Prs. Barack Hussein Obama, you are a Classless Oaf!

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. Say Amen." Is this what you are talking about? It wouldn't be the first time Rev Lowery said these words, or the first time that Obama has heard him say them. This is why he included them in his benediction today. He also included several Biblical references, Issiah, Micah, Amos. He also included lines from "Lift Every Voice", a song written by James Weldon Johnson, and known as "The Negro National Anthem". As for Obama's words I say good for him, he saw an opportunity and he took it. Not an opportunity to spank the outgoing president although if any outgoing president needed it surely it is Bush. But no, instead he saw an opportunity to speak to the world and say that it is a new day and a new administration. That there will be changes, some will be slow and others more rapid. We will not live with the status quo any longer. Those who would be our working partners will find us open to those relationships, despite old enmities. If Bush got his feelings hurt tough spit! By the way Ted, it is President Obama now. Get over it.

Why is it people that didn't vote for Obama or like the fact that he's president labeled "racist"? When I first heard about Obama I thought he was okay until one of the debates where Joe Biden and him couldn't take a side on certain issues. What does he stand for? What actions will he take? As a president I want a LEADER someone that can show people he has a plan and his own thoughts. I think the reason he's president is because he tries to be hip, young and yes his race was also a factor because races stick together. I've never seen so much publicity and exposure on one president and it seems like he's celebrity status more than a president.

I'm sitting here trying to think what "personal shots" you're referring to and I honestly can't. Please refresh my memory and if they were indeed pot shots against Bush I'll own up to it. Annie

I didn't take his comments as personal shots against Bush. I took them to be his intentions on what our country needs to do in order to get us out of the downward spiral that we have been in for awhile now. He wants us to know that he will get the job done. People who don't like him need to sit back, be quiet and allow him to do his work. Complain about him in 2 or 3 years when he has been in office long enough to handle the 8 yers of mistakes that have been made and then you will have a reason to complain if he has not improved life for most of us.

Looks like he is already starting to campaign for his next four years and its looks like he is going to campaign against Bush again instead of the candidate. Hey if it worked the first time it may work a second time. Who knows. I did think it was funny that he was talking about unity while he took pot shots at Bush.

*Chuckles* Well said! I normally don't answer to politcal discussions, but the last sentance made me laugh aloud. *Pleiades

Liberals are hateful and vindictive by nature and they have never been any other way. Obama has no intention of working with the other party to come to good solutions. It's all smoke and mirrors. There is so much more to be said about "Blacks in the back". This is the first I had heard of that comment from the Rev. America, including it's leadership, is going to have to decide if yesterday brought an end to racial strife, or has only magnified it. For lot's of reasons, the cement is still wet regarding this historical monument. djbtol

"Has there ever been an inauguration speech with more personal shots at the outgoing president than what we witnessed today?" Has there ever been an outgoing president so deserving of personal shots? all the best urban

My husband said that when I left this morning and said I did not want to hear the inauguration address, that I was prejudiced and I had something against Obama. I told him I did not care about Obama being black, there was something about him I did not like. It seems that I am right. He is a bit too immature. Even if the president had to be black to placate the white guilters, there were two very good black candidates that one of them could have been persuaded to switch parties, but no they go with this guy.

Having him as president is scary, but I am soooo glad to know that God is really in control, not him! We need to pray for our nation more than ever! I've just read where he is funding for abortions for other countries. So sick and evil! May God help us!

Although i dont share your point of view on his speach yes I did see where he poked at the previous president but i think it was a case of telling america what they wanted to hear. I did notice the whole inauguration was themed with blacks starting with Aretha Franklin she has a great voice wow. Then after the swearing in the poet who although her poems word were heard with pride her delivery was not the best one reason i think poets should not read alloud their own poems. fallowed closly behind by the revrend This is the part that really shamed me all the racial slurs he spoke even to be funny should not have been made. The majority of people of the united states have proven we are not racist by voting in a black president. I am still looking forward to the next 4 years because in my opinion fallowing 8 years with bush no one can do worse.

I heard something about the ridiculous words of Lowery. Something about yellows being mellow and whites doing right. Maybe he was trying to do an old man rap. I didn't listen to any of the speech Obama made. I'll probably hear it over and over again no matter how I try to avoid it.

