Jeannieology
Barack Obama's silence speaks louder than his words
By Jeannieology
Originally posted at American Thinker blog
When President Obama disagrees with something, it doesn't take long for him to impulsively express his disapproval in a public forum, especially when he believes doing so will further his policy goals or bolster his waning popularity. But while what he does say sends a strong message, what he chooses not to say can send an even stronger one.
On the issue of gay marriage, the President has verbally identified himself as being in the process of "evolving " from anti- to pro- same-sex matrimony. When Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head and innocent people were killed in Tucson, the President very publicly insinuated that conservative incivility contributed to a violent climate, and then goaded the nation toward mutual respect.
Barack Obama has even been brazen enough to verbally try to "intimidate " the Supreme Court "by wrongly suggesting that a ruling against the health care overhaul would be 'judicial activism,'" as well as promote policies that restrict the Catholic Church's right to adhere to its core religious convictions.
Above all, the President has never been reluctant to articulate his support for abortion on demand, and free contraceptives for everyone, nor has he hesitated to speak out against bullying gay teenagers, rebuke radio talk show hosts calling female college students derogatory names, or respond to criticism over his family taking extravagant vacations.
Yet with such strong opinions on these and many other issues, when those on the left do to conservatives exactly what the President has expressed indignation over when criticism is directed toward him, his policies, or liberals in general, Barack Obama's deafening silence signals that his outrage is quite selective. With President Obama, his silence oftentimes speaks louder than his words.
A prime example of that tendency was exhibited by his speaking out in the Sandra Fluke/Rush Limbaugh incident and failing thus far to do likewise in the Dan Savage/Christian kid-bashing incident.
After Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke took to the national stage to advocate for Catholic institutions to provide insurance that covers free birth control and abortion, Rush Limbaugh called her a "slut" and a "prostitute," two comments for which he later apologized.
In defense of Sandra Fluke, Barack Obama jumped into the fray when he called the third-year law student to express his support for her brave stance. At the first press conference of 2012, Obama, who Jay Carney had already explained felt Limbaugh's comments were "inappropriate ," revealed his motives for picking up the phone and dialing up Ms. Fluke.
The President said he did so because "he was thinking about his own two daughters," saying :
One of the things I want them to do as they get older is to engage in issues they care about...I want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful way, and I don't want them attacked or called horrible names because they're being good citizens.
I wanted Sandra to know that I thought her parents should be proud of her, and that we want to send a message to all our young people that being part of a democracy involves arguments and disagreements and debate.
Those sentiments, although noble to some, are proving to be exclusive and only expressed when Barack Obama defends the left.
Recently an incident took place where "inappropriate" remarks were directed by a gay activist toward children who were also "engaging in issues they care about." Yet thus far there has been no comment from the President who, on behalf of a left-wing feminist, had tripped over himself rushing to her defense.
Dan Savage, 'It Gets Better' founder/"Savage Love" sex advice columnist/gay activist/White House reception guest of Barack Obama, was supposed to be sharing an anti-bullying message at the National High School Journalism Conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association (JEA ) and the National Scholastic Press Association. Instead, Savage used the opportunity to exercise his civic duty and bully the kids who came to the conference from Christian schools in the area.
At one point, Savage described for the teenagers how "good his male partner looked in a Speedo" and told them, "I hope you're all using birth control." After Savage, "Evolve Already " promoter of marriage equality for gays attempted to savage the book of Leviticus, the Apostle Paul, and his letter to the Romans, 100 offended high school students quietly stood up and filed out of the auditorium.
Feeling bullied by the students refusing to listen to his vulgar tirade, the anti-bullying speaker then "began cursing, attacked the Bible and reportedly called those who refused to listen to his rant 'pansy assed.'"
Continuing on with a level of mistreatment that far surpassed Limbaugh's two-word insult, Savage told a room full of high school students that "there are people using the Bible as an excuse for gay bullying, because it ...being gay is wrong," and encouraged them all to "ignore all the (expletive deleted) in the Bible."
Based on how quickly Barack Obama raced out to the microphones to address what he felt were demeaning comments directed toward the frail Ms. Fluke, is Obama planning on doing likewise and officially distancing himself from Dan Savage by publicly addressing his "inappropriate," anti-Christian remarks?
When he's finished straightening out Mr. Savage, will the President then be phoning the children who were called 'pansy asses' by his abusive White House guest, as he did Sandra Fluke ? Will he tell the kiddies their parents should be proud of them for the dignified way they respectfully dismissed themselves from the awkward confrontation?
Afterwards, at his next press conference, will Obama share that he thought about how terribly his Christian daughters Sasha and Malia would have felt being singled out and insulted in such a public way, just for going to a high school journalism conference?
Will Barack Obama condemn verbal and religious abuse of any kind and remind America "The remarks that were made don't have any place in the public discourse." Or will Mr. Obama send a strong but silent message of agreement to the anti-bullying bully Dan Savage by choosing to say absolutely nothing at all?
