Is how Obamas handling of the attack and murders of the Libyan Embassy His polit

1. 61

   violetheavenposted 11 years ago

   Is how Obamas handling of the attack and murders of the Libyan Embassy His political suicide?
   
   I am borderline.

   replyreport
2. 60

   carterchasposted 11 years ago

   No.  It is Romney's.
   
   Obama has to think in terms of the bigger picture, because HE IS the president.  Romney jumped to a conclusion. 
   It should also be stated that the movie in question was made by a member of the so-called "Religious Right". 
   Maybe people should remember that more than 99.9 people who should be offended by that movie had nothing to do with that incident.    Those are the people who should be apoligized to.    Religious tolerance has to mean tolerance to ALL religions and not just the ones we like.

   replyreport
3. 61

   violetheavenposted 11 years ago

   The movie is media and is considered freedom of speech.    I think choosing freedom of religion over freedom of speech, or vice versa, puts us in a zone that endangers every right we have constitutionally.    People are getting offended easier and easier.   Its time for people to take a chill pill. Its okay to have an opinion.  When we start telling people they cant have an opinion, when they can't say this or that because it might offend someone, is crazy.  Just  having someone in your country filming a strong opinionated movie that tries to disprove a religion doesn't mean the government needs to apologize.    From some perspectives science constantly tries to disprove the existence of a creation God.  Often offending Christians... do we have to apologize for science.  This was an attack on a American Embassy as a result of American rights.    It has nothing to do with religious tolerance and everything to do  with the freedoms we have.
   
   Obamas just trying to not start another war.... maybe it has something to do with being re-elected... maybe it doesn't.  It's just interesting to watch him while he navigates this situation. Which will be telling, of the kind of man he really is.

   replyreport
4. 78

   junksellerposted 11 years ago

   It is interesting that someone like Sandra Fluke, speaking out in favor of women's health, rather than having her Freedom of Speech defended, gets called a slut (and all sorts of other names) because some people wrongly perceive that as an attack on Christianity. Meanwhile the same cadre of name-callers will turn around and say  that condemning this 'movie' is an attack on Freedom of Speech and American values and all of sudden be completely uninterested in defending Religion (because Islam of course doesn't count to them).
   
   The reality is that interests and rights are separate, and sometimes, competing ideals. Yes we value Freedom of Speech. We also, supposedly, value Freedom of Religion. We can debate the relative value we should give the rights of the movie maker (Speech) versus the rights of a billion Muslims (Religion), but the point is that the world is a complex and nuanced place which requires adults in the room, not children who see the world as a black and white Mickey Mouse cartoon.
   
   Even so, I really am not sure what Obama supposedly did wrong in this case. Unless I missed something, criticism of the movie came from the embassy before the attacks even happened. Not from Obama. Being that diplomacy is about getting along with others, this would seem to be the responsible position to take for an embassy in that region of the world.
   
   The problem is that Romney is one of those children that sees the world in stupefyingly stupid and simplistic terms. We tell you how things are. If you don't like it tough. If you protest we put a gun to your face. If you don't back down we shoot you. We are the best in the universe. You are not. We do what we want, how we want, where we want, when we want. Etc. It is this arrogant, dismissive, naïve, simplistic, and ignorant attitude for which so many in the world (rightfully so) dislike America.
   
   As for what Obama actually did, it seemed to be everything you'd expect a President to do. Romney, on the other hand, threw out a wildly wrong accusation. We can speculate as to why, but even with knowing he was wrong, there has been no retraction or apology. In this particular case, Obama looks ten times more of an adult and a leader than Romney does. Anyone who automatically equates dialog, discussion, and compromise with weakness and appeasement is a very dangerous fool. We have had more than enough of that brand of stupidity with Bush (who by the way had 12 embassy attacks during his terms).

   replyreport
5. 61

   JoanEB1970posted 11 years ago

   I don't think it is his political suicide.  He is handling things well from my perspective.  Romney, on the other hand, pops off at every in breath.  I would be terrified to have him at the helm.  He offended our strongest ally, Englad, during the Olympics.  Now it shoots his mouth off about something that preceded the incident in Libya by 6 hours and he can' ever just back down and say he was misinfomred.  Scary stuff.

   replyreport