10,000 people showed up to hear Obamamania. Even though I was not there to support Obama I wanted to see what exactly the hype was about this guy.

First, we stood outside the cold when we arrived. Already there were close to 1000 people in line ahead of us. Some had been outside since 5:00AM to hear Obama.

Once we got through the doors and was searched by the TSA (the same security they used in airports) we sat down and waited. First the program started off like church. There were praise dancing and several speeches by elected officials and the University of Toledo's president.

When Sen. Obama came on the stage the crowd erupted into a frenzy. It was straight pandemonium. It was like being in a rock concert or something.

But when Obama started talking about his platform I strongly felt it was short on specifics. for example:

Health care. He wants health care for every American. That sounds good but every American can receive health care under this free market system we have presently. Do you want the government to control health care like they do in Russia and China? Plus, if he was serious about Universal Health Care he would have gotten some support for an constitutional amendment for universal health care. That way the government would be responsible for health care for American citizens.

He talked about improving education by not stressing the No Child Left Behind law in terms of the testing. How do you measure a child's performance of he/she is not tested on a regular basis. However, he lost me when he turned his back on school vouchers. So I cannot take him seriously on education. He wants our children to compete with China but wants to foster a more liberal form of education to our children.

He wants to pull our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and claim that the Republicans put this 9/11 fear on Americans. Have he realized that we have not been attacked since 9/11?

Obama complained about the tax cuts for the wealthy and claimed that people who are making under $50K should receive tax breaks. How come we never tell people to just work and learn to manage their money better?

But when he said he is for the free market and capitalism I almost fell out of my seat. Obama has attached government to everything in his platform. Even his so-called energy policies that calls for wind and solar energy. This man is far from the free market.

However, now I understand how he is fooling people with his "Change for America" crap. He taps into every demographic to make them feel at home. For Republicans he talks about national defense and the free market. For Democrats he talks about the role of expanding government.

For other races of people he talks about how all of us can change America. Most cult leaders do the same thing.

I kept asking myself this question while Obama was speaking. How many people know this man's background? Felicia Benamon, my friend from Memphis, Tenn, tried to crack the code with Obama's church background. Let me help my sister a little better.

Obama belongs to the Trinity United Church of Christ. While I will not focus on Black Liberation Theology in this article because it is not necessary I want to bring to your attention about the United Church of Christ.

One resolution from the United Church of Christ General Synod XXV, meeting in Atlanta, Georgia from July 1-5, 2005, generated significant controversy both in and outside the denomination, some of which continues presently.

The resolution "In support of equal marriage rights for all", supported by an estimated 80% of the 884 General Synod Delegates, made the United Church of Christ General Synod the first major Christian deliberative body in the U.S. to make a statement of support for "equal marriage rights for all people, regardless of gender," and is hitherto the largest Christian denominational entity in the U.S. supporting equal marriage rights (although other denominations have affirmed committed relationships for LGBT people in other forms). The resolution's primary focus is on calling for equal access to civil marriage rights regardless of gender; however, the resolution does call upon local congregations and other settings of the United Church of Christ to discussion and discernment around "marriage equality" and encourages congregations "to consider adopting Wedding Policies that do not discriminate against couples based on gender."

This is why Obama supports gay and lesbian marriages.

When you look up Obama's track record like I have you come up with this.

On Abortion:

Expand access to contraception; reduce unintended pregnancy. (Feb 2008)
Rated 100% by NARAL on pro-choice votes in 2005, 2006 & 2007. (Jan 2008)
Voted against banning partial birth abortion. (Oct 2007)
Stem cells hold promise to cure 70 major diseases. (Aug 2007)
Trust women to make own decisions on partial-birth abortion. (Apr 2007)

My question is why would you vote against partial birth abortion? Yet, he is a Christian? And how come most Black Churches that are supporting Obama are ignoring this when in fact they tell their congregation it is a sin to commit abortions (unless you belong to a church in the inner city that is dominated by liberals).

On Civil Rights:

The politics of fear undermines basic civil liberties. (Oct 2007)
Racial equality good for America as a whole. (Jun 2007)
Put the Confederate flag in a museum, not the state house. (Apr 2007)
Muslim heritage gives Obama unique influence in Muslim world.

Does Obama know that Blacks fought on the side of the Confederate Flag? So how racist is this flag?

