The national ceremony in Arizona

I am ignoring Obama’s appearance in Arizona, as everything the man says is a lie, including “and” and “the.”

Further confirmation of that assertion is found in the lead headline of this morning’s New York Times:

Obama Calls for a New Era of Civility in U.S. Politics

What? This is the guy who ran for president promising a new era of civility in U.S. politics, and as soon as he became president he revealed himself as a nasty leftist and the most partisan president anyone had ever seen. And now he turns around again and calls for an era of civility? You’d have to be a complete chump, a hopeless idiot, to take any of this seriously.

Another reason to ignore the memorial service is that contemporary America is at its worst at these official national events designed to “bring us together,” with all the orchestrated treacly sentiment and mass manipulation of emotions that such events always involve. Our national “church” is false and grotesque. It is something to be avoided.

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Larry G., below, sends Tammy Bruce’s observations about the event, which I copy below, notwithstanding my contempt for Tammy Bruce. It seems that I, merely from reading the New York Times headline, got the same insights into the rally that she got from watching and suffering through the whole thing. That’s why I say it’s best to avoid these “ceremonies.”

Larry also sends comments from NRO and Hot Air. And notice that “Rich” Lowry, always eager to be the conservative enabler of leftist rule, evidently praised the event, no doubt for the wonderful way it brought us together and reminded us of what a great country America is.

Larry G. writes:

by Tammy on January 12, 2011

Well, the Tucson Tragedy Memorial Obama Rally was, we’re told, really supposed to be a Pep “Unity” Rally, so they meant all that cheering and campaign-like atmosphere. Except for Governor Jan Brewer who was booed by the Unified, Peppy crowd. Only certain people get the Unity, you see. The branding commenced, the free t-shirts were handed out, and concessions were no doubt enjoyed. Funny, I don’t think I’m the only one who remembers Obama BSing and manipulating his way through the 2008 election, and I just saw it happen again tonight. And just like in 2007 and 2008 quite a number of conservatives thought the speech was just fabulous. It certainly is a stark reminder of how the Dumb Bastard got elected in the first place.

I can hear it now! “Oh Tammy, why so political!? How awful of you!! Think of the victims!” of course, with a death threat thrown in and some crass misogynistic swear words from the Gestapo of Love and Unity for Everyone Except Some. For people shocked, just shocked at how I’m not being more ‘compassionate’ and genteel about this “event,” well, let me explain–Upon hearing the awful news Saturday morning, within an hour–even before we knew the number of dead–Barack Obama’s gestapos moved in for the kill–the Kill of Palin and the Kill of Conservatives in this country. For 5 days Tea Party, conservatives and Sarah Palin were blamed for murder. I spent the weekend, as did so many others, not being allowed to grieve but having to listen to crass political smears and libel, while defending those falsely accused of horrific complicity.

Democrat and Republican leadership sat silent, including Barack Obama, as this nation was stomped on by grotesque beasts using the dead and maimed in an attempt to add a 21st victim–Sarah Palin–to the body count. Obama may have been silent and he could be–his gestapos were doing all the work. His machine knew what to do and they moved quickly. The Massacre Cult chose their targets and went hunting, accusing innocents of the horror of being an accessory to murder to score political points.

So don’t wonder why I’m calling the charade tonight a charade. Despite all of us being faced with the ugliness of the liberal response, we also spent the last 5 days praying for the victims and being concerned for our nation. You will also see my concern in refusing to silently acquiesce or in faux praise for one of the most bizarre displays of manipulation of a tragedy I’ve ever seen. Was the speech good? I suppose considering what we’ve been put through this weekend by the very same people, reading the phone book would have moved some people to tears. If you lurved the speech, then let’s make the speechwriter president! As Michelle Malkin notes, speeches and leadership are not the same thing.

Even more concerning to me than the speech itself–Obama is a classic Malignant Narcissist and I expect him manipulate situations for his own use–was the reaction of the punditry. One TAM, Kelly, called it “Stepford Punditry,” as the collective tingle crawled up so many conservative legs tonight. For me, context matters–who is saying what sounds so nice? Is it someone who has walked his talk or is it someone who is known only for saying one thing and doing another? There are very nice ways of asking someone to dinner–but is it Ted Bundy asking or John Wayne? Some have said their praise of tonight’s speech is out of deference to the families of the victims–Five days after a wholesale effort by the same people to use the victims and atrocity for political gain? Really? My respect has been since moment one–and that respect continues in calling out those who use a horror like Saturday like they would a dirty dishrag–something to be used and then tossed.

I, for one, will continue to speak as clearly as possible when the Emperor is stark raving naked. I hope you’re with me for the next two years doing exactly that.

So yeah, thanks Obama! Great speech! Oh and by the way Death Threats Against Sarah Palin at ‘Unprecedented Level,’ Aides Say

Now for two comments at two other sites which I think are worth sharing.

+From NRO:

JPMulhern

I have to wonder if Rich [Lowry] saw the same speech I did. This was one of the smarmiest performances from a politician I have ever seen and the competition is fierce. Like all Obama’s efforts it was gaseous nonsense. The straight eulogy parts were servicable in print, but unconvincing as delivered. The whole discussion of civility was disgusting. Obama, as always, is trying to have it both ways. Yes he criticized finger pointing (at a high level of abstraction). But he never called out his own supporters who have been pointing fingers so disgracefully ever since the shootings. He says the state of our discourse had nothing to do with the shootings and then quickly, and illogically, moves to talking about the state of our discourse. This is just the same old leftist talking points dressed up with a very small fig leaf. He poses as above the fray even as he indulges in a nasty late hit. The man is pond scum and tongue-tied pond scum at that. I’m sick to death of hearing what a great orator he is, particularly from conservative commentators, every time he sallies forth and spews verbal flatulence. How about we all agree to take note when the Emperor appears in public stark naked. It would make a nice change.

I won’t even get started on the tone of the event which made the Wellstone Memorial look tasteful.

At HotAir:

Let’s contrast this piece of junk with President Bush’s speech at Virginia Tech following the massacre at my college.

My Background:

I was in the audience in Cassel Coliseum on April 17, 2007. I heard President Bush speak after a crazy b@st@rd shot up my college.

In a few days I would bury a man who I had last seen when he came up to me the week earlier to congratulate me on my baptism and entry into the Catholic Church.
It would be my first military funeral, but not my last.
His name was Matthew Joseph La Porte.

I was a sophomore member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC)

President Bush spoke for barely 10 minutes if that. He was solemn, dignified and respectful, although the microphone that broadcasted into the rest of the coliseum was barely working and we could barely hear and understand him as a result we got the point he made.

President Obama’s disgusting attempt at what appears to be a political rally, in the wake of a similar massacre is beyond reprehensible.

SgtSVJones on January 12, 2011 at 10:31 PM

Philip M. writes from England:

They played extracts of Obama’s speech this morning, and I was shocked when at points the crowd seemed to start whooping and cheering. There even seemed to be an attempt to get a rhythmic hand-clap going, but all the news reports are so edited that it can be hard to tell if this is the case.
If it is the case, I find it amazing that people would react in this way at what was supposed to be a memorial service. At the very least, a lot of people clearly have very little idea of how they should act at an event like this.

The Obama administration politicises the killings, then he delivers a speech talking about the importance of decency and moderation in political discourse, which the audience again seemingly politicises. Some people just can’t help themselves.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 13, 2011 07:57 AM | Send