First Religious Lefty Lambasts Obama (Buyer's Remorse Alert)

[bijou]

Well that didn't take long.

Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun and founder of the Network of Spiritual Progressives, has the honor of being the first member of the "religious left" to lambast the new President.

Lerner is outraged at the selection of Rahm Emanuel, whom he says has a "long history of militarist ideology." Noting that Emanuel pushed for conservative Democratic congressional candidates, Lerner predicts that Emanuel will "almost certainly be protecting Obama from all of us spiritual progressives and those of us who describe ourselves as the Religious Left." In short, Lerner says, "we may be in for lots of disappointments."

The full missive from Lerner here:


    Election night tens of millions of us wept for joy. We sang the songs that we had sung as young men and women when we were fighting segregation in the south and then in the North, some of us being beaten, others jailed, some even killed. For the first time in three decades we could sing "Imagine" and "The Times They are a'Changing" without feeling that we were holding onto utopian fantasies that had been
    buried by the cynical realists who have shaped public discourse.

    How exciting to believe again in the possibility of America as the potential embodiment of our ideals for social justice, peace, and ecological sanity. We could hardly believe our own eyes-we were living through the rebirth of a nation and its attempt to heal its racist past.

    So no wonder why many of us were shocked and deeply disappointed when we learned on Thursday that Congressman Rahm Emanuel was to be the Chief of Staff in the Obama White House.


    Emanuel, for those who don't recall, was the Congressman who traveled the country in 2006 finding "suitable" candidates in "swing districts" to run against Republican incumbents, and in many instances he succeeded. But his theory of how to succeed was destructive: he sought the most conservative possible candidates in each district, insisting that local Democratic Party organizations reject more liberal candidates who, he feared, might not win.


    There were many among the House Democrats who deplored this tactic. The main issue on the mind of the electorate was the war in Iraq, and public opinion had moved so far in opposition to that war that the Democratic leadership in the House was pushed to proclaim that it would cut off funding for the war if Democrats won control of Congress. Well, the outcome was that Democrats did win control, but since the candidates that Emanuel picked were more conservative and militarist than the mainstream of the Party, they were not reliable allies when it came to voting against war funding. Instead of cutting fund for the war, Nancy Pelosi's House increased the funding, explaining that they had to appear "responsible" in order to solidify their control of Congress in 2008..


    Clever? Not for the people, Americans and Iraqis, killed or wounded in the meantime.


    This was no mistake on Emanuel's part. Rahm Emanuel has a long history of militarist ideology behind him. His father was a member of the ultra-right-wing terrorist organization Etzel that killed British civilians as part of their anti-British struggle in Palestine in the 1940s. Emanuel, himself a citizen of Israel as well as the United States, has been one of several Congressional leaders enforcing the "Israel Lobby" concensus on the Democrats, in the process shutting out the peace voices that believe Israel's security would be better served by the U.S. putting pressure on Israel to end the Occupation, move the Wall to inside the pre-67 boundaries, and remove the settlers from the West Bank or tell them to live there as Palestinian citizens.  ... more...

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[franksolich]

Oh my.

That's the opposite direction I was thinking the good rabbi would take, but it's all good.

[jtyangel]

For the first time in three decades we could sing "Imagine" and "The Times They are a'Changing" without feeling that we were holding onto utopian fantasies that had been
    buried by the cynical realists who have shaped public discourse

I didn't read the rest of his drivel, but this stood out. OMG, forbid that reality actually knocks a dreamer's ass back into the present! I thought this was something one learned early on.  It is unimaginable to me that there are still grown individuals who think there is a utopia on earth. There isn't because for one's utopia, that is another's nightmare. You can never create one perfect society where everyone is happy so that leaves it to either find a FREE place where everyone can compromise on somethings, but essentially live their lives free in the confines of basic societal constraints that protects other's freedoms(what we once had in the US or as close as can come to it) OR you eliminate the people who don't agree with your utopia. I wonder which the radical left sides with? 

[Odin's Hand]

His father was a member of the ultra-right-wing terrorist organization Etzel that killed British civilians as part of their anti-British struggle in Palestine in the 1940s

Yep, that's what has been circulating the blogs. His old man was an operator for Irgun, specifically participating in the assassination of Swedish royal "Count Folke Bernadotte".

[franksolich]

I was hoping the good rabbi was disappointed the Big Zero's moving further left.

It appears the good rabbi's disappointed the Big Zero's NOT moving further left.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Maybe the Wiccans can bypass Rahm with a heavy sending of healing white light for Obama.

 

[Woody]

In short, Lerner says, "we may be in for lots of disappointments."

Welcome to the party, rabbi! 

[TheSarge]

Oh my.

That's the opposite direction I was thinking the good rabbi would take, but it's all good.

I'm beginning to think that for some in this country...nothing short than a clone of Joe Stalin will be Left enough for them

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Hey rabbi,

Welcome to what 48% told you exactly what would happen.

[Zeus]

Know what the term was that  was used to describe the Jews that became disillusioned with communist rule ?

Are you sitting Down...

NEOCONS