Lest I leave you with the mistaken thought that I believe it is the Liberal Left who is the cause of all of America’s troubles, let me be quick to say that I firmly believe it is the Rabid Right - the Ridiculous Right - who continually paves the way for the Loony left and even makes them necessary.

If Communism suddenly seems to be attractive to the “masses” of despairing people who see no future anymore for either themselves or their children, it is because the policies of the Right drive them to that despair.

“... the Right prepares the way for the Left — in both the United States and Russia. The Right gives the motivation and creates the sense of desperation and moral outrage that leads people to embrace utterly implausible solutions like socialism and communism.” —Jeffrey A. Tucker

Without wars, unemployment, inflation, there is no need for revolution. Without those things, there is no specter of evil capitalism with which the Loony Left can strike fear into the hearts of the desperate.

For all of Obama’s socialism and semi-brainless economic strategies, the Right have only themselves to blame. Those of us who take neither side suffer the the futility that goes on around us. We are left with the attacks and counterattacks, Left against Right, Right against left, on and on and on - when all we really want and need is progress through greater liberty.

Changing times: two visions

Times change, circumstances change. 50 years ago, America had an "Affirmative Action" policy with regard to supporting people of other countries who were struggling to throw off the oppression of dictators and secure the blessings of liberty for themselves. That policy was that we would not remain silent and take a wait-and-see attitude; that we would stand up and speak out in support of anyone brave enough to engage in such a struggle; that we would let the world know without a doubt which side America was on in any such struggle.

Today? Not so much. Today we don't want to offend anyone, least of all our enemies.
I'm not really sure we ever really lived up to that "affirmative action" ideal, but I think we tried. There must have been several embarrassing lapses on our part. Another one of those "lapses" took place during the recent Iran election protests, in my opinion. We watched. We waited. We kept our mouths shut.

The following quotes by two different U.S. Presidents, almost 50 years apart, show clearly we are now traveling on a very different road. There is no need to judge, and each man should be allowed to live in his own time, but do compare:
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"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
—John F. Kennedy (1-20-61)

"Look, it's up to the Iranian people to make a decision. We are not meddling."
—Barack Obama (6-16-09)
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I'm sure most of the world agrees with our current president's decision. But something - some ingredient from the American recipe - has been lost along the way. Just my opinion.

President of the world?

President Obama made a short visit to Africa last week to a fine welcome. He didn't have a chance to visit everywhere, of course, though many in Africa wished he could have done so.

One South African website gave people the opportunity to ask President Obama general questions. He promised to try and answer as many as he could this week. I need to go try and find his answers, since I assume he did answer some of these. But in the meantime, since he and I are following each other on Twitter, I'm sure he won't mind if I take some of the load off him and try to answer a few for him today.

I probably shouldn't have to say this, but these are not the official Obama answers to the questions.

Most of these came from South Africa, but people from other countries also found the website and asked questions. I tried to choose a fair sampling. There were a couple hundred altogether, so these are just the tip of the... ummmm... iceberg, I guess.

Thank you very much to Frostygirl for providing the link to these questions on her blog. I hope she knows I am only having a little fun and am not choosing the most serious questions. (Right, Frostygirl?)
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Well done for occupying the highest office in land, tell me about your view of Iraq and the killing of Saddam, do you think Bush was finishing were his father left off, or he was drunk by power when he killed thousands of people in Iraq and afganistan under the false pretandance of weapons of mass distruction ? Tshifhiwa Magadani

Dear Tshifhiwa:
I think Bush was just drunk with power. Thank you for your question.

From: Chloe Hardy
Dear President Obama, I know that you are concerned about the HIV epidemic in Southern Africa. One of the main drivers of the HIV epidemic is violence against women and gender inequality. Are you planning any major programmes or funding initiatives to address issues of violence against women in Southern Africa?

Dear Chloe:
I will do my best to continue whatever I can do. Thank you for your question.

From: The messenger

Dear Barack Obama. What do you think of the indisputable findings of large quantities of nano-thermite explosives amongst the dust of the WTC?

Dear Messenger:
Until you just wrote me, I didn't know there were findings of what you said, much less that any such findings were indisputable. I will take your word for it, of course. I guess that means we blew up the World Trade Center ourselves and the film of the planes crashing into them were a big hoax. Wow. Thank you for clearing that up, Messenger.

