Sunday, January 27, 2008

Dear Barry ~ An Open Letter to Barack Obama


Dear Barry~

I am writing to you as a fellow alumni of Punahou School. I was gone long before you were there, but we shared the same rooms, some of the same teachers, the same atmosphere and environment. We grew up with similar experiences. I am motivated to do this because of the disturbing things you are doing that erode all credibility you might have had for me.

I can not think of any political issue that you and I will ever agree upon. You believe in giving people everything - just as everything was given to you. It always amazes me that most spoiled liberal children grow up without ever learning to work for anything or to earn anything. And, I am disgusted that you have pared your biography down to exclude the parts that might let people know where you come from. There is something dishonest about that.

[For my readers, Barry (his name in high school - Oahuan yearbook picture above) was a 1979 graduate of Punahou School, which is a top prep school (remember how GWB was excoriated for attending one of those) in Honolulu, Hawaii. Barry was sent to this premier and expensive school by his white grandparents with whom he lived. He attended from grade school through high school. His black African father had abandoned him and his white mother when he was a toddler. While I don't normally write political pieces, I feel strongly about his sins of omission.]

I do know that you were given one of the finest educations available in the United States. I know that you grew up a child of privilege. I do know that you were taught to speak in public, to think and to act. We should BOTH be grateful for the quality of education that we received. Yet, you seem to hide yours under the rock of omission. Are you worried that the masses might think less of you if they knew where you came from? How sad that you chose not to say - 'see where a great education and great teachers can inspire you to go?' And, are you going to tell people that those GREAT teachers were not part of a Union - they were there to mentor us and educate us and THEY DID.

Of the many things that we instinctively knew with our shared background, the most important things were the lessons learned about race. In any classroom we were in, it was a given that everyone in the room would be of varying racial combinations. It was so dramatic that no one cared - we weere each a minority of one - except the twins in my class. We learned that character and the ability to excel with whatever gifts we had were the important things. We had the benefits of learning from multiple cultures - we ate one another's foods, learned about holidays and celebrations and had our pidgin' peppered with words from cultures around the globe. We had few cultures withheld from our experiences. We were each unique and yet none of us was more unique than the others. We learned the strenght of the individual. We learned that it is character, not color, that defines us. How sad that you have not shared this valuable lesson with people on the campaign trail, but have rather chosen to fall into the Clinton trap of isolating the races?

I guess it is easier to let people think that you 'fought' your way to the top, when we know it is not true. But, how dishonest - how horribly dishonest.

When I heard your speech at the 2004 Democrat National Convention, I was impressed - most of the country was impressed. You are a profoundly gifted orator. But, as I watch your campaign, though you have the gift to stir the crowds, I have yet to hear you say anything of substance. You say "CHANGE" a great deal. You get the crowds to chant, "YES WE CAN."

But, you never define the change. Fascism is a change, Communism is a change, Depression is a change, Massive Unemployment is a change, Undermining Capitalism is a change, Attacks on our Soil are a change. Change is not necessarily a good thing. What is it that you mean? Or, are you satisfied to have an electorate that has no ability to think or reason or question you? Or, horrors, don't you know what you mean? And, what, exactly is it that we can do?

Most of my disdain is for the only thing that you ever express in your platform - tucking our tail between our legs and running from the battlefield in Iraq. BAD IDEA. Yet, you never speak of Afghanistan. You never speak of the War on Terror. Don't you believe they exist? Certainly you would have a policy position on them if you did. You scare me. I know that you have the capacity to be a deep thinker. Why is it that we are seeing the shallowest of rhetoric?

If you want to be the President of this country, you will have an obligation to ALL of America - not just those who vote for you. Barry, it is time to excel - to be the thinker and communicator, else that will never happen.

Sincerely,

A Fellow Alumni of Punahou School (and owner of this blog)


Anonymous - a gift for you!


To the Anony-mice who think leaving messages with vile language and calling me names is dialogue and debate - finda dictionary and look up the words you are using - it will save you looking foolish.

To the Anony-mice who think that asking a Presidential candidate to be the best he can be is wrong - you will destroy this country if you don't believe that too.

