Did Time Magazine Get it Right by Choosing President Obama 2012 Person of the Year?

Ivory Dorsey, Speaker, Facilitator, and Author December 29, 2012 at 01:49 pm

God got it right! There's no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:1-2

Ann Beavr December 29, 2012 at 02:57 pm

But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto you: for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.......1 Samuel 8:6-7 I guess we will wait and see....

C. Vinson December 29, 2012 at 09:40 pm

Ivory, only tapped the beginning of the instructions. Here is a little more from verses 3-5:
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. The entire chapter is worth reading. It always amazes me when people try to decide when God's will is being followed and when it's not based on their own political leaning.

Ivory Dorsey, Speaker, Facilitator, and Author December 29, 2012 at 11:05 pm

"There is a TIME for everything..." Eccl 3:1

Richard Pellegrino December 30, 2012 at 04:38 am

As much as I am a supporter of President Obama, I think he would have chosen Malala Yousafzai as Person of the Year (which is one reason I love him as a President and a man--his humility).

Richard Pellegrino December 30, 2012 at 04:42 am

Since everyone is referring to Biblical verses regarding this issue, here is a link to my Christmas article , WWJC Revisited at Christmas Time (which apparently was not yet published in South Cobb but is in other Patches) :
http://eastcobb.patch.com/blog_posts/wwjd-revisited-at-christmas-time-06a32dbe

Marlene Mitchell December 30, 2012 at 10:21 pm

In the big picture it means next to nothing. My trash collector makes my life better in the long run than Obama does.

Richard Pellegrino December 30, 2012 at 11:28 pm

I have to disagree Marlene....in the big picture, and even in the local, smaller picture his re-election means a lot of things in terms of making our life better as individuals and a nation...just the fact that such a diverse group voters of all colors, cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds came together to vote for him and rejected big money is a sure sign of progress. If we can emulate that on a local level, a unity in diversity, working together for the common good, then we can eventually eliminate big government. And I do agree that your trash collector is better off too which helps you and I :-). (Here are links o my previous articles on this issue: http://kennesaw.patch.com/blog_posts/response-to-president-obamas-call-for-individual-collective-action-for-the-common-good-b5044488 and
http://southcobb.patch.com/blog_posts/take-aways-from-the-election-for-cobb-georgia-the-nation-ff990bbe

Marlene Mitchell December 31, 2012 at 02:43 am

I don't believe what you have written is reality. Obama is big government on a grand scale and he tends to divide rather than join people together. He is full of empty words, very much a professional politician.
I personally believe we all have more in common that we have differences , no matter what race, religion or economic background we come from....and as a nation we shine at being diverse in all things. We, the United States, do diversity better than any country that I have been to, by a wide margin. Obama has over half our states wanting to leave the Union....good job Obama!!!!!! I fear for us in his last four years. Take off your rosé colored glasses and look past his race and look at the politics of the man himself...if you can. He isn't offering you what you think.

Richard Pellegrino December 31, 2012 at 05:59 am

I agree that we all have our versions of reality, and that the truth usually lies somewhere in between. I don't know what President or elected official in America, now or in the past, is not a "professional politician". Our system tends to force that doesn't it (when one has to raise millions to run for office). Though I disagree with many of President Obama's administration's actions and policies I can fairly state that his accomplishments have been greater than most other Presidents in my lifetime with way more opposition than any other President I have ever seen. And I know, from my discussions with white male colleagues (many of whom are fellow businessman) that race has has a lot to do with that opposition (I have never heard the "n" word used more except during Jim Crow days, and this is from educated, professional businessmen.)
I also agree that we have more in common, and that our diversity as a nation is our true exceptionalism---however I think that you have may the rose colored glasses (or perhaps "white folk colored glasses") when it comes to an evaluation of the progress we have made in cherishing that diversity and affording equal rights and opportunity to people of color in this nation. We are very much a work in progress in that regard and can learn from some other nations, like the Caribbean, on how to better fulfill that goal.

Richard Pellegrino December 31, 2012 at 06:10 am

Regarding President Obama's inability to unite us, hmmmm, the most diverse majority of Americans in American history voted for him, including many who had to fight for the right to vote in this election---I would say that is a pretty outstanding accomplishment. And hmmm, the last time I looked, those who wanted to secede from the union were those who wanted to disband America because they couldn't have their way (in the past it was slavery and now what was it beyond sour grapes that they could not buy an election to get their way)---either way, pretty childish. They are the same folk who force big government and big brother to be there because they act so childish, just as parents have to take more control when their kids aren't mature enough to handle responsibility. Ask anyone of color and they know that still, in this day, if the southern states had their way and if there was not a strong federal government to deter them we would go back to Jim Crow.
So if you are serious about your beliefs then let's work together at the local level--we have a diverse coalition in Cobb, called Cobb United for Change--which works with anyone willing---Republicans, Tea Party, the Left, etc---to take care of our people so that the federal government doesn't have to. If we can unite locally then we are begging for bigger government.

Richard Pellegrino December 31, 2012 at 06:11 am

Sorry, I meant: If we cannot unite locally then we are begging for bigger government.

Marlene Mitchell December 31, 2012 at 01:42 pm

Richard,
Why do you presume that I am white????

