Meet Generation O

I 'love" how people lower themselves when it comes to politics. If your a repub then it's the dems fault for being so liberal. If your a dem then is the repubs fault for being so conservative. Has anyone stopped to think that we all live in this country together? What makes one view good for one person may not be good for the next. Whatever happened to the opening lines our our Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". I dont think that it only goes if your a democrat or a republican, I think it goes for everyone who lives on American soil. For once how about we put the stupid mud slinging aside and together figure out how we are going to put this country back together again. Yeah, Yeah I know, my views are way to optimistic and naive, but these same views is what made our President get elected, what happened to the belief in these values after inaguration day?

You know what's crazy. In a decade or so all of your ignorant, prejudice, smear blackened hearts will be dead, and guess what the next generations will be? More progressively liberal than the last. It's the fate that all history, all civilization ultimately realizes.

unfortunate mistake in planning? i know you are smarter than that. you proved it! i'm sitting in the same generation that you are yet you don't seem to mind being labeled under what the obama media is trying to tattoo to all our foreheads.

i suppose we would be more effective if we used words like "tea-bagging racists" right? all of these poor youngins who vote for anyone who will approve their myspace friend request. of course, if bush had been spending our tax dollars on a myspace profile, the media would have summoned the flames of hell to fry his and anyones soul who supported it. but if its obama, its all good.

everytime i think the medias throat cant get any deeper for obama, im proven wrong

ToTheRight, I admit that people have done certain things for me. For instance, when I was twenty-one years old, I was a Sgt in an Airborne Ranger Co. (11bv4). Although what I said may be taken as some sort bragging, perhaps some sort of perception that I think myself better than others. I do admit that I did have a very tough time adjusting to civilian life after I ETS???ed but that is not my point. My point is that I never would have had the experience of serving my country in such a fashion if many people did not help me. When I was hired by Xerox Corp in my early twenties while I was still in the US Military, I would not have had that experience had not a young White Branch Mgr. decided to do that for me.

I accept that people have different perceptions on just about every subject and issue. You are welcome to yours. In my opinion those Southern Pastors and the US Congressman have perceptions of racism and its history and the lives affected in this nation obviously different than you. As for me, I have no problem understanding why those people apologized, and think that perhaps they know something that you do not. In fact, I believe that most Americans understand why any Southerner would think it pertinent, valuable to offer apologies for Slavery, Racism, Segregation. You are free to think what you think.

Do not be surprised if most Americans understand people willing to apologize for something whether they are personally guilty or not. Let me see if I can provide an example that even you can understand. If a persons son was involved in an automobile accident and caused someone to lose their life, would you find it odd, unnecessary for the Parents of the poor driver to apologize to the Parents of the family that lost a loved one? Makes no sense to you , huh. Oh well. Think what you want. Nobody owes you nothing and you owe nobody anything. Not a kind word. Not a sense of understanding, not a bit of humanity, you are above that. Congratulations. If you are very lucky one day the apologies from those Southern Ministers as well as the Lawmakers will make sense to you in a very practical way.

ToTheRight, are you offended by all Americans including White Southern Lawmakers and White Southern Clergy that apologized for what you choose to pretend didn't happen?

Oh, ToTheRight; so in your opinion all the people that apologized for therir support of inhumane atrocities are stupid. Now I think I am beginning to understand you and the White Southern demographic. Not all of them, but certainly millions of them.

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=28564

Excerpt:

As far back as 1939, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution that expressed "a deep sense of sorrow and shame" over the continued practice of lynchings and recognized that "inequalities and injustices ... still exist" in matters such as public school funding, unequal and impartial administration of justice, inadequate wages and the lack of opportunity for African Americans. The resolution pledged that Southern Baptists would "use our influence and give our efforts" to correct those inequalities and secure opportunities for "full development in [the] education, industrial and religious life" of African Americans.

In 1995, messengers to the 150th annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention that its "relationship to African-Americans has been hindered from the beginning by the role that slavery played in the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention." The resolution apologized to African Americans "for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism in our lifetime" and resolved "to eradicate racism in all its forms from Southern Baptist life and ministry."

At the time, Charles Carter, chairman of the SBC's resolutions committee, acknowledged that implementing such a resolution is no easy task.

"Words such as we are trying to say here must be authenticated by action," Carter told a USA Today reporter. "Doing this today is far easier than it may be to implement it locally and personally."

The Southern Baptist Convention has continued to diversify in its racial and ethnic makeup. In 1995, approximately 1,600 predominantly black churches were affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, according to the USA Today article. By 2005, that number had risen to 3,038, according to convention records, and there also were 2,827 Hispanic congregations, 1,551 Asian congregations and 427 Native American congregations.
--30--
Compiled by Mark Kelly, an assistant editor with Baptist Press.

