"My dad started crying"

[impik]

"For whatever it's worth, I'm a native of and currently live in Louisiana, about 20 miles outside of New Orleans. My dad is a Cajun river rat in the truest sense, born and raised in Southeastern Louisiana. His father's native language is Cajun French -- literally, he had to learn English as a boy. My dad has never fished commercially, but it defines his out-of-work, weekend persona -- it dominates his spare time. He often talks about a dream life living in a shack somewhere out in the marsh, fishing all day. He's a product of the cultural fabric of southeastern Louisiana.

My dad comes home from work these days depressed about the oil spill. He thinks about it all damn day, and, like many here, he has no shortage of outrage at everyone involved in this mess.


When Obama pivoted to his remarks about "The Blessing of the Fleet," my dad started crying".

______________________________________________________


"Maureen Dowd can talk all she wants about these amorphous, nebulous standards like a "Clint Eastwood moment" or whatever, and Anderson Cooper is free to think he knows the people here better than anyone because he's been here for a few weeks, but Obama connected with my dad last night -- of that I can be sure. And trust me, my dad isn't exactly a pushover".



http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/06/the-deepwater-horizon-speech-reax-ctd.html#more

[Cha]

1. I knew that speech was so much about

the people affected by this Oil Gushin' Tragedy. Hell, I started tearing up..I have a lot of empathy for what they're going through.

Fuck the pundits.

[Mimosa]

5. Impik, God bless you. *hug*

That part of the speech made me think Obama has learned to understand how deep are our roots.

[rucognizant]

43. The Odd thing is..............

If the British haden't DEPORTED some of them from ACADIA in 1755 -- they would now be happily fishing in oil free waters off Nova Scotia!

[yellerpup]

2. Moving.

:kick:

[JuniperLea]

3. I knew Obama was reaching out to a specific group of Americans...

I'm happy to be hearing so many reports of the connection made. I cried too... tears are never too far away these days. I don't have much use for praying myself, and I don't like religious rules pushed upon everyone. In this particular case, I feel very, very strongly that Obama did the right thing.

[Phx_Dem]

4. That part of the speech was clearly intended for Gulf residents

who tend to be religious. I thought it was very moving.

I thought it was really insulting to hear the Maddow dissing the prayer segment. The media keeps telling us how upset and hurt (economically and mentally) the Gulf residents are, yet when the President includes a prayer intended for them, he's criticized.

People are so cynical and selfish. If it doesn't serve their particularly wants or wishes, they pounce. God forbid they allow a prayer for the church-going Gulf residents.

[Mimosa]

6. Phx_Dem either Obama is for real understanding us or not.

I heard the whole speech and appreciated President Obama's thoughts. So, to those who have contempt for faith, either the President is sincere or he's posing. I believe he is sincere.

I always knew there's a reason I don't like Ivy League elitists such as Maddow. They may have a slant on issues but look down on real people.

[PassingFair]

29. Maddow is a real people, too. n/t

[RollWithIt]

55. I agree and disagree...

I agree that she has empathy and is a caring person at heart. I disagree that she really understands what these times really mean for the residents of Louisiana.

[Hissyspit]

47. Yeah, you know that Rachel Maddow looks down on real people.

:eyes:

[Stellar]

79. I love Rachel but

I don't think she would knowingly look down on the President offering a prayer to the people of Louisiana. Is it possible that she did misunderstand how the people in the 'bible belt' would respond to it?

[MadMaddie]

52. Did you see Maddow's reporting while she was in the gulf?

She was physically ill from the destruction of the marshes...she cares deeply. I agree she was harsh and am not sure why she was so angry about the speech. Sometimes I just ignore those kind of rants. It was a 20 minute speech...I thought it was fine.

[Enthusiast]

60. Rachel can make a mistake like

anyone else. I would put her track record against anyone. I'm sure she will man up and apologize if warranted. Sometimes something is lost in cultural differences.

[PassingFair]

7. Prayer is the opposite of action.

We elected a President, not a minister.