He is still campaigning, he still has to win a second term. I have to agree that the speech was definitely not one of his best. I not necessarily saw it as a shot at the outgoing administration though. It was just more a call to action again as in you people have to do it. If we don't all pull on the same string, we'll fail and can blame those who didn't go along with us, those critics, you know;) In essence, if the Obama administration fails, it's not Obama's fault but the people's fault.. I didn't here Lowery, but if what you said is true, it was out of place, out of date, and in bad taste.

At least Obama didn't resort to name calling... talk about class.

I agree. What bothered me the most were the racial references through everything. Also the poem! Holy crap - I didn't think it would ever end. MLK wanted us to stop seeing in color, so why all of that crap? He is half black, but that is such a small part of him. How about we talk about his qualifications and what he has done and will do. Oh yeah, there really isn't much to talk about there....

And Rev. Joseph Lowery said..."when white will embrace what is right"...That is terribly insulting. If Bush would have said something like that about blacks, there would be a race war. But this should not surprise us. All through this campaign there were racist shots here and there aimed at the white man from Obama's people. It did not seem to be a problem for all the white people voting for him. They did not care. It was like they did not get it. And they still don't get it.

Just because Obama is the new president, it doesn't change the fact that Black folks have it bad here in America. Yes this is a great moment in the history of this traditionally white ruled country. It doesn't change the violent treatment that has been incurred by millions of African Americans since the inception of this nation! It doesn't change the fact that we are living in the worst areas and receiving the poorest schooling. I am not going to campaign for Obama either. I am waiting to see if he really is going to make the great strides toward change that he promised. I already see how he is stirring things up on Capitol Hill. I think he will do fine as President and I wish we'd get past the issue if his color. He is the 44th President of The United States. I hope he does better than the 43rd!

I have to hand it to you, Para. If you wanted a heated discussion on MyLot you couldn't have picked a better topic. I have never seen so many responses that are so vehemently for and against your arguments. There is clearly no middle ground here. I do agree with one thing you said--that MyLot is an open forum and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I respect your right to voice that opinion, no matter how much I may disagree. In return, I ask for the same respect. First of all, your references to Prs. Obama's inaugural speech...were we even listening to the same speech? Yes, yes, I know you quoted the text verbatim in a previous post. You have excellent copy and pasting skills. But your interpretation of the speech was radically different than mine. Exactly which parts of the speech were parting shots at Bush? The part where he was thanked for his years of service and cooperation with a smooth transition? Bush's name did not come up in any other part of the speech. Yes, there was mention of "greed and irresponsibility on the part of some", but comment was not necessarily specific to Bush or his administration. The current economic crisis is the result of many factors, not the least of which is the greed of CEO's and heads of major corporations that paid large overly-generous bonuses to themselves before laying off thousands of workers and asking the goverment for bailout packages. The fact that you think this comment could be referring to Bush is very telling in itself. And yes, there were references to the state of the U.S. (and the world) as it stands today. It is true that we are in an economic crisis. Jobs and homes are being lost. We are currently at war. The environment is in danger. You only need to read the newspaper to know that these are facts, not opinions. For Prs. Obama to avoid mention of any of these issues in his speech would have been foolish, especially for a man who has been elected to a job where he must face these challenges head-on. Mentioning these issues is not laying blame, it is acknowledging them. And stating that he will rise to the challenge is not "campaigning", it is confirming to the American people that he is ready, willing and able to do the job for which he was elected. For the most part, his speech was a rally cry for all Americans to work together to overcome these current problems. There were historical references, but in the context that Americans have faced hardship before, and can do so again. And yes, one of the challenges he mentioned was segregation. Again, he was stating fact, not voicing opinion--segregation is an ugly part of American history, and one that cannot be ignored. That 60 years ago his own father could not have been served at a local restaurant is very true. But this reference was to emphasize how far the US has progressed in this time, now that a person of colour can stand and take the oath of office. Sadly, it seems we have not progressed far enough. Reading the posts so far in this thread, it seems that race continues to be an issue with many people, especially those who go out of their way to declare "I am not racist". Yes, Prs. Obama is black. (Again a statement, not an opinion). But he was not elected into office because of the colour of his skin. He was voted in by a large majority of Americans who feel that he is the right man for the job. Of course the media cannot ignore race altogether, since being the first black US president is an historical achievement in itself. Had Hillary Clinton been elected instead, the focus would have been gender not race. But what will ultimately make or break Prs. Obama is how well he performs in this position. Para, you can like or dislike the man as you choose. But you will not win my opinion by name-calling, spouting half-truths or failing to back your opinions up with fact. The references to bodily functions? And you claim that Prs. Obama is the one without class.