Affirmative Action:

Fight job discrimination to give women equal footing at jobs. (Feb 2008)
Remove discriminatory barriers to the right to vote. (Feb 2008)
Benefited from affirmative action but overcame via merit. (Dec 2007)
Include class-based affirmative action with race-based. (Oct 2007)

This is why I apologized to Ward Connerly for not supporting Proposal 2.

On Gay Rights:

Being gay or lesbian is not a choice. (Nov 2007)
Decisions about marriage should be left to the states. (Oct 2007)
Homosexuality no more immoral than heterosexuality. (Oct 2007)
Ok to expose 6-year-olds to gay couples; they know already. (Sep 2007)
Has any marriage broken up because two gays hold hands? (Aug 2007)
We need strong civil unions, not just weak civil unions. (Aug 2007)
Legal rights for gays are conferred by state, not by church. (Aug 2007)
Disentangle gay rights from the word "marriage". (Aug 2007)
Gay marriage is less important that equal gay rights. (Aug 2007)
Gay rights movement is somewhat like civil rights movement. (Aug 2007)
Let each denominations decide on recognizing gay marriage. (Jul 2007)
Supports health benefits for gay civil partners. (Oct 2006)
Opposes gay marriage; supports civil union & gay equality. (Oct 2006)
Marriage not a human right; non-discrimination is. (Oct 2004)
Include sexual orientation in anti-discrimination laws. (Jul 1998)

Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)
Rated 89% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
Rated 100% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)

This is self explanatory.

On Corporations:

Cap the farm subsidies for Fortune 500 companies. (Dec 2007)
End tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas. (Aug 2007)
Hold corporations responsible for pensions & work conditions. (Aug 2007)
Tax incentives for corporate responsibility. (Jun 2004)
Close tax loopholes for US companies relocating abroad. (Jun 2004)
REAL USA Plan: Reward companies that create domestic jobs. (Jun 2004)
Voted YES on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore. (Mar 2005)
Voted NO on reforming bankruptcy to include means-testing & restrictions. (Mar 2005)

On Education:

Children's First Agenda: zero to five early education. (Feb 2008)
$4,000 college tuition for 100 hours' public service a year. (Feb 2008)
Put billions of dollars into early childhood education. (Jan 2008)
Need after-school and summer programs with good parenting. (Jan 2008)
Get parents re-engaged in educating the children. (Dec 2007)
We need a sense of urgency about improving education system. (Sep 2007)
Nationwide program to reconstruct crumbling school buildings. (Sep 2007)
STEP UP: summer learning opportunities for disadvantaged. (Aug 2007)
We left the money behind for No Child Left Behind. (Aug 2007)

This is self explanatory. Less government and more parental involvement.

On Family and Children:

Expand flex-work & Family and Medical Leave Act. (Feb 2008)
Restore dream of making children's lives better than parents. (Dec 2007)
All kids should learn about sexual abuse. (Jul 2007)
FactCheck: 'Sex Ed for Kindergarten' means 'age-appropriate'. (Jul 2007)
Listening to evangelicals bridges major political fault line. (Oct 2006)

On Foreign Policy:

Never negotiate out of fear, and never fear to negotiate. (Jan 2008)
Ok to postpone Pakistani elections, but not indefinitely. (Dec 2007)
Pakistan crisis: secure nukes; continue with elections. (Dec 2007)
President must abide by international human rights treaties. (Dec 2007)
Obama Doctrine: ideology has overridden facts and reality. (Dec 2007)
China is a competitor but not an enemy. (Dec 2007)
Willing to meet with Fidel Castro, Kim Jung Il & Hugo Chavez. (Nov 2007)
Wrote 2006 law stabilizing Congo with $52M. (Oct 2007)
No Obama Doctrine; just democracy, security, liberty. (Oct 2007)
Invest in our relationship with Mexico. (Sep 2007)
Strengthen NATO to face 21st-century threats. (Aug 2007)
$50B annually to strengthen weak states at risk of collapse. (Aug 2007)
No "strategic ambiguity" on foreign policy issues. (Aug 2007)
My critics engineered our biggest foreign policy disaster. (Aug 2007)
China is a competitor, but not an enemy. (Aug 2007)
Meet with enemy leaders; it's a disgrace that we have not. (Jul 2007)
No-fly zone in Darfur; but pay attention more in Africa. (Jun 2007)
Europe & Japan are allies, but China is a competitor. (Apr 2007)
