“The Way I See It” is an attempt by the guest columnist to enlighten readers on a subject, as he views it, and does not necessarily reflect the views of this publication. Comments on this article may be addressed  to:
Dolphin Talk, P.O. Box 777, Port O’Connor, TX 77982;
Website: www.TheDolphinTalk.com; Email: dolphin1@tisd.net

2016: Obama’s America

Friday, Karla and I went to the Cinemax in Victoria and saw this movie by Dinesh D’Souza, an Indian-American born in Mumbia, India to Catholic Indian parents from Goa, India. At 17 he came to the US on scholarship to attend high school in Patagonia, AZ and Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 1983. Mr. D’Souza is President of King’s College, New York and a well respected Christian conservative writer and commentator. This movie is an adaptation of his 2010 book, The Roots of Obama’s Rage, and follows closely Obama’s book, Dreams From My Father.

This is not a “birther movie” or a condemnation of Liberal or even Socialist policies. Mr. D’Souza has excellent insight into Barack Hussein Obama’s core beliefs of anti-colonialism because of his early life in India and his exposure to anti-colonialism sentiment even in his own family. His approach to Obama and his beliefs is sympathetic, trying to understand and explain, rather than confrontational. Barack Obama had a difficult childhood, abandoned by his Kenyan Socialist father and later by his American leftist mother who was living in Indonesia. In Obama’s Dreams From My Father, he writes of his search for identity and his desire to associate with radical leftists, minority and foreign students and Marxist professors. Mr. D’Souza traces Barry Soetoro’s often painful development into Barack Hussein Obama by using Obama’s book and interviews with people that knew him and his family. Obama’s desire to identify with his father and his Kenyan roots explain much of his present attitudes and actions. Obama’s brother George gives an interesting perspective on ‘anti-colonialism’. This is an excellent movie and a learning experience.

The advertising tag-line: Love him or hate him, you don’t know him! does much to describe this movie. I recommend that every American see this movie, regardless of what your political opinions or party affiliation might be, you owe it to yourself to see this.  In fact, I’ll go so far to say that if you have any love or loyalty to the United States of America, or have any desire to see us be a successful economy and nation, it is your DUTY to see this movie so you can understand the profound effect that ‘anti-colonialism’ has on Barack Hussein Obama and how it influences his policies. The projection of how four more years of his policies will affect America is truly frightening.

Note: I want to thank Brenda Carter and her daughter Caitlin for their efforts to encourage Cinemax to bring this movie to Victoria. Judging by the first day, first matinee turn-out Friday at 2:20 p.m., this should be a big money-maker for them. They should pay you commissions!

The following does not necessarily reflect the views of this publication. Comments on this article may be addressed to:
Dolphin Talk, P.O. Box 777, Port O’Connor, TX 77982;
Website: www.TheDolphinTalk.com; Email: dolphin1@tisd.net

As a senior citizen and lifelong Republican (ending in 2008), I am shocked and dismayed with contemporary conservative politics. There was a time not so long ago when Republicans embraced our Constitution rather than pay it lip service. During the 2008-2009 period leading up to the mid-term elections, I kept hearing from the radical right that we needed to take our country back, that America was a Christian nation, and that our founding fathers believed in “freedom” which was now being lost under Obama. Of course, I knew that our founding fathers were in fact much more concerned with the mixture of church and state. Jefferson specifically stated that America was not founded as a Christian nation. He was emphatic that this nation was founded on freedom of religion – all religions, not just Christianity. Hamilton too was in line with this thinking. They had had enough of England which mixed religion and governance. As far as losing freedom is concerned, we have lost more of our freedom contemporaneously under the Republican administration of George W. Bush. The Patriot Act is most noteworthy in that regard. Spying on the privacy of Americans’ communications was legislated as a response to 9/11. We began to lose our exceptional status by doing the very things that always had set us apart from dictatorial governments when we began torturing people and incarcerating them offshore where our rule of law didn’t apply.

As the extreme right wing of the Republican Party – the so-called Tea Party – has gained control of our legislatures, both state and federal, we have moved further and further from the cherished principles of our Constitution. One man, one vote has now been overturned by the right wing Supreme Court. The court declared in the face of over 100 years of precedent that corporations were now people. Henceforth, in very real terms private sector capital entities were to receive the Constitutional rights of citizens. Our state legislatures, Texas included, are passing laws that are intended to undermine our right to vote. These things I view as a very slippery slope. I am reminded of the words of Martin Niemöller, a prominent German Protestant pastor who opposed the Nazi regime:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.

Is it a coincidence that Republicans have gone after public sector unions and have attempted to label our president as a Socialist? All Americans need to take stock of where we are headed and speak up so their voices are heard.

August 4: Seadrift Volunteer Fire Department dispatched to assist Port Lavaca Fire Dept. off of Meadowview Lane; cancelled while en-route.

August 6: Seadrift VFD and Port Lavaca FD responded to reported smoke in a residence off of Roemerville Road

August 6: Seadrift VFD and Port O’Connor Volunteer Fire Department responded to a grass fire off of Hwy 185 outside of Seadrift.

August 8: Seadrift VFD and Port Lavaca FD responded to a one-vehicle accident on Hwy 185 near Ineos Nitriles.

August 20: Seadrift VFD responded to a two-vehicle accident on Hwy 185 in Seadrift.

August 24: Port Lavaca FD and Seadrift VFD responded to a grass fire involving 20+ cotton modules off of Hwy 35 west of Green Lake. Port O’Connor VFD, Six Mile Community VFD, Port Alto / Olivia VFD, and Magnolia Beach VFD also responded.