Mao and the Christmas Tree: The President’s Yuletide Jeer
by James PaneroIt isn’t often that matters of art enter the political news cycle. The Obama administration is determined to change that. Over the holiday week, Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government drew its readers’ attention to the ornamentation on the White House Christmas tree–in particular, an ornament featuring a picture of the Chinese dictator Mao Zedong.
This season’s Christmas decorations, recycled and reappropriated by “community groups” with ornaments from previous White House installations, were the brainchild of Simon Doonan, the Pop Art gadabout tapped by the White House for the occasion. Doonan is most well known for his controversial window displays at the Barneys New York department store, which have included dioramas of Margaret Thatcher in dominatrix wear and Dan Quayle as a ventriloquist’s dummy.
The news of the White House’s holiday hijink reached around the globe. The most interesting commentary came out of the smackdown between the art critic for the Los Angeles Times Christopher Knight and Breitbart. I have had my run-ins with Knight myself. On this occasion, Knight thought he outdid the right-wing commentators by making a distinction between any old portrait of Mao and “Andy Warhol’s ‘Mao ‘”—from which the White House ball derived.
“The image is one of a very large series of silkscreen paintings and prints the late Pop artist made of Mao,” wrote Knight. ”Warhol’s parody transformed the leader of the world’s most populous nation into a vapid superstar—the most famous of the famous. The portrait photo from Mao’s Little Red Book is tarted up with lipstick, eye-shadow and other Marilyn Monroe–style
flourishes.” To which Breitbart responded:
If Bush had one kitschy Hitler ornament among 1000s of others, I’m sure you’d refrain from judgment, right?… How the artist of the Mao picture negates the inappropriateness of honoring the world’s worst mass murderer in the history of the world in the White House is beyond my pedestrian education.
Now, I admire Breitbart’s rhetorical faux naivete, and of course there is a difference between “Andy Warhol’s Mao” and the Mao portrait you find looking down over Tiananmen Square. I doubt the White House intended the offending ornament to be an overt celebration of the Great Leader. Yet it is equally naive to claim, as Christopher Knight does, that Andy Warhol’s Mao is a straightforward attack on the dictator and therefore exculpatory. The image of Warhol’s Mao is neither pro-Communist nor anti-Communist. It is simply parody, and parody with the broadest of implications. Warhol’s Mao is an attack on an icon for the sake of its iconography, not for what that icon represents. This is why Doonan included it, and why we should be wary of it.
The problem with the White House Christmas Tree isn’t Mao per se but another three letter word: Pop. Simon Doonan’s choice of Christmas ornaments, “decorated” in a Dada assembly of camp images from drag queens to historical figures, is a kitschy affront to the icon they are meant to adorn—the Christmas tree itself. Doonan’s pop sensibility might be appropriate for the window displays at Barneys New York, where it can poke fun at the materialism of the Christmas season, but Pop Art irony has no place in what should be the least ironic house in the nation. For this reason Doonan’s White House tree should be criticized.
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129 Comments
Interesting article.
What I find further interesting, is that Barrack and MoShelle did not exchange any Christmas gifts, and did not go to Christmas services, anywhere.
Perhaps they are resting up for Kwansa?
In any event, he is doing more than thumbing his nose at western civilization, western culture, and western tradition. He is abandoning it, and summarliy rejecting it out of hand. He is pathetic.
Cowboy you have hit the nail on the head. The Obamas could care less about America and our history, our traditions or anything else we have believed in the past 230+ years. Pathetic just slightly skims the surface of what the Obamas are.
Take note America! “The Woodstock Nation” is all grown up, and are now in charge. This is the Age of Aquarius, where nothing is sacred, except of coarse their worn out ‘60s BS. They hate America, and everything that it stands for, Christmas being one.
I'm surprised they only had Mao on the Christmas tree. Wonder where they
hid Khruschev, Stalin, Marx and Castro?
Maybe these decorations were intended to be memorials, of sorts, honoring some of the czars thrown under the bus. The Mao one could be intended to honor Anita Dunn, for obvious reasons.
As for the transvestite one…that one could be in remembrance of Van Jones. Why? Well, if you've ever heard the…ehem…man speak, the reason should be obvious, too.
Well, Obama proved his words to be true, when he told the world that this is not a Christian Nation anymore…maybe for him, but if he thinks that the rest of us are going to sit back and take his thumbing his nose at OUR religious holidays, he better think again!! WE THE PEOPLE will NOT STAND for OUR country to be governed by a Muslim!! We will find a way to get him OUT of Washington!!! Along with the rest of his socialists commies!! They ALL have to go!! The sooner the better!!
There is still Easter…..
Defiling a Christmas tree with scurrilous and murderous icons fits the first family and their minions to a tee. It is another facet of the progressive strategy to diminish and then destroy centuries of revered American traditions. We The People are to blame for this obscenity of leadership. The duty to correct this monstrous mistake is in OUR hands.
