Obama Cuts God Out of T-day Address

[uscitizen]

mmm subconsciously Obama must believe he's a lousy President that doesn't deserve re-election...Heck, he's not even trying fake it anymore...


PRINCETON, NJ -- More than 9 in 10 Americans still say "yes" when asked the basic question "Do you believe in God?"; this is down only slightly from the 1940s, when Gallup first asked this question.

More Than 9 in 10 Americans Continue to Believe in God

Yeah Obama sucks, but so does the opposition.
An overall sucky situation.

 

[Woyzeck]

Perhaps you can point to a post in which anybody has said that the President is required to mention God in the Thanksgiving Day message.

Some people do apparently since there were enough negative reactions to warrant a new story.

Maybe apparentl to you, but I haven't seen it. There is nothng in the Constitution to suggest the President must make any kind of proclamations, but there is an expectation that if he does so, he does so with the knowledge of the customs, history, values, and culture of the people behind it. Also, I am pretty sure that none of us are in 100% agreement as to what is constitutionally required of a President. But it is obvious that the the bar is set so very pitifully low for many as to what they expect of a President when he has a 'D' following his name. They certainly don't see it as the role of a President to be concerned with the unique American culture and those of us who appreciate it.

If people really didn't think he should have mentioned a deity, why are people upset over it?

 

[Foxfyre]

Some people do apparently since there were enough negative reactions to warrant a new story.

Maybe apparentl to you, but I haven't seen it. There is nothng in the Constitution to suggest the President must make any kind of proclamations, but there is an expectation that if he does so, he does so with the knowledge of the customs, history, values, and culture of the people behind it. Also, I am pretty sure that none of us are in 100% agreement as to what is constitutionally required of a President. But it is obvious that the the bar is set so very pitifully low for many as to what they expect of a President when he has a 'D' following his name. They certainly don't see it as the role of a President to be concerned with the unique American culture and those of us who appreciate it.

If people really didn't think he should have mentioned a deity, why are people upset over it?

I haven't seen anybody upset over it. I have only observed people giving their opinion about it. Or defending it. Nobody seems upset to me.

 

[rightwinger]

I hope God does not get too mad at President Obama

You know how bitchy he can get if he doesn't get thanked constantly

 

[Woyzeck]

Maybe apparentl to you, but I haven't seen it. There is nothng in the Constitution to suggest the President must make any kind of proclamations, but there is an expectation that if he does so, he does so with the knowledge of the customs, history, values, and culture of the people behind it. Also, I am pretty sure that none of us are in 100% agreement as to what is constitutionally required of a President. But it is obvious that the the bar is set so very pitifully low for many as to what they expect of a President when he has a 'D' following his name. They certainly don't see it as the role of a President to be concerned with the unique American culture and those of us who appreciate it.

If people really didn't think he should have mentioned a deity, why are people upset over it?

I haven't seen anybody upset over it. I have only observed people giving their opinion about it. Or defending it. Nobody seems upset to me.

What does that make the article in the OP then? Or the various comments in the article link, and in this thread?

 

[Foxfyre]

If people really didn't think he should have mentioned a deity, why are people upset over it?

I haven't seen anybody upset over it. I have only observed people giving their opinion about it. Or defending it. Nobody seems upset to me.

What does that make the article in the OP then? Or the various comments in the article link, and in this thread?

It makes it a commentary on the President's behavior that many of us find to be unpresidential.

 

[Woyzeck]

I haven't seen anybody upset over it. I have only observed people giving their opinion about it. Or defending it. Nobody seems upset to me.

What does that make the article in the OP then? Or the various comments in the article link, and in this thread?

It makes it a commentary on the President's behavior that many of us find to be unpresidential.

Not mentioning God is now unpresidential? You say that and want to claim that people aren't upset over it?

 

[Sirkarl101]

I do not find them clever at all. I believe that the informed is growing in numbers.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

It makes it a commentary on the President's behavior that many of us find to be unpresidential.

The only thing many of you have a problem with is the president’s a democrat.

 

[Foxfyre]

What does that make the article in the OP then? Or the various comments in the article link, and in this thread?

It makes it a commentary on the President's behavior that many of us find to be unpresidential.

Not mentioning God is now unpresidential? You say that and want to claim that people aren't upset over it?

I'm not at all upset by it. I imagine others who see it as unpresidential are not upset by it either. Actually we have come to expect this of a person we have come to expect to be ill equipped for his position and not capable of doing the job.

