By Frank Schaeffer
As I was watching the Nobel acceptance speech delivered by President Obama. Two thoughts crashed into my brain.
First, Obama is a better, smarter and wiser person than me and perhaps than most of us.
Second, he is certainly brighter than all his critics combined.
If you haven't watched the speech please do! You can find it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2.../11fri1.html?ref=opinion
The Odds Facing Our President
I think of our President as The Professor. And you know how our culture rewards its best teachers! I think of Obama as a prophet. And you know what happens to prophets! I think of Obama as a good and righteous person. And you know what the reward for unselfish goodness is!
Obama is a quality individual leading a nation that is wallowing in trash. From the left he faces a barrage of half-baked idealism and smart-ass impatience. From the right he faces outright hate and willful ignorance.
Who Stands Up For Our President?
Who will stand up for this man who is quite obviously the best and most moral leader in politics today here or anywhere in the world? If not Americans with a sense of proportion and history then who will facilitate the success of the Obama presidency?
Does this mean that I think Obama is perfect or above criticism? No. But look around. He's the best we have or have had in our lifetimes. And there is a time and place for making a critique. This isn't the time or place to rearrange the furniture. Our house is on fire.
America is fighting for its life; from the economy to Afghanistan, from a failed educational system to a failed public transport sector, from global warming to a continuing struggle for jobs. There are times when loyalty, trust and faith in our leader actually makes sense. This is that time.
Faith in Obama is not a blind faith. In his first year in office he is starting to stack up real accomplishments against all odds. But there is a long way to go.
My frustration is that I have no idea how to express my support for the President. Maybe there are others who share my strong feeling that the Obama presidency is our last best shot to get it right on so many issues, from justice to education, from spiritual values, to how and where we wage war.
Do Obama's Critics Ever Stop to Ask Themselves What the Alternative Is?
The glib sound bite culture, the short attention spans, the impatience, the sophomoric immaturity of our nation, which Obama is trying to lead, is so evident in how cavalier Obama's critics are. If Obama's critics succeed (knowingly or unknowingly) in contributing to an Obama failure what's next?
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