ToTheRight, I am telling you that absolutely nothing you can say wilmatter to a majority of Blacks except and honest acknowledgement by Southern Whites tha particapated, perpetrated and supported racsim, if it is to be meaningful to most American Blacks. Not long ago the Southern Baptist Convention comprised of thousands of Southern Pastors, Ministers and Evangelicals apologized to every Black person in this nation for their support of SAegregation and discrimination. Unless and until that is accepted by you and most other White Southerners,American Blacks would be foolish to dare trust Southern Whites. Say what you want, rationalize all you want. As a Black American I will under no circumstance vote for any Candidate or party that i even remotely think it is not necessary for those racists, regardless of political party affiliation to sincerely apologize and denounce racism. Spin that any way you want. There is only one way racism can lead to reconcilliation and pretending that it was in the past and "to get over it" ain't one of those ways.

drewand, you made a pretty good comment, but I tell you as a Black American. Until Southern Whites get honest about their racist ideology towards Blacks, Blacks will not vote for them or their Representatives. I suggest non-racist Republicans dissaciciate themselves from racist Southern Whites. Until them, they will not be able to say or do anything to attract Black votes. I suggest reality demonstrates this reality. Now if anybody think they will ever be able to induce Blacks to vote Republican as long as that vote represents a vote of racists, they must be smoking something, it ain't gonna happen. By the way, it is an utter and complete watse of time to suggest American Blacks do not know who has oppressed them since the founding of this nation. Anybody that dare support the lie that it was anybody other than Racist White Southerners, (political party affiliation is of no consequence) Blacks will not support them. Honesty first, reconcilliation second. Anything other than truth cannot and must not be accepted as truth. Who can or should trust people that refuse to acknowledge truth? A powerful truth that threatened to tear this nation apart. A truth that reveals there are Americans whose political goal was to establish a territory where oppressing Blacks was the law of the land. Just like they established for one hundred years of Jim Crow. Those that dare say American Blacks are confused about who did such things to Blacks are certain to continue to get what they deserve politically for seemingly innate dishonesty. As if it doesn't show.

The door swings both ways and to some extent keeps us from progressing on important issues. Issues like oil dependancy, global wierding and providing medical care for all Americans. The left wants you to believe that fiscal conservatism is the way to go but then they run up our national debt on a useless war fueled by fear and stupidity. The young American voter wants change. They are not interested in the tenants of Republican conservatism or their appearant lack of judgement on critical issues. Probably in twelve years or so the Republicans will return to power. Hopefully they will temper their religious and moral thinking and show a little more compassion to those who differ in belief and lifestyle. Otherwise the republican party may be dead in the water.

I see a lot of rhetoric, false rhetoric at that proffered here. The $64,000 question, the answer of which renders all speculation, and partisan rhetoric and biased points of view invalid is,"Why do the vast majority of Blacks choose to not vote Republican?" The answer to that question, an honest answer is an insurmountable obstacle the Republican Party ids facing. Without an honest answer, American Blacks will never vote in significant numbers for Republican Candidates that represent millions of Southern Whites that actually voted in the lastr elections. Southern Whites of Baby Boomer gae that actually participated in, perpetrated Jim Crow Laws. The same racists those on this forum say does not existinside the Republican Party. The racists some on this forum say are Democrats. No winning elections in this nation without honesty. Deal with it, or find a few million more Michael Steeles and Thomas Sowells. . I am not sure thoe people I mentioned have the same level of testerone as the average American Black man that under no circustance will allow any person in this antion to have the audacity to tell us that Blacks do not know who their enemies are, and are voting for their enemies. Some of you guys should be ashamed of your political intellect and/or your inability to see reality and truth.

ToTheRight suggest that Blacks do not know who oppressed them, amazing. Do you honestly believe that America Blacks do not know who oppressed them. Blacks believe it was Southern Whites that now vote Republican. I wonder if you have the audacity to come right on out and say it, that Blacks don't even know who lynched them, bombed thier churches, etc... but you do? ToTheRight, are you actually saying that Congressman Lewis that has a steel plate in his head was elected by the very people to Congress that opposed Civil Rights for Blacks and decided to nominate Congressman Lewis, and elect him to Congress? Isn't it the truth that Democrats that opposed Civil Rights for Blacks, the racists such as Strom Thurmond joiuned the Republican Party, and now there are no elected Black members of Congress in the Republican Party? I understand the shame of violent racism, but I still would not sacrifice my honesty, and integrity to cover shame. I suggest truthfulness at all times. Then the reconcilliation that always follws the truth. Then move forward proudly, head held high; in honesty and truth. That is what is best for all people, and there is no adequate substitute. All people that for whatever reason try to shield those responsible from their racist actions will always be considered cowardly and dishonest by most paeopl, most Americans.