To the Anony-mice who want to argue with me about Foreign Policy, this is the topic index on Obama's website : Ending the War in Iraq, Iran, Renewing American Diplomacy, Nuclear Weapons, Building a 21st Century Military, Biparisanship and Openness, On Israel. No Policy Paper on Afghanistan OR the War on Terror. I have done my homework - you have not done yours.

To anyone who is supporting Barry for President - if you have not read his policy positions, you are a fool. A complete and total fool. A responsible voter reads the policy positions of the candidate. An irresponsible voter falls for things like 'hope' and 'change' - words that mean nothing in the realm of governance.



25 comments:

Sarge Charlie said...

This is good. I hope you do not mind if I reprint it.

Anonymous said...

Flag, Plain so as to be non-misunderstood, well-spoken, important. This starry-eyed messiah will fall. Pray that he does so before November or, barring that, that he does not take us all down with him. Great post. --Deb

Flag Gazer said...

Sarge - Of course

Deb - Thanks. The higher the pedastal the farther the fall.

Buck said...

THIS should leave a mark, but I doubt it will. Typically, your blog is the first and only place I've seen this letter, Cynthia. By "typically," I mean the MSM hasn't yet... and most likely won't... picked this up.

Thanks.

Flag Gazer said...

Thanks, Buck, but I won't hold my breath waiting for the MSM!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to know I'm not the only Punahou graduate who can think independently. The presidential election shouldn't just be a popularity contest. The candidates should actually be qualified.

Flag Gazer said...

buffanblu - I think if I get one more Punahou Bulletin plastered with Obama garbage I am going to scream! They should rethink it - his name is conspicuously missing form the fundraising roles - mine may follow soon!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Surely I hope you post my message. It seemed anything remotely defending Obama gets hidden or omitted.

Flag Gazer said...

Anonymous-
I posted one of your messages - don't know what your point is and I rarely, if ever, post anonymous criticism.

I signed the piece I wrote and put on my blog, yet you condemn me for not giving you my street address and you sign anonymous. You are a coward. And, your tirade is poorly writen and will not be published here. It is not my job or my intention to make this a forum for Barry - not now, not ever - not a positive or negative forum. I had something to say - I said it - don't read it if you don't like it.

Yes, we are all different than we were in high school, but if we forget the lessons learned, we are incapable of learning - is this what you meant to say? I hope you think more of Obama than that.

Flag Gazer said...

PS Anonymous - Barry is winning the primary - until the clinton's steal it from him. If you feel he needs a forum - start one. But, you do not get to do it here.

Anonymous said...

I am the Anonymous - reason being I never post stuff on blogs, so I don't have a username, and for the same reason that I don't want to waste my time and get my message deleted.

Where is the freedom you tout about? You allowed posts of criticism and message of people supporting that criticism, yet you don't allow any other points of views. This gives people the idea that the majority support your views, when in fact it is the opposite.

You are no patriot or a flag gazer.

Flag Gazer said...

Dear Coward Person who still can't sign their name:
I will post your latest round of stupidity - not that anyone will see it, as this post is in the archives, but it seems to matter so much to you.

1. You are a liar. You say (in very poor grammar) that you never post 'stuff' on blogs - yet, this is the third - count them 1, 2, 3 -post you have muddied my door with.

2. You are a liar - part two. You did waste your time, your first screed was deleted, yet here you are wasting your time again.

3. Off Topic. The major reason your post was deleted - besides the fact that you can't sign bill or sue or fred, is that it was off topic. Nothing in the post was about the south side of Chicago, yet you droned on and on. What does the second graph of your lastest whine have to do with the post - again - nothing.

4. You are an idiot. You are a complete idiot if you think freedom is about shitting in other people's homes - which is what you are doing. You are a complete idiot if you think invalidating other people's experinences is freedom. You have no rights here - just as you have no right in my home, nor I in yours. It is my right not to allow other points of views. And, for the record - every tried getting a dissenting letter printed in the New York Times or any other major paper?

You do not have a clue about the world you live in. You have poor communication skills and poor reading comprehension. IF you had actually read the piece, you would see that I believe Barry has not given all he has to his campaign - he has been lazy. That may satisfy you, but not me.

Your idiocy is above board when you come into my home and call me names. Allowing you to post an off topic anonymous tirade is not about being a patriot. You obviously do not know the meaning of the word.

