Homestead mailing list

[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Gene GeRue wrote:
> On Apr 15, 2008, at 8:03 PM, EarthNSky wrote:
>
> > Ok, Gene, you asked me to be specific,...
> > For me, it's not about imagination, it's about empathy-putting  
> > yourself
> > in someone else's shoes.
>
> Well, my take is that is what Obama was doing, he was empathizing with  
> those Pennsylvania workers who were hurting after years of seeing  
> their jobs disappear and politicians lying to them and doing little  
> that was helpful. He saw the need, he saw the wrong, he saw the result  
> and he spoke truthfully about it. We here have for years lamented that  
> politicians don't tell the truth. I have often said we can't handle  
> the truth. This is an example.

Truth is relative in this case.
Yeah, I think most certainly Obama was trying to empathize to win votes. 
 He wanted them to think he felt their pain.  I am sure he spoke his 
own truth-reaching out to a small segment of the population.  However, I 
think while he may have tapped into the frustration, his other 
conclusions were wrong.  Pennsylvanians are just so happy to be on the 
radar map here they don't care if the details of Obamas statement are 
wrong.  I wonder how Western PA compares with northern GA for gun 
ownership.





> > I find it difficult to understand how you can only take personal  
> > offense
> > to something ONLY if it relates to you personally.
>
> Think of it from a spiritual viewpoint. If we take personally the many  
> ills and wrongs in the world we will be distraught. We can empathize  
> with the millions of people with serious problems whose stories are  
> thrown in front of us each day, but if we take personal umbrage at the  
> wrong of it we will destroy ourselves from within.

I don't agree with that at all.  I think you have to stand up for what 
is wrong and not bury your head in the sand if the wrong doesn't affect you.


> Bev, consider how much better if we could all laugh hilariously, then  
> after regaining control, then you could educate. Once the friend  
> realized he had hurt you he would almost certainly apologize. If not,  
> then if would be difficult not to think less of him.

I wouldn't be laughing.

B

--
BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm   NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W    Bev is Earth, Ron is Sky