Both assumed presidential candidates had scenes from their respective personal histories appear this weekend, giving a retrospective peek into the shaping of their contemporary philosophies.
Barack Obama used Father's Day to unleash a sharp criticism on the topic of fatherhood in the African American community, Bill Cosby-style. Obama, recalling being abandoned by his own father at age 2, said, "I resolved many years ago that it was my obligation to break the cycle — that if I could be anything in life, I would be a good father to my girls."
He blasted absentee fathers saying they are "missing from too many lives and too many homes," and that "they have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it." He concluded his stern statement saying, "we can't simply write these problems off to past injustices. Those injustices are real. There's a reason our families are in disrepair ... but we can't keep using that as an excuse."
To see what part of McCain's past came to light this weekend, read more.
John McCain's War College thesis was released this weekend, a glimpse into the shaping of the Senator's views on the Iraq War. In the piece written after his release from the North Vietnamese prison camp, McCain highlighted the necessity of forgiveness and sharply attacked what he called “the evils of parole and amnesty.” cushy treatment for soldiers who didn't resist like he did — calling their warm welcome “inexcusable.”
His most striking proposal was that the military should be teaching US foreign policy to its recruits. Writing, “too many men in the armed forces of the United States do not understand what this nation’s foreign policy is,” calling for not indoctrination, but “a simple, straightforward explanation of the foreign policy of the United States.” McCain still stands by the idea saying, “it is important, not just for POW’s, but all Americans serving in combat to understand the purpose and reason for the sacrifices they are asked to make for our country.”
Do either statements surprise you? In these two instances, with Obama using his past to strengthen the US from within, and McCain looking outward — which personal history makes a stronger argument for election?
Ed Hardy
Miss Selfridge
La Perla
ha. when cine and I run for pres, my thesis that will be released will bore all of you to tears!
1I'm glad Barak has his priorities straight. I have a difficult time not beating some men upside the head when I hear them complaign about "having" to go play with their children.
2what was your thesis on Sy?
3Barack is right - too many fathers are missing from their children's lives and they need to be involved, even if they are not with the mother.
And i think McCain's idea of explaining foreign policy to every solider serving in the army makes complete sense. Why wouldn't you want to know about the country you're going to and our policy towards it??? Educating our soldiers about this is common sense people! My question is, has it never been practiced? If so, why not???
4the moral development of advertising and journalism professionals.
5Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
6LOL cabaker.
7I know!
8although, that sentiment is not shared by everyone, as I've been selected to present it at a conference in chicago in August
9Congrats, Sy!
10Oooo congrats sy! Have fun!
11Congrats Sy! Thats awesome!!
12Hey Shop! Nice to see you again!
13Thanks guys!
14Ohhhh...Chicago! I was just there in March for a meeting. Check out Filene's Basement on Michigan Ave...it's great!
15Ooh man I LOVE Filene's Basement!
I've never been to Chicago though. Ive only been to the Boston one.
16I ♥ Chicago too! I want to spend the whole time shopping!
17Ohhhh Cab, isn't the Boston one the original Filene's? Don't they have that crazy designer wedding dress sale where all the women trample each other for $99 Vera Wang dresses? I always see it on the news and get a huge kick out of the "Running of the Brides!"
18Yep! The original one. Its awesome, but you basically have to spend a few hours there at least digging, but if you don't mind digging you can find some really great deals.
19Congrats, Sy! I would actually be very interested in reading it!
Am I weird if I agree with what both of these men have said?
20definitely not weird, I agree too.
21I like Obama's sentiment - it personalizes/humanizes an issue. One of my very best friends is a father of three, and is one of the best dads I've ever seen, and I know it is somehow rooted in how awful/absent his own dad was. I like Obama bringing personal responsibility to the forefront and pushing that this is a cycle that can be broken.
And, so far as policy goes, I absolutely agree with McCain's Civics for Soldiers plan. Education and understanding are things we should give those serving, I think it would really boost morale (so long as it wasn't just rote memorization and bs). A friend of mine teaches social studies and was telling a parent that there are always subjects you may not use in your life, but you are always a citizen and the understanding of govt is so important. Her response? "Well, yeah, b/c democracy is like... democracy." So poignant.
22How cool Sy!
I agree with both of them, too. What they are saying is very important.
23Jillness - You're weird, but not because you agree with what these two men have said
24Teaching soldiers foreign policy is a great idea, but who would teach it, someone like me or someone like Cabaker?
25Excellent point Steph. Thats exactly what I was thinking. How do you teach foreign policy without teaching politics?
It would be very hard to find someone who is objective enough to teach the foreign policy without letting their own opinions about it fall over.
However, this happens in classrooms in HS and colleges all across the US. So does it really matter if it happens in the military too?
26Thanks Undave!
27I agree Cab - to me it sounds like a great idea but actually isn't anything different from what most recruits already have experienced in history and social studies classes.
Unless McCain means classes in an administration's foreign policy which immediately raises the risk of political indoctrination to me.
If I join the military, then there's an election and I'm given a class in Current President's policy am I allowed to say 'no, I signed on for the Last Guy's policy, I need to leave now?'
Our schools should teach history, social studies and critical thinking BEFORE students get out into the world.
28He is absolutely right, and he's really aiming that at the African-American men. There is a lot of boys and girls with no father and it does need to stop. Maybe if a black man says it they will listen!
