Barack Obama is essentially Jackie Robinson. He's certainly behaving that way.

[Aristus]

Jackie really couldn't respond to the jeers, the slurs, the intentional spiking by opposing players. He could never acknowledge the filthy racism behind every insult. He knew that any defensive response on his part would only validate the beliefs of his detractors. All he could do was swing for the fences, and play his heart out. He is remembered as one of the greats.

President Obama is doing the same thing. Every accusation of racism made by his supporters to his detractors is met with a calm "it's not racism." Or "they are motivated by anger, not by racism." He's keeping a cool head, but he is swinging for the fences. Reforming health care now, instead of safely into his second term marks him out for greatness. Certainly he has political courage. He understands that doing the right thing has no correct time for the undertaking. It has to be done every time. He made his campaign speech on racism once, and put it behind him. And now he's playing his heart out...

I salute President Obama! :patriot:

And the memory of one of the greats, Jackie Robinson! :patriot:

[suninvited]

1. but he knows, as you and I do

that it is racism.

for him to ignore that and keep forging ahead only makes the rest of us prouder to have supported him, and to keep supporting him.

[Aristus]

2. Agreed.

:thumbsup:

[sarge43]

3. A sport's writer re Robinson

"He's a credit to his race (wait for it) .... the human race."

:patriot: to class acts.

You too, Aristus.

[av8rdave]

4. Well put. As far as (rightfully) calling out the racists, he is right in letting others do that

Bill Mahr's said it best in his latest "Real Time."

(I am paraphrasing here, as my memory sucks):

There is a word these people want to call him. It begins with "n" and ends with "er." And they know they can't call him that, so they call him every other name they can think of. Communist, Socialist, Facist...

[Brigid]

5. Bill Maher is exactly right.

As usual. Almost makes me wish I had HBO so that I could watch "Real Time."

[av8rdave]

6. That's one of the main reason I keep HBO

He has a way of putting things. So many times he seems to articulate my thoughts exactly.

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. Well said.

Hope all's well with you and yours! :hi:

[leeroysphitz]

8. I always thought he was essentially Jackie Coogan... n/t

[SeattleGirl]

9. You're right, Aristus.

Sometimes I wish Obama would just call the assholes and idiots out, but sadly, it WOULD backfire on him, and probably quite badly. So we have to step up and call them out ourselves. I, for one, am willing do to so.

[Kickin_Donkey]

10. I've thought that myself ,,,

They both have to remain stoic in the face of scalding racism, the lack of respect, assassinations of his character and dignity.

But I wonder what the psychological and physical toll on Obama will be. He KNOWS it's going on but he has to let it fall off him like raindrops.

It killed Jackie Robinson. A wondrous athlete, he died at the young age of 53. I'm sure the stress of what he had to endure had something to do with his heart disease and diabetes.

All that internalization of the hatred around him has to take a toll. We shall see.

[JeanGrey]

11. Or he could be right, and it isn't racism.

[applegrove]

12. Yup.