They say that birds of a feather flock together. I’ve told my kids that when I’ve seen them running with people that I felt they should not. But how far can we take this addage of “guilt by association”? Am I tarred and feathered by every relationship I’ve ever had in the past? Can I be with someone who has some bad points? And who is it that is perfect that any of us could run with to start with? Give me a break!
I’ve learned more about how to do thing correctly by being around people who have done them poorly than I ever learned about how to do things right from so-called right people. That simply illustrates the problem that we as a society have. There are just not enough people who do all things well and right.
The religious and political far right are great at finger pointing!
And the premier guilt by association example today is Barack Obama and his pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright (who is now retired).
At a town-hall meeting in Indiana, Obama said he was not in the pews when Wright said, for example, the U.S. is run by “rich, white people” or that the U.S. created the AIDS virus to kill African Americans. The Illinois senator said he “completely rejects” the preacher’s controversial sermons, including one in which he said the United States was asking for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks because it had supported “state-sponsored terrorism” against black South Africans and Palestinians. Surrogates for Barack Obama on Sunday downplayed the significance of Obama’s relationship to a controversial pastor and suggested the discussion is a diverson from bigger issues in the Democrat presidential race.
“The fact of the matter is people would like to move on to other things,” said Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, characterizing remarks by Obama pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright as “outrageous,” but saying they are not relevant to Obama’s candidacy. “He’s rejected it. He said no– he doesn’t have any association with it. He finds these comments outrageous,” Dodd, an Obama supporter and former presidential candidate, told “FOX News Sunday.” He added that “guilt by association is not typically American.”
And a good diversion if you’re name is Hillary. If there was something the Hillary Clinton campaign could have hoped for- this would sure qualify!
But some political analysts say that comments by Wright could pose a major obstacle for Obama because unlike average Americans, politicians suffer from “guilt by association.”
Maybe Barack needs to do more praying.
At a town-hall meeting in Indiana, Obama said he was not in the pews when Wright said, for example, the U.S. is run by “rich, white people” or that the U.S. created the AIDS virus to kill African Americans. The Illinois senator said he “completely rejects” the preacher’s controversial sermons, including one in which he said the United States was asking for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks because it had supported “state-sponsored terrorism” against black South Africans and Palestinians.
Who is there that you know that you agree 100% with them? I know, you don’t have to worry about that because you’re not running for President. Unfortunately for Obama, he is. 
Yeshiyah Amariel, a recognized Orthodox Jew of Hispanic (Cherokee) American descent, is all about Torah, unity and support for Israel. His slender form, Chassidic styled black suit, black hat, and dark skin to match would give the first impression that he was a Black Hebrew or Ethiopian Jew, but there is much more to him than meets the eye. He is a contributor to AIPAC, member of United Jewish Communities, and has also lived in Israel for several years as a volunteer for an Israeli archaeologist, the Nature and Park Authority and other worthy causes. He has been involved in translations of artifacts and excavations of Tel Arad, which is considered the only archaeologically discovered “BYT-YHWH” in Israel, and received recommendations from colleagues to attend any university in the country to become an archaeologist. He is also currently studying to take exams to receive semicha from the Chief rabbinic’s office in Israel.
Amariel’s family are among the Native American tribes that many historical figures, such as the 1800s Jew Mordecai Noah, regarded as brothers to the Jewish people and a lost tribe of Israel. In 2005 Yeshiyah’s father was published in a Jerusalem Post article by Sheera Frenkel that traced their family’s Jewish links through Cherokee roots and also spoke concerning his translation of the ancient Hebrew Tanakh into English (referred to as the first of its kind). Howshua Amariel (Yeshiyah’s father) is also a rabbi who sits on a Torah-based judicial committee of black Jews with Rabbi Capers C. Funnye Jr., cousin of Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (Senator Barack Obama’s wife).
In our interview, Yeshiyah Amariel claimed that his grandfather knew Senator Obama back when he was originally running for the Illinois State senate. Amariel added “My grandfather told us that we should support Obama because he has good intentions. And given Obama’s record of support toward Israel since he has been in the US Senate, I was inclined to agree with my grandfather.” “From my work, I have received letters of recommendations from Rabbis, Jewish community leaders, and Orthodox Israeli Jews in support of my goals to become an official rabbi in the State; but it wasn’t easy” said Amariel, stating that it took years for them to know that he was sincere in his objectives. He imagined that the same would be for Obama and decided to offer his assistance. So Amariel called the Obama Headquarters in Chicago and volunteered directly with officials and offered his aid to anything he and other supporters in Israel could give. “When we called the operators were excited to hear from Americans calling from Israel to volunteer for the movement for change.” “From then I got in contact with Obama’s Mid-East and Jewish advisor Eric Lynn and let him know that we were starting this ‘campaign’ in Israel to support Obama. I also urged him that Obama should consider a visit to Israel and if he did we would be there to show our support.”
