I'm just an aging white dude. But I've seen some shit along the way. Enough to understand why a jury wouldn't trust the word of LAPD. And I used to hear guys like Rev Wright growing up. If you are older, then pre 64 is yesterday. And all the lynchings and medical experiments and back of the buses are not remote history, they are part of your life. There's this mellow aura now to the Sixties, but they were harsh and radical. That's my impression as a youngster at the time. Go on another thread here at Salon (Ferraro needs to apologize) and you'll hear self described "bitter old feminists" complaining that they are being disrespected as the younger generation passes them by. So I can see why both groups view the world a certain way; and I can see that the world is moving on, away from them. I don't have to agree with them to have some empathy.

If you are interested in what's up, go to countdown.msnbc.com and listen to Barack Obama's words from today. People often do the opposite of those close to them. Just ask any parent about their children.

I thought they answered your questions about 4 pages back. Obama already talked about his crazy uncle pastor prior today. Believe it. And yes, I think Obama knew Rev. Wright could be a problem. That's not a major revelation. If youre really interested on Obama, you should read the audacity of hope. It's about Obama's political thinking, not his pastors. People here have already told you that children don't listen to parents and people don't listen to preachers. So trying to prove that Obama is isomorphic to Rev Wright will be slim pickenings.

So what do you think? Is there any there there?

"'Is it Thou? Thou?' but receiving no answer, he adds at once. 'Don't answer, be silent. What canst Thou say, indeed? I know too well what Thou wouldst say. And Thou hast no right to add anything to what Thou hadst said of old. Why, then, art Thou come to hinder us? For Thou hast come to hinder us, and Thou knowest that.

But dost thou know what will be to-morrow? I know not who Thou art and care not to know whether it is Thou or only a semblance of Him, but to-morrow I shall condemn Thee and burn Thee at the stake as the worst of heretics. And the very people who have to-day kissed Thy feet, to-morrow at the faintest sign from me will rush to heap up the embers of Thy fire. Knowest Thou that? Yes, maybe Thou knowest it,' he added with thoughtful penetration, never for a moment taking his eyes off the Prisoner."

'Hast Thou the right to reveal to us one of the mysteries of that world from which Thou hast come?' my old man asks Him, and answers the question for Him. 'No, Thou hast not; that Thou mayest not add to what has been said of old, and mayest not take from men the freedom which Thou didst exalt when Thou wast on earth.

Whatsoever Thou revealest anew will encroach on men's freedom of faith; for it will be manifest as a miracle, and the freedom of their faith was dearer to Thee than anything in those days fifteen hundred years ago. Didst Thou not often say then, "I will make you free"? But now Thou hast seen these "free" men,' the old man adds suddenly, with a pensive smile. 'Yes, we've paid dearly for it,' he goes on, looking sternly at Him, 'but at last we have completed that work in Thy name. For fifteen centuries we have been wrestling with Thy freedom, but now it is ended and over for good.

Dost Thou not believe that it's over for good? Thou lookest meekly at me and deignest not even to be wroth with me. But let me tell Thee that now, to-day, people are more persuaded than ever that they have perfect freedom, yet they have brought their freedom to us and laid it humbly at our feet. But that has been our doing. Was this what Thou didst? Was this Thy freedom?'"

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Ok, I'll bite (it's late):

he would like to destroy her in the process

And what words in the article you linked to support this assertion?

Yes we are reading the financials. And watching the price of gold (hint hint). But Bear will probably survive to be strip-mined from within. And the creditors (China, UAE, Saudis, Japanese, etc) and other sovereign wealth funds will swoop down to re-package our assets. Will it suck for the USD confined man/women-on the street? Absolutely. We could be in really deep doo, hard to tell. The fed, as usual lately, is not inspiring confidence.

"In religion and politics people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination."

I get mine at wal mart

Actually, I'm the same age as Obama, so I missed out on the all flower power. The great bifurcation occurred and most hippies became investment bankers while a sad remnant moved to Oregon to grow granola and lament about the good old bad days.

But I always dug Janis and Jimi, and I still do!

I'm sure even Uncle Fester couldn't agree with this.

Yes, he will let sleeping dogs lie.

But I don't think ye keen the Grand Inquisitor, nor grok his works. I'm not really into shadow plays, unless it's from the yoga Vasishta. Those guys were old school, bringin' it.