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Barack Obama: "This is the America I know"

Glen Contrarian

Glen Contrarian

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I just watched his speech at the memorial for the slain officers in Dallas...and he was right. Period. First, he described not only the goodness and humanity of each of the slain officers, but also described in glowing terms the real and concrete achievements of the Dallas PD. Then he rebuked the black community - carefully, almost gently, but it was a rebuke nonetheless. After that, he rebuked the police...but much more gently, almost softly, never straying from acknowledging their heroism and the burden they carry. He also included one sentence - and only one out of hundreds - about the flood of guns in our neighborhoods, how a teenager can get one "more easily than buying a computer or a book" (meaning, a book from a library). On its face that last comment sounds like exaggeration...but in a very real way, it's not. But again, that was only one sentence, and was not germane to his overall point.

And the point was, both sides - the black community and the law enforcement community - are right, and that instead of pointing fingers at each other, they need to find common ground and work together to solve the problems that face the black community. That, and he said in so many words that this is not something that any president can make happen - no president has that kind of power or influence - but the responsibility for making it happen lay upon the American citizenry in general and the black community and law enforcement community in particular. Again, bear in mind that the stronger rebuke was against the black community.

The speech was one of bridging gaps, of encouraging unity rather than division, of the courage to reach out with an open hand instead of simply pointing the finger of blame...that the solution lay not completely with the blacks' point of view or the cops' point of view, but somewhere in between.

And he's right. He was the adult in the room teaching those he leads to learn to understand and to work together, rather than simply blame, blame, blame.

I'm going to miss him when he's gone - if he could run for a third term, I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, there's all too many people - several of whom are on DP - who would hear the same speech, and instead of hearing words of healing, heard only words of division; instead of hearing words of understanding, heard only words of racism, of hatred.

That, and that alone, is the real tragedy of his speech, that there are millions of Americans who did not hear what he actually said and actually meant, but instead heard only what they "just knew" he would say...and as a result, so few minds were changed.
 
Obama has done nothing to prevent the police from buying military equipment from the Pentagon. Making nice-nice speeches is worthless.
 
the hardware isnt the issue, attitudes are the issue.
 
katzgar said:
the hardware isnt the issue, attitudes are the issue.
Click to expand...


Hardware very much is the issue. Cops in England don't carry guns and there is much less gun violence in England than the US.
 
ipsofacto said:
Obama has done nothing to prevent the police from buying military equipment from the Pentagon. Making nice-nice speeches is worthless.
Click to expand...

That equipment has saved lives.
 
Glen Contrarian said:
Unfortunately, there's all too many people - several of whom are on DP - who would hear the same speech, and instead of hearing words of healing, heard only words of division; instead of hearing words of understanding, heard only words of racism, of hatred.

That, and that alone, is the real tragedy of his speech, that there are millions of Americans who did not hear what he actually said and actually meant, but instead heard only what they "just knew" he would say...and as a result, so few minds were changed.
Click to expand...

Gosh. I wonder why they would be predisposed to think that he's the kind of person who would tell a crowd of supporters to go out and punish their racial enemies, or jump to the conclusion without evidence that "the police acted stupidly", or involve his administration needlessly in granting cover to lies by race-baiters.
 
ipsofacto said:
Hardware very much is the issue. Cops in England don't carry guns and there is much less gun violence in England than the US.
Click to expand...

Why is there a BLM chapter in England?
 
Glen Contrarian said:
I just watched his speech at the memorial for the slain officers in Dallas...and he was right. Period. First, he described not only the goodness and humanity of each of the slain officers, but also described in glowing terms the real and concrete achievements of the Dallas PD. Then he rebuked the black community - carefully, almost gently, but it was a rebuke nonetheless. After that, he rebuked the police...but much more gently, almost softly, never straying from acknowledging their heroism and the burden they carry. He also included one sentence - and only one out of hundreds - about the flood of guns in our neighborhoods, how a teenager can get one "more easily than buying a computer or a book" (meaning, a book from a library). On its face that last comment sounds like exaggeration...but in a very real way, it's not. But again, that was only one sentence, and was not germane to his overall point.

