Any reactions to Barack Adolf Obama?  Barack Vladimir Obama?  Barack Elvis Obama?  Barack Anna Obama?

Sure—here’s my reaction. I know three Latvians who bear Ādolfs as a first or middle name. No problem at all—it was once a popular name, preceding the Adolf you mean.

Were you to give that name to your child today in Latvia, I would wonder about you. I don’t see a reason to try to “rehabilitate” that name, no more than I see a reason to flaunt the perfectly acceptable and eminently historical and ethnic Lettish ugunskrusts or pērkonkrusts. In a josta, or in that context, go ahead.

If anybody objects to that—I’ll defend it hotly. When somebody like ____ proudly stands in front of a swastika or cries “cīņai sveiks,” however—it’s a very different matter. It’s a conscious choice to diminish the mass murder that took place here, in effect. In my personal opinion, I agree with Kaža—I’m a fanatical supporter of free speech, and I think every Lettish idiot should be allowed to wave hammers, sickles, Hakenkreuze or whatever they wish, as much as they want.

“Hussein,” however, is just a name. If you wanna reach for the lowest common denominator, in which the same Americans who thought Iraqis were responsible for 9/11 get played by the Man again, go ahead. I don’t see anybody withdrawing Joseph because of Stalin or Goebbels, or Jack because of the Ripper.

But the purpose of bringing up the “Hussein” with regard to Obama is to tar him with something he has nothing to do with—he’s not a Muslim, and not an Arab. It’s amazingly stupid to put the accent on this. Personally, I despise Obama and everything he stands for—but how can you stoop so low? It’s a matter of context.

Regards,
/P

P.S. There are Vladimirs in the context of Lenin all over Latvia, and even Vladlens (VLADimir LENins). There are Stalins all over India. So what?

/P

Now that you go that out of your system, how about Barack Anna Obama - or Barack Shawan Tyrees Obama, or Hillary Billary Clinton, or Hillary Susan B. Anthony Rodham, or Hillary Skaidrite Clinton, or Barack Pilsudski Obama?  These are just names.  It’s the reader who does his or her own tripping.

Peteris Cedrins - 12 March 2008 09:57 AM

Personally, I despise Obama and everything he stands for—but how can you stoop so low? It’s a matter of context.

Regards,
/P

Didja really mean Obama or Osama? From my limited knowledge of your politics, I would assume that Obama is someone you would support.
A colleague here in the office has the first name of Osama, I don’t equate him in any way with Mr. Bin Laden and I hope no one else does either.

PS Peteris, calm down, my cousin is Vova, my wonderful “uncle” was Adof (pre-the-time-of), another was Ilgvars, my Ann Arbor friends are Chinita and Wondella, my roommate was Michlehanna, a girlfriend is Nais, a Balt friend is Juozas, etc.

Nope, Int! McCain all the way. I would even prefer Billary to Obama.

/P

Fascinating, the difference in perspectives between there and here has never been more apparent than in that statement. McCain is going to get his ass handed to him out here in Seattle, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the state (conservative,rural) votes.
I’m assuming (again, quite possibly erroneously) that your reasons have something to do with Obama’s career as an Illinois senator and possibly his foreign policy doesn’t jive with you either?
Now, to bring it all back home, you sir, embrace both the spirit and the letter of someone who would register as an independent!
(BTW- if you still have ASV pilsoniba, are you/do you vote in the elections?)

McCain?  And you had the nerve to give Ojars K. such a hard press over Latvia in Iraq.  Schizy for sure.

I still have dual citizenship, and there was a point when I registered as a Democrat Abroad. I’ve never voted in an American election whilst here, though. Even my hatred for Dubya didn’t motivate me enough to do so—Dubya was not bad for Latvia except on a deep level, and I don’t look to that level these days, and I certainly don’t look to politicians for that. I do vote in every Latvian election and referendum, and I shall shortly sign for the strange people’s referendum initiated by the trade unions. I can’t get excited about American politics except in that they are instructive in what not to do. What matters to me most at this time is foreign policy. Obama will screw it up royally. Billary would not, and McCain will not.

Vysu lobu,
/P

Ambersun,

Sure—the nerve to mess with Ojārs (no pauti required there). But I would prefer staying in Iraq for a hundred years per McCain to abandoning the Middle East to Iran. The invasion is what I disagreed with Ojārs about. The invasion is what I opposed. I was never anti-American and I see little other possibility for Latvia than support for American imperialism. That doesn’t mean I like American imperialism. Quid pro quo. I am quite dry about this—I think we are cynical enough people to realize that puffing into mythologies about gorgeous America bringing democracy to the world, hurtling the obstacles of a recalcitrant Russia and evil China, are pure sūdi no sane person would swallow.

Vysu lobu,
/P

Now that we’re doing show and tell, I saw a silly, little ditty somewhere (don’t quite remember where now), I think on the cover of a magazine, entitled, “Who would Jesus vote for?” Of course, I did not bother to pursue this any further and immediately thought about the quote in the Bible, rendering ..."unto Caesar what is Caesar’s...” But, nevertheless, it tempted me to toy a little with this idea and I came up with Obama because he exudes such an aurora of benevolence, though some have told me that I am totally naive and that this is just a front and a lot of BS.  However, either way, I’m not totally confident in him to lead the country, especially in the matter of foreign affairs.  Hillary, I do not particularly like as a person, but she looks to be someone who knows how to get things done.  And that leaves John McCain, who I deeply respect, but had qualms about because of his policies in Iraq.  I never agreed with going into Iraq in the first place, but now that we are involved in this mess, I don’t see how we can just waltz out and leave it all behind us, as though it never happened.  Obama said something to the effect of (whatever that may mean for him), as carelessly as we rushed in ,we need to pull out “carefully"…

That said, whither my conscience goes from now until November, I hope I will have the fortitude to follow.

Irena