OK So I received one of those irritating pass along spam emails of Barack Obama not putting his hand over his heart *gasp* during the pledge of allegiance. I don't know about you but I am so tired of these! Now, I haven't voted since I was about 18 years old and Bush won for the first time (when I lost all faith in our system) and I probably won't vote for this upcoming election so I may not seem like I care but I will say my two cents on this because I'm tired of people ignoring the true issues out there and getting lost on the irrelevant details.
Let's be honest, and think about whether or not a man not putting his hand over his heart is newsworthy instead of, say, his politics or past history? Even if Obama felt there is something wrong with the pledge of allegiance does that matter? I think, personally, it speaks volumes to the man's convictions that he thinks for himself and is honest enough to do so in public instead of being another lying politician who will say and do whatever it takes to get into office and then turn around and do what they please (like, oh, starting a war and effectively abolishing our constitutional rights instead of hunting down true terrorists like the US public was promised). Now personally, I love our anthem and have always loved saying it even as a child but would I consider someone any less of a patriot if they don't share my feelings? Never- that is the beauty of living in America you can pray to our flag or burn and everything in between but whatever you do it doesn't make you any less of an American.
To those who would send inflammatory emails, think about what you're doing, if you're going to make an attack on a public figure don't you think you should do it in a forum that gives the man a chance to fight back and give his opinions and reasons for what he has said or done (or even to dispute if in fact it is an accurate quote or photograph)? Last I checked, we still had the right to face our accusers in this country or have we thrown out all our ideals with the constitution?
My reason for no longer voting is that I have lost all faith in the process (and Bush being elected cemented that one for me). My reason for posting here is I hope that people will start to focus on what really matters to them and go out there and at the very least do what they believe is the right thing to do.
When it comes time to vote (for those of you who still do) I urge you to vote based on your ideals an opinions and chose the person you believe will represent those, and not just listen to gossip or follow blindly the party nomination you typically favor.
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The incident in question was the national anthem, not the pledge. He does put his hand over his heart for the pledge, and he does say the pledge. Most of the stuff that gets circulated in those emails is entirely fabricated.
I was taught that you put your hand over your heart during the pledge, but that it was not required during the anthem. The anthem requires only a respectful demeanor.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
So some irritating person (who shall go unnamed) sent me yet ANOTHER email about Obama (PEOPLE I DON'T VOTE PLEASE STOP BOTHERING ME). So I decided to look up the facts for myself and on Obama's site here is what I found...
THE ANONYMOUS EMAIL ON OBAMA AND THE PLEDGE WAS AWARDED "WHOPPER" STATUS BY THE WASHINGTON POST
Washington Post Awarded "The Scoundrel" Who Put The Obama/Pledge Of Allegiance Email Into Circulation "Four Pinocchios" On Its Fact Checking Scale, Which Classifies The Attack As A "Whopper." "Anonymous attacks by e-mail are, or at least should be, un-American. This particular one was also wrong on the facts: the ceremony in question had nothing to do with the pledge of the allegiance. We award the scoundrel who put the e-mail into circulation four Pinocchios." [Washington Post, 11/2/07]
Email Made False Claims About The Content Of A Time Article. "Oddly, the accurate caption from Time is included in the chain e-mail. But someone has added that "the article said" Obama refused to say the pledge and would not put his hand on his heart. There is no such article on the Time Web site and searches of the Web and newspaper-magazine databases could only find blog postings that repeat the claim from the e-mail. It's unclear where the allegation originated." [St. Petersburg Times, 11/9/07]
AND WAS CALLED SCURRILOUS AND FALSE BY OTHER NEWS SOURCES
"Scurrilous." "A scurrilous new e-mail is circulating about Barack Obama." [Slate, 11/8/07]
"Addressed And Debunked." "Today, the Obama campaign explained that the photo was taken not during the pledge of allegiance but during the star spangled banner. Said Obama, "I was taught by my grandfather that you put your hand over your heart during the pledge, but during the Star Spangled Banner, you sing!" Of course, it doesn't really matter that Obama has addressed and debunked the e-mail because it's going to keep circulating." [The Nation, 11/8/07]
"False." "(Again, the above email is false. It is printed here for information purposes and should not be construed as fact.)" [Iowa Independent, 11/8/07]
For those who'd like to check for themselves here is the link:
http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/11/12/obama_is_a_patriot.php
Now.... STOP SENDING ME POLITICAL SPAM *ahem* thank you.
It is never too late to be what you might have been- George Elliot