Obviously, obama is trying to prove that America is not a Christian nation. Since the masking of all religious symbols during a speech at Georgetown, he and his handlers have been on the attack. I think that the MAJORITY of Americans are still Christians, and these desecrations of the Christian holiday, and traditions should be a wake-up call to those of us who value our fundamentals. We can start to root out the pinkos next November, with a clean sweep in 2012….
Now we know what those rehabilitated Gitmo prisoners were make in their art therapy class, Obama Christmas ornaments.
Can't help but find the irony in the Obama White House 'celebrating" Christmas with a "pop-art image of the athiest, mass killing political oppurtunist Mao. I also find a bitter irony in the season for giving to children juxtaposed againt trillion dollar deficits that are akin to the generational theft of said children.
Real artist he is NOT. This could be done by 1st graders. Pop art. What a hoot.
Since our "President " refuses to where an American flag and calls it a symbol of oppression to the rest of the world, why not decorate the White House Christmas tree with nothing but little American flags just to piss him off!!
Hmm. Pop art, made from recycled pop art, depicting the dregs of humanity. It does seem to be a suitable metaphor for leftism.
Still, I may say so, it has no business of a Christmas tree.
I believe you mean spring festival.
his shallow pretense at caring for western civilization in general, and the American version thereof in particular, has taken the boy wonder as far as it can. he no longer needs to put on the act of being a Christian, etc. that schtick helped get him elected to the most powerful position in the world (which he's squandering, but that's another issue) and can now be safely discarded… until the next election cycle.
RCKMom.
The people are 'standing for it' and the post from Paul below is right on target.
'We The People are to blame for this obscenity of leadership. The duty to correct this monstrous mistake is in OUR hands.'
You are right..however WE WILL find a way to correct the mistakes made!!
The Obamas DID NOT celebrate Xmas or attended any christian Xmas services but they sure held a HUGE RAMADAN celebration at the White House last November where all kinds of openly, America- hating muslim representatives and community leaders attended….Obama's fabricated christianity is just another one of his campaign's props. The revealing aspect of his "post- campaign mode" is the fact that he seems to like rubbing his deceit it in our faces. Soon we will see him kneel on his prayer mat, facing Mecca in the oval office four times a day. Not only does he not know Americans but HE COULD CARE LESS about any aspect of our entire culture, including any job creation "strategies".
PERHAPS IF THE LAME STREAM MEDIA HAD DONE THEIR JOB AND REPORTED MORE ON HIS ASSOCIATIONS WITH SELF AVOWED COMMUNISTS AND SOCIALISTS AND PUT HIM ON THE HOT SEAT WITH TUFF QUESTIONS THE VOTERS MIGHT HAVE OVERLOOKED HIS STAR QUALITY AND TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT HIS ASSOCIATIONS. REMEMBER THAT OLD SAYING, " YOU ARE JUDGED BY THE COMPANY YOU KEEP".
But.. but what about this flag? http://www.mnsd56.com/20091219180/when-arrogance-...
But, of course!
It's only natural that the:
WHITE HOUSE HONORS JOLLY FAT MAN
http://naturalfake.wordpress.com/2009/12/23/white...
Maybe they have a festist pole in their livingroom…
"Art is what you can get away with."–me
Because of their hatred and bitterness, the profoundness of leading this nation is way beyond Barachelle. Why else would they try to change everything about they way things have been done before them? Besides being the first Marxist couple to inhabit the White House, they're truly the first pop culture first couple. Besides flipping America the bird in almost all things, they're just classless, They'll continue to interject their classless taste into everything for the next three years by way of the people they surround themselves with, including the foolish and tasteless "artist" who decorated their perversity tree.
See MO's boob belts and army boots and other obviously inappropriate attire at every solemn occasion for further proof.
As long as Michelle isn't dancing on the pole…
Pardon me, hysterical blindness just set in…
Look for a liberal Democrat to try and pass legislation to make that the official flag of our "57" states.
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[...] Wow! The Powers That Be: For Your Christmas Eve Viewing Pleasure James Panero, Big Government: Mao and the Christmas Tree: The President’s Yuletide Jeer VotingFemale Speaks!: Christmas Day Open Thread Michelle Malkin: “Glory to God in the highest, [...]
Kathryn you are so right! This has been said before but I want to say it again about the lame stream media as you so eloquently put it..