© Jeannieology
May 6, 2012
Originally posted at American Thinker blog
When President Obama disagrees with something, it doesn't take long for him to impulsively express his disapproval in a public forum, especially when he believes doing so will further his policy goals or bolster his waning popularity. But while what he does say sends a strong message, what he chooses not to say can send an even stronger one.
On the issue of gay marriage, the President has verbally identified himself as being in the process of "evolving " from anti- to pro- same-sex matrimony. When Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head and innocent people were killed in Tucson, the President very publicly insinuated that conservative incivility contributed to a violent climate, and then goaded the nation toward mutual respect.Barack Obama has even been brazen enough to verbally try to "intimidate " the Supreme Court "by wrongly suggesting that a ruling against the health care overhaul would be 'judicial activism,'" as well as promote policies that restrict the Catholic Church's right to adhere to its core religious convictions.
Above all, the President has never been reluctant to articulate his support for abortion on demand, and free contraceptives for everyone, nor has he hesitated to speak out against bullying gay teenagers, rebuke radio talk show hosts calling female college students derogatory names, or respond to criticism over his family taking extravagant vacations.
Yet with such strong opinions on these and many other issues, when those on the left do to conservatives exactly what the President has expressed indignation over when criticism is directed toward him, his policies, or liberals in general, Barack Obama's deafening silence signals that his outrage is quite selective. With President Obama, his silence oftentimes speaks louder than his words.
A prime example of that tendency was exhibited by his speaking out in the Sandra Fluke/Rush Limbaugh incident and failing thus far to do likewise in the Dan Savage/Christian kid-bashing incident.
After Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke took to the national stage to advocate for Catholic institutions to provide insurance that covers free birth control and abortion, Rush Limbaugh called her a "slut" and a "prostitute," two comments for which he later apologized.
In defense of Sandra Fluke, Barack Obama jumped into the fray when he called the third-year law student to express his support for her brave stance. At the first press conference of 2012, Obama, who Jay Carney had already explained felt Limbaugh's comments were "inappropriate ," revealed his motives for picking up the phone and dialing up Ms. Fluke.
The President said he did so because "he was thinking about his own two daughters," saying :
One of the things I want them to do as they get older is to engage in issues they care about...I want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful way, and I don't want them attacked or called horrible names because they're being good citizens.
I wanted Sandra to know that I thought her parents should be proud of her, and that we want to send a message to all our young people that being part of a democracy involves arguments and disagreements and debate.
Those sentiments, although noble to some, are proving to be exclusive and only expressed when Barack Obama defends the left.
Recently an incident took place where "inappropriate" remarks were directed by a gay activist toward children who were also "engaging in issues they care about." Yet thus far there has been no comment from the President who, on behalf of a left-wing feminist, had tripped over himself rushing to her defense.
Dan Savage, 'It Gets Better' founder/"Savage Love" sex advice columnist/gay activist/White House reception guest of Barack Obama, was supposed to be sharing an anti-bullying message at the National High School Journalism Conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association (JEA ) and the National Scholastic Press Association. Instead, Savage used the opportunity to exercise his civic duty and bully the kids who came to the conference from Christian schools in the area.
At one point, Savage described for the teenagers how "good his male partner looked in a Speedo" and told them, "I hope you're all using birth control." After Savage, "Evolve Already " promoter of marriage equality for gays attempted to savage the book of Leviticus, the Apostle Paul, and his letter to the Romans, 100 offended high school students quietly stood up and filed out of the auditorium.
Feeling bullied by the students refusing to listen to his vulgar tirade, the anti-bullying speaker then "began cursing, attacked the Bible and reportedly called those who refused to listen to his rant 'pansy assed.'"
Continuing on with a level of mistreatment that far surpassed Limbaugh's two-word insult, Savage told a room full of high school students that "there are people using the Bible as an excuse for gay bullying, because it ...being gay is wrong," and encouraged them all to "ignore all the (expletive deleted) in the Bible."
Based on how quickly Barack Obama raced out to the microphones to address what he felt were demeaning comments directed toward the frail Ms. Fluke, is Obama planning on doing likewise and officially distancing himself from Dan Savage by publicly addressing his "inappropriate," anti-Christian remarks?
When he's finished straightening out Mr. Savage, will the President then be phoning the children who were called 'pansy asses' by his abusive White House guest, as he did Sandra Fluke ? Will he tell the kiddies their parents should be proud of them for the dignified way they respectfully dismissed themselves from the awkward confrontation?
Afterwards, at his next press conference, will Obama share that he thought about how terribly his Christian daughters Sasha and Malia would have felt being singled out and insulted in such a public way, just for going to a high school journalism conference?
Will Barack Obama condemn verbal and religious abuse of any kind and remind America "The remarks that were made don't have any place in the public discourse." Or will Mr. Obama send a strong but silent message of agreement to the anti-bullying bully Dan Savage by choosing to say absolutely nothing at all?
© Jeannieology
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