Throughout history there have been those that can steer ships of state and command the attention, if not the adoration of nations. Pericles of Athens, Dido of Carthage, and Cicero of the Roman Republic are just a few that come to mind from the ancient world. We remember them today because of both their oratory and what they affected with by their rhetoric. Modern incarnations include Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Fidel Castro, to name only a few who have used their skills for less than moral purposes.
One thing that separates those last three I named is that if you spoke out against them, in the arena of ideas, you tended to disappear. No intellectual honesty.
It was their message or no message. However, there were many others that would openly discuss varying viewpoints and openly debate law. Our Founders were such people. Several of them hated each other openly, yet honestly discussed the important topics of the day. Look what a few dozen such individuals were able to accomplish.
The Founders were wise and intelligent beyond their years. Within the Constitution they made it possible for the common man to speak their mind without fear of retribution (for the most part). Only in this society can the message of a charismatic individual such as Obama (personally, I think he has the charisma of a potato that has been hiding out in the back of the refrigerator). However, one must work carefully to surgically remove the man from the message. Never attack the man, only his message. It is what the individual will do with their power that must be opposed. If you attack the individual then all you may make is a martyr; especially if there is already a cult of personality (such as exists with Obama).
When Jesus was preaching in Israel, he was upsetting the current power brokers, namely the ruling Romans and their local enforcers (the Jewish priesthood, in this case). His preachings were seriously undermining the Jewish establishment, but did nothing to cause friction with the Roman garrisons. Jesus went to great lengths to remind everyone that his was a spiritual power, not temporal. By the time that Rome was in control of that region they had much experience with garrisoning conquered lands. They had seen people like Jesus come and go through the centuries and knew that if they just left him alone, that eventually his phenomenon will fade (competition or corruption, sooner or later those people always mess up). Executing him was almost the last thing they wanted. However, the last thing they wanted was a rebellion. His death created a martyr, a movement, and a religion. This religion would eventually take over the Roman Empire and keep the dying embers of learning and culture alive though the Dark Ages. The consequences of that one act ring down through the millennia (since Islam claims it roots through Christianity and the Jewish faith.
With a person like Obama, you can only attack his message. He is so protected by the main stream media, the color of his skin, and unthinking followers that any perceived attack on the man will only harden the resolve of him and his followers. For this Stoic, it is what he has planned for me and my family that is abhorrent and must be resisted. When someone says to me that I only disagree with him because he is black truly makes me pause. I simply can not bring myself to understand this. For starters, he is not black, he is mixed-racial. Secondly, I could care less what color he is, if you are going to take over the national economy and tell me where I can live, what I can do, and what type of light bulb I can put in my lamp, then I am going to disagree with you. I would disagree with him even if he smiled while he lifted my wallet. White, black...heck, the man is a Red. I'm pretty sure I'm going to disagree with most everything he says.
Well, for now this Stoic is going to pad on back to bed. The leaves grow yellow and the nights frosty. Bring a pillow if you wish to sit on the stairs at the Stoa.
--Zavost
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