I THINK IT IS REMARKABLE THAT THE PRESS CAN FIND EVERY WOMAN THAT TIGER WOODS HAS HAD AN AFFAIR WITH THE LAST FEW YEARS, WITH PHOTOS, TEXT MESSAGES, RECORDED PHONE CALLS ETC. THEY KNOW NOT ONLY THE CAUSE OF THE FAMILY FIGHT BUT EVEN KNOW IT WAS A WEDGE FROM HIS GOLF BAG THAT SHE WAS BREAKING OUT THE WINDOWS IN THE ESCALADE. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY KNOW WHICH WEDGE. THIS IS THE SAME PRESS (OR IS IT?) THAT CANNOT LOCATE OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR ANY OF HIS PAPERS WHILE IN COLLEGE.
WHY IS THIS MAN STILL IN THE WHITE HOUSE? WHY HAVEN'T THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THROWN HIM OUT YET? WHERE IS EVERYONE? OH, YOU'D RATHER COMPLAIN THAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WELL, WELL, EXACTLY WHAT BO WANTS. HE ***KNOWS*** YOU WILL DO NOTHING EXCEPT YELL AND SCREAM – NOTHING MORE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE INDEED, COWARDS. TOTALLY COWARDS. IF I KNEW MORE PEOPLE, I WOULD START A REVOLUTION, BUT I AM OLD AND MOST OF YOU ARE YOUNG AND CAN DO THIS, BUT NO, YOU ARE SITTING ON YOUR CUSHY CHAIRS, SIPPING TEA AND COFFEE AND WOULD RATHER RANT AND RAVE AND DO NOTHING. MAYBE BO IS RIGHT ABOUT THIS COUNTRY.
is anyone really surprised at the way the Obamas are acting? Do you remember when the 'NewYorker Magagize' posted the picture of both Obams standing in the WH – he dressed as a musulim and she wearing a rifle and radical garb.. doing the fist bump – they did it as a joke – but do they really know how close they came to realization!
[...] rest is here: Big Government » Blog Archive » Mao and the Christmas Tree: The … By admin | category: tree | tags: base, chinese, ornament-featuring, over-the-holiday, [...]
“Let a hundred flowers bloom.”
~Mao Zedong
THE SAD THING IS THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS NO SHAME. SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE ANNOINTED ONE, AND YOUR LABELED A RACIST! IT'S NO ACCIDENT obummer IS RUNNING THIS COUNTRY INTO THE GROUND. JUST READ HIS MENTOR saul alinsky's BOOK, RULES FOR RADICALS, AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CLOWN IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS UP TO. FOR ALL THE IGNORANT SHEEP THAT VOTED FOR THIS CLOWN, HOW THAT HOPE AND CHANGE WORKING FOR YOU? FOOLS!!!!!
Well stated, Paul! I am mystified (although I shouldn't be) at all the people who wring their hands and shake their heads at the exponential loss of freedoms and traditions we are experiencing in America. They act as though they cannot comprehend how it is happening. When I summon the energy to discuss the phenonenon with the clueless, they look at me as though I was a prophet of common sense, when all along the markers pointing toward statist despotism were there. Of course, White House mouthpieces will explain away Mao's appearance on the tree as a simple lapse of "ornament vetting" or something equally inane. The Marxist / fascist behavior displayed by the Obamas and their lieutenants are perfectly consistent and expected. The millions of Americans who still don't comprehend the enormity of the decline of the Republic are more of a danger, as it will have to be the People who right the ship of state.
It is amazing that the United States of America purposely is being reduced to a bizarro land in which we politely discuss absurdities and public insults such as this tree's ornaments. This administration considers the White House a setting for mocking our republic as it is being destroyed.
You nailed it. If you have studied the Progressive agenda, I think you can predict that the attacks on religion and the family will covertly increase in intensity. These people are truly evil and must be confronted.
Those are the names of the reindeers…..
pATRIOTICANDOLD
You are never too old to do something. Commenting is a beginning, but don't stop there! If nothing else you can search out information and present it to forums like this.
Please do not post in all caps, it is considered yelling and it's hard to read.
So was Warhol's Mailyn Monroe, done in the same style, an attack on Marilyn Monroe?
Now we know why Anita Dumb said Mao was her “favorite philosopher”. Obviously she is not alone in the Obamapos circles.
Wonder how Michelle will do under Sharia law. Maybe that's what the bozo wants. To put his pushy idiot wife in her place (behind a burka). What a hoot.
[...] Continue here: Big Government » Blog Archive » Mao and the Christmas Tree: The … [...]
Typical of what I would expect out of the Obamas. Gosh, how dumb could people be to vote this poor excuse for an American into office. I still can not believe it.
Did the "artist" who contributed that ornament license the Mao image from the Andy Warhol Foundation?
It's just silly. The Obamas are so desperate to be seen as hip that they allow this junk on their tree?
They are just ridiculous people.
You will remember that MaoBama was on vacation during Ramadan and rarely made appearances during the day unless forced to do so (Ted Kennedy death). They are not allowed to eat until evening during Ramadan.