From Redaa najaar

Dear President, What do you intend on doing about the war in the middle east ? Will you continue to support Israel whilst they continue to break humanitarian laws or will you finally bring them to justice.Your country was quick to stoop into Iraq to stop Saddam from ``oppressing`` his people, the same thing if not worse is happening in Palestine, why are you not putting a stop to it?

Deaar Redaa:
Why am I not putting a stop to it? I am not sure how to do that Redaa. It is America's responsibility though, right? I will try to work with the U.N. instead. Thank you.

From Gregory Booth

Why is it that the developing countries have to continue paying to bail out the US economy when Americans are living beyond their means? Have sufficient structural changes to your banking system been put in place to stop this happening in the future?

Dear Gregory:
We are certainly working on our banking system right now. If the developing countries wouldn't mind continuing to bail the U.S. economy out for just a little longer, it would be great. Thank you Gregory.

From Good Nigerian

Dear President, Nigeria is ripe for breakup, the country is too big too be ruled and governed by these political thieves resulting to the deprivation in the Niger Delta that is causing WAR now. Mr President, how can u help Nigeria to break up peacefully?

Dear Good Nigerian:
(That name is a joke, right?) How can I help Nigeria to break up peacefully? I assure you this is on my short list of things to attend to, just after the Middle East. And Iraq. And perhaps Afghanistan. And the U.S. Economy. Soon, GN, soon.

From Value all life

Dear Mr President. You espouse upholding democracy yet a democratically elected Hamas govt is denied recognition in Palestine. You saw genocide in Palestine in December yet you want to charge Bashir for war crimes. Were is your justice. Israel is geiven carte Blance to murder and kill yet detainees sit in guantanomo bay for no reason. Uphold justice and value all life.

Dear Val:
Yes, Hamas was democratically elected. So was Saddam. So was Hitler. So was... umm... Sarah Palin. This doesn't mean I have to like all these people, Val. You would give me that much, wouldn't you? I am not getting picky, but (if I may) some would say these folks in Gitmo are not sitting there for no reason. I guess it depends on your perspective. I hope your view of the world works out for you, Val. Thank you for writing. And Go Sharks!

From Anonymous

Dear President Obama what is your stance on the Morocco-Western Sahara conflict?

Dear Anonymous:
A lot of these questions seem to be coming from you. Thank you for your broad interest in world affairs. What is my stance on... M-WS conflict? Decidedly three-point, I can say with a certain degree of certainty. If you would write back and tell me what your own stance is, then I might be able to give you an answer you will like better. Thanks.

From Justice

Dear President Obama, when is the USA going to start applying pressure on Israel to stop the continuous oppression and apartheid style settlements in Palestine? Palestine has been illegally occupied by Israel and yet no international pressure is being applied, yet elsewhere in the world the USA wants to act on countries they deem are transgressing? Why is that so?? Regards

Dear Justice:
What an apropos name for such an even-balanced thinker! All this time I was thinking Israel was attacked by the other countries in 1967 and won the war anyway. Doesn't that mean all the land now belongs to Israel? Please write back and explain the "illegally occupied" part. Thank you.

From Anonymous

What difference would you bring to Africa,besides promises made by previous Presidents.Are you allowed to deal with things your way or you are monitored and told what to do?

Dear Anonymous:
You again? What difference would you like me to bring to Africa, Anon? I gotta tell you, my plate is pretty full already in the U.S. Just sayin'.

From wako

Hi mr President, congratulations on maing us a proud black people. I just want to knw why you sit by and let the Isrealis take all the palestinian land. Do you think that is good for world peace and the image of Isreal in the world? I think it does more harm than good for the Isreali oublic. thanks

Dear wako:
I was, like 7 years old when the Arabs attacked Israel and lost all their land. I really had no choice but to sit by and let it happen. You know? Oh, you mean NOW? I'm not sure what to do about it. They are other countries. I really am trying to bring them together, though. Thank you, wako.