However, I will take under consideration my opinion that he was not being presidential if you can find a Thanksgiving address related to Thanksgiving by ANY other president in U.S. history that did not mention God or a reasonable facsimile.

 

[Woyzeck]

It makes it a commentary on the President's behavior that many of us find to be unpresidential.

Not mentioning God is now unpresidential? You say that and want to claim that people aren't upset over it?

I'm not at all upset by it. I imagine others who see it as unpresidential are not upset by it either. Actually we have come to expect this of a person we have come to expect to be ill equipped for his position and not capable of doing the job.

Given your rather extensive replies in this thread, I think this be an apt time for the phrase 'the lady doth protest too much.'

However, I will take under consideration my opinion that he was not being presidential if you can find a Thanksgiving address related to Thanksgiving by ANY other president in U.S. history that did not mention God or a reasonable facsimile.

Perhaps you can point to a post in which anybody has said that the President is required to mention God in the Thanksgiving Day message.

Why Foxfyre of the past, meet Foxfyre of the future. She thinks it should be required that you mention a deity if you are the president giving a Thanksgiving day address. If you don't do it, you're not very presidential.

 

[Lumpy 1]

It makes it a commentary on the President's behavior that many of us find to be unpresidential.

The only thing many of you have a problem with is the president’s a democrat.

Sheesh .. Aren't Democrats upset with that themselves..?

Perhaps, I've been giving Democrats too much credit for reasonableness. mmm..

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Obama Cuts God Out of T-day Address

And Obama didn’t cut anything out of the Thanksgiving day address, as this incorrectly infers that something was somehow mandated.

 

[Foxfyre]

Not mentioning God is now unpresidential? You say that and want to claim that people aren't upset over it?

I'm not at all upset by it. I imagine others who see it as unpresidential are not upset by it either. Actually we have come to expect this of a person we have come to expect to be ill equipped for his position and not capable of doing the job.

Given your rather extensive replies in this thread, I think this be an apt time for the phrase 'the lady doth protest too much.'

However, I will take under consideration my opinion that he was not being presidential if you can find a Thanksgiving address related to Thanksgiving by ANY other president in U.S. history that did not mention God or a reasonable facsimile.

Perhaps you can point to a post in which anybody has said that the President is required to mention God in the Thanksgiving Day message.

Why Foxfyre of the past, meet Foxfyre of the future. She thinks it should be required that you mention a deity if you are the president giving a Thanksgiving day address. If you don't do it, you're not very presidential.

Translation. I can't rebut what you say so we'll go ad hominem on Foxfyre.

Since you obviously don't plan to actually research presidential Thanksgiving proclamations here are some more excerpts for you. (I previously posted excerpts from Clinton and Bush 43:

Here’s Harry and Ike:
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1950-

John F Kennedy
"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord."
More than three centuries ago, the Pilgrims, after a year of hardship and peril, humbly and reverently set aside a special day upon which to give thanks to God for their preservation and for the good harvest from the virgin soil upon which they had labored. Grave and unknown dangers remained. Yet by their faith and by their toil they had survived the rigors of the harsh New England winter. Hence they paused in their labors to give thanks for the blessings that had been bestowed upon them by Divine Providence.
John F. Kennedy's Thanksgiving Proclamation

Johnson
Americans, looking back on the tumultuous events of 1968, may be more inclined to ask God’s mercy and guidance than to offer Him thanks for his blessings.
There are many events in this year that deserve our remembrance, and give us cause for thanksgiving:

Nixon
On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln invited his fellow citizens to "set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of Thanksgiving…" This was the year of the battle of Gettysburg and of other major battles between Americans on American soil. To many, this call for a national day of Thanksgiving must have seemed strange, coming as it did at a time of war and bitterness.
Yet Lincoln knew that the act of thanksgiving should not be limited to time of peace and serenity. He knew that it is precisely at those times of hardship when men most need to recognize that the Source of all good constantly bestows His blessings on mankind.
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1960-

Ford
In 1863 Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, lifted the downcast view of a war-weary Nation to see the evidence of God’s bounty. He proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving to be observed by each American in his own way. President Lincoln wisely knew that a man’s declaration of his gratitude to God is, in itself, an act which strengthens the thanksgiver because it renews his own realization of his relationship to his God.