Since Obamass and his minions always use BUSH as a fallback, let's use it here. Try to envision President Bush sitting at his desk in the Oval Office. He is approached by an aide who appears to be in a somewhat agitated state. The President sees this and asks –
"How are you today, how may I help you?"
The aide responds –
"Sir, it has come to my attention that there is upon the White House Christmas tree an ornament adorned with an image of … of … Mao Zedong!"
You finish the story.
You must be a racist.
( lol )
Cowboy, what can I say? You said a mouthful! If America is not frightened by what is going on, they are sick! This stuff totally is not American and would have never previously been allowed to occur! We are kidding ourselves if we do not know that this stuff also happened in Russia under Lenin and Stalin, in Germany under Hitler, in China with Obama's beloved Mao Tse Tung (who murdered over 12,000,000 himself), and in South East Asia after we left! Note that two times more people were murdered under Obama's "Moaism" than by Hitler! SO, unlike most of us have learned in school, Communism has killed far more than FASCISM!
How? The Communist control the House, Senate, and Judicial, and of coarse, the White House! They can even stop the next election using the G.W. Bush (In on it?) Domestic Terrorist Act to stop the 2010 election and such for evermore! Do you realize that the Psychologist Julian Rotter proved that there are "External" or fatalistic people in psychological make-up or "Internal" people who feel that they have some control over their destiny. Further, that America was founded as an "Internal" County until FDR gave us his RAW DEAL and since him only "External" personalities have been allowed citizenship in America! Short of it, we are now made up of a majority of followers looking for the likes of O'bama's hero, Moa Tse Tung, etc!
I think Obie is mentally ill.
He protested the use of his middle name, "Hussein," during the campaign but immediately included it after he won, as if to say, GOTCHA!
$800 million were bequeathed to Hamas in the stimu-less bill plus laying out the welcome mat for 200,000 Hamas refugees to emigrate to the US. Millions were awarded to CAIR, Hamas' unindicted co-conspirator, who claims that Islam will take over America in a bloodless coup by the year 2020. I think Obie is the front man, meant to lull us into a stupor while his cronies multiply in great numbers here.
Christmas is about LIFE and the promises that Jesus made to us. Mao is about DEATH. I AM OFFENDED that Christmas is being mocked by the president of the United States. It is not a coincidence that Mao is on a tree in the White House, look at the commies who are paid with our hard earned dollars Obams urrounds himself with. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THEM DISMISSING EVERYTHING THAT WE FIND OUT ABOUT THEM. Oh, they didn't know that van Jones was a commie, oh they didn't know that Anita Hill loves mao, oh they didn't know that the unsafe school czar is a pedaphile….and so on. I want these traiters out of our house. All the houses.
Except the Obamas DID exchange gifts this year, which hed had claimed, before becoming president, that they did not and did NOT give gifts to their daughters. Yet, on Oprah's show ( no, I didn't watch it, but I did read about it later ) Barry and Mo had a wee spat about who gave the best presents and said that they are exchanging gifts.
What's with the White House and Mao. Didn't one of his staff have to resign after she stated that Mao was one of her favorite philosophers. Anita Dunn I believe.
Chill out, guys! Let the man do his job. You think the President hung that ornament? He's not a muslim, not a communist, not the AntiChrist. Put a little of your anti-Obama energy into learning to spell or something.
I think this posting hit the nail o the head. Obama really doesn't care what is on the tree, he cares about who decorated it.
Simply put, we've been given the figurative finger. The cockroaches have emerged from the woodwork and are no longer afraid of the light.
Well, I do know that Stalin, Marx, and Castro, were the Three Kings in the WH nativity scene, I couldn't get close enough to see who was laying in the manger. Personally I think it's Barack laying in the manger, but again, couldn't tell, the baby was too tightly wound in it's Soviet flag swaddling clothes.
Media agrees with him.
Maybe they printed it as a tribute, not a joke.
Mao killed 60 million in a forced famine in 1960.
Would anyone condone a spoofy image of Hitler on a Menorah?
I dont think so.
When coming to your site from National Review tonight, I was told that your site was a malicious site that could harm my computer. I asked to continue and then a second warming came up and I clicked continue.
I thought you should know.
Wow, commenters here really are an unhinged group. It was poor taste to use Warhol's pop-art Mao imagery on the WH christmas tree ornaments, but, to answer a few items above: (1) Yes, Warhold's Marilyn Monroe painting was a similar critique. (2) The school "czar" is not a pedophile under any definition of any law in any state. It is patently unAmerican to condemn innocent people for crimes they haven't committed and un-Christian to bear false witness. You should be ashamed of yourself(s) and should seek forgiveness for doing so. (3) One can disagree with the notion of American Exceptionalism (which has a specific meaning) and still think America is "exceptional" in the ordinary use of the word, and worth defending.
