[Peace-discuss] Inconsistency

[Morton K. Brussel]

No, Obama does not deserve "the benefit of the doubt". He campaigned  
as an antiwar candidate, and has betrayed that commitment, except for  
carping about the "execution" --an appropriate word-- of the war.  
Crocodile tears. He has behaved like (almost) all the rest of a  
discredited Congress, following sheep-like the policies and acts of a  
corrupt and venal administration. To compare him to Jefferson and  
Lincoln is hilarious. What has Obama done to warrant such comparisons  
except to make compassionate(?)--mealy mouthed-- speeches?  AWARE is  
an antiwar/antioccupation group, and should not compromise on those  
anti-imperial stances. I haven't seen much good come from Obama yet;  
he has given the appearance of a typical pol., eager to accrue more  
power and status in DC by unfortunate compromises. We must vigorously  
take him to task,  as we should do to Durbin as well, when he strays  
on vitally important issues we believe in.

My 2¢. --mkb


On Sep 26, 2005, at 11:30 AM, Bob Illyes wrote:

> Carl, most people (probably all people) are inconsistent.
> If we reject folks legitimacy because of serious
> inconsistencies in their positions, we'd have to throw
> Jefferson, Adams and Lincoln (and every other source of
> the ideas that make our nation valuable) into the trash
> heap. I'm not at all prepared to do this.
>
> I grant that Obama has serious contradictions in his
> positions. I do not think that this is a reason to reject
> him out of hand. You heard the same town meeting I did. You
> heard Obama speak strongly against the invasion and occupation
> of Iraq. This is a step in the right direction.
>
> We might say "Well, Mr. Jefferson, we see that although
> you wrote in favor of universal human rights, you held
> slaves. So you are am imposter, Mr. Jefferson, and we
> can say nothing good about you." I believe that this would
> be arrogant, harmful, and harmful precisely because it
> is arrogant. I do not claim that Obama is at all comparable
> to Jefferson, but I do believe that he deserves the benefit
> of the doubt, as did Jefferson.
>
> Bob
>
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