Can We Talk?

Want to cover a little recently familiar ground here. This is certainly not meant to stir the pot or create discussion though certainly have at it if you like.

ODS. Obama Derangement Syndrome.

Oh no, here he goes again, says you.

Hear me out, says I. Have a drink first, if need be. I’ll wait. Hell I’ll even join you. But you’re buying.

A number of us at IBA have made our feelings about ODS quite clear. We urge caution on it. Be careful we don’t fall into the same trap that the BDS crew did for the last eight years. Don’t let it draw your focus from the real and known issues we’re up against.

But understand this: amongst ourselves we’re not even in agreement on what always constitutes ODS. Pasto & I may agree on one piece, but not on another. And we could be very wrong on all of it.

But the last thing I want to do, and I think, though by no means speak for him, Pasto would agree, is stifle quell or censor discussion in any way. Unless you’re a raving raging batshit lunatic who’s to say you’re wrong or we’re right. That’s what comments are for, to hash it out. Discuss. Just because it isn’t our opinion doesn’t mean it isn’t worth being heard.

I bring this up because earlier Christine had a very good post up. A commenter and I thought the conclusion of the piece trod upon ODS. That Obama is a closet Muslim. We respectfully disagreed. To me, for now at least, to draw that conclusion would mean that Michelle and his girls are as well, at least if he were the hardcore Muslim some might think. They’d be in hijabs etc. Or he’s a Manchurian Candidate Muslim, a mere pawn in a much larger dirtier game. I can’t reach that conclusion. Not yet.

To me he seems more a product of Chicago politics heavily influenced by some very questionable characters. And a product of the media itself, the more they fed on him, the more his own self-importance grew. And sympathetic to Muslims oh yes. Possibly because of his early education.

But I can’t agree he wants the willful destruction of the United States and Sharia imposed. Nor could I see Rev. Wright calling for Sharia in the U.S. That would be counter to what little I understand of Black Liberation Theology. Socialism, maybe – MAYBE – down with the White Man, hell yes. Sharia, no. Sharia and Socialism, Sharia and Communism, are not compatible.

But that is my opinion and your mileage may vary. And I have no more right to shut you up on your opinion – again, batshit loons need not apply – than you do to shut me up.

So it bothered me when Christine’s piece disappeared (you can still read it HERE ). She came, or more correctly Atlas came, to a different conclusion than I. The post suggests Obama is a closet Muslim. I say he is uncommonly sympathetic to them. To a dangerous degree.

The point is, though I’m not sure why she did, I wish Christine had not taken that post down. It had worthwhile points and was worthy of discussion. So one commenter and I didn’t agree with all of it. So what? I’d rather it was discussed than think someone feels they shouldn’t post something because they feel we may disagree. Pasto and I have put up some real boners in the recent past. It happens.

As long as you’re not calling for the assassination or other physical harm of our President – yes, he’s our President right or wrong for better or worse – or any of our elected leaders we can talk. I’ll disagree vehemently when you start throwing around words like Nazi and I don’t need to go into why again. Or if you start saying he’s the bastard son of a European Socialite and Gwarop Captain of the Royal Guard from the Third moon of Saturn. But otherwise we can talk. Behind every tall tale, behind every fish story, there’s likely to be at least AT LEAST a kernel of truth. Heck, even the birth certificate issue isn’t yet settled, a new challenge has been brought by an election official just a few days ago.

We’re about caution coupled with reasoned discourse and discussion. Ranting and raging at the other side.

We can argue it out. We're all growed ups here.

Ok, except for Pastorius. & myself. & Epaminondas. & Shiva. & Sir_publius (where the HELL has he been lately?) & Andre79. & Damien. & Abu Abdullah. & WC. & Always on Watch. & In Mary’s Image. & Christian Soldier. & Jewel. & Grant Jones. & Kevin. & Citizen Warrior. & Culturist John. & Ray Boyd. & Revere Rides Again. &. . .