Also, one of the key Christian religious-political leaders in this country, who is responsible for ensuring that elected representatives bring Christian values to their political work, regularly cites Mao, Stalin, and Hitler with admiration. Douglas Coe. Look him up. If you are offended by the Christmas tree ornament, you should be offended by Coe, the group he leads, the National Prayer Breakfast that he runs, and all of the politicians (and there are a lot of them) who subscribe to his views. If you are not, you should reflect and consider your hypocrisy, and whether you are truly the Christian(s) that you claim to be.
Finally, a question: would it ever be acceptable to have a non-Christian president, or would that be unAmerican?
I wrote a comment respresenting a somewhat different point of view. It contained no objectionable language and was entirely respecful, with the sole exception of referring to the hysterical commenters here as "unhinged," which is mild compared to what others have written. It's impossible to understand why my words were deleted, except that you don't tolerate any degree of dissent. Sorry to see that.
Hey Stan give us woodstockers a break. We are retiring now, the POS-OTUS was 8 yrs old during woodstock. We will take credit for Hendricks Star Spangled Banner, but dont hang this thug around are necks.
Thank you for restoring my earlier comments.
With these two I believe it would be a FETISH POLE.
Well first of all SallyJ it looks as if your words were not deleted as you just stated, but maybe they should be. I don't think it would matter what the President's religion would be as long as he was just with all Americans. This Great Country was founded on the hope that people coming to this country could believe what they want to believe and worship with out fear of retribution. Whether that religion be Christianity, Buddism, Hindu, Jewish or whatever. I really believe that the thorn here is the fact that we have a "known Muslim running our country and thumbing his nose at a "Federal recognized holiday Christmas" that to Christians does mean the celebration of the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. That this Nation does have alot of Christians that are offended by his lack of respect to our faith.
Secondly, it is also a slap in our face to have a Muslim running this country after what happened in New York and Pennsylvania on 9/11. He made so many comments before his election that he was a Christian and that HE WAS NOT MUSLIM only to revert back to muslim ways after his election. Another point is He still has not provided this country with a bonafide birth certificate that he is indeed AMERICAN. I can understand some of our older Americans having a problem with producing birth certificates cause alot of them were born in private residences and those things did happen to get overlooked, I know because my mother did not have a birth certificate but she is in her 70's. That can not be the case for the President not producing one. Anyway I am just another "hysterical unhinged" making a point.
Cool, one break coming up. That’s true Barry was only eight, but all of his teachers, mentors, Bombing Billy Ayers, Rev. Wright, Saul Alinsky, were very much a part of the monster that was the ‘60s and helped Barry develop his hate of America.
Patrioticandold>>>The question you ask, you answer. Unfortunately in American those most offended by the subversive conduct of those in Washington, are at this point too old to be really effective in turning this abomination around. As noted elsewhere the Woodstock Generation is now in the Beltway. Our schools have been infiltrated with those that seek only to demean the values this Nation hold's dear. The Ivy League Hall's of learning are nothing more than liberal and socialist training center's. The media is owned by those who seek a world order controlled by the rich. We are not told of the President weakening our National Sovereignty, allowing Interpol to operate freely within the United States with no over-watch by our own agency's, or the fact they are allowed to operate out of the Justice Department which he now owns. We are not told of the fact that his Safe School Czar would be in some states viewed as possible pedophile. Or covers the story of the Justice Department lawyer for overseeing election fraud is being transferred from DC after being called to provide testimony on why Black Panther members where not prosecuted for voter intimidation outside a polling area. Many of the younger generation has been taught to believe America is not exceptional, as the President himself has noted. If the young are of the opinion that America is not worth defending then the America we knew and hope to improve upon will be lost.
Me either marie. My worst nightmares for this country are coming true.
Obama stated that he was a Muslim on ABC at the beginning of the Election (Corrected by the ABC Corespondent, not Obama). His Father was a Muslim, His Mother was a Muslim/Communist, His Step-Father was a Muslim. His Sister Maya Soetoro Ng stated that growing up, her family were Devout Muslims. Obama is a Muslim. If he is not a Muslim, then he is what Muslims call an "Apostate". That is even worse. Every time Obama says he is a Christian, that makes him an Apostate. God Help America since we have an Apostate as the Representative of America for the Muslims.
I just had a revelation….Bush put Mao on that tree in the White House!!!
I'm surprised that excuse hasn't been used yet.
Do you have kids in public school?
Since when does safe schools and any kind of sex go together?
Isn't it the job of the parent to train up a child in the way they should go?
Do you KNOW who is bearing false witness?(do you care)
Does Obama think America is worth defending?
It seems some are either not aware or do not see the dangers that the Safe School Czar condones with his association with LGBT and GLEA and what they have purposed for the education of grade school students.
