Stripping away the veneer: getle, nurturing love is really envy driven hatred

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

TBF Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 02:08 AM
Original message
The Day Obama Struck Out   Updated at 2:08 AM
   
The greatness of a president can be measured by his concern for the animals

By Michael Mountain

Dear Mr. President,

A lot of us are in shock today about what you said yesterday to the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles about Michael Vick. This was the third (at least) in a series of really bad calls in relation to the suffering of animals.

And for those of us who look to you for leadership, it could be a case of “three strikes and you’re out.”

First strike

The first strike was soon after you came into office and had to choose a family pet. You’d had thousands of letters and petitions from people across the country encouraging you to go to one of the shelters in D.C. and adopt a dog or cat who really needed a home.

...

Second strike

In November 2009, just before Thanksgiving, you did the traditional “pardoning” of a turkey on the South Lawn of the White House.

It’s a touching moment. Millions of turkeys live miserable lives so that we can celebrate Thanksgiving. The ceremony at the White House is an opportunity to say a few words on their behalf – to recognize their sacrifice and to acknowledge their suffering. This is the occasion for a word of thanks and a note of appreciation. Sort of like saying grace before the meal.

Instead, you just threw out a series of off-hand, off-base jokes:

...

Third strike

And now we have your comment about Michael Vick. Here it is, as told to NBC News reporter Peter King by Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie:

“The president wanted to talk about two things, but the first was Michael . He said, ‘So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance.’ He was … passionate about it. He said it’s never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail. And he was happy that we did something on such a national stage that showed our faith in giving someone a second chance after such a major downfall.”

Of all the thousands of people who have slipped up in life and who can benefit from a helping hand and a second chance – like the shoplifter who was trying to keep her family afloat or the drug addict who’s now working his way through rehab – why this man?

Why on earth would you choose to give a Presidential shout-out to a man who has tortured and killed dogs by the dozen… who has yet to acknowledge what he did… who has never talked about those dogs… and who has yet even to offer a single word of apology for his horrific behavior?

Much more at the link: http://www.zoenature.org/2010/12/the-day-obama-struck-o... /

Note: Michael Mountain is one of the co-founders of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, and was still president at the time that they took in several of Michael Vick's dogs for rehabilitation. Now he runs the web site "Zoe".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x84913

Did anyone at any point read anywhere in the US Constitution, within or around Article II, read anything about how a president should treat animals as a measure of his or her success?

hlthe2b Donating Member (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 02:14 AM
Response to Original message
2. K&R to counter the unrecs. BOTH sides deserve to be heard, DUers
   
It is ONLY fair.

Yes, well, the side you're trying to counter says,

Hannah Bell Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 02:30 AM
Response to Original message
6. "The greatness of a president can be measured by his concern for the animals" = wtf?
   
sorry, but that's just silly.

The day I should find common cause with Hair Ball is surely a sign of the coming Apocalypse.
 

TBF Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 02:33 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. It is a takeoff from Gandhi's quote (you know, that silly moron) -   Updated at 2:08 AM
   
From later in the article that you did not read -

You may be familiar with the well-known remark of Mohandas Gandhi, who said that:

“One can measure the greatness and the moral progress of a nation by looking at how it treats its animals.”

One can also measure the greatness and the moral leadership of a president by his concern for those who are most dependent on the example he sets.

Edited because spelling errors upset Hannah Bell.

Oh, yeah. I remember Gandhi. He was that scrawny, annoying **** from that country where millions starve but cattle roam unmolested through the streets.
 

Pancho Sanza (15 posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 02:40 AM
Response to Reply #7
10. Although I'm not a 'believer', I find these words to be appropriate:
   
;And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'

That's from Matthew in the Xian Bible...

What?

Did that guy just re-write scripture to morph Jesus' words into a diatribe about animals?

Hannah Bell Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 02:40 AM
Response to Reply #7
11. hitler loved animals. many people who hate people like animals.
   
i don't care what gandhi said, gandhi was no paragon either.

the president's job has nothing to do with kindness to animals & the greatness of prsidents isn't measured by how they treat animals.

And the Seventh Seal has been broken.

Seriously though, she has a point.

TBF Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 02:48 AM
Response to Reply #11
17. The point is that you can tell a lot about people by how they treat those   Updated at 2:08 AM
   
who are dependent on them. Would you want someone who abused children to be your president?

Sorry but I guess we disagree on this. That's fine, I can see that support for Vick the celebrity is far out-weighing concern for animals on this site, and I have learned a lot from these conversations the past few days. It certainly has reminded me why I walked away from involvement in politics many years ago.

human children = dogs?!?!?!

Yet, they support a president because he steadfastly advocated and protected the procedure wherein viable human infants have their brains siphoned, their skulls crushed and bodies dismembered.

Try that with a dog and see how far you get in leftist politics.

I refer you back to Post #11.

jberryhill Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 02:58 AM
Response to Reply #17
23. How about an adult man who sleeps naked with teenage female relatives?
   
Because that would be Gandhi.

Ow

Felt that one all the way over here.