From Mary Fanner

Dear Mr Obama, Why does the American health care system help medical practitioners and pharmacists to prosper despite making fatal and damaging mistakes, and engaging in criminal acts like assault, fraud, manslaughter and murder? Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe...and how many others have died because the pedlars of remedies are protected like gods by besotted government officials? Mary Fanner

Dear Mary:
I feel your pain. I sense your anger and frustration. Does this really rile Africans that much? Truly? Well, I think the vast majority are honest and hard-working. I wouldn't condemn a whole huge system because of a few bad apples. I know YOU would, but I wouldn't. We will just have to agree to disagree, Mary. Thanks.

I can't take it anymore. I think I will let Stephanie B or A. (or anyone else - even Obama) handle the rest of these. It isn't nearly as much fun as I had thought anyway. I wish I had chosen some nice ones instead of the hard ones. I'll bet President Obama chose the easy ones.

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5 Days ago Anonymous wrote :

Good day Mr. President. You see I do not like colonialism but at the rate at which African leaders and their families are looting, Africa has no hope for menaingful progress. I am aware that there are many Africans who more than often apportion blame for our poverty to colonialism and have thus come to hate white people, big time. If I were to ask you to effect benign colonialism on Africa by coercion, what would be your reaction? Boago

5 Days ago Wiri wrote :

Dear President Obama, what is the USA doing to stop the growing trend in Africa where incumbent presidents are seeking to remove terms limits so as to cling to power? Shouldn't the USA be safe guarding democracy in Africa??

5 Days ago Justice before Peace wrote :

Peace be unto you No mention is made in your speech(s) of the illegal occupancy of Palestinain land and the contravention of International laws by the Israeli government. How can we as muslims honestly believe you'll objectively assist in a peaceful settlement in the Middle East. Thanks for opportunity to place my question. All the best with your term as President.
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Sigh.

Happy Father's Day!

Tomorrow, Sunday, is Father’s Day in the USA.

Gifts from the kids. A special meal. Good family time.

I have been watching the news reports of President Obama giving speeches with a Father’s day theme. A funny speech last night speaking in front of the Washington press corps.

In between jokes, he reminded us of his own father, and challenged us all to be better fathers than his own was.

Obama has written a whole book about his father, “Dreams from My Father”, in which he talks about the man who abandoned his family. But Obama mainly talks about his own parenting today; a father to his own Sasha, 8, and Malia, 10.

As usual, he is telling American men what sort of fathers they should be, what kind of father he himself wants to be. The method is pretty simple: just be the opposite of what his own father was like.

Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., was a sometime Kenyan Goatherder cum Harvard scholar. Or so the storyline goes. Left his Kenyan family behind for a U.S. education and started a new family there, only to return to Africa with another woman when Barack Jr. was 2 years old.

Senior worked for an oil company in Africa, and for the government. His promise never materialized and when his 21-year-old son in America was a student at Columbia University, the senior Barack finally succumbed to the bottle and then died in a car crash.

He left his son a Muslim name, an African heritage and a basketball. Not much else.

“I don’t want to be the kind of father I had,” the president says quietly.

Although Obama’s preaching is most obvious when addressing other black men, his message is for all men: Be better fathers.

"Let's admit to ourselves that there are a lot of men out there that need to stop acting like boys; who need to realize that responsibility does not end at conception; who need to know that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise a child."

"We need to step out of our own heads and tune in. We need to turn off the television and start talking with our kids, and listening to them, and understanding what's going on in their lives."

"Any fool can have a child. That doesn't make you a father.”

Obama is quick to acknowledge his own shortcomings as a father. His fierce career ambitions many times kept him separated from his family.

"I know I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes. I have lost count of all the times, over the years, when the demands of work have taken me from the duties of fatherhood."

But, during the recent campaign, and now that he is in the White House, Obama finds time - makes time - to spend time with his girls and wife.

Obama was a schoolboy in Hawaii when his father came back to visit one time. He gave his dad a tie. His father gave him some African figurines and came to his class to speak about Kenya. And then he left again.

Before he left, he gave his son a basketball.
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Cat’s in the Cradle
by Harry Chapin

A child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew,
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad.
You know I'm gonna be like you."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."

My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, "Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's ok."
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed,
Said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."

Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."

I've long since retired and my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you."
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."