My comments were posted, then were deleted, and then reappeared after I posted the question about why they were deleted. Since I have no way to know otherwise, I'll assume it was a technical glitch, but that seems unlikely. But why would you say they should be deleted? Because you disagree with them? What a totalitarian instinct you have!
More in reply to your next post.
Personally I am offended by all communists no matter who they hide behind.
If you are not, you should reflect and consider your hypocrisy, and whether you are truly the Christian(s) that you claim to be.
to condemn innocent people for crimes they haven't committed and un-Christian to bear false witness. You should be ashamed of yourself(s) and should seek forgiveness for doing so
Read your own words do they mean anything?
More substantively: what do you mean by "his Muslim ways" and "thumbing his nose at Christmas"? I don't think Mao should have been on the ornament, but that in itself is not indicative of Pres. Obama being "Muslim" or "thumbing his nose." And how can you say it doesn't matter what the President's religion is, but then say that it is "a slap in our face to have a Muslim running this country"? Those are contradictory.
Even if he were Muslim – which as far as I can tell is not true, and which you, sadly, use as a slur – how is it a slap in the face that he was elected by the majority of the populace in a democratic election? I was born and raised in NYC, and proud to live here during 9/11 and still, and I always thought one of the amazing things about my city and my country was that we respect individuals as individuals, and don't judge them based on stereotypes about their race or religion. I guess you live in a different America (probably what you would call "the real America") where that is not the case.
Yinz have a powerful feedback loop going here.
I think you have nailed it, Stewart. The Obamas are no more Muslim than you or I; they and their friends are Marxists. They court and appease the Muslim powers because they believe they must. And they feel so sure of their own ascendancy in this country that they and their cronies in the government no longer feel that they must court, appease, or compromise with the majority of the American people. Witness the way the "party" has been ramming legislation down our throats without fear.
To both Rock and Kooz: One can disagree with whether the safe schools czar was an appropriate choice, without resorting to calling him a pedophile, which he is not. I did not defend his credentials; I objected to baseless accusations of a specific crime. To call him a pedophile (or "possible pedophile"), as some of the commenters did, is to bear false witness. Do you disagree?
Kooz, on your questions: I homeschool. And I do think that Obama thinks America is worth defending, though disagree with his approach. But in any case, my comment about exceptionalism was in response to a comment re youth being taught that America is not Exceptional, because I believe that commenter was conflating (perhaps due to unawareness) the term-of-art "Exceptionalism" and the coloquial word "exceptional."
I believe my words mean something, and are consistent.
I did not accuse anyone of any crime that they had not committed, and did not bear false witness. I said that if someone (publicly and baselessly) condemns another for sexually molesting children, that is bearing false witness. Is that incorrect?
And I said that IF someone is offended by the Mao Christmas tree ornament but not by Doug Coe's admiring references to Mao's leadership (in furtherance of Coe's form of Christianity), they should consider their hypocrisy. I cannot see into people's hearts and do not know who (if anyone) fits that description — that is for people to figure out for themselves.
[...] thoughts on the White House Christmas ornaments. After Anita Dunn, Van Jones, et al, why would we be [...]
Perhaps the children who made the ornament knew the dummies at Big Government would take it the wrong way. Is anyone familar with Poe's Law?
I think they meant "poop" art.
No I do not agree. The material that GLEA sees as appropriate for children includes sex between adults and children maybe in your world this is acceptable, however in public schools it has no place, and I see no reasonable argument to suggest otherwise. But before you reply check out GLEA and their agenda then say you see no problem. NBC, a Obama media voice ran a series on older men trying to seduce children and was very focused on their treatment of those profiled. Unfortunately we have got off subject, what is at question here is the White House and it's flagrant assault on traditional American values, while many would like to undermine this Nation I do not believe that the majority who voted for him saw this as his agenda.
The thought of a mao ornament on the White House tree is truly disturbing. Anyone who doesn't agree needs to borrow my new copy of "Life and Death in Shanghai" by Nien Cheng, who passed away earlier this year. Read a little history, you liberal boneheads with your ignorant comments on this article. Please do all of us a favor and educate yourselves. mao indeed.
First CHRISTIAN is not a negative definition (i"m not a muslim jew or athiest so i must be a christian) but rather it is a poitive definition to be saved and to live as CHRIST like as is possible . second I dont think he is a muslim but i can promise you he fits no definition of CHRISTIAN that makes any sense, he is pro abortion that alone rules out his christianity. and the policies he is pursuing cap and trade govt takeover of healthcare govt takeover of banks and auto companies leads me to believe he is anti american.so no he does not believe america is worth defending. and all this makes it difficult for me to do my CHRISTIAN duty of praying for those who have positions of authority.