And the point was, both sides - the black community and the law enforcement community - are right, and that instead of pointing fingers at each other, they need to find common ground and work together to solve the problems that face the black community. That, and he said in so many words that this is not something that any president can make happen - no president has that kind of power or influence - but the responsibility for making it happen lay upon the American citizenry in general and the black community and law enforcement community in particular. Again, bear in mind that the stronger rebuke was against the black community.

The speech was one of bridging gaps, of encouraging unity rather than division, of the courage to reach out with an open hand instead of simply pointing the finger of blame...that the solution lay not completely with the blacks' point of view or the cops' point of view, but somewhere in between.

And he's right. He was the adult in the room teaching those he leads to learn to understand and to work together, rather than simply blame, blame, blame.

I'm going to miss him when he's gone - if he could run for a third term, I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, there's all too many people - several of whom are on DP - who would hear the same speech, and instead of hearing words of healing, heard only words of division; instead of hearing words of understanding, heard only words of racism, of hatred.

That, and that alone, is the real tragedy of his speech, that there are millions of Americans who did not hear what he actually said and actually meant, but instead heard only what they "just knew" he would say...and as a result, so few minds were changed.
Click to expand...

1: Got a link? I'd like to hear it myself.

2: No, kids cannot get ahold of guns easier than buying a computer. Kids are legally barred from buying guns. Any that would try would get laughed out of the store. And I would dare you to provide ANY sort of evidence to the contrary.
 
Glen Contrarian said:
I just watched his speech at the memorial for the slain officers in Dallas...and he was right. Period. First, he described not only the goodness and humanity of each of the slain officers, but also described in glowing terms the real and concrete achievements of the Dallas PD. Then he rebuked the black community - carefully, almost gently, but it was a rebuke nonetheless. After that, he rebuked the police...but much more gently, almost softly, never straying from acknowledging their heroism and the burden they carry. He also included one sentence - and only one out of hundreds - about the flood of guns in our neighborhoods, how a teenager can get one "more easily than buying a computer or a book" (meaning, a book from a library). On its face that last comment sounds like exaggeration...but in a very real way, it's not. But again, that was only one sentence, and was not germane to his overall point.

And the point was, both sides - the black community and the law enforcement community - are right, and that instead of pointing fingers at each other, they need to find common ground and work together to solve the problems that face the black community. That, and he said in so many words that this is not something that any president can make happen - no president has that kind of power or influence - but the responsibility for making it happen lay upon the American citizenry in general and the black community and law enforcement community in particular. Again, bear in mind that the stronger rebuke was against the black community.

The speech was one of bridging gaps, of encouraging unity rather than division, of the courage to reach out with an open hand instead of simply pointing the finger of blame...that the solution lay not completely with the blacks' point of view or the cops' point of view, but somewhere in between.

And he's right. He was the adult in the room teaching those he leads to learn to understand and to work together, rather than simply blame, blame, blame.

I'm going to miss him when he's gone - if he could run for a third term, I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, there's all too many people - several of whom are on DP - who would hear the same speech, and instead of hearing words of healing, heard only words of division; instead of hearing words of understanding, heard only words of racism, of hatred.

That, and that alone, is the real tragedy of his speech, that there are millions of Americans who did not hear what he actually said and actually meant, but instead heard only what they "just knew" he would say...and as a result, so few minds were changed.
Click to expand...

You've written a very powerful summary of President Obama's speech. It sounds as though it was healing and from his heart. Thank you.
 
ipsofacto said:
Hardware very much is the issue. Cops in England don't carry guns and there is much less gun violence in England than the US.
Click to expand...


nope its attitude, if any of these police chiefs wanted make a smart move they would walk the line of demonstrators handing out job applications for their departments.
 
ipsofacto said:
What lives were saved by tanks on the street?
Click to expand...

First, the cops don't have tanks.

Second, a military vehicle was used to breach the club in orlanda, so cops could enter the building and kill the Muslim terrorist that was gunning people down. One officer's life was spared when the Kevlar helmet he was wearing stopped a bullet that was moving at 3,000 feet per second toward his brain.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ent-used-to-respond-to-the-attack-in-orlando/
 
The rebuke should have been that the "black community" exists. America is not the "white community", it is not the "black community". Fracturing off into a thousand boutique communities is not going to restore America.
 
