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Sunday, February 17, 2008

Northern Illinois Campus Shooting Wouldn’t Have Happened If Barack Obama Were President

Because he’d give us all hope.  And stuff.

So says Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell.

If you’re wondering why Sen. Barack Obama’s message of hope has resonated with so many voters across the country, consider the shooting rampage at Northern Illinois University. . . .

Since Virginia Tech, many parents of college-aged students have had to turn to their faith.

On the stump, however, Obama has had to defend his faith, and jokes about his critics calling him a “hopemonger.” But Obama’s ability to inspire people—in urban areas as well as in rural towns—is a gift the country needs.

I was beginning to think that all this “Obama-as-messiah” criticism from the right was just hyperbole, but after reading that I’m not so sure.  I mean, Obama is going to end school shootings by bringing us hope?  Could she be a little more...specific?

Of course, getting anything more specific than emotional blather is pretty hard when it comes to Obama supporters.

By the way, check out this statement from the same column:

Like many of you, I watched the televised reports on the violence feeling completely helpless, and wondering how such a horrible thing could have happened in a place where people should feel safe.

How is it that we live in a country where a young man can get his hands on four weapons, including a shotgun?

Why are people walking around armed to the teeth?

Ever hear of the 2nd amendment lady?  And by the way, the problem at Northern Illinois wasn’t “people” walking around armed.  It was one person walking around armed.  If there had been “people” on that campus who were armed, meaning more than one civilian carrying a weapon, the shooter might not have been nearly as successful as he was.

I’m beginning to wonder how we’ve come to live in a country where we’ve forgotten the clear intent of our founding fathers so thoroughly that there is a massive movement afoot to completely ignore one of the most important amendments in the Constitution.  Freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion all shared an amendment.  Gun rights were given their own enumeration.

It’d be helpful if more people remembered that.

(via Gene)

Comments

Because he’d give us all hope.  And stuff.

Ha! That made me laugh out loud.

Ken McCracken on February 17, 2008 at 10:15 am

What scares me is that people, who think (or, honestly, don’t think) like her, will vote.

Mickey on February 17, 2008 at 10:19 am

But Obama’s ability to inspire people—in urban areas as well as in rural towns—is a gift the country needs.

This is offensive, really. The idea that Obama’s ability to inspire people is somehow going to stop any psychopath from killing people is just an insult to the intelligence.

Ken McCracken on February 17, 2008 at 11:52 am

But Obama’s ability to inspire people—in urban areas as well as in rural towns—is a gift the country needs.

There are two sides to each and every transaction.  Obama’s “ability to inspire” is as much a function of the mawkish gullibility of those who choose to follow this particular Pied Piper.  That the mainstream media are similarly gulled is hardly a surprise.

Obama’s one true claim to fame is that he is the one national political figure who, by comparison, makes Hillary’s claim of experience almost believeable


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on February 17, 2008 at 12:22 pm

From FreakingNews.com:

Free Image Hosting at allyoucanupload.com

Plenty of other good ones, too.

Clint
BismarckMandanBlog.com

Clint F on February 17, 2008 at 12:30 pm

None of you truly understand what is happening in this election cycle, in my humble opinion. This is not an insult to any of you, nor do I believe I have a greater intellect than anyone commenting here or greater political insights into these matters. But, it is my considered opinion that . . .

Unlike most of you, most Americans are only superficially involved in the elections anymore, they don’t bother with the issues very much, except the few of them that are offered as campaign commercials, slogans. They are too busy with their lives and daily problems and they mostly vote their emotions, they rely upon their instincts and they ignore the details, including the details about a candidates record.

Add to this a lackluster bunch of candidates and one rather young, slim, handsome, well spoken candidate with the ability to say great things while never giving any specifics. A man that is good at sowing the seeds of a wealth gap, creating the image that most Americans are near starvation, and offering a grand socialist utopia dream as the answer. Then add to that a mystique, an image, a person of color and to most minorities a ‘messiah’ type image arises, meaning he sounds and ‘feels’ like he can solve all the worlds problems This is a man that appears like a black reincarnation of JFK, MLK, FDR and Ghandi all rolled into one man and people are worshipping him without ever asking if there is any there - there, and because of that you have an almost unbeatable candidate.

