribe thought raping her virgin body would heal them. Cry over the children sent to their deaths because child soldiers are so easy to manipulate. Cry over the little boy who stepped on a land mine that was most likely made in the USA. Cry over the people in India who are currently swimming in floodwater. Cry over families being shot at by soldiers in Iraq. Cry over girls being harassed by Israeli soldiers for videotaping IDF atrocities. But crying cuz some guy in a suit is spitting out cliche after cliche is just plain ‘ol stupid. I’m not saying either candidate is bogus. Both men are equally qualified for the position. I respect McCain for his service to his country, both militarily as well as politically. He’s a respectable candidate who fights for what he believes. As Obama says, he sees the world as it is and tries to change it to the way he thinks it should be- which, admittedly, is pretty scary. A true maverick in every sense of the word. Meanwhile, I support Obama for his ability to bolster a population so disenfranchised by politics and propose a new age of politics that involves not just the elected branches of government, but the citizenry as well. Both of their supporters, however, can get to be a little fruity. I’m all in favor of eager support of your candidate, but sometimes it’s just sheer lunacy.

And then there’s blatant hypocrisy. that’s a whole other mess. Republicans are pro-life, except when it comes to Bristol Palin. In that case she’s allowed to CHOOSE to have her baby.
Republicans HATED John McCain. At the start of the primary season he was dead last! They don’t agree with his policy on immigration. He voted AGAINST tax cuts in 2001. Lastly, his support from the Christian conservatives comes more from a desire to vote against Obama than to endorse McCain. Now all of a sudden they’re the “United Party” And apparently they’ve still got the monopoly on patriotism with this “Country First” bullshit. As if Obama’s time with the impoverished community in Chicago was not putting his country first.

And now the GOP’s got the P.O.W. Card and the Gender Card. And they are not afraid to whip it out at every opportunity they have. Oh. My. God. As if somehow these qualities make them a better president. Somehow being a P.O.W. makes one so incredibly qualified to be President, and if you have a vagina and can speak your mind you’re a superstar. Not to give Obama a free pass, experience does matter, and he has very very little. But what he lacks in experience he more than makes up for in clarity and understanding. I’m not saying I agree on Obama on all the issues. But I do agree on his message, which I’m sure anyone who knows me is probably sick of hearing me say.

In the end I know it’s out of my hands and that’s really disappointing. To have the knowledge of politics without the power to change it is depressing. Why do I bother reading and watching this crap? It’s self torture really.

oj