I really don't understand why so many people are concerned about what Obama's pastor said, or why he didn't rush to leave his church over it, or (in the words of Eric Zorn at the Trib) wondering "why Obama didn’t act years ago to defuse the obvious political time bomb contained in the rhetoric of Rev. Jeremiah Wright."
Ok, am I the ONLY person who is related to crazy people?
Come on, admit it. You have a crazy relative. Cra-zy. Someone whose ideas are so beyond the pale that they are simply embarrassing to hear, but in the name of family peace everyone just looks uncomfortable over family dinners and tries to change the subject. Someone you used to argue with when you were younger, until you realized there was no point, because they thought that way long before you were born and would continue to think that way until they left this earth, so you might as well save your breath.
And yet, you love them.
Why?
Loyalty to family? The fact that he is the crazy uncle who writes to you? That's the aunt who remembers your birthday? The cousin who would drive 2000 miles to watch your cat for a week? She's the life of the party? A great confidant? Because he's willing to step in to point out that love trumps everything? Or just because?
Now, people will say that Obama and Rev. Wright are not related. Coming from a very small family (like Obama does) I realize that for many people, family are where you make it. Some people are blessed with large families. I'm not. Instead, I have friends (some of whom are reading this) that I consider family. I would do anything for them if the chips were down. (I hope they know that, too.)
And some of my friends are a little crazy (in a good way!). But even if they became more crazy, I would still stick by them. Because I love them. Because they are family.
Family means that sometimes you ignore the crazy and focus on the good. And this country needs someone who can do that, not cynically for the sake of politics, but honestly. We need someone who can be generous. Being generous is not the same thing as agreeing.
Obama has forgiven his pastor, even as he rejected some of his philosophies. Most of us would have no family at all if we weren't willing to do that once in a while. I think all this is to Obama's credit, not his detriment.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Obama's Pastor vs. Your Crazy Uncle
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3 comments:
Obama continues to impress me. I haven't had my fingers crossed this hard since my flight from Seattle to Whidbey Island (the landing strip was, I shit you not, an uphill road fragment).
I have to support the content of your post, because I am "that guy," so it's in my best interest to do so.
You are "that guy"? One of the "crazy" friends, you mean? :-) Sure, I'm there for you... although I might draw the line at driving to California to take care of an imaginary cat. [For those of you who don't know, I cat-sit for PMS a few years back and despite visiting for a week, never saw the animal. Ever. And I even looked for it! In a one-bedroom apartment! The cat food got eaten, though. Curious...]
P.S. Obama impresses me too. And the more I see Hilary stooping to the media tricks that were used against the Clintons when they were in the White House, the less impressed I become with her. She should know better.
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