Here's the deal. The Rethugicans have nothing concrete to offer on any of the really important issues that confront us, so they have to throw mud hoping that some might stick. Do we want to try to change things or simply succumb to four more years of GW's policies (or lack thereof)? <br><br>

That's my take- more of the Insane McCain offers NOTHING NEW !!<br><br>how can 72% say they're unhappy with the country's direction and vote for McCain ?? <br><br>the Polls don't make sense.<br><br>Considering the Dem turnout in the primaries, the race should be about 60-40%.<br><br>I wonder sometimes if the media Knows the truth... but doesn't want to spill the beans least everyone tune them out and there goes their "cash cow" !! so they skew the data to make the average Joe think it's horserace... Seabiscuit (D) vs an ole junk yard nag (R). <br>they get $$ hyping nothing !! who wants to kill the goose who lays golden eggs?<br><br>David (OFI)

As long as we're telling personal experiences, I might as well bring in that other race that has all but been forgotten: Indians. Most of us don't like that term "Native Americans," because it sounds pretentious and because what we're native to wasn't called "America." It was just "the world." Ours was a strange kind of racism. The white men wanted to kill our men and marry our women. Then, their offspring were taught never to mention their Indian mother, who would agree to anything if her children got to live. A generation later, we thought we were white. Then we found out we were Indians. So what the heck are we? Both, I guess. Or neither. I have three lines of Indian ancestry. My kids have 5. But they also are descended from George Washington's chief Geographer, a British loyalist who only slowly warmed up to the new American Republic, so blue was his blood. <br><br>It was sure strange growing up with John Wayne movies where one of the Duke's bullets killed 40 of our kind. And our best couldn't hit him from point-blank range. At the turn of the century (1900) they didn't bother with "No Indians Allowed." They just shot 'em. <br><br>Maybe the problem in this country is that everyone belongs to SOME race, and EVERY race is reviled by some other race at some point in history, if not the present. And maybe it hurts a little when you look outside your windows and realize that there's someone standing out there looking in who is of another race, who happens to hate you for your own race. "Why the nerve! Don't they realize that WE'RE the good guys?<br><br>OH well... Lots of healing to do in this country. We're all guilty on some level or another, and it's time to cross the threshold, apologize for the past, and forgive for the future. <br><br>[color:green]Pictures and things</font color=green>

Oh yeah on Indians and on reconciliation. Again, that's why I think that saying "racism" about so many things isn't useful. The accusation shuts off discussion. That's one reason I thought Obama's speech was so powerful. He recognizes his grandmother's hurtful language as well as Wright's, but doesn't dismiss either one as simply "racist." There's room then for understanding.<br><br>[color:red]&#63743;</font color=red> [color:orange]&#63743;</font color=orange> [color:yellow]&#63743;</font color=yellow> [color:green]&#63743;</font color=green> [color:blue]&#63743;</font color=blue> [color:purple]&#63743;</font color=purple>

Wait a minute! Are you people saying that Obama's NOT a Muslim? Barack HUSSEIN Obama? Come on, I heard he was a Muslim!<br><br>AND, according to a Pew poll, 10% of Americans still think Barack's a Muslim! Their vote counts too, you know! As much as yours!<br><br> <br> <br><br>Winston Churchill said: "the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."<br><br>

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>You can't be serious? Obama gets slobbered on by the media ad nauseam.<p><hr></blockquote><p>the Saturday Night Live faux media, perhaps.<br><br>the rest of the media is choosing to stay on the Wright story despite 3 major speeches, including 2 on economics, by Obama since the race speech. the media makes decisions on what they'll cover and present to their audience. staying on Wright is not "slobbering" on Obama, fwiw.<br><br>

i have been using "Indians" for over a decade now and that's what i've taught my kids even though the schools here use, "Native Americans." when i lived in Lawrence back in the early 90s, we had a local college that changed its name to Haskell Indian Nations College, so i figured that's what i'd use as well.<br><br>

"10% of Americans still think Barack's a Muslim!"<br><br>well the right wing talk show hosts are hopeless anyway... I wrote them off years ago ! <br><br>those 10% still believe the world is flat, evolution doesn't exist, the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus ! <br><br>David (OFI)

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>i have been using "Indians" for over a decade now and that's what i've taught my kids even though the schools here use, "Native Americans." when i lived in Lawrence back in the early 90s, we had a local college that changed its name to Haskell Indian Nations College, so i figured that's what i'd use as well.<p><hr></blockquote><p>You're in good company. Go online to any of the Indian forums, and the users refer to themselves as Indians. Others are non-Indians. Or whites. Etc. My Choctaw newspaper talks about Indians, not Native Americans, though I think I've seen both. Mostly it talks about Choctaws. The only Native American I've seen who consistently ranted about the correctness of "native American" was that college professor guy who always went around with eagle feathers in his hair and carrying rattles, who was finally fired by his college. I don't remember his name, nor where he taught "Native American Studies." He wasn't Indian at all. He'd been given honorary membership in some tribe like the Kickapoos. I've got all the facts wrong, but you probably remember the guy. We talked about it over at MC when he was fired and went to court and lost that, too. <br><br><br><br><br>[color:green]Pictures and things</font color=green>