I have not seen and cannot find (iwth a quick internet search) the materials you are referencing from GLEA re sex between adults and children, but anyway I don't know where you got the impression that I think that would be appropriate, or that I see "no problem." Again, I have not objected to legitimate criticism of his selection and am not defending the guy or his "agenda." What I object to is calling someone a pedophile when he has not sexually molested a child, regardless of what else one may think about him, his views, or his associations. You disagree that it is wrong to call someone a pedophile who is not in fact a pedophile? That you should not slander and defame someone by accusing them of the most heinous crime (and, by the way, thereby trivialize the actual crime of child molestation) because you disagree with their positions? Frankly, I think that's a shameful assault on traditional values.
you sir are correct it is all bushes fault he probably cut down the tree too evil tree killer
During his trip to Asia, he did NOT put his hand over his heart during the playing of our national anthem, even though Hillary and others did. However, he did put his hand over his heart when they played the Communist Chinese national anthem. The Mao ornament on the tree was another "giving us the finger." Did they remove it when it was discovered? No. We know where his heart is.
Personally, I don't understand why so many are so upset with Barack & Michelle Obama . . . Haven't the capitalist business entities surrendered to Obama's ideological whims without so much as a peep? . . . Haven't the various politicians succombed to following the political winds of Obama's ideological whims without articulating what their true beliefs are? . . . only after the Obama implements the fundamental transformation of the United States of America will 'the people' be tested in having the ability to piece the US Constitution back together again . . . with independence and liberty within the veins of desire . . . and wtiout the assistance of the lobbyists and special interest . . . all the while shunning the thought and consideration of global governance.
(http://biggovernment.com/?s=jennings+) Should prove to be an eye opener. Members in D.C have written President Obama on this subject.
Did you also find it difficult to pray for George W. Bush and members of Congress who voted for the Medicare prescription drug coverage or who voted for TARP/Wall Street bailout before Obama was elected? Government is and has long been intricately involved in the private sector, I imagine you must have had a problem praying for those in authority for decades. (Cap and trade, by the way, started as a Conservative idea.)
I happen to believe that trying to help those with the least among us get access to needed healthcare is a Christ-like goal. I do not pretend to know enough about how best to achieve it in the US, and the Christianity I know doesn't teach that God has a preference between for-profit, not-for-profit, charitable, or publicly-funded (yes, government) systems, so long as His work is done. For example, I don't think God is angry at England or France because their governments are involved in the health care system, and I don't think God is angry at America because of Medicare. Perhaps you do. That is a difference of belief that I don't think can be resolved through discussion.
How would BO's attitude towards Christianity be any different if he actually were a Muslim?
Cowboy Logic!!! Christianity is Asian. It is from the East. Jeruselam is in ASIA. Paganism is from the Norsemen. It is European, it is Western. The only religions with God as a centerhead come from Asia. Abraham was Asian. Jesus was Middle Eastern! Hahahaahahaha!!!
Ah so, what were you writing now, cowboy? I can't read from the tears from laughing so hard clouding my vision as I am reading your un educated ignorant dribble. This is definitely a LOL moment and I NEVER use lols. Thanks fruitcake. Get back to your tabacckey and yer pagan Gods.
charity is a christian atribute the word actually means love but when it is mandated by the govt it ceases to be charity kind of like i love you because i have no choice in the matter how warm and fuzzy does that make you feel.and as far as health care is concerned when the least among us are denied be cause the govt looks at diminishing returns for their investment how christlike is that how about spending my tax money so women can have abortions do you support that. oh one other thing JESUS said you will always have the poor and he also said seek ye first the kingdom of god and all his righteousnes and all these things will be added unto you. but i dont recall the verse about the govt shall suppliethall of your needs according to its hands in the citizens pockets.
Seems to be a lot less porn than the Clintons put on their tree(s).
That woud be like saying, when Bush was President, God Help America since we have an Infidel as the Representative of America for the Muslims. It's silly, frankly. Islamists may see Pres. Obama as an "apostate" (I have no idea if that is a widespread view), but a Christian – who believes in the Truth of Christianity, not in Islam – knows that they are incorrect. I mean, there are plenty of hardworking Christian missionaries/evangelicals in Muslim countries, trying to reach people there. Are those who turn from Islam to Christianity legitimate, or are they also apostates in your mind? If the latter, why on earth are the churches sending people over there to spread the Gospel? Lots of evangelicals are former Jews. Are you going to start rejecting them, too?
I know where you are coming from.
Wow, commenters here really are an unhinged group.
I know where you are coming from.
