Who is Barack Obama?

Who is Barack Obama? You can a tell a great deal about an individual based on the company that they keep. Now, many people said that conservatives were judging Barack Obama based on a 30 second sound bite of his Pastor the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I on the other hand, thought that the sound bite of Rev. Wright spewing racist and hateful words from the pulpit was probably a decent indicator of who Jeremiah Wright really is. Last Sunday Father Michael Pfleger spoke at Obama's Trinity Church in Chicago. The sermon that he gave made Rev. Wight seem mild in comparison. He painted whites in this country as wholly racist and having a sense of entitlement. His sermon was despicable and divisive (See above clip). Worst of all, his speech was given a standing ovation by many in the congregation.

After watching this video of Father Pfleger it is becoming more and more apparent who Barack Obama really is and at the same time less likely that Rev. Wrights comments were an anomaly. These hateful sermons are the norm at Trinity Church, the church Barack Obama has called home for the last 20 years. It is hard for me to believe that Barack Obama would attend a church where hate speech is preached so regularly without espousing those same views himself. It is ironic that in an election year featuring both the first African American and the first woman running for President, an election year that was considered a great opportunity for both blacks and whites to come together, that the rift between the races is actually widening. It is reasonable to assume that after Rev. Wright's first comments Barack Obama really didn't know the extent that his pastor spewed hate speech. However, following Pfleger's comments, a trend is beginning to emerge. Lets look at some of the people Barack Obama associates with. Michelle Obama, Barack's wife, recently made several controversial statements. First she said that she wasn't proud of her country until her husband ran for President, she also questioned how her and her husband were possibly going to be able to survive on "only $500,000 per year. The Rev. Wright whose comments have been well documented. Father Pfleger, whose comments can be viewed above. Louis Farrakhan the leader of the Nation of Islam who has called Judaism a "gutter religion" and said that the white man is a "drain on society". William Ayers, the terrorist who set bombs at the Capitol and the Pentagon and who also said that his only regret is that he didn't set more.

According to recent polls, the general election will be a very tight race. The people who will decide this race might very well be undecided white voters, the very people who are the target of Trinity Church's vile rhetoric. For the most part, these voters will be very turned off by this type of language. Only the extreme liberals (who are probably already decided anyway) will disregard these types of statements. It is my opinion that Barack Obama cannot recover the votes lost due to his church's controversies, therefore, he can't win the election itself.

I challenge Barack Obama to give his own speech at Trinity Church. I challenge him to condemn any remarks that are meant to divide our country. I challenge him to admonish his fellow church goers for applauding and cheering while Pfleger continued his anti-white and sexist rant. I challenge Barack Obama to leave his church and their racist ways behind. Of course he won't do any of those things. Because the individuals that he associates with represent his core group of voters. Barack Obama actively seeks out the radicals within our society and asks for their support. Perhaps this is who Barack Obama really is.

Gas Prices

Enough already. Gas prices are getting a little ridiculous. The average price for a gallon of gas in the United States has reached $4.90. Heaven forbid you are a trucker and are forced to pay $6 per gallon for Diesel. President Bush went to Saudi Arabia last week and requested that the Saudis increase oil output to lessen the burden on our economy. The Saudis declined, after all, they just increased output by 300 million barrels per day last month. The legislators in the US have the answer at their fingertips but they refuse to pull the trigger. Oil is now at well over $125 per barrel. That $125 price tag represents the future of oil prices, so you can count on your wallet hemorrhaging even more dollars at the pump for the foreseeable future. Unless, of course, the US legislators in Washington decide to pony up and actually do their job. There is enough oil located off the coasts of North Carolina, Texas, California, and Washington to supply us with gasoline for several years. Recently, scientists located oil pockets in North Dakota that rival some of those in Saudi Arabia. Not to mention all of the natural gas located in these places. The Alaska National Wildlife Refuge currently contains enough oil for the US to be completely self sufficient for the next 50-75 years depending on the estimate. 50-75 YEARS!! That should be plenty of time for us to invent new technology and explore new ways to power our cars. Can you imagine what would happen to the price of a barrel of oil if the US were to even suggest that we begin to drill in ANWR? The speculators might drop the price by 30-40%. If that much supply all of a sudden flooded the market, prices would have no choice but to plummet. I know what you are thinking; ANWR is a beautiful place filled with rare and endangered species. Drilling there will further damage habitats of already suffering animals. Let me ask you this question then. Is any polar bear population worth even one child going to bed hungry because daddy's trucking company went out of business due to the rising diesel cost? The picture posted here is of ANWR. Far from the veritable "Garden of Eden" that some environmentalists would have you believe. The Senate and the House need to get off their ass and start looking out for the people that put them in office in the first place. I would love to see a public vote on a bill proposing drilling in ANWR and for the representatives to explain themselves if they vote against it. Ideally, we would have cars that do not run on gasoline and houses that don't rely on natural gas, however, we are not there yet and until we are, let's start looking at real options before our economy tanks due to our stubbornness.

