Lessons of '88 implemented: Part 1

I had intended another posting today but I feel like something should be addressed immediately:

Over the last twenty four hours I have heard from two friends. One lives in Florida and the other in Texas.

The one from Florida told me about how her friends don’t like Obama because he didn’t swear himself into the U.S. Senate on a Bible.

The one from Texas told me that the woman who cuts her hair didn’t like Obama because he doesn’t put his hand over his heart to pledge allegiance to the flag.

Barack Obama is a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ on the south side of Chicago. He has been a member for over twenty years. Yes, he did swear himself in on a Bible when he entered the U.S. Senate.

Barack Obama’s grandfather—the man who helped raise him—was a WWII combat vet who taught his grandson to stand when the National Anthem is playing and to put his right hand over his heart when delivering the pledge of allegiance. He practices both to this day. I should add here that this is what I was raised to do as well. There is a picture circulating that shows Obama standing with his hands at his side while behind him Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson are standing with their right hands over their heart. This photo was taken while the National Anthem was playing not during the pledge of allegiance.

I’m not writing this to garner support for Senator Obama. In this case it is simply to set the record straight. I know many of you who read this could care less.

The problem is that these are lies and some people believe them and are basing their opinions on them. I hope all of you will be aggressive in stopping such lies in their tracks. I was under the impression that these particular stories had already been sufficiently refuted way back during the Nevada primaries. It seems they were not.

We are, all of us, ALL OF US, guilty of gravitating toward rumors that attack our candidate’s adversaries. I request that all of us be vigilant against such tendencies in ourselves as well as others.

At some point during every election of my life national news shows do stories about mudslinging. Eventually they bring out the ads and articles from the Adams/Jefferson elections of 1796 and 1800. Their point is that elections have always been nasty. My argument is wouldn’t it be nice if we could finally evolve?

There is not a single candidate left in this race—and that includes Ralph Nader—who does not love this country. They all have devoted years of service to it. They don’t deserve to have their reputations tarnished by lies and innuendos.

I invite any of you who support others to use this blog to refute lies being spread about their candidate.

Let’s hold some feet to the fire including our own.

J.A.L.