29I think both Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama elaborated on excellent points and I applaud them both.
I certainly have sympathies for the emotions that arrise when an African American looks back on their history. When a child of color is raised in an environment and education system that suggests to them that they are some how less. However, I say to them that change from within is their catalist to salvation. That reacting to their condition with hostility and viloence will only implode upon their communities and isolate them even more. I watched a movie yesterday called The Great Debators. Needless to say I was greatly moved. I think every African American parent should have this film as a staple and a standard for their children to know that condition is set by precedent and precedent is thrust by courage and courage comes from the self.
As for teaching U.S. Foreign Policy 101 to armed forces I don't really see why that is so striking. It is a great idea and common sense if you ask me. This would provide our military with a broader understanding and a necessary resource to draw from.
30McCain's proposal is great, and good common sense. It always helps to know what the ultimate goal or context is.
Maybe I'm reading too closely, but this part of Obama's remarks caught my attention: "...we can't simply write these problems off to past injustices. Those injustices are real. There's a reason our families are in disrepair ... but we can't keep using that as an excuse." This sounds to me like code for "it's the white power structure's institutionalized racism that is responsible for our broken family structure."
31I was wondering about that sentence too Lain, any other insights on the meaning of it?? (or perhaps shed light on the context it was used in?)
32Isn't the past injustice slavery? When families were intentionally divided and social structure eviscerated? I guess I just assumed...
I guess I've always seen it like pushing someone down the stairs and then deciding we'll all just play fair and move on. Bad things happened, and we are still healing as a nation.
There were harms to be acknowledged, and then we accept where we ARE and as a nation move forward.
33I thought "but we can't keep using that as an excuse" kind of cleared that up.
IMO, there are things in society that have real consequences (i.e. many black folks live in very poor areas with very poor schools...that does affect where these kids go in life). But Obama is saying that if we work on the areas we have control over and support our children, then they will be able to overcome the challenges they might face.
34I liked that it was very positive, forward looking, action oriented. Focusing on responsibility for the now, whatever our feelings are on the PAST.
35"we can't simply write these problems off to past injustices. Those injustices are real. There's a reason our families are in disrepair ... but we can't keep using that as an excuse."
I think what he's saying is roll up the window stop yelling at the white person for cutting you off take the car out of neutral put it in drive and lets go.
The African American community is stuck because their focus is punishment for past sins and not solutions for a better future. The tide is changing though and more and more African Americans are getting the idea that the vengful line of thinking is really getting their communities no where.
36I love your anecdotes Hypno.
37Megan, I believe that's what he's signaling to his listeners. However, I'm with you, at some point you have to move forward. It's like I tell my kids, making excuses doesn't help, you just need to take care of business. That applies to homework, room-cleaning, and pretty much everything in life. Quit whining and finger-pointing, and get on with fixing the problem.
38Jim Crowe laws were not that long ago, the Voting Rights act was only passed in 1965, and some states only legalized interracial marriage around 40 years ago. I think it is safe to say that african americans have lived through some challenges recently, but it sounds like Obama is urging folks to move past it in a healthy way.
39"I think what he's saying is roll up the window stop yelling at the white person for cutting you off take the car out of neutral put it in drive and lets go."
I love how you put things into perspective!
40ditto on the hypno agreement - you're really so good with putting these huge ideas/thoughts/concepts into words!
41"Our schools should teach history, social studies and critical thinking BEFORE students get out into the world."
A-MEN - especially to the critical thinking. Too many teachers want their students to just think like they (the teachers) do.
42I know people in the military learn a lot about military history through required reading. But current policy would seem to be just as important, only they are left to their own devices on that one.
43Honestly if Sen. Obama is elected President and we do not begin to see a dramatic turn in African American achievement in education and community in general I will be left scratching my head trying to figure out what is it going to take to inspire change in these communities.
44Regarding minority education: It would astonish many of you how much is actually poured into compensatory programs. I suspect much of it is misguided--I'm not a supporter of ebonics, for example--but the resources are there.
Have to cut it short, will try to check back in later. Such good discussions here!
45Ebonics? Name one public school that teaches ebonics.
46Seriously Lain, what are you talking about? Who said anything about Ebonics??? And "minority education" is really no different than "majority education" or whatever you want to call it ("regular" education????). Because what happens when you bring minority and white students together? Do you teach them "minority" education or is that too low of a standard? Ugh...seriously!
This type of thinking is just plain wrong. Black, white, hispanic, asian, whatever you may be...every student deserves the same education - reading, writing, mathematics, science, civics, etc. "Minority" education just sounds like its inferior in the first place...grrrr....
47Actually when I was in high school the professor that identified this linguistic pattern in many African Americans and tied it to ancestral African languages gave a lecture at my school.
His theory made perfect sense. I think most Americans though were so hung up on the word Ebonics that they couldn't bring themselves to actually study the theory. Despite my agreement that there may be some ancestral linguistic tendencies it is no excuse not to learn proper English.
48"{Black, white, hispanic, asian, whatever you may be...every student deserves the same education - reading, writing, mathematics, science, civics, etc."
I completely agree Nica.
49Well in my opinion the difference in quality of education between whites and blacks does not stem from racial prejudice but from economic class. You live in a poor neighborhood you usually get a poor education regardless of color. However, it's not that most poor kids are black it's that within the black community most black children are lower income to poverty which leaves them with little opportunity for a good education.
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