God forbid we expect separation of church and state. How cynical and selfish of
the reality based community.

[Phx_Dem]

10. The two are not mutually exclusive. If offering to pray for people in need

offends you, don't listen.

Not everyone is as cynical and selfish as you apparently are.

[PassingFair]

11. If I went to my Congressman with a problem and he told me to pray about it....

he would never get another vote from me.

I shouldn't have to ignore the President.

Prayer is available 24/7 to anyone who has
the time for it.

They can be "led" in their churches, they can
do it on their own... whatever.

I don't want a prayer service from a President
in the midst of an ongoing disaster.

I may be cynical, but I am NOT selfish.

Your calling me names is indicative of how biased YOUR opinion is.

[Phx_Dem]

13. Are you kidding me?!! You think that's the same thing?

A Congressman who refuses to address your problem, instead tells you to pray for yourself is not at all the same as a President taking very agressive action to solve a huge problem while asking people to pray for those in need. He didn't order you to pray, he didn't televise a big prayer mass forcing you to watch, he simply offered a prayer for the church-going people in the Gulf who are in dire straits.

And yes that does make you a little selfish that you can't empathize with someone else even if you don't share their view. I'm not at all religious, but I understand that prayer offers comfort to those who are so what does it hurt?

And separation of Church and State is about the State not supporting one religion over the other. It has nothing to do with offering a prayer for somone in need. If they had been Muslims, he might have offered a muslim prayer rather than a Christian one.

[PassingFair]

15. Should the president have passed out communion wafers as well?

I disagree with you, so you call me selfish.

Good one!

If my congressman offered to see what he could do about
my problem and counseled me to pray about it in the meantime
I would be offended. No matter WHERE I lived.

He gave a MUCH HYPED speech to and ABOUT the region.

Sorry you view those who disagree with you as selfish.

I have loads of empathy for gulf residents and I resent
you telling me that I don't because I disagree with you
on the subject of public prayer, presided over by the
President of the United States in a nationally televised speech.

[Phx_Dem]

22. I don't regard those who disagree with me as selfish, I regard

those who can't see past their own views as selfish.

[PassingFair]

25. If the president were an atheist, or a hindu or a muslim....

would the people of the gulf be worse off because
he/she didn't lead them in PRAYER?

You are the one who looks with only one view.
I don't think YOU'RE selfish or cynical.

I wish Mr. Obama had been more cynical when he
believed that those deep water oil rigs had a
0% chance of failure, which is what BP claimed.

[Stellar]

80. I think the President should

jump into his wet suit, dive down and plug that damn hole. That's the least he could do. *snark*

[treestar]

26. You don't seem to have tolerance for people who disagree with you either

The snarky comment about electing a President, not a minister shows that.

[PassingFair]

27. It's not snark.

I mean it.

[Buddyblazon]

56. I'm an atheist...

but at moments like this, if a prayer comforts people, fine. I don't find others faith offensive. I know it's their thing. It's not my thing...but prayer can be very consoling for many. I've got zero problem with it.

This here poster = Atheist.

This here poster = Zero offense over people praying.


I truly believe in being a tolerant progressive. Not just a title on a member card.

[PassingFair]

57. I'm sure there are atheists and buddhists and wiccans included in the "people"

that you want to lump into one group.

I don't care if they pray or not.

I'm just not keen on the idea of flying
the President down to deliver the sermon.

[crikkett]

84. He didn't lead a public prayer. n/t

[bertman]

82. Excellent comment, PassingFair.

[goclark]

18. Well said, " God Bless America" comes to mind nt

[RichGirl]

14. What a ridiculous statement!!!

I'm not religious, in fact I think organized religion has done way more harm than good. But I know that when people pray, they don't stay on their knees. The get up and do something.

[PassingFair]

16. I've known plenty that stayed on their knees.

Pour oil into one hand and pray with the other.

See which fills up first.

[Cha]

19. Exactly...Nor am I religious but I have a

Dem sister who "prays" and she's one of the most Action people I know.