Obama in 08?

I have a confession to make. After watching Barak Obama speaking at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, I really liked him. I even told my mother that I think I just watched the first black President speak tonight. He was charismatic, charming, a great orator, and just downright likeable. A sharp contrast to the Democratic nominee that the Dems were honoring, John Kerry. Obama rode the coat-tails of that speech and his newfound stardom all the way to Washington after winning a landslide victory to become the Dem's US Senator from Illinois. Soon after his speech at the Convention, Obama seemed like a shoe-in to one day run for President. However, does a Freshman Senator have the experience and political savvy to run for the most powerful office in the world? According to Barak Obama...No. (See video at bottom of page) Is America ready for it's first black president? Without a doubt. Obama's numbers are proof enough that a black man can at least be a serious contender for the White House, if not win it all. However, in some ways America is not ready for a black President at all. At least not someone in the Obama mold. My beef with Obama is strictly political and has NOTHING to do with the color of his skin. Having said that, in order for a black man to occupy the White House he cannot be in any way associated with someone like Rev. Wright. Rev. Wright is the kind of person that scares white people. His racist, anti-establishment remarks are not the type of words that sit well with middle America. That is what is hurting Obama the most. If both the Rev Wright and Obama were white, those remarks would not have hurt him in the way they are currently hurting him. Furthermore, the American public is now figuring out who the real Barak Obama is. The Barak Obama who sought out the support of known and unrepentant domestic terrorist in William Ayers (shown above stepping on the US flag). Obama has had many speaking engagements and recently served on a charity board with Ayers who admits to setting over a dozen bombs in late 60's early 70's. We now know the Barak Obama whos wife said that she was not proud of her country until recently and was quoted as asking how her and her husband can possibly survive on only $500,000 per year. (http://www.wowowow.com/conversation/barack-obama-hillary-clinton-elitist-election)

What a difference 4 years make. It appeared that in 2004 Barak Obama was destined to be the President of the United States. After the public actually saw the real Obama and how different his views of this country and the world were with ours, we may not be willing to throne him America's savior just yet. Maybe after a few more years of warming up to him and his far left politics, we may elect him President. I just don't think it will be in 2008.

