Watering Hole: August 22, 2011 – Some Pig

Words matter.  E. B. White was well aware of the power of words.  His novel, Charlotte’s Web, uses words to generate change.

It seems that today’s media and politicians either aren’t aware of the harm that they can cause by words or they are aware and their intention is to cause harm.

Sharron Angle promoted Second Amendment solution to what she perceived as the “Harry Reid problem”.  Looks like someone took her up on using this solution only they used it on Gabrielle Giffords, instead.

Senator Coburn claims that it is a good thing that he can’t carry a gun on the Senate floor.  His comment could be enticing to some crazy to do harm to a Senator.

Rush Limbaugh wants Obama to fail which means he wants America to fail.  The GOP obstructionists are doing their best to tear apart our democracy and destroy our economy.

John McCain and Sarah Palin kept quiet when members in their rally shouted, “Kill him”.  Their silence could be construed as tacit approval.

One more…

Rick Perry wants to be President of the United States of America although he said that Texas should secede from the union. How exactly does that work?   Which USA would he govern if elected President?  His action and his words just don’t jive.

Now for some words of kindness.  Words that changed the life of a little pig.

This is our Open Thread.  Do you want to add to this list?  Harmful words?  Kind words?  Or just words?     Speak Up!

A Report from the Highland, IN Obama Event

I received this the following in email this morning,
and I thought I would share.  MsJoanne

I was at a Sen. Obama campaign rally in Highland , Indiana last night. My first political campaign rally ever! It was an exciting and amazing experience for me for a number of reasons:

1. I never really trusted any politician before, feeling I was voting for the lesser of two evils.

2. I was with ten’s of thousands of people from all walks of life, the young, the old, people of all colors and beliefs who have somehow been inspired by Sen. Obama.

3. As his words came over the PA system and echoed across the park, I was struck by his enthusiasm, his energy and his commitment to the American people.

There were no fear-mongering or hate-filled diatribes at this rally. Not from the crowd, not from the speakers. No personal attacks, no smears. One thing I simply could not believe was how Sen. Obama once again praised and acknowledged Sen. McCain’s service while at the same time clearly stating they disagree on major issues. He said, “I respect Sen. McCain.”

If I had to sum up what I have seen from Sen. Obama and his supporters it would be that idea of “Respect”. Respect for this country, respect for the people, respect for each other, respect for the idea of ONE nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Many people have fought and died, bled and suffered through history to preserve our republic and maintain the freedoms we enjoy as a democratic society. Allowing torture of prisoners, spying on citizens, involving us in a war based on lies, suppressing the right to vote – these are NOT the things that we as a nation hold dear.

It really is time for a change so we can reclaim our better selves and reclaim a government that is of the people, by the people and for the people. I leave you with Lincoln ‘s Gettysburg Address:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty , and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

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Words to live (and die) by

As a general rule, I’m not big on “inspirational” talks, but there’s something decidedly different about this. It’s almost an hour-and-a-half long, so you may want to download it for future viewing.

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, who is dying from pancreatic cancer, gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving talk, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.

~ Egreggious