Glen Contrarian said:
I just watched his speech at the memorial for the slain officers in Dallas...and he was right. Period. First, he described not only the goodness and humanity of each of the slain officers, but also described in glowing terms the real and concrete achievements of the Dallas PD. Then he rebuked the black community - carefully, almost gently, but it was a rebuke nonetheless. After that, he rebuked the police...but much more gently, almost softly, never straying from acknowledging their heroism and the burden they carry. He also included one sentence - and only one out of hundreds - about the flood of guns in our neighborhoods, how a teenager can get one "more easily than buying a computer or a book" (meaning, a book from a library). On its face that last comment sounds like exaggeration...but in a very real way, it's not. But again, that was only one sentence, and was not germane to his overall point.

And the point was, both sides - the black community and the law enforcement community - are right, and that instead of pointing fingers at each other, they need to find common ground and work together to solve the problems that face the black community. That, and he said in so many words that this is not something that any president can make happen - no president has that kind of power or influence - but the responsibility for making it happen lay upon the American citizenry in general and the black community and law enforcement community in particular. Again, bear in mind that the stronger rebuke was against the black community.

The speech was one of bridging gaps, of encouraging unity rather than division, of the courage to reach out with an open hand instead of simply pointing the finger of blame...that the solution lay not completely with the blacks' point of view or the cops' point of view, but somewhere in between.

And he's right. He was the adult in the room teaching those he leads to learn to understand and to work together, rather than simply blame, blame, blame.

I'm going to miss him when he's gone - if he could run for a third term, I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, there's all too many people - several of whom are on DP - who would hear the same speech, and instead of hearing words of healing, heard only words of division; instead of hearing words of understanding, heard only words of racism, of hatred.

That, and that alone, is the real tragedy of his speech, that there are millions of Americans who did not hear what he actually said and actually meant, but instead heard only what they "just knew" he would say...and as a result, so few minds were changed.
Click to expand...

Obama has to **** it up, somehow. He can't help himself.
 
No matter what he says or does, it will be wrong in the eyes of many.

We used to be able to say, "I disagree with that person, but it's an honest disagreement."
Now, it's "I disagree with that person, therefore he's a real a hole and I hate him and everything he stands for. I'll oppose him at every turn regardless of what the issue may be."


That's why the country is in such a mess. It's not because someone else has a different philosophy, but because we think that anyone who does have a different philosophy is somehow evil or stupid or both.

It was a good speech. It was an honor to the slain cops, and a call for healing.

Unfortunately, not everyone wants healing.
 
katzgar said:
nope its attitude, if any of these police chiefs wanted make a smart move they would walk the line of demonstrators handing out job applications for their departments.
Click to expand...


Not sure what that meant.
 
Dittohead not! said:
No matter what he says or does, it will be wrong in the eyes of many.

We used to be able to say, "I disagree with that person, but it's an honest disagreement."
Now, it's "I disagree with that person, therefore he's a real a hole and I hate him and everything he stands for. I'll oppose him at every turn regardless of what the issue may be."


That's why the country is in such a mess. It's not because someone else has a different philosophy, but because we think that anyone who does have a different philosophy is somehow evil or stupid or both.

It was a good speech. It was an honor to the slain cops, and a call for healing.

Unfortunately, not everyone wants healing.
Click to expand...

He lied. That's good?
 
Dittohead not! said:
No matter what he says or does, it will be wrong in the eyes of many.

We used to be able to say, "I disagree with that person, but it's an honest disagreement."
Now, it's "I disagree with that person, therefore he's a real a hole and I hate him and everything he stands for. I'll oppose him at every turn regardless of what the issue may be."


That's why the country is in such a mess. It's not because someone else has a different philosophy, but because we think that anyone who does have a different philosophy is somehow evil or stupid or both.

It was a good speech. It was an honor to the slain cops, and a call for healing.

Unfortunately, not everyone wants healing.
Click to expand...




Not really. As Sanders has said on the campaign trail, the real conflict is not between parties, but between the People and Government. Government is align with corporate interests.
 
apdst said:
It means what Cief Brown said yesterday, [if BLM wants to make a difference, the Dallas PD is hiring]
Click to expand...


Okay. Does that mean people don't have the right to protest?
 
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