The democrats of of the 19th century were conservative. Nomenclature means nothing if you don't know the history behind it.
Liberals aren't haters. You're the Rush Limbaughs of the world, the Roves and the Cheneys. The only thing I hate is ignorance - which in no small part helps me distinguish actual Republicans and Conservatives from dickish people stuck in a forgotten age.

Although I am an older man, having sent my Son through college, with Grandchildren, I think it necessary to contribute some truth, honesty as well as being candid when there is so much purposeful obfuscation being fed to the readers of this forum. I think the United States of America is an important nation and its citizens absolutely important. Our elected leaders find themselves in positions that affect our nation and our very lives; indeed the lives of our children and grandchildren. Therefore as unpleasant as it is, I think it profoundly important for our American electorate to take notice of what is being said to us. Consider the motives behind the statements being targeted to us as Americans.

Are we a nation of people that place little or no value on truth and honesty? Do we value partisan statements and partisan ideology over and above an obvious truth, that if the truth is successfully hidden, blurred, obfuscated people and/or a political party may be awarded political power whose very motives and intentions reveal themselves to be just as hidden and evasive as when they were first spoken; until it is too late? Some may imply both major political parties are parties of hate. Perhaps, but with out making distinction, the prolific hate will be watered down to the extent to seem unimportant. Hate is never unimportant. Hate cannot be measured.

Hate has no end. If hate can be measure, has an end; someone please explain that to me. If the very important question, ???Which Party is the Party of Hate???? has no definite answer, will not be answered honestly, what has history taught us can be the consequences? At what point in US History experienced the reality of hate; manifested by genocide, racism, profound greed, etc??? not affected every single American in this nation? Hate, in any of its many forms, in particular racist hate has at one point almost tore this nation in two. Let us be careful to be honest with ourselves, especially in regards to politics, political ideology when we decide who we will cast our votes for. I think the comments posted on this forum provide enough commentary for each of us to determine which comment is truthful, which comment is designed to blur truth, then we may be able to discern why anybody would prefer to blur the truth

We are learning and the new generation will soon understand what they thought one day is just an illution Republicans and Democrats both show the equanimity to be distrust most of the new voter's will understand this situation is not right is not helthy to no one hard to veliebe both party's are pretty much equal I have a choise we have a choise we can be all Independent and change our future we can't loose our fridom we have a choise !.....

As a Republican, I feel the need to move forward and take on the responsibilities of the issues facing this nation without the blame being put forth against people who now cannot do anything about it. We look to our leaders for answers; they need not tell me that they do not have any. We do not need broken promises. If a politician tells me he is going to bring back lost American jobs in manufacturing and later tells me that he isn't, then I distrust that politician. I look for my good old American HICK...honesty, integrity, character and knowledge. Please do not try to persuade me with charisma. The time for talking is over. I am looking for action. Sound, fiscal, economic, results-producing, problem-solving action. Anything less is political rhetoric designed to camoflauge the inability to resolve and lead this nation of diverse opinions out of an economic hole that is getting deeper by the day. I tend to focus on the economy because I personally feel it is the largest issue facing America today.

At this point, gleeful Generation O skips along en mass, inspired by the sonorous voice of their millennial piper. Good for them. Good for the country. The country benefits when the voices of all the generations are heard. But, let Generation O understand that Woodstock preceded Altamont, that the intellectual JFK enabled the intellectual horror of McNamara, and that group think and enthusiasm do not necessarily spawn wisdom. I hope, quite deeply, that at the end of his current term, they still hold the same views about the President and the direction he is leading the United States of America and the world.

I wonder though, if economic conditions lock the millennials into careers and jobs unbefitting notions of generational and individual importance, will they still feel that big communal O, or just the big oh no? Will they gladly yield high expectations and opportunities to youths in foreign low cost regions and ever increasing numbers of undocumented immigrants so that they might lay claim to citizenship in the World of O? Hopefully, such domestic and global conditions will not materialize and the lot of all humanity improves. Hopefully Generation O will never be required to make these Hamelinian choices and payments. If they are compelled to do so. my guess is that in the end Generation O will show themselves as being just as human as previous generations, including the Boomers. To paraphrase Churchill, show me a young conservative generation and I'll show you one with no heart. Show me an old liberal generation and I'll show you one with no brains.

Three cheers to the hearts of Generation O!