As thanksgiving enriches the individual it must bless his home, community and his country. It is, therefore, appropriate that we set aside such a day this year. All about us, doubts and fears threaten our faith in the principles which are the fiber of our society; we are called upon to prove their truth once again. Such challenges must be seen as opportunities for proof of these verities; such proof can only strengthen our Nation.
Although some may see division, we give thanks that ours is one Nation, of many diverse people, living in unity under the precept E Pluribus Unum. The fulfillment of this national principle, every day, is our task and privilege;
Although some may only see strife, we give thanks that this Nation moves each day closer to peace for all its citizens and all the world;
And we give thanks for God’s strength and guidance upon which we confidently rely today and every day.
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1970-

Carter
Even in times of trial and frustration we have much to be thankful for, in our personal lives and in our Nation. As we pause on Thanksgiving to offer thanks to God, we should not forget that we also owe thanks to this country’s forefathers who had the vision to join together in Thanksgiving, and who gave us so much of the vision of brotherhood that is ours today.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY CARTER, President of the United States of America, do proclaim Thursday, the 27th of November, 1980 as Thanksgiving Day. I call upon all the people of our Nation to give thanks on that day for the blessings Almighty God has bestowed upon us, and to join the fervent prayer of George Washington who as President asked God to "… impart all the blessings we possess, or ask for ourselves to the whole family of mankind."
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1980-

Reagan
Two hundred years ago, the Congress of the United States issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation stating that it was "the indispensable duty of all nations" to offer both praise and supplication to God. Above all other nations of the world, America has been especially blessed and should give special thanks. We have bountiful harvests, abundant freedoms, and a strong, compassionate people.

I have always believed that this anointed land was set apart in an uncommon way, that a divine plan placed this great continent here between the oceans to be found by people from every corner of the Earth who had a special love of faith and freedom. Our pioneers asked that He would work His will in our daily lives so America would be a land of morality, fairness, and freedom.
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1980-

GHW Bush
On Thanksgiving Day, we Americans pause as a Nation to give thanks for the freedom and prosperity with which we have been blessed by our Creator. Like the pilgrims who first settled in this land, we offer praise to God for His goodness and generosity and rededicate ourselves to lives of service and virtue in His sight.

This annual observance of Thanksgiving was a cherished American tradition even before our first President, George Washington, issued the first Presidential Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789. In his first Inaugural Address, President Washington observed that “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States.” He noted that the American people – blessed with victory in their fight for Independence and with an abundance of crops in their fields – owed God “some return of pious gratitude.” Later, in a confidential note to his close advisor, James Madison, he asked “should the sense of the Senate be taken on … a day of Thanksgiving?” George Washington thus led the way to a Joint Resolution of Congress requesting the President to set aside “a day of public Thanksgiving and Prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal Favors of Almighty God.”
President Bush’s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1989 | CLR FORUM

 

[FactFinder]

Obama Cuts God Out of T-day Address

"Render unto God the things that are God's and unto Ceasar the things that are Ceasar's"

I think that God is very far removed from any and all corrupt political processes.

 

[Woyzeck]

I'm not at all upset by it. I imagine others who see it as unpresidential are not upset by it either. Actually we have come to expect this of a person we have come to expect to be ill equipped for his position and not capable of doing the job.

Given your rather extensive replies in this thread, I think this be an apt time for the phrase 'the lady doth protest too much.'

Perhaps you can point to a post in which anybody has said that the President is required to mention God in the Thanksgiving Day message.

Why Foxfyre of the past, meet Foxfyre of the future. She thinks it should be required that you mention a deity if you are the president giving a Thanksgiving day address. If you don't do it, you're not very presidential.

Translation. I can't rebut what you say so we'll go ad hominem on Foxfyre.

Translation. I can't actually deny what you say, so I'll throw out a fancy phrase so I don't actually have to respond and own up to what I said. Try to explain to me how replying to something you said, with something you said is an ad hominem. It only is if you have a low opinion of yourself, really.

