Or both?
I received a variation of this message in my email as the result of a forward. This isn't the exact message - the exact message was so horribly formatted that I didn't want to inflict it upon any of you - but it's nearly word-for-word the same.
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Perhaps there are SOME out there who are beginning to get 'the picture'. The
following is a narrative taken from Sunday Morning's televised 'Meet The
Press,' and the author is employed none other than the Washington Post!!
Yeah......the Washington Post of New York and Los Angeles Times fame!!
Must say that I'm duly impressed.................. From Sunday's Televised
'Meet the Press' Senator Obama was asked about his stance on the American
Flag. Obama Explains National Anthem Stance Sun, 07 Sept. 2008 11:48:04
EST, General Bill Ginn' USAF (ret.) asked Obama
to explain why he doesn't follow protocol when the National Anthem is
played.
The General also stated to the Senator that according to the United States
Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171... During rendition of the national
anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform are
expected to stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the
heart. At the very least, 'Stand and face it.'
Senator Obama Live on Sunday states,
'As I've said about the flag pin, I don't want to be perceived as taking
sides, Obama said. 'There are a lot of people in the world to whom the
American flag is a symbol of oppression.
And the anthem itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs
bursting in air and all.
It should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose. I like
the song 'I'd Like To Teach the World To Sing.' If that were our anthem,
then I might salute it. 'We should consider to reinvent our National Anthem
as well as to redesign our Flag to better offer our enemies hope and love.
It's my intention, if elected, to disarm America to the level of acceptance
to our Middle East Brethren. If we as a Nation of warring people, should
conduct ourselves as the nations of Islam, whereas peace prevails. Perhaps
a state or period of mutual concord between our governments. When I become
President, I will seek a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those
who have been at war or in a state of enmity, and a freedom from disquieting
oppressive thoughts.
We as a Nation have placed upon the nations of Islam an unfair injustice. My
wife disrespects the Flag for many personal reasons. Together she and I have
attended several flag burning ceremonies in the past, many years ago. She
has her views and I have mine'. Of course now, I have found myself about to
become the President of the United States and I have put aside my hatred. I
will use my power to bring CHANGE to this Nation, and offer the people a new
path of hope. My wife and I look forward to becoming our Country's First
Family. Indeed, CHANGE is about to overwhelm the United States of America.
WHAAAAAAAT the Hell !!!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you heard it right.
This could possibly be our next President. I, for one, am speechless.
Dale Lindsborg, Washington Post
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Now, apparently this has been around since the 2008. How is it JUST NOW being forwarded to me??? It's funny, the people who think this is true... did they ever ONCE bother doing a simple Google search? All I had to Google was the name "Dale Lindsborg" and I immediately got the information I needed. The premise behind the message was stolen from a John Semmons, who is a satirist. Other than that, there are a number of things wrong with this.
1. There is no "Dale Lindsborg" that works for the Washington Post
2. Obama was not on "Meet the Press" on Sept. 07, 2008
3. General Ginn, while not a fan of Obama, had never spoken to him.
I believe that there is a deeper problem at work here. Conservatism and religiosity undeniably go hand in hand. How many batshit crazy fundamentalists do you know who support universal healthcare and gay rights? The question is - is it religiosity that causes people to become conservative, or is it conservatism that makes people religious?
Speaking as a former religious person and a former conservative, I can say that - for me at least - it was my religious tendencies that kept me conservative. Hell, in 2004, the only 2 issues that brought me to the polls were abortion and gay marriage! Isn't that sad? I was one of the duped, brainwashed peons that helped secure Georgie boy another term. Yes, I still feel guilty for that one today - even though it wouldn't have mattered either way in Oklahoma, one of the reddest states in the union.
But besides that, religion does something else other than simply make people conservative. I believe it robs otherwise intelligent individuals of their common sense and reason. Think about it. They devote their life to believing the unbelievable, putting their unfounded trust in something that is patently absurd. Why would they bother invoking critical thought for a smear piece that received in their inbox? Most of the people who buy into this are also the people who believe that Obama is a Muslim, born in Kenya, and out to destroy their God-lovin' Uh-mur-i-ca. And they believe these claims because it helps to prop up their preconceived notions. Sure, it's unbelievable, and flies in the face of everything we know about reality, but hey, they already believe a bunch of crazy stuff, and surely that has to be true, right???
I'm not trying to sound conceited when I say this. I have spent a couple of years now honing and refining my critical thinking skills. I have developed a healthy skepticism when it comes to ridiculous claims. So I don't think I'm more intelligent than people who fell for this. Rational skepticism is something that requires practice, and I've had a lot of practice. It just makes me sad that people can be this gullible... and I do not think it bodes well for our society to have a segment of the population so completely devoid of the ability to use critical thought that they'll believe anything as long as it fits their ideology.
Logic and critical thinking classes should be mandatory in High School. Actually, Junior High would be better. We need to start teaching good thinking skills early, before they start forwarding email about Obama being a terrorist, or a Muslim, or a flag-hater.
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