And, by the way, IDIOT PERSON, the majority of the commenters do agree with me - count them - you are one - they are many.

The only thing you are really angry about is that you think you have some point you want to make and I won't let you make it here. What you wrote is more incomprehensible than the posts I did print. It is off topic and did not address my call for Barry to be the better man he is capable of. If that offends you, asking a man to be the best he can be, then you are beyond idiocy - into the realm of hateful stupidity, and that is unpatriotic.

Claire said...

Wow! You made my day with this great letter! Thank you for writing it and sharing it. Thank you also for being a patriot and a flag gazer. :)

Flag Gazer said...

Thank you, Claire!
Especially appreciated!

Anonymous said...

The more Barry is exposed as a fraud, the more frantic his supporters become. Barry is being revealed as a fraud. Yesterday, it was the revelation of his plagerism. Today, I watched a video that compiled six different incidences, six different occsssions, in which a woman "fainted" while listening to Barry speak. Once, I will believe. But six?!!? And those are only the ones the video documents; there could be more. It's theatrics! FLAG, your letter does not slam Barry. Instead, it asks him to employ the lessons he learned at Punhou School. You only ask that he continues to excel honestly. That's wholly fair and should be encouraging to him. It's really a backhanded compliment if you think about it. But if you are not mindlessly fawning over him, his supporters see red.

Flag Gazer said...

Anonymous -
your comment is not being posted because it is Anonymous and has vile language in it. Calling me names will not get you posted here.

You obviously did NOT read what I wrote and while condemning me advocated for Obama lying about his background - something he has not done. You are the one who needs to research - i HAVE read his web site... there is no heading under Foreign Policy for Afghanistan or the War on Terror. your assumtions on his beliefs are not policy positions. You are the liar.

Flag Gazer said...

PS - never was a 'classmates' of Barry's - never said I was. And, where, exactly is the definition of 'classmate' that says we all liked one another - what fantasy land are you living in?

Anonymous said...

You are an alumna, not an alumni.

Delete this if you want.

Flag Gazer said...

alumna = female graduate
alumnus = male graduate
alumni = many graduates

so, we many be the only two with any Latin background

and, yes, i can delete anything I want in my house!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Flag Gazer said...

I know that reading is hard - but I do NOT post anonymous comments.... Read the policy or don't waste your time and mine.

Pluse - I disagree and your facts are wrong - find a platform else where.

Anonymous said...

Don't underestimate the Democrats' ability to chose the wrong person. Since 1968 they have only won three general elections for the president. After Kerry in 2004, I can see why. They should have had a shoe-in, but chose a candidate that made Gore 2000 look perky... Now they may very well chose own of the Republicans' most reviled figures in Clinton. Not only has Clinton been very distasteful to moderates and independents who are voting for Obama, but she may very well be the factor to bring Republicans out in droves for the general election.

Don't people remember McGovern, Kerry, Humphrey, Mondale and so on with a little sheepishness? Did we really nominate McGovern? Kerry? What were we thinking? Wasn't there anyone better to run? So when we go to the polls, just consider how we can avoid 1968, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1988, 2000, and 2004 getting repeated one more time.

FUCK Hillary. She is an egocentric megalomaniac who cares not for the American people but only for her own empowerment. If she gets the nomination, Dems lose. Obama has no chance of losing. Even Republican strategists admit this fact flat-out. They would LOVE to run against Hillary. They dread an Obama nomination.

Flag Gazer said...

Dear Lars -
It has been months since I have been attacked here - thank you for reviving it. Like all people, I love being called names and judged by people who don't know me and were not privy to the filth that was deleted. Thanks much!

Anonymous said...

Little did we know the Obama machine would override the Clinton machine. In retrospect, we knew that all along, knowing his corrupt connections and lack of anything American. We just could never believe this could happen in our great country..electing someone no one knew...it happened. No one in HI knew him and they still voted for the "home boy" just because he graced our shores once upon a time, he was a Democrat and promised to pass the Akaka bill. State by state, we are paying the price for this hopeychange "out of nowhere" president.

Thank you for your article and wish more people could have read it then..not that it would have mattered. I do have friends that were his classmates and echo your comments.