On the political scene, Amariel is a member of Democrats Abroad in Israel, and the lead manager and strategist for the “Israel for Obama” campaign started in Israel. His group of American Israelis helped comfort Jews and Israelis to the idea of an Obama presidency and organize Americans living in Israel to vote for Barack Obama. One of the members of the group Samson Altman-Schevitz also lived in Chicago and knew Michelle Obama when she served as the Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago. They have a blog on Obama’s official page, but beside that Yeshiyah is also a member of other pro-Obama Jewish groups in the United States like Orthodox Jews for Obama and Jews for Obama (whom have supported their efforts in Israel). After Senator Obama’s visit to Israel, Yeshiyah and his group have received letters of cooperation with DA Israel chair Joanne Yaron and DNC supported Middle-East regional director Bob Barad in Italy.
Amariel also has written and received at least two letters from the Senator concerning his positions on Iran (Sanction bills passed), Israel (his commit to their continued aid) and the Palestinian conflict (to abstain from additional fighting that could prevent the peace process). Yeshiyah hopes to provide the Israeli people with a direct link to the Illinois senator to better understand his positions when concerning Israel and the Jewish people. He also wants to establish this connection for average Israelis to express their views from the grassroots.
“We interview American Israelis all over Israel” stated Amariel as he referred to their ‘IsraelforObama’ YouTube Channel. “…the number one reason why most Jews we talk to have a good opinion of Obama is because of the idea of unity within his campaign’s message. Some believe that kind of idea of harmony may be what the Middle East could use to become peaceful. I believe it’s what should be used to bring Jews together around our common goals.”
Sources:
Barack Obama Israel for Obama blog [http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/IsraelforObama]
American’s Election HQ; Wednesday, July 23, 2008; “Obama Calls for ‘Lasting Peace’ in Israel, Warns of Iranian Threat” by FOXNews.com. [http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/07/23/obama-defends-israels-right-to-self-defense-says-hell-work-for-peace/]
TIME Magazine; Wednesday, Jul. 23, 2008 “Obama Tours Holocaust Memorial” By AP/DAVID ESPO [http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1825777,00.html]
Barack Obama Orthodox Jews For BO group [http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/OrthodoxJewsForBO]
The Philadelphia Jewish Voice- Democrats Abroad Israel; Bridging the Gap between Israel and America Israeli-Americans: The Hyphenated Citizens. [http://www.pjvoice.com/v31/31200groups.aspx]
Democrats Abroad Israel [http://www.democratsabroad.org/group/israel-jerusalem-area]
Barack Hussein Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father was a black man (also named Barack Hussein Obama) born in Africa and his mother was a white woman born in Kansas.
Obama’s father and his mother separated and divorced when Obama was a young child. His mother remarried in 1967 when Obama was 6 years old to a man named Lolo Soetoro.
His family moved to Soetoro’s home country which was Indonesia. Obama lived there until he was 10 years old when he returned to live in Hawaii with his maternal grandparents who raised him from then on.
Obama moved to Los Angeles for college. After two years he transferred to Columbia University in NYC. Obama graduated from Columbia in 1983.
Obama then moved to Chicago where he worked as a community organizer for three years until the age of 27 when he moved to Massachusetts so that he could attend Harvard Law School. In 1990, during his second year, he was elected President of the Harvard Law Review. He was the first black person elected President of the Harvard Law Review. This remarkable feat was widely reported upon. He graduated from Harvard Law School magna cum laude in 1991.
He moved back to Chicago at that time and married Michelle Robinson in 1992. They have had two daughters, the first Malia Ann was born in 1998 and the second Natasha was born in 2001.
Obama began teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School in 1992 and continued doing so for 12 years. During this time he also directed the Illnois’ Project Vote which registered 150,000 African Americans in the state.
In 1996 Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate. While a State Senator Obama was able to gain support for ethics reform and health care laws. Obama re-elected twice and held the position until he was elected as one of Illinois two US Senators in 2004.
In 2000 Obama unsuccessfully ran for congress. He lost in the primary to Bobby Rush who is an African American Democrat who has been a congressman since 1993. He is still in the House today. Although they were rivals in 2000, Rush has supported Obama in his run for the Senate in 2004 and in his campaign for the Presidency in 2008.
In 2004 Obama easily defeated Republican Alan Keyes to become a US Senator. In fact his 70% to 27% defeat of Keyes set the Illinois record for margin of victory in a statewide election. The election between Obama & Keyes was also noteworthy as it was the first Senatorial election in US history in which the two major candidates were both African Americans.
During that 2004 campaign Obama was selected to be the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention and the speech is considered by most to be responsible launching his national political career. His speech was so well received that he was immediately considered to be a rising star in the Democratic party.
On February 10, 2007 Obama announced his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic nomination. At the time Hillary Clinton was considered a huge favorite to win the nomination.
The race for the Democratic primary became a battle between Obama & Clinton as the other challengers quickly fell by the wayside. The battle continued on into June as Clinton would not give in until the very end despite Obama’s clear mathematical advantage beginning in February.
In the general election Obama selected Joe Biden as his Vice Presidential running mate and they faced Republican John McCain who made a huge mistake by selecting the unqualified Sarah Palin as his running mate.
On November 4th Obama easily defeated McCain became the first black person (biracial to be more accurate) to be elected as President of the United States.
Barack Obama is scheduled to become the 44th President of the United States on January 20, 2009.