[PassingFair]

21. Good for her! There are priests and ministers for that!

I object to sending the President down on a plane
for a nationally televised speech to lead a prayer.

[Cha]

24. Good for you!

[NBachers]

61. Another thread has been deflected and degenerated

Time to move on to the next one

[Cha]

17. President Obama was addressing those who

are into it..specifically to calm the fears of those in the Gulf who were most affected by this tragedy and in the process he calmed mine for them.

We do have a President who made a commitment last night and he's keeping it.

[phleshdef]

30. As a member of the atheist/agnostic community, I abhore your kind of bigotry.

75% or more of this nation are people of faith. This is even moreso a tradition in the south where the people effected by this problem live. I'm glad the mainstream isn't like you, where its suddenly wrong for the President of the United States to offer a symbolic gesture of shared faith to others who are suffering. I may not believe in it, but I respect it as a RIGHT that this country was built on. And don't give me "separation of church and state" BS. You obviously don't even know what that means. Separation of church and state was DESIGNED so that ALL citizens can choose to practice their chosen faith without anyone being able to stand between that. That right is extended to the President and everyone else, whether you like it or not, thats America baby, get over it or get the hell out.

[PassingFair]

32. And I abhor your trite slogans.

"thats America baby, get over it or get the hell out."

If I were a gulf resident, I would have been
appalled by that speech.

My opinion on this is no more, or less valid than yours.
The only difference is I'm not telling you to leave.

[phleshdef]

40. I welcome your abhorance. And I'm glad you didn't attempt to deny your bigotry.

[PassingFair]

41. I don't admit to bigotry.

Who are you that lays down edicts that
someone has to "deny"?

You must be the lord almighty, telling
people who disagree with you to "get your ass out".

[phleshdef]

42. If you can't accept that everyone is free to express their religion in a nonviolent manner...

...then yea, this probably isn't the country for you.

[PassingFair]

44. I don't want the President thrown in JAIL for this.

:crazy:

I just don't like him leading prayers.

And I think that it is allowable for me to feel this way.

So, yeah, I'm not going anywhere.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

83. if you were a native gulf resident, you would have been raised in a different world

that would have produced an entirely different perspective.

People were comforted by his demonstration of compassion.

Compassion and action, that's the bottom line.

We're used to identifying and renouncing rigid, un-compassionate ideology from the fundagelical demographic, but it can come from the atheist population too.


Anyway,...... ok, I've participated in this tangent enough.

[Name removed]

86. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. And when Bush prayed after 911

It wasn't perceived positively here.

[Cha]

53. So? Fucking bush sat on ass while 9/11 happened and

then bombed Iraq. bush is fucking hypocrite.

[Enthusiast]

63. Personally I perceived Bush

to be a fraud. Always, in everything, and even when leading in a prayer. Sorry, that's just the way I feel. I didn't get that impression with Obama but I'm sure the radical RW haters did. Obama seemed genuine to me.

[Enthusiast]

62. Ordinarily I would agree.

But the people inhabiting the coastal gulf region are more devout and genuinely so. A few words from the president can go a long way in soothing people that feel their hearts have been torn out.

[muffin1]

70. +1,000,000

:thumbsup:

[Cha]

9. I know.. I am not religious at

all..but, I can certainly have empathy for those who are. So many left wings mocking the prayer portion but they aren't understanding those who ARE helped by it are the ones who matter the most. I was almost in tears feelng the empathy and compassion being demonstrated in that Address.

And, of course, the rwhacks won't even mention that part..just "agree with KO about not showing leadership". Right over their heads.

[Enthusiast]

65. I am left wing but I don't mock.

One must also consider how persecuted the LW feels at the hands of the religious extremists in this country. This is especially true of gays.