Yes, I know Rob you do not like the “messiah” image, but while I first mentioned it here, many others, having a superior intellect to my own have also seen this almost ‘messiah’ image being accepted by all those that think they deserve more than they are getting and are willing to even sacrifice some liberty to take away from the rich to give to them.

This is the reality of this election and I do not believe McCain,a short, scar faced and angry old man will be able to defeat Obama. In fact, I think it will be a landslide election for Obama and he will have massive coat tails, increasing the Democrat control of Congress.

You can disagree, who am I that you should pay any attention to me; but so far in this election cycle I have been proven right more often than not, and I feel more right about this ‘messiah’ image thing than any other matter I have adavanced here.


No matter the age or state of health, for a military man it is always glorious to tilt at windmills, rescue a fair Dulcinea and be a gallant knight in armor in a glorious cause.

Neiman on February 17, 2008 at 12:36 pm
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From FreakingNews.com:

Plenty of other good ones, too.

Was there supposed to be a picture there?


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

robport.gif border=0

Rob on February 17, 2008 at 12:38 pm
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I fixed it.


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

robport.gif border=0

Rob on February 17, 2008 at 12:41 pm

This is the reality of this election and I do not believe McCain,a short, scar faced and angry old man will be able to defeat Obama. In fact, I think it will be a landslide election for Obama and he will have massive coat tails, increasing the Democrat control of Congress.

You can disagree, who am I that you should pay any attention to me; but so far in this election cycle I have been proven right more often than not, and I feel more right about this ‘messiah’ image thing than any other matter I have adavanced here.

I pray to God that you are right, Neiman.

(I will let poof or B O correct your spelling)


“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob

realitybasedbob on February 17, 2008 at 01:00 pm

Is Obama the anti-Christ?

golfmann on February 17, 2008 at 01:10 pm

It isn’t a misspelling - it is bad typing, I know how to spell and how to use spell check. You choose to get worked up about “adavanced?” What a maroon!

What you will get if I am right is pure, unadulterated socialism, monetary redistribution and an end to the prosperity and liberty wherein we now stand. It will be, absent a huge and loud outcry from the public, the last American Revolution. We will join the socialist states of the world to our everlasting shame and harm.


No matter the age or state of health, for a military man it is always glorious to tilt at windmills, rescue a fair Dulcinea and be a gallant knight in armor in a glorious cause.

Neiman on February 17, 2008 at 01:11 pm

We will join the socialist states of the world to our everlasting shame and harm.

Ok, Ivanhoe back to the shallow end for you.


“If a conservative is still a republican after the last 13 years, he is blind to the fact that his party of choice has failed him utterly.” – Realitybasedbob

realitybasedbob on February 17, 2008 at 01:25 pm
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So, ribbit: I see you linked to a picture from firedoglake. Do you get a lot of your information from firedoglake? There’s a rabid pool of unbiased commentary!
The blackface picture she photoshopped there of Joe Lieberman was real class! /sarcasm
Maybe you’d feel more comfortable over at the Puffington Host? (The real shallow end!)



For any voter trying to choose between the two candidates for commander in chief, there is no better test than this: When American strategy in a critical theater was up for grabs, John McCain proposed a highly unpopular and risky path, which he accurately predicted could lead to success. Barack Obama proposed a popular and politically safe route that would have led to an unnecessary and debilitating American defeat at the hands of al Qaeda.

Frederick W. Kagan

Proof on February 17, 2008 at 01:47 pm
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On September 6, 2006, Firedoglake announced a book imprint called FDL Books (later to spawn Vaster Books, in collaboration with Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, founder of Daily Kos). The first release by Vaster Books is a volume by Daily Kos contributor Marcy Wheeler, entitled Anatomy of Deceit: How the Bush Administration Used the Media to Sell the Iraq War and Out a Spy

Yeah! Real unbiased!



For any voter trying to choose between the two candidates for commander in chief, there is no better test than this: When American strategy in a critical theater was up for grabs, John McCain proposed a highly unpopular and risky path, which he accurately predicted could lead to success. Barack Obama proposed a popular and politically safe route that would have led to an unnecessary and debilitating American defeat at the hands of al Qaeda.