Since you obviously don't plan to actually research presidential Thanksgiving proclamations here are some more excerpts for you. (I previously posted excerpts from Clinton and Bush 43:

Here’s Harry and Ike:
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1950-

John F Kennedy
"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord."
More than three centuries ago, the Pilgrims, after a year of hardship and peril, humbly and reverently set aside a special day upon which to give thanks to God for their preservation and for the good harvest from the virgin soil upon which they had labored. Grave and unknown dangers remained. Yet by their faith and by their toil they had survived the rigors of the harsh New England winter. Hence they paused in their labors to give thanks for the blessings that had been bestowed upon them by Divine Providence.
John F. Kennedy's Thanksgiving Proclamation

Johnson
Americans, looking back on the tumultuous events of 1968, may be more inclined to ask God’s mercy and guidance than to offer Him thanks for his blessings.
There are many events in this year that deserve our remembrance, and give us cause for thanksgiving:

Nixon
On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln invited his fellow citizens to "set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of Thanksgiving…" This was the year of the battle of Gettysburg and of other major battles between Americans on American soil. To many, this call for a national day of Thanksgiving must have seemed strange, coming as it did at a time of war and bitterness.
Yet Lincoln knew that the act of thanksgiving should not be limited to time of peace and serenity. He knew that it is precisely at those times of hardship when men most need to recognize that the Source of all good constantly bestows His blessings on mankind.
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1960-

Ford
In 1863 Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, lifted the downcast view of a war-weary Nation to see the evidence of God’s bounty. He proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving to be observed by each American in his own way. President Lincoln wisely knew that a man’s declaration of his gratitude to God is, in itself, an act which strengthens the thanksgiver because it renews his own realization of his relationship to his God.

As thanksgiving enriches the individual it must bless his home, community and his country. It is, therefore, appropriate that we set aside such a day this year. All about us, doubts and fears threaten our faith in the principles which are the fiber of our society; we are called upon to prove their truth once again. Such challenges must be seen as opportunities for proof of these verities; such proof can only strengthen our Nation.
Although some may see division, we give thanks that ours is one Nation, of many diverse people, living in unity under the precept E Pluribus Unum. The fulfillment of this national principle, every day, is our task and privilege;
Although some may only see strife, we give thanks that this Nation moves each day closer to peace for all its citizens and all the world;
And we give thanks for God’s strength and guidance upon which we confidently rely today and every day.
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1970-

Carter
Even in times of trial and frustration we have much to be thankful for, in our personal lives and in our Nation. As we pause on Thanksgiving to offer thanks to God, we should not forget that we also owe thanks to this country’s forefathers who had the vision to join together in Thanksgiving, and who gave us so much of the vision of brotherhood that is ours today.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY CARTER, President of the United States of America, do proclaim Thursday, the 27th of November, 1980 as Thanksgiving Day. I call upon all the people of our Nation to give thanks on that day for the blessings Almighty God has bestowed upon us, and to join the fervent prayer of George Washington who as President asked God to "… impart all the blessings we possess, or ask for ourselves to the whole family of mankind."
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1980-

Reagan
Two hundred years ago, the Congress of the United States issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation stating that it was "the indispensable duty of all nations" to offer both praise and supplication to God. Above all other nations of the world, America has been especially blessed and should give special thanks. We have bountiful harvests, abundant freedoms, and a strong, compassionate people.

I have always believed that this anointed land was set apart in an uncommon way, that a divine plan placed this great continent here between the oceans to be found by people from every corner of the Earth who had a special love of faith and freedom. Our pioneers asked that He would work His will in our daily lives so America would be a land of morality, fairness, and freedom.
Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations 1980-

GHW Bush
On Thanksgiving Day, we Americans pause as a Nation to give thanks for the freedom and prosperity with which we have been blessed by our Creator. Like the pilgrims who first settled in this land, we offer praise to God for His goodness and generosity and rededicate ourselves to lives of service and virtue in His sight.

This annual observance of Thanksgiving was a cherished American tradition even before our first President, George Washington, issued the first Presidential Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789. In his first Inaugural Address, President Washington observed that “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States.” He noted that the American people – blessed with victory in their fight for Independence and with an abundance of crops in their fields – owed God “some return of pious gratitude.” Later, in a confidential note to his close advisor, James Madison, he asked “should the sense of the Senate be taken on … a day of Thanksgiving?” George Washington thus led the way to a Joint Resolution of Congress requesting the President to set aside “a day of public Thanksgiving and Prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal Favors of Almighty God.”
President Bush’s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1989 | CLR FORUM

So, you think it's a requirement for the president to mention a deity in his Thanksgiving address. Good to see you've gone back on your earlier assertion.

 

[Foxfyre]

Well since those of you defending the President didn't bother to read the proclamation, it is obvious you think he shoiuld not have mentioned God? Or you don't care.

