Comments on: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/ strategies for a developing world... Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Malou http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-117 Malou Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:17:00 +0000 http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/#comment-117 I hate to say this but Barack is not his brother(s) keeper! A brother, George, that he barely met once when George was 5 or 6 and then again when George was a young man. Barack should not be held responsible for his father's irresponsibility(ies). Please remember that Barack was raised by a single mother and maternal grandparents. His father basically neglected him. Barack came to know his father's family (other sibilings) because he felt this yearning to know of his paternal roots. That does not translate into bearing the responsibility for his father's deeds. Yes, certain people will claim that Barack should be more responsible as they are of the same blood. If you read Barack's book "Dreams of my Father", you will note that he has maintained a close relationship with his other siblings. George's mother also prevented the Obama family from contacting him. Unfortunately, George became a neglected person - at which point, he doesn't even speak to his own mother! I can't imagine that us ordinary folks would be very charitable - on the long term to a sibling we have no connection with - other than the fact - we share a biological tie. It is easier to judge when one is not sitting in the driver's seat! I hate to say this but Barack is not his brother(s) keeper! A brother, George, that he barely met once when George was 5 or 6 and then again when George was a young man. Barack should not be held responsible for his father's irresponsibility(ies). Please remember that Barack was raised by a single mother and maternal grandparents. His father basically neglected him. Barack came to know his father's family (other sibilings) because he felt this yearning to know of his paternal roots. That does not translate into bearing the responsibility for his father's deeds. Yes, certain people will claim that Barack should be more responsible as they are of the same blood. If you read Barack's book "Dreams of my Father", you will note that he has maintained a close relationship with his other siblings. George's mother also prevented the Obama family from contacting him. Unfortunately, George became a neglected person - at which point, he doesn't even speak to his own mother! I can't imagine that us ordinary folks would be very charitable - on the long term to a sibling we have no connection with - other than the fact - we share a biological tie. It is easier to judge when one is not sitting in the driver's seat!

]]> By: Michele http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-116 Michele Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:03:13 +0000 http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/#comment-116 Life is a great joker. Last week Senator Obama said: I think America's greatest moral failure in my lifetime has been that we still don't abide by that basic precept in Matthew that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me. Suddenly his "half" brother is discovered living in poverty (always described as "abject" in the media - that's versus 'honorable' poverty no doubt?- and then again, what's this "half" brother thing? is he "half" a person? not one to quibble but language is a tool that can be used to either liberate or oppress and we should be wary of mindlessly repeating terms of exclusion since Matthew was certainly not distancing himself from the 'least' of his brothers when he spoke of them) but forgive my rambling. So the Senator's brother has surfaced. Actually, Senator Obama may have quite a flock of relatives in Kenya and whether he is personally responsible for them is debatable. And although I feel that any presidential candidate suffers from delusions of grandeur and engages in a game that requires duplicity as a strategy, I hope Senator Obama wins. I think what JMC was suggesting was that failure from the Obama camp to address the truth and issues raised by this story would be detrimental to the campaign. As he noted in a previous post: Politics is not a gala dinner: you don’t get judged by how well you behave, you win or lose based on your ability to offer a strong offense, not a weak hand. Life is a great joker. Last week Senator Obama said: I think America's greatest moral failure in my lifetime has been that we still don't abide by that basic precept in Matthew that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.
Suddenly his "half" brother is discovered living in poverty (always described as "abject" in the media - that's versus 'honorable' poverty no doubt?- and then again, what's this "half" brother thing? is he "half" a person? not one to quibble but language is a tool that can be used to either liberate or oppress and we should be wary of mindlessly repeating terms of exclusion since Matthew was certainly not distancing himself from the 'least' of his brothers when he spoke of them) but forgive my rambling. So the Senator's brother has surfaced. Actually, Senator Obama may have quite a flock of relatives in Kenya and whether he is personally responsible for them is debatable. And although I feel that any presidential candidate suffers from delusions of grandeur and engages in a game that requires duplicity as a strategy, I hope Senator Obama wins. I think what JMC was suggesting was that failure from the Obama camp to address the truth and issues raised by this story would be detrimental to the campaign. As he noted in a previous post: Politics is not a gala dinner: you don’t get judged by how well you behave, you win or lose based on your ability to offer a strong offense, not a weak hand.

]]> By: LD Berrouet http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-114 LD Berrouet Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:51:56 +0000 http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/#comment-114 Dear Scarlet You should probably read again this well articulated piece altogether and provide a more rational/intelligent response afterwards! (definitely looking forward to that!) As for your comment, this article does NOT 1) suggest that Obama will not reach out to the poor (although his brother being in abject misery is not helping us believe he will) 2) opine on whether McCain might or not reach out to the poor 3) recommend nor discourage anyone to vote for either Obama or McCain Dear Scarlet

You should probably read again this well articulated piece altogether and provide a more rational/intelligent response afterwards! (definitely looking forward to that!)

As for your comment, this article does NOT 1) suggest that Obama will not reach out to the poor (although his brother being in abject misery is not helping us believe he will) 2) opine on whether McCain might or not reach out to the poor 3) recommend nor discourage anyone to vote for either Obama or McCain

]]> By: Scarlett http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Scarlett Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:22:12 +0000 http://jmcstrategies.com/2008/08/26/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/#comment-113 Not sure I understand the point of this article. As soon as Obama is elected he will be the one to reach out to the poor all over the world. He will have his brother as someone to be accountable to. As for McCain, you think he will honestly do the same? No, not a chance in hell. If JMC is actually suggesting that I vote McCain, a candidate who will not support peace, and will likely ruin the remaining ruins our country is in....then I will promptly get off your mailing list as I have done with NOW and CODE PINK. I feel like this is starting to be a big conspiracy against Obama. Not sure I understand the point of this article. As soon as Obama is elected he will be the one to reach out to the poor all over the world. He will have his brother as someone to be accountable to. As for McCain, you think he will honestly do the same? No, not a chance in hell. If JMC is actually suggesting that I vote McCain, a candidate who will not support peace, and will likely ruin the remaining ruins our country is in....then I will promptly get off your mailing list as I have done with NOW and CODE PINK. I feel like this is starting to be a big conspiracy against Obama.

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