[Mojorabbit]

51. Well I am in Florida

and I was livid after the speech. Shrug. It may have spoke to a small segment of the area to be affected but not me where it has only started affecting our state. It did not soothe my sadness nor anger at the situation.
I am honestly happy though, if it did help even one person who has been feeling as I and everyone I know has. For that I would be very very happy.
It is rough to make it through each day waiting for the worst to occur. I am in and out of tears over it since it happened and it is a long way from being done yet.

[Moonwalk]

87. The issue really isn't about the prayer. Those who are angry about the speech--

--are angry because it didn't include a call to action as well as a call to prayer. A call to prayer is fine. Soothing people and making them feel better in a terrible time, is fine. But as a president, not a minister, Obama ought to have offered a very strong, concrete idea of what actions would immediately be taken. Actions as radical and powerful as possible--pretty much as if we'd come under attack and needed to prepare for war.

This, I think, is why Maddow was so critical and bitter, and why so many are harping on the prayer. It's not so much that we give a shit about the president being religious or wisely knowing that he is as much a president of those who are religious as those who aren't...it's the feeling of "That's it? That's all we get? A prayer?"

And while, yes, these states are the ones being hit, the ones in trouble, the ones who need what they need (including prayer) this is a NATIONAL crisis. A global one, even, as these are ocean waters and those belong to the planet. So, I'm fine with Obama offering a prayer to those on the front lines, who want it, need it, and will be able to go on if he offers it. But there is the rest of the nation and the world. And what we needed was more than a prayer. If he didn't give us that more, then, in the long run, he gave us nothing. He needed to step up to the plate. I have hopes that he still will, because imagining what will happen if he doesn't is...horrible. But in this instance, he only offered a token gesture instead of the real deal. And that's just not good enough, however important that token may have been to many.

[JDPriestly]

89. We have had promise upon promise of action on energy independence,

on alternative energy. Obama is calling leading members of Congress to his office tomorrow. I'm hoping that this time, we will get action first and talk later.

At this point, surely all Americans understand that we have to start an aggressive program to develop energy independence and alternative energy. The Republicans said they will support a program. We have to start, and we need all Americans to work together.

So, I think Obama may have wanted to avoid the political grandstanding. To succeed, a program to develop alternative energy has to include Republican ideas.

I was critical of Obama's speech until I read that he has called members of Congress in to see him.

[onpatrol98]

71. maybe for himself as well

The president says he's religious also. I didn't think he had connected well with people down here...but maybe that was his way of connecting. Many down here tend to be religious, the president says he's religious as well...perhaps there is common ground there, with a prayer that means a lot to local fishermen.

[JDPriestly]

88. I believe that Obama is probably the most sincerely devout president

in my life outside of Jimmy Carter.

[damntexdem]

8. And this is just the start of the disruptions to the lifestyles of Gulf residents.

Or rather, of the destruction of those lifestyles.

[vaberella]

12. You haven't read the articles...

One article mentioned on MSNBC actually hates that Obama put up the moratorium. They hate it. they want drilling since it's their job and yet they are also demanding in the same article for Obmaa to protect the wetlands.

[Uzybone]

20. Anderson Cooper is like a leech

sucking on the blood and pain of suffering people.

[Mimosa]

36. No way.

How is Anderson 'sucking on blood' by spending much time in the areas and with the people who have been most harmed by the geyser in the Gulf?

He's been relaying the facts of what's going on better than any other journalist. He seriously understands the gravity of the situation. I don't know a whole lot about Anderson but I seem to recall having read that his father -who'd committed suicide when Anderson was a young boy- had originally come from New Orleans. He may feel a genuine connection.

[Uzybone]

38. let me know when AC360 goes back to Haiti

when was the last time he stood on the shores of the Gulf before this gusher? Dude is a phony.

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. Why would he have been there?

[Uzybone]

45. That is the issue

Once the rest of the cameras leave, so does Anderson. He claims to care about the places and people, but once it no longer front page news, Cooper is outta there with the rest.

[proud2BlibKansan]

46. He's probably headed out to California in anticipation of the next earthquake

:crazy:

[eilen]

78. Wasn't he down there in the aftermath of Katrina?

I'm not sure, but I think I remember he was reporting from there and was pretty affected by what he saw. I'm not a bit AC fan and don't watch his show often or, ever but I think I remember him reporting on it.