Pete December 31, 2012 at 02:43 pm

Marelene, you and people like you had the opportunity to make your life better, but you continue to vote along party lines and continue to vote for status quo. Instead of spending the next 4 years complaining and being a sore loser, vote for real change.
You honestly think a change in presidency would make a difference in your life?? The power is in congress and the senate - you want change, fix it there... All these people who complain about term limits and big government continue to vote in the same people, who stifle the growth of our country. I tired to vote everyone out this year but guess what? 1/2 the incumbents were running unopposed! THAT is what's wrong with our country - we talk out of both sides of our mouth

Richard Pellegrino January 2, 2013 at 03:14 am

Hi Marlene: "White" is more of an attitude more than a skin color today, for very few people are really white and not mixed with some other race, whether they admit it or not. The typical whte attitude in America is one of arrogance, superiority and privilege. Whether your skin color is white or not it appears, from your statements, that you have aligned yourself with those with that attitude.

Marlene Mitchell January 4, 2013 at 02:03 am

Wow, what an arrogant statement. You know nothing about me other than I don't agree with you and on this fact alone have made many assumptions. "Typical white attitude" kinda puts you in the racist category. Meaningful conversation was never your purpose, you only wanted to pontificate.

Richard Pellegrino January 4, 2013 at 05:54 am

I said it appears but I am always ready to be proven and admit that I am wrong. (And yes, I am the first to admit that I, and every other white man I know, has that ingrained racist attitude of superiority which we have to fight down every day. The difference is that I admit it. And yes, it is commonly known among people who have studied the whole issue of race that there is a condition of "internalized racism" wherein the victims of racism take on the characteristics of their oppressors. I have no clue what color you are, what your experience is, etc and therefore can only comment on your assumptions--that somehow Obama is responsible for people wanting to secede from this nation when clearly these are the descendants of the same people who wanted to secede before based on white superiority.
But again, I am always willing to learn from and work with those who want to start at the assumption that all of our viewpoints are valid and valued without recrimination for anyone, including our President. Again, let's work together locally to provide an example of unity in diversity...feel free to contact me directly at pilgrim1@mindspring.com and I will invite you to such meetings.

Marlene Mitchell January 4, 2013 at 02:38 pm

Just a question...Have you ever been poor? Welfare poor?

Richard Pellegrino January 5, 2013 at 06:08 pm

The short answer is yes...even poorer than welfare poor in places where there was no welfare. That's how I have lived my whole life, but mostly by choice (but not always). My favorite bumper sticker: "Live simply that others may simply live."

Marlene Mitchell January 5, 2013 at 07:33 pm

If it was your choice then your answer is "no".

Richard Pellegrino January 6, 2013 at 05:36 pm

This is a bigger and more important subject than can be answered in sound bites (so I invite this discussion off line directly at pilgrim1@mindspring.com), However here are a few:
--Living as a white male in America, I am privileged...so in one sense any poor white male here is poor by choice (or lack of making choices), with rare exceptions. --Knowing the above and having that ingrained attitude that I am somehow on top of the world, even when I am materially poor I "know" that that is only temporary, so it is not depressing but a motivator. --I know that this is a different experience than people of color and women, and of people from "third world countries", all of whom are and have generally been oppressed by white American and western males, whether we know or admit it (but any fair read of history exposes that easily). --So my experience of life , including "poverty", is completely different from others', and hence my life mission is to understand and learn from others' regarding their life experience, and to see how I can help them fulfill their personal and group mission, because in doing so I fulfill mine (as I am a firm believer in Dr. King's "network of mutuality" and the fact that I cannot fulfill my life and destiny if you are not able to fulfill yours.)

Marlene Mitchell January 6, 2013 at 10:49 pm

We all are privileged living in America. ALL of us. MANY people of color come to the USA for just that privilege.....you can not find what we have anywhere else in the world.
You can't know poor or poverty by dabbling in it part time. Playing a martyr and blaming others for perceived sins of the past because it makes you feel superior in your enlightenment makes you what you seem to despise. Yes, please read history. But don't get it from the newspapers, TV and especially Hollywood. Check out the big books from the library...and the older the book the better (not as many revisions of the truth) I got your email and I'll carry this conversation off this arena. I believe Dr. King is turning over in his grave at how they are bastardizing his legacy. They should be ashamed.

Richard Pellegrino January 8, 2013 at 11:54 pm

Yes...I agree that compared to much of the world we are privileged here..at least materially. However we are also among the most brainwashed people in the world...thinking that we are somehow morally superior when in fact much of our material progress has been due to the exploitation of others, both here and worldwide. (Good books in this regard are "Confessions of An Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins and "Slavery by Another Name" by Doug Blackmon). Thankfully people are waking up to this, here and around the world.
Yes, many people of color emigrate here and they also often bring with them ingrained prejudices regarding African Americans...not taking the time to know that their experience here was unlike theirs in their countries. (I am very familiar with this having lived in the West Indies and having West Indians in my family.) I don't know what you mean that people can't know poverty by dabbling in it...many people have arisen from poverty and don't forget where they came from and what it was like. Regarding books, I agree however the older the better is not often the case as many were "whitewashed" to make it appear that Europeans did everything right while the rest of the world and peoples are savages---quite the contrary. I don't know what you mean regarding Dr King turning over in his grave--much of what he prophesied is coming to pass...though perhaps not as quickly as he would have liked. Feel free to email me to continue.

Marlene Mitchell January 22, 2013 at 09:37 pm

Mr. Pellegrino
Tried to email you with no success so I assume you just wanted me off a public forum.

Richard Pellegrino January 22, 2013 at 10:57 pm

Hi Marlene...so glad you posted this....I deleted your post to my email by mistake and then searched and searched the Patch for this blog (I thought it was in the comments of one of my other blogs, and even in the search box I put your name as Marlene Williams, which is another reason I didn't find you). Please resend your email to me at pilgrim1@mindspring.com . Thank you and I apologize.

Richard Pellegrino February 17, 2013 at 05:35 am

Hi Marlene: Hope all is well.
Never heard back from you in reply to my post below.