However, the copy of the 2011 proclamation that I received was an abridged one. I do not know the source. Apparently this is the entire 2011 Thanksgiving Proclamation, and I will officially apologize to President Obama as he most certainly did mention God in it. I won't apologize for those trying to justify him not doing so, however.

Barack Obama's Thanksgiving Day proclamation as released by the White House:

One of our nation's oldest and most cherished traditions, Thanksgiving Day brings us closer to our loved ones and invites us to reflect on the blessings that enrich our lives. The observance recalls the celebration of an autumn harvest centuries ago, when the Wampanoag tribe joined the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony to share in the fruits of a bountiful season. The feast honored the Wampanoag for generously extending their knowledge of local game and agriculture to the Pilgrims, and today we renew our gratitude to all American Indians and Alaska Natives. We take this time to remember the ways that the first Americans have enriched our nation's heritage, from their generosity centuries ago to the everyday contributions they make to all facets of American life. As we come together with friends, family and neighbors to celebrate, let us set aside our daily concerns and give thanks for the providence bestowed upon us.

Though our traditions have evolved, the spirit of grace and humility at the heart of Thanksgiving has persisted through every chapter of our story. When President George Washington proclaimed our country's first Thanksgiving, he praised a generous and knowing God for shepherding our young republic through its uncertain beginnings. Decades later, President Abraham Lincoln looked to the divine to protect those who had known the worst of civil war, and to restore the nation "to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union."

In times of adversity and times of plenty, we have lifted our hearts by giving humble thanks for the blessings we have received and for those who bring meaning to our lives. Today, let us offer gratitude to our men and women in uniform for their many sacrifices, and keep in our thoughts the families who save an empty seat at the table for a loved one stationed in harm's way. And as members of our American family make do with less, let us rededicate ourselves to our friends and fellow citizens in need of a helping hand.
As we gather in our communities and in our homes, around the table or near the hearth, we give thanks to each other and to God for the many kindnesses and comforts that grace our lives. Let us pause to recount the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the year to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 24, 2011, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage the people of the United States to come together – whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors – to give thanks for all we have received in the past year, to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and to share our bounty with others.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
BARACK OBAMA

 

[Woyzeck]

Well since those of you defending the President didn't bother to read the proclamation, it is obvious you think he shoiuld not have mentioned God? Or you don't care.

However, the copy of the 2011 proclamation that I received was an abridged one. I do not know the source. Apparently this is the entire 2011 Thanksgiving Proclamation, and I will officially apologize to President Obama as he most certainly did mention God in it. I won't apologize for those trying to justify him not doing so, however.

Is no one still saying that he was required to mention God? Because I'm pretty sure you keep showing off that you think it is a requirement for a president.

 

[Sky Dancer]

It doesn't bother me in the least if the President does or doesn't say the word God. Saying the word "God" in a Thanksgiving address to the nation is not a Presidential requirement. Who knows? If he never said it, maybe God told Obama not to mention his name. I thought the President's proclamation was heart felt and inclusive of all citizens, not only the "God Squad". As if the President owes any citizen an apology for something like that. The people who are complaining, IMO, want the US to have a state religion and REQUIRE the President to use "God" language.

Apparently, those folks can't even read, here is a quote from the official proclamation by the President

"As we gather in our communities and in our homes, around the table or near the hearth, we give thanks to each other and to God for the many kindnesses and comforts that grace our lives. Let us pause to recount the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the year to come."

HOW MANY TIMES DOES THE PRESIDENT HAVE TO SAY GOD IN A SPEECH TO HAVE THE RIGHT WING LEAVE HIM IN PEACE? The amount of hate this President gets from the right is ridiculous. Unbelievable. As usual, much ado about nothing, RIGHTIES. Keep twittering and tweeting nonsense. Fox News will run with it for you.

 

[Foxfyre]

Well since those of you defending the President didn't bother to read the proclamation, it is obvious you think he shoiuld not have mentioned God? Or you don't care.

However, the copy of the 2011 proclamation that I received was an abridged one. I do not know the source. Apparently this is the entire 2011 Thanksgiving Proclamation, and I will officially apologize to President Obama as he most certainly did mention God in it. I won't apologize for those trying to justify him not doing so, however.

Is no one still saying that he was required to mention God? Because I'm pretty sure you keep showing off that you think it is a requirement for a president.

Yes I do because to fail to do so would show a deplorable lack of content, respect, and appreciation for history, what the Holiday represents, and the American culture.