[Mojorabbit]

92. He kicked ass reporting

after Katrina as did Shep Smith. I will give them both kudos for that.

[Barack_America]

67. He may mean well, but to assume that he "knows" or "understands" a people...

...after spending such a short time with them is condescending.

Also, it was his brother who committed suicide. Cooper is the son of Gloria Vanderbilt, so his experience has been primarily one of money and privilege.

That being said, I do think he's about as good as it gets these days when it comes to journalists.

[Jennicut]

23. It got to me too. It is a culture and way of life for these people.

They need to feel someone cares, and Obama did it without trying to manipulate us like Bush.

[watrwefitinfor]

28. Well put, Jennicut. So well put. n/t

[Mimosa]

33. "These people"???

These people? Those people?

The third world superstitious Catholics who have those quaint traditions who happen to live in coastal communities?

If some lofty people who post on DU were vacationing in villages in Spain, Mexico or France they might find the locals so colourful with their quaint religious customs, traditional foods and music but secretly be disdaining them. (I can only imagine what some might make of voudoun. *lol*)

Fortunately I don't believe the President was talking down to people or his speech might have sounded phony. Perhaps he spent enough time talking *with not to* working people in Louisiana communities to have made a genuine connection with us.

If Obama did not mean what he said the alternative would be that he was pandering. There is no in between.

[Cha]

54. That's right and that's who the President was

especially addressing his commitment to.

And, why shouldn't he? It's they who were affected by this unfatomable disaster of oil ruining their very culture.

[Chulanowa]

31. I grew up down there

And attended one or two Blessing of the Fleets, myself. I knew exactly what he was talking about, and while I didn't choke up at that particular part, it struck a chord nevertheless.

Unfortunately it seems some DU'ers are so settled on hating the president no matter what, and are so utterly certain that any mention of religion is a clal to inaction...

[suzie]

49. I don't think that people understand that Blessing of the Fleet is a festival day with

crawfish and shrimp boils, the boats decked out in lights and flowers.

Or that it may be a long time before any of us can go to a Blessing of the Fleet again.

My thought about Obama was that he looked natural in all the photo ops at the beach over the past week, much more so than other photo op times--like bowling.

This is a guy who grew up around beaches and the water. Is it unreasonable to think that he really does grasp something of the loss that the Gulf Coast is experiencing?

[Cha]

50. Just passed through in my life..but

I still knew what he was talking about from living in Hawaii and having different businesses blessed after the Hurricane Iniki in '92. I could put myself in those people's place almost and I did tear up at the empathy and compassion he directed at those most affected by the oil disaster.

[Aramchek]

34. Obama reaches deeper than the shallow-ass Media can comprehend

[AtomicKitten]

37. This OP is a two-fer: moving AND informational K&R nt

[shireen]

48. in fairness to Anderson Cooper ...

i believe his dad was from the region, so i'm assuming he spent some of his childhood there.

[flyarm]

58. My back yard is the Gulf in Florida..and I was livid at that horseshit speech! eom

[PassingFair]

66. You couldn't have been. You're one of those people.

You needed a sermon and plea for a miracle.

:hi:

[jonnyblitz]

69. yeah, everybody knows all southern folk are woo.

:sarcasm:

[jonnyblitz]

68. you mean you didn't pray like he told you? after all, I am told, he

was catering to YOU. :crazy:

[flyarm]

72. I am crying alright..but I am crying for the destruction of the Gulf of Mexico

and I have been crying since April 20th at the failure of my government to do their damn job!..I am crying that my government turned over their responsibility of my beaches and air I breathe and the water I drink and the marine life I love and the wild life that is dying daily..to Charlie Manson..









I mean BP..........

[bc3000]

59. I am confused by the attitudes in Louisiana

They are watching their way of life, their culture, being destroyed. Yet they also seem to overwhelming support the continuation of the offshore drilling that is causing this destruction.