Global Warming

Global warming is getting alot of headlines these days. I believe global warming does exist, however, I don't believe that it is a manmade problem and I don't believe that the temperature will rise so rapidly that it will cause a catestrophic series of events. Before this post, let me preface my comment by saying I am not an expert in this field. I do, however, have a little bit of common sense and, frankly, I believe that there are more questions than answers when it comes to global warming. For example, scientists agree that the last ice age ended between 10 and 15 thousand years ago. That being said, since we are not in an ice age at this time, wouldn't it suffice to say that there had to have been a period of global warming for the earth's temperature to rise to current levels. Like I said, I am no expert but I imagine that 15 thousand years ago man's industrial prowess wasn't to the point where it would have a profound effect on the earths climate. Furthermore, how is it possible for scientists to say that the increase in the earth's temperature isn't a naturally occurring phenomenon that has happened every 20 thousand years or so for the last 100 million years? Scientist do have readings showing an increase in the earth's temperature of between 0.3 and 0.8 degrees over the last 100 years which is well within the natural fluctuations over the last millenium. Al Gore and other left-wing liberals would have you believe that we are all going to die within the next 50 years if global warming is not brought under control. In fact, a British court recently released a list of 11 falsehoods that were stated as fact in his propoganda "documentary" An Inconvenient Truth. (http://www.rightwingnews.com/mt331/2007/10/a_british_court_comes_up_with.php). So don't run to the store to pick up life preservers and rafts just yet, because there isn't any evidence that this phenomenon is anything more than mother earth just doing her thing.

The candidates and Iraq

We can debate the logic, intelligence and true reasons behind the Iraq war until we are blue in the face. The fact is WE ARE THERE. No matter what you thought of the decision to go into Iraq, leaving now would be a total disaster and, in my opinion, could lead to World War III. The vaccuum that would be created in the absence of US forces would be chaos, the likes of which have never been seen. If you really want a country called "Al-Qaedastan" then by all means pull out. War is an ugly undertaking and this is no exception. Iran's support for the Shiites within Iraq is creating instability within Iraq right now. Can you imagine what influence they would have if the US were to pull out? Their goal is nothing less than Sharia law in Iraq. They envision an Iraq where women are treated as property, homosexuals are stoned to death, and Israel is "wiped off the map". I can't believe that Democrats, with their emphasis on womens and gay rights and general civil liberties would want this to happen. Furthermore, al-Qaeda's main objective is to kill as many Americans as they can. Do you really think that if the US were to pull out that this goal would change even the slightest bit? No chance. In fact it would strengthen their resolve, they would declare "victory over the infidels" and begin planning another 9/11.

I don't want to be in Iraq one day longer than we have to be, however, right now we have to be there. It is not only an issue of national security but, I believe, an issue of moral obligation. We overthrew their government and we have an obligation to the Iraqi citizens to leave their country safer, with better infrastructure, better schools, more civil liberties, a strong military to defend themselves, and a unified government once we leave. But those demanding a withdrawal don't want Iraq to have any of that.

Obama and the NC GOP Ad

I feel bad for Barak Obama, I really do. I mean for the first time in our country's history there is a legitimate African-American candidate for the White House and his campaign is in danger of being derailed by an outspoken pastor who can't seem to keep his mouth shut. The Rev. Jeremiah Wright's comments have totally taken the wind out of the sails of Obama's presidential bid. While Obama may still win, it will be on pure momentum alone as opposed to a month ago when it seemed like he would win this one running away. Barak Obama can't seem to distance himself from his former pastor fast enough. Just 30 days ago Obama said that he wouldn't disown his pastor. In light of recent, even more inflammatory comments made by Wright, it seems that Obama will do just that. Now, to the NC GOP ad (http://youtube.com/watch?v=JhpcIH_Hw18&feature=related) that has so many democrats in a tissy fit. Living in Raleigh, I am amazed to hear people call the local talk radio shows expressing their anger over this ad and denouncing it as racist. Maybe I'm just a stupid white guy in need of an education, and if you can explain why it's racist I would greatly appreciate it, but I just don't see any racial overtones in the ad whatsoever. Is it because the relationship between Wright and Obama is hurting his campaign? What is it about this ad that is racist? Anyway, there is a huge push to have the ad pulled and local TV channel WRAL has refused to run the ad altogether. Whatever happened to freedom of speech? Aren't Republicans allowed to inquire about questionable relationships when a candidate is running for the highest office in the world? Or is that honor only reserved for Democrats? I have seen real racism, in it's most hateful and vile form. I have seen people judged solely on the color of their skin. I have seen the damage that it can do to people who are the victims of REAL racism. I just don't think that this ad is an example of real racism, not even close.