tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post2111000431799037766..comments2023-05-24T06:02:06.480-05:00Comments on Chuck's Chatter: It's a checkerboard worldChuck Doswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03099345055614900157noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-39814459867188945742009-12-20T14:49:49.328-06:002009-12-20T14:49:49.328-06:00Chuck, if you run for office, you'll almost ce...Chuck, if you run for office, you'll almost certainly get my vote (if I'm eligible to vote in that particular election)!llbigwavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2759913671101666257.post-45064603180968673842009-11-19T14:19:16.406-06:002009-11-19T14:19:16.406-06:00Wow. I really respect your boldness, honesty, and ...Wow. I really respect your boldness, honesty, and eloquence here. (I just recently heard you on the "WeatherBrains" podcast which is how I found your blog.) I agree with most of what you said. I also found the Bush years to be very dark times and have been dismayed at how much some of Obama's better ideas have been kept in check. The only way I would somewhat disagree is that I'm not going to criticize Obama too much. He inherited one of the worst situations imaginable and beat the odds as far as racism goes (yes indeed, it is alive and well - unfortunately in a lot of my kinfolks). And he is at least trying. He also does not come across to me as being arrogant. I think his heart is in the right place . . . and he's very intelligent. We may have no idea what obstacles he faces behind the scenes. But I do feel a sense of urgency at times about the issues you mentioned, especially concerning the oil war and needing to explore other energy sources and of course the "patriot" act which has robbed many of their basic rights as Americans. I'm afraid if Obama doesn't get on the ball, we're going to end up with another smirking (ahem . . . Sarah . . . cough . . . Palin . . . ahem) idiot taking us even "further down the spiral" as Trent Reznor would put it. <br /><br />As far as the "with me or against me" mentality, I think that's just about always toxic. Although I'm pretty young, I can really relate to that Billy Joel song "Shades of Grey". Sometimes the most courageous thing a person can do is to admit, "I don't know. I'm not sure." But such a stance can be dangerous - especially when people are fed so much fear from so many sources. So great courage is mistaken for cowardice . . . and everybody thinks they have to live in a "checkerboard" or (my preference) "chessboard" world just to survive. As for me, I'll be sitting on the intersection of the four center squares trying to see the humor in it all until the Mad Queen comes along and screams, "Off with his head!" (And even then . . . wouldn't a laughing severed head be disturbing to even the most jaded executioner?) Hahaha . . .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com