How is it possible to help people like this?

[onpatrol98]

74. that's a good point

It could be because in one family, you can have two children fishing with for a living, and two more working for the oil industry. Both have been helping to maintain the economy for some southern states. But, it's a dangerous combination.

[madmom]

75. It is the same way in the mining communities in West Virginia and other

Appalachian regions. The mining companies are devastating to their health and the health of the environment itself, but that is their livelihood, so they feel they have to support/protect it. They know nothing else.

[glowing]

76. Its one of the only industry's left. AND it pays better than most jobs down there

AND places have still not recovered fully from the hurricane storms.

I think that people perceive the speech differently depending on where in the Gulf they live. I'm in FL.. its a state with a very diverse population. Blessing the Fleet means nothing to us. However, the amt of tourism money we are losing does matter.. AND the reason people uprooted from all over the country to come and live in Sunny FL.

The speech felt empty because its going to be the same ole' same ole'...

[juajen]

81. You are painting with a very broad brush. Please cease.

There is a fear of our unemployment numbers going south. Do you not understand that this disaster affects even a pizza parlor in Lafayette?

Of course, people are worried about their jobs. We have many, many oilfield jobs down here, and that includes all of the peripheral jobs.

If you don't understand Louisiana, just say so and someone will inform you. The oilfield encompasses most of Louisiana, not just the gulf. People come here from all over the world to work and their livelihoods are at stake.

Of course I am one Louisianian that supports the moratorium; but I don't speak for every one, and neither should you. A little bit of understanding goes a long way here.

[bc3000]

90. Then please answer my question

There are people out of work all over the country. Jobs are important.

They shouldn't be more important than Louisiana's culture and way of life. But apparently they are to the people of Louisiana. So tell me, how is the rest of the country supposed to save the people of Louisiana from themselves? This isn't a republican vs. democrat thing. Even your democrats are oil industry shills.

So what can the rest of us do? Maybe some kind of intervention where we sit you all down and try to get you to listen to reason? Or is Louisiana's support for off-shore drilling something that can't be overcome so we've got to rally the rest of the country to find enough votes to prevent the people of the Gulf states from killing themselves?

[Mimosa]

91. Juajen, at last somebody who understands

Most DUers don't understand the customs, culture or the economy of Louisiana. And many of the Northerners here don't understand the South. That came out during the primaries.

I was a member of save Our Wetlands many years ago. I've been in the marshes and I've seen the damage done by the oil and gas companies canal grids way back in the 1950s and 1960s.

I tend to support continuing to pump from wells which are inspected and certified as safe but not for new drilling. I know how many of Louisiana's people depend on the jobs. They've already lost about 90,000 jobs from this disaster, from what I can calculate.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

64. K&R

[bongbong]

73. Jump the shark

Isn't the moment when Andrew Sullivan endorses you your "Jump The Shark" moment?

:sarcasm:

[juajen]

77. I understand.

My depression is constant, and I don't live on the coast, just 30 miles from it. Some rat from BP, I believe, made the comment "You can get shrimp anywhere." and I almost threw up. Idiots have no idea what they have destroyed.

My husband and I used to go to Delcombe to watch the shrimp boats coming in and going out. We would pick up some shrimp and go down to Vermillion Bay and barbecue them and watch the sunset. Now, he's gone and so is a way of life that so many of us took for granted, but loved with all our hearts.

Our wonderful animals rushing to shore to try to escape the oil is a nightmare of epoc proportion, and it will not leave this So. Louisianian and so many more of us, including people from all over the world who are crushed by this scenario. God help us, and help our wonderful people, and the creatures we should have protected.

[DesertDiamond]

85. I'm starting to feel President Obama gives excellent speechs. But as for his actions,

He's promised things and then done the opposite. Then again there was the guy in Louisiana who told of how hands-on and accessible Pres. Obama has been in this crisis. I hope in this case he continues to take action to solve the crisis.