The peculiar Mr. Obama only becomes more so. This is an edited excerpt of a recent article by Thomas Sowell on the Stafford Act speech that Obama delivered at Hampton University after the New Orleans hurricane. This is so strange--like so many things he does--that it is beyond explanation.
And apparently beyond not only criticism but evaluation at all.
Obama gave a speech at Hampton University on June 5, 2007. That date is important, as we shall see.
In his speech — delivered in a ghetto-style accent that Obama doesn't use anywhere except when he is addressing a black audience — he charged the federal government with not showing the same concern for the people of New Orleans after hurricane Katrina hit as they had shown for the people of New York after the 9/11 attacks, or the people of Florida after hurricane Andrew hit.
Departing from his prepared remarks, he mentioned the Stafford Act, which requires communities receiving federal disaster relief to contribute 10% as much as the federal government does.
Sen. Obama, as he was then, pointed out that this requirement was waived in the case of New York and Florida because the people there were considered to be "part of the American family." But the people in New Orleans — predominantly black — "they don't care about as much," according to him.
If you want to know what community organizers do, this is it — rub people's emotions raw to hype their resentments. And this was Barack Obama in his old community organizer role, a role that should have warned those who thought that he was someone who would bring us together, when he was all too well practiced in the arts of polarizing us apart.
Why is the date of this speech important?
Because, less than two weeks earlier, on May 24, 2007, the U.S. Senate had in fact voted 80-14 to waive the Stafford Act requirement for New Orleans, as it had waived that requirement for New York and Florida. More federal money was spent rebuilding New Orleans than was spent in New York after 9/11 and in Florida after Hurricane Andrew, combined.
He was one of just 14 Senators who voted against — repeat, AGAINST — the legislation which included the waiver.
And apparently beyond not only criticism but evaluation at all.
Obama gave a speech at Hampton University on June 5, 2007. That date is important, as we shall see.
In his speech — delivered in a ghetto-style accent that Obama doesn't use anywhere except when he is addressing a black audience — he charged the federal government with not showing the same concern for the people of New Orleans after hurricane Katrina hit as they had shown for the people of New York after the 9/11 attacks, or the people of Florida after hurricane Andrew hit.
Departing from his prepared remarks, he mentioned the Stafford Act, which requires communities receiving federal disaster relief to contribute 10% as much as the federal government does.
Sen. Obama, as he was then, pointed out that this requirement was waived in the case of New York and Florida because the people there were considered to be "part of the American family." But the people in New Orleans — predominantly black — "they don't care about as much," according to him.
If you want to know what community organizers do, this is it — rub people's emotions raw to hype their resentments. And this was Barack Obama in his old community organizer role, a role that should have warned those who thought that he was someone who would bring us together, when he was all too well practiced in the arts of polarizing us apart.
Why is the date of this speech important?
Because, less than two weeks earlier, on May 24, 2007, the U.S. Senate had in fact voted 80-14 to waive the Stafford Act requirement for New Orleans, as it had waived that requirement for New York and Florida. More federal money was spent rebuilding New Orleans than was spent in New York after 9/11 and in Florida after Hurricane Andrew, combined.
He was one of just 14 Senators who voted against — repeat, AGAINST — the legislation which included the waiver.
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