If they went to the kind of service they prefer…..racist preacher in tow spewing all kinds of Hate America rhetoric, even the NYT wouldnt be able to ignore it, so they don't go anywhere. The MSM rallied to ignore the importance of the Obama's preacherman, Rev Wright, and when Fox pushed looking at him, the Obama's stepped away a bit, but as Rev Wright himself said….Barack is a politician and he will do what he has to do…..and he did. Personally, Michelle seems to me to be more dangerous than Obama. He is easily led by the likes of George Soros and other string pullers, but she is able to influence him more than anyone, and her obvious forced withdrawl from the spotlight, other than fashion and other "safe" topics is very telling. They are both anti as far as American core values go….and they and their ilk are out to "fundamentally change" this country…..but they didnt count on us waking up. We have and they won't…..not without a fight.
This isn't a tribute to Mao, it's a tribute to the Art Institute of Chicago. That particular Mao painting (there were many) is theirs. Overlapping it on the ornament is a photo of the AIC building (the black and white photo in the upper right). There are photos of at least two other paintings on the same ornament (presumably, there are even more, since we can only see less than half of it).
Here is a closeup of the ornament:
http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/politics/2009/12...
The ornaments were supposed to be made in tribute to famous local landmarks. Here is an article stating that there is an ornament dedicated to the AIC:
http://www.wqad.com/lifestyle/holiday/christmas/s...
THE ORNAMENTS ARE NOT THE ONLY " TRASH " IN THAT HOUSE !!!
Christmas is a pagan holiday. Real Christians and followers of Jesus don't celebrate it- since when has Christmas been American? ever since your few and powerful land owning business megolith mas's have wanted you to shop and throw your money at them. The corporations are the priests in America. You're an idiot.
I find few things funnier than ignorant, stupid people who actually think they're intelligent. Paganism of course is a worldwide phenomenon. The Middle East, having once fallen within the Hellenistic and Roman ambits, is certainly part of the broader Western tradition, as opposed to, say, China or India; rather more to the point, Christianity ever since Nicaea if not before has always represented a fusion of Hebraic with Classical thought.
You would have a point if Obama were, like those Arab converts, a practicing Christian. But he's nothing of the sort. The only religion he's ever practiced was that peddled by Jeremiah Wright: Black Liberation Theology, which isn't Christianity at all.
Oh, so that makes it OK? Of all the hundreds of works in the AIC's collection, they had to pick the portrait of a murderous tyrant?
It was only one out of presumably several selected. Yes, that makes it ok.
Bite me! Better now!
Hey APP nobody gives a $hit!
The same thing happened to me, Terry. Two days in a row. I wonder what gives. Apple said it was "Malware", whatever that is.
Opposed to China or India? Uh, what?
Oh, I see, the British weren't there for centuries? I love that you consider yourself intelligent! And yeah, if the middle east is as Western as you say it is then why the *uck are you here ranting about Obama not supporting the "West" when you have issue with him being Muslim, Commie, Socialist, obviously being SMARTER than YOU, etc…? Please don't answer this. It is rhetorical. Effing moron. Jesus is a Jew is Asian is Eastern, you can't reclaim him, ahahahaha!!!
Hey StanH, how's your low rent plumbing gig going?
You think so huh sport? Oh, and by the way …still nobody gives a $hit!
=)
Some of us knew to vote for McCain…..(Obama Lite)………our only choice………
STUPID LIBTARDS……….are going to get us killed.
Just one more instance of tacky taste and one more not so subtle hit against conservatism and religion from this administration and the whack jobs they surround themselves with.
Actually, they're the second Marxist couple to occupy the White House. Don't forget about Franklin and Ellenore!
Barack Obama appointed Ron Bloom, "Manufacturing Czar" who cites Chairman Mao as a political guide. Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director, who stated in an address to high school students this past June that Chairman Mao Tse-tung was one of the two "philosophers" she most often turns to. This episode is especially troubling in light of the fact that President Obama covered up a white cross at Georgetown University and a symbol for the name of Jesus. It now appears the President is continuing his disrespect and lack of sensitivity toward symbols and traditions of the Christian faith by insulting the birth of Christ with an image of brutal dictator on the White House Christmas tree.
The faith organizations wonder what next years' ornaments might look like? Perhaps a tribute to Joseph
Stalin ?
One wonders what is next from this Administration and why this news story is not being covered by the news agencies of CBS, NBS, ABC, and MSNBS? Simply put, the gov't run media leaves the majority of television viewers wanting ALL the news, not just the fluff pieces about our Administration.
[...] Wow! The Powers That Be: For Your Christmas Eve Viewing Pleasure James Panero, Big Government: Mao and the Christmas Tree: The President’s Yuletide Jeer VotingFemale Speaks!: Christmas Day Open Thread Michelle Malkin: “Glory to God in the highest, [...]
[...] who spilled far more blood than even Adolf Hitler ever did in Mao Zedong. Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government has [...]
The West has been Christian for over a thousand years. The British were in India for a few hundred years at best, during the modern era. Please stop embarrassing yourself in public.
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