Here you go. Now lets hear how ANY ONE OF US could have EASILY slipped up on this one. An honest mistake of course. But of course. Actually, this would be a good thread to post Obama saying things that so many people have conveniently missed. Hard to refute comments coming straight from the mesiah himself, eh?
Did any of you ask for this? What exactly is meant by this? Do the dazed people in the crowd even know what they're clapping for?? Is this Germany 1939?
The video making the rounds is a 20 second cut of a 30 minute speech. If you want to watch the whole speech (and I have), here is it: I think it is pretty obvious that he is talking about national service and volunteerism to improve things at home and how we can help achieve national security through civilian and diplomatic efforts abroad (opening consulates, the peace corps, etc). I see no context of a national police force in that speech at all. None. The speech is about 26 minutes long but, for those who don't think it is important enough to watch the whole thing, the part being talked about is between 16:40 and 17:00 into it so you can watch a minute on each side of that time and see better what the context is.
Watched the whole thing. I suggest you study the works of Karl Marx and then watch it again. If you're a supporter of his theories, than it should be a great time for you. Maybe that's what we need. Maybe it will work. Trying to tie this movement in with the Founding Fathers is a stretch though. As far as the civilian security force, I wouldn't expect him to come out and say it will be "gestapo like". It looks to me like he found a convenient time to sneak that one in there. "Just as well funded", isn't a volunteer force. Somebody's funding them to do something. Even if the original intent is for positive things, do we need this in place with the possibility of it being abused later?
Honestly, I can only think of 3 reasons for anyone to believe that was a reference to a national police force/Gestapo like police force: 1. Not watching the full video, 2. Being disingenuous, or 3. Obama Derangement Syndrome (to put it politely and hopefully not get edited ). I didn't vote for the guy and think there is a 50/50 shot he will be another Jimmy Carter but I think a call to service (which is what that speech was all about) is a good thing.
Maybe he's talking about the kind of "security" force Farakkan commands...those big guys in dark suits & bow ties.
There is a common theory that history tends to repeat itself. So civilian security forces have never been abused in the past? Nothing to worry about? Not to mention that we have all the security forces and law enforcement at every level we could ever need. Probably more than has ever been in place in history in a free society. And you're asking for more? I tell you what, I hope none of you voted this guy in for his fiscal responsibility. That'd really be a laugh. Bush's record deficits won't hold the records for much longer. On the positive note, if he is able to avoid that, get ready to be taxed hard!!
Still sticking with the civilian security force thing, huh? Don't feel bad, I believed in the Easter Bunny for a number of years when I was a kid. I didn't vote for the guy.
You do know that the Peace Corps, although a volunteer force, is government funded and under the Executive Branch, right? That is part of what he was talking about right before the 20 seconds of out of context video that is floating around. That and unshuttering consulates which also government funded and work overseas.
Just for reference, this is the paragraph where the infamous quote was taken from in the speech: "We are going to grow our foreign service. Open consulates that have been shuttered. And double the size of the peace corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy. We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful; just as strong; just as well funded." Of course, in the clips running rampant, only the last sentence is shown. Pretty obvious to me that this is in reference to civilians, as opposed to military alone, providing foreign service and diplomacy to help achieve our national security objectives. I don't see anything that would lead me to jackboots or an army of large black men wearing bow ties.
I notice that in the paragraph above Obama seems to make a distinction between foreign service & a civilian national security force. If the Peace Corp is under the executive they aren't really civilians are they? My idea of the Peace Corp is teachers, farmers, medical aids, etc certainly not anyone who could be used as a "National Security Force".
Do you mean the part where he talks about Americorps? My wife was part of Americorps for several years and I don't think it is involved with a police force. She worked at a community kindness center. Or do you mean when he said we are going to use college graduates to teach and mentor young people or when he talked about a corps to clean up neighborhoods and the environment or when he talked about using vets to help other vets and their families? That is the only thing I can see he talked about for a while before what I quoted. Yes they are since they are not part of the military. Also, the volunteers are not government employees. If one thinks of lifting up and rebuilding other nations in order to improve our national security, then then a force for national security can indeed mean teachers, farmers, medical aids, etc. No different than foreign aid as a way to advance our national security interests only in this case it is people as well as money.
Ahhh. Well, I just don't see it that way, I guess. I see it as one paragraph all talking about the same topic...foreign service. I will say that his whole call to service, on the domestic front anyway, is one of the few things he has talked about that I have really looked into because it intrigues me. It could be a really good thing. Of course, the cynical part of me thinks that there is the potential of it being bureaucratic and wasteful but it has possibility. A lot of things can be done when the manpower is free. And it is something that I will certainly keep an eye on as I transition out of military service.
