Trend Watch

Monday, August 11, 2008

Man in the Mirror

I have observed a new meme over the course of the past few weeks. Barrack Obama is not arrogant. Barrack Obama is a black man and there apparently is no such thing as an arrogant black man. The reasoning behind this dictum,I have learned, is that arrogant is code for uppity and uppity is racist.

Fortunately, Webster's doesn't color code it's definitions, and according
to that source uppity means taking liberties or assuming airs beyond one's station; presumptuous; disposed to exaggerate one's own worth or importance often by an overbearing manner. I don't have an overwhelming desire to be labeled racist, yet I am inclined to be a truth seeker and truth requires examination in order to see if the shoe fits.

Does a man who boasts about himself while claiming other's accomplishments, who declares himself as an icon for his nation and has a official quasi-presidential seal constructed suggest hubris at all? Is a man, who sat in a church pew for 20 years listening to hate filled rhetoric from his self-proclaimed mentor, so haughty he believes a simple denial of that would suffice to a ignorant public whose intellect he eagerly insults? Does positing that his supporters probably wouldn't vote for Senator Clinton while hers would most certainly vote for him smack of self-confidence or of ego? How about the casual tagging of voters as bitter and spiritually needy? Is elitism uppity or is it racist? "Typical white person" anyone?

Perhaps a clue lies with his surrogates and supporters? Those of us who
unfortunately received those profane rambling emails from an angry impatient Donna Brazile definitely got a whiff of self importance. She certainly let us know how important she is by her suggestion that her one vote would make up for the the delegate votes she and the rules committee stole from the citizens of MI and FL. Indeed, Ms. Brazile informed many of us that our vote was neither desired nor required. Michelle Obama declared that this will be our only chance at sending her precious husband to the White House after she finally decided she is proud of her nation at the age of 44. The brazen Ms. Pelosi's arrogant declarations on a wide range of subjects including dismissing a dream team early on and minimizing sexism were cavalier statements especially galling coming from a woman in her position which is supposed to represent the electorate. Even the media horned in on the uppity act. We watched a self righteous Keith Olbermann "forgive" Senator Clinton for her so-called misdeeds in one of his self proclaimed special comments. Dear Dr. Dean had to hop aboard this arrogance train as well with his trivializing of rampant misogyny with his too precious for prime time words "I don't watch cable TV" rationale for failure to do his job to ensure a fair and equitable primary process. Who set the tone for this deluge of arrogance? Who made arrogance palatable?

Does Obama actually consider himself a new savior born to inherit the world? Is there any hidden humility he is able to expose? Certainly he had done nothing to discourage the image by giving that speech in Berlin; the Invesco Field staging; the new snappiness with the press; having his name and image plastered about the landscape like a Western Mao. All speak to a hyper-indulged ego with too many willing acolytes eager and able to keep it fed.

To paraphrase poet Jorge Luis Borges, has Barack Obama replaced the image of the Lord with a mirror? Has he gone beyond arrogance? I think the answer is clear.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

The image in the mirror has just as much depth as BO.

Anonymous said...

I think you hit this out of the park. You are right the answer is clear.

Thanks DJack

Anonymous said...

Very good, Jack.

All one need do is watch his face as he speaks condescendingly in response to questions, whether from the press or others. It is obvious that he lives in an inner, rarified mental ivory tower (at least in his own self-estimation) where he, and he alone, truly understands the issues and has the one true right and only way - er, answers. "Barack said it, I believe it" is the mantra of his evangelical cultists - even in the face of his contrary positions just days earlier.

iris said...

The answer has been clear for a while.

I just hope enough people wake up before it's too late.

Have I said I can't stand the bastard?

I can't.

Anonymous said...

I am terrifed this man will gain the Presidency. Lord help us if so.

Wise up people, see him for who he is. Not a man that's changed his mind for the good of the country, but rather a man that's telling you he's changed his mind but it is for himself and his agenda.

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget he is also the man in the make-up mirror - "what make up (and position) do the polls tell me to put on today?"

I guess "What I have always said is..." is the newest brand of cosmetics.

Anonymous said...

My new mantra... "Content of Character" just keep sayin it over and over...."Content of Character"... "Content of Character"..."Content of Character"....keep this up and maybe the SD's will pick up on this vibration....

Anonymous said...

He that is proud eats up himself. Pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praises itself but in the deed, devours the deed in the praise.
- William Shakespeare

[I actually said it first, bill stole it from me! :)]

Anonymous said...

Obama's a narcissistic, whiny, brat. Definitely not Messiah material.

Anonymous said...

DJack,

When will I receive my Tee Shirt? And waiting for my mug. I know I am going to win a mug.

Thanks