In Defense of Barack Obama... To a Friend...

Yesterday afternoon I received an anti-Obama rant from a dear friend, telling me that if I was going to vote for Obama, he could no longer be my friend. He's a Navy veteran and I was pretty much devastated all night long.

What he sent to me to "prove his claim" that Obama was "dangerous" was a tirade against Democrats -- up to and including Bobby Kennedy -- along with the oft-repeated and never proven "claims" (debunked at snopes.com and at Obama's website) that he's Islamic (the Reverend Jeremiah Wright problem should have quieted that rumor for all time), bent on disabling the military, willing to talk to Hamas, and other stuff.

I was so upset that my friend believed -- and feared -- all these things that I laid awake part of last night, feeling angry. But then I thought, "Eegads, if this one, intelligent, patriotic man believes this, I'm guessing a lot of other people do, too!"

So I thought I'd better put down, in black and white, all the reasons that I believe Barack Obama is a safe person to be leading our nation. Here's the email response I sent to him, and I hope it settles other peoples' minds as well:

"Even before reading your response -- which I'm sure will upset me since you're so upset and fearful of Obama -- I want you to know I've slept on this overnight and I don't want to lose you as a friend, even though we disagree, so I prayed on it, and here's what I've come up with:

Just for starters, with a name like Barack Hussein Obama, it's perfectly safe to assume that this man's life, background, resume and connections have been gone over with a fine-toothed comb by Homeland Security, the FBI, the CIA, and anyone else with any kind of suspicion since 9/11. So go ahead, as you wish, and decry and disbelieve the "biased" (in your estimation) news media and his website -- even forget snopes.com, which is totally apolitical and independent -- and THINK ABOUT IT!

Now, if you're creeped out just because he's a Democrat -- as you seem to be -- this is where we can legitimately disagree and part company with honor. I'm a Democrat. I've voted Republican in the past, so I'm not a blind Democrat. I know Barack and Hillary and Bobby aren't (weren't) perfect human beings, but their policies and attempts to establish justice and a level playing field for every American resonate in my heart. I don't have an evil heart, and I know you don't either.

Democrats are patriots, too,as I've said so often in my blog. RFK was my favorite politician ever and Barack runs a close second. So for you to be afraid of Obama concerns me greatly.

If you really believe all the rumors about him, it's your duty as an American citizen to contact Homeland Security and the FBI and CIA and tell them of your suspicions, and supplying any evidence you can find on the Internet or elsewhere to underscore why you think he's a threat. I have done so when suspecting a neighbor of mine, because I sensed there was something "not quite kosher" about him. (It turns out I was wrong, but I did the right thing and reported him, as you should, with supporting evidence.)

I trust Obama. I trusted Bobby. I feel certain, given our times and the present administration's emphasis on terrorism and villainy, that Obama has been "vetted" as no candidate ever has, with a name like his.

With this as a starting point, why don't you simply do a little research: read his two books (THE AUDACITY OF HOPE and DREAMS FROM MY FATHER), or visit his website and read his stand on the issues you care so much about.

In a nutshell: The man is not going to castrate our military forces, or weaken us in any way. If I thought he would, I wouldn't be supporting him and would sit this election out (because I don't think McCain can bring our nation to the place it needs to be over the course of the next four to eight years), or I'd be writing in the name of a person who I feel would be superior to either of the two on the ballot.

I also don't know what you have against Hillary, but lots of people have believed the stuff the opposition party has put out about her, and so she's a bit of a pariah these days. I think it's sad and unfair, but there you have it. It is what it is.

In conclusion, I think you've been listening to opposition spin-meisters who are, for the most part, unprincipled loud-mouths. I don't listen to McCain's opposition spin-meisters -- I go to his website, read his stand on the issues, hear his speeches, and make up my own mind. I encourage you to do the same, because I believe to the core of my being that, unless something awful happens to him (God forbid!), Barack Obama is indeed going to be our next President, and I would hate to see you looking upon that event as "the day America died" when it is nothing of the sort. We'll survive Obama. We survived Bush. I believe Barack will be one of our greatest Presidents if he/we can take his vision for America and bring it to fruition. It will take all of us, working together, since we'll only have eight years to give it a shot.

So I feel hurt that you'd think I haven't thought this thing through. I've studied this campaign like no other. If we disagree, we disagree. But I'd hate to lose your friendship over it. If I do, it was no friendship to begin with. I have a number of terrific friends who disagree with me and have thoughtfully told me why -- but none have tried to sway me with the unsubstantiated renditions of Obama's "disqualifying qualities" that you have.

Think about it. The man is known by every "national protection agency" in existence, and he would have been "outed" and would be in prison instead of running for the highest office in our land if there were anything real in the reports and emails you've received or heard about him.

I love ya, pal, and I want to be your friend... but if that's not possible after this email, I'm sorry for it and wish you well. I bear no ill will toward you and hope you will feel similarly once you have settled down just a little and really thought this through...

God bless you and God bless America!