TBF Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 03:01 AM
Response to Reply #23
24. got it, Gandhi under the bus as well. nt   Updated at 2:08 AM

   
TRANSLATION: **** you and your facts!
 

jberryhill Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 03:06 AM
Response to Reply #24
28. Lotsa room under there
   


But, seriously, whether a government official does or does not continue to condemn a convict who has served his sentence is pretty far down the list of things I could get into a lather over.

Personally, I'm stunned by the implication DUmbasses use enough soap to work up a lather.

One would hope that the chief executive, who by the very nature of his office, would adhere to the prescriptions of law and NOT continue to prosecute an individual once legal sanction had been satisfied. On the contrary, to continue prosecution should alarm every freedom loving person.

TBF Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 03:12 AM
Response to Reply #28
30. In my view that is not the issue - I personally have no problem with   Updated at 2:08 AM
   
Mr. Vick playing football. In other professional careers (law, medicine) one might even lose their license for criminal wrong-doing, but it is more likely that you'd lose it due to negligence directly related to your client or something along those lines. I'm fine with him being employed in his previous position.

The question is whether Obama should be using his pulpit to praise this person who has clearly not shown remorse, but happens to be a very popular football player. If Mr. Obama were really looking for ex-cons to celebrate, I'm sure there are some hard-working folks out there who could've been named. But, no, of course not, it has to be Michael Vick.

Methinks there is something deeper here.

Let's dig a bit further.
 

jberryhill Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 03:16 AM
Response to Reply #30
33. Then you missed the point entirely
   

‘So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance.’ He was … passionate about it. He said it’s never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail. And he was happy that we did something on such a national stage that showed our faith in giving someone a second chance after such a major downfall.”

He was making a larger point, which apparently flew right over your head.

TBF Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 03:18 AM
Response to Reply #33
34. What a deep point - a celebrity gets a second chance. Like that has never happened before. nt

AHA!

It's not about the love of animals.

It's about hatred of those who have more. Any person convicted for any crime from murder to pedophilia could go to DU for absolution and find a thousand priests to sanctify him and even his sins...

...unless he earns over $250k/year pre-tax, un-sheltered and not a democrat from the north-eastern US.

Please refer to Post #11.

And so ends our sojourn into notions of DUmbass charity and love. In the end it is just one more escapade of hatred, envy, greed and overblown self-importance.

I hope you enjoyed this thread as much as I enjoyed  bringing it to you.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x84913

BTW - when did it become acceptable to show black men being attacked by animals?

Skittles Donating Member (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-29-10 10:26 AM
Response to Reply #33
46. this one flies over yours

If a conservative had posted this image  we would hear nothing of the context of the image only endless screeds about how it is a--urm--"dog whistle" to get conservatives cheering images of a black man being chased by dogs ala, run away slaves c. 1860 and Selma, AL c. 1960.

[Carl]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but doesn`t the DUmp call Pvt Manning,a confessed traitor,a hero?
They seem to find all kinds of redemption for pedophiles and other hedonistic criminals and their view as to whether any drug law should be obeyed is kind of lax yet they get into a funk here.

For the record I think Vick did his time as the law proscribed,is entitled now to try to make his way through life and earn a living.
His stardom probably lent itself to the severity of his punishment and also allowed a better chance then many at going on after jail.
Such is life and not my worry.

I really don`t care all that much that O made the phone call but do find it a bit bizarre for a President to do.
The only thing I get out of it is it continues to reinforce what has been said already...O has little interest in the actual duties of the Presidency and would rather watch and talk sports all day.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

The only thing I get out of it is it continues to reinforce what has been said already...O has little interest in the actual duties of the Presidency and would rather watch and talk sports all day.

Pretty much.

[true_blood]

Pancho Sanza (15 posts)   Wed Dec-29-10 02:40 AM
Response to Reply #7
10. Although I'm not a 'believer', I find these words to be appropriate:
;And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' That's from Matthew in the Xian Bible...

Xian bible? 

[Rebel]

It’s a touching moment. Millions of turkeys live miserable lives so that we can celebrate Thanksgiving. The ceremony at the White House is an opportunity to say a few words on their behalf – to recognize their sacrifice and to acknowledge their suffering. This is the occasion for a word of thanks and a note of appreciation. Sort of like saying grace before the meal.

It's a bird, loon. It lacks the capacity to appreciate some dolt "speaking out on it's behalf".

[Godot showed up]

You'd think one of the DUmmies would throw Obama a bone here.

[Max]

Safetykitten (823 posts)      Tue Dec-28-10 09:51 PM
Response to Original message
19. Taking the phone away from him would help a bit. Seems to be a starting point
 
 

[true_blood]

You'd think one of the DUmmies would throw Obama a bone here.

DUmmies don't like to share their "stash".

[JohnnyReb]

It's a bird, loon. It lacks the capacity to appreciate some dolt "speaking out on it's behalf".

For 14 to 22 weeks those turkeys live a DUmmies dream life. They don't do anything but eat, drink, do drugs, sleep and have group gay sex. It's the kindda life DUmmies die for.

[BlueStateSaint]

For 14 to 22 weeks those turkeys live a DUmmies dream life. They don't do anything but eat, drink, do drugs, sleep and have group gay sex. It's the kindda life DUmmies die for.

And their childlike, petulant existences DEMAND "The Good Life."

H5 given!