Frederick W. Kagan

Proof on February 17, 2008 at 01:52 pm
Avatar for Lestat

There’s a rabid pool of unbiased commentary!
The blackface picture she photoshopped there of Joe Lieberman was real class!

Unlike here.  Did you see that photoshopped picture of Hillary and Obama here.  Real class!!!.

Lestat on February 17, 2008 at 02:04 pm
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Did you see that photoshopped picture of Hillary and Obama here.  Real class!!!.

The difference, friend Lestat, is that no one at Say Anything or its readers are working on the campaign of Hillary’s or Obama’s opponent, as was Jane Hamsher!



For any voter trying to choose between the two candidates for commander in chief, there is no better test than this: When American strategy in a critical theater was up for grabs, John McCain proposed a highly unpopular and risky path, which he accurately predicted could lead to success. Barack Obama proposed a popular and politically safe route that would have led to an unnecessary and debilitating American defeat at the hands of al Qaeda.

Frederick W. Kagan

Proof on February 17, 2008 at 02:30 pm
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There’s a rabid pool of unbiased commentary!

Unlike here

Or are you telling us that since Firedoglake and the Daily Kos fit your own bias so well, you cannot distinguish the bias when you see it?



For any voter trying to choose between the two candidates for commander in chief, there is no better test than this: When American strategy in a critical theater was up for grabs, John McCain proposed a highly unpopular and risky path, which he accurately predicted could lead to success. Barack Obama proposed a popular and politically safe route that would have led to an unnecessary and debilitating American defeat at the hands of al Qaeda.

Frederick W. Kagan

Proof on February 17, 2008 at 02:40 pm
Avatar for Victor 1

If we continue to allow socialist and dependent people to imigrate into (or sneak across the border) of this country, soon we will have a socialist empire. Then no one will have to work. Everyone will have socialized medical. The streets will be paved in gold. Little johnny will come marching home again.  I can’t wait. I’m ready. I’ll make my conversion to islam and turn in my gun for a sword. Is it time to party?

Victor 1 on February 17, 2008 at 04:14 pm

Isn’t Obama from Illinois? If he’s so successful at delivering hope, shouldn’t he have already done that with the murderer at that school?

picaresqueennui on February 17, 2008 at 04:18 pm
Avatar for Collin in Katy

Be carefull up there reality bob, you just might get what you’re wishing for.

First my greatest sympathies to the families of the victims of this deliquesced carnage.

When society sets up each human being as a god unto himself, these are the results. The fact that this human being was a very liberal person, doesn’t make all marxists evil. What it does say about our society is that moarlity with no anchor, no basis in steering towards a common good, you will achieve a great evil. And further, no way to stop it.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSKRA48086720080215?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

What we know for a fact is this human being decided to eliminate his medication form his daily routine. That one selfish decidsion set the wheels into motion for the terror which occoured at the Northern Illinois lecture hall. The fact that we are encouraged to feel that each individual is empowered
to excpect all things, cradle to grave, from ones government, was all the validation Stephen Kazmierczak needed. I have posted else where that this is, and can no longer be considered, a lone and isolated incident. You can blame it on the second amendment gun nuts. You can blame it on american societies reluctance to open the pandoras box that is mental health care. You can blame it on the schools or lack of opporunity. But in the end one lone individual set himself on a selfish pedestal and his acknowleged pain above all else. As a society we not only encourage this, we validated it. And that is exactly, precisely what Mary Mitchel did sunday in her column.  There is no hope.
Barack will give us all hope and elimante this evil too.

Wake me when the guy walks the water or begins to make his lists. In the end he is a union thug who talks like a Kennedy. Now what he walks...no one knows. I can see the planks and and nut jobs on the far left and prety much guess. Benignity rhetoric is still rhetoric. The acrimony of what he means will be felt in due course. And we will ll feel it for a very long time.

And from my tree, hedonism makes a very poor religion to base your moral compass on. someon should have told Steven that long ago.

Collin in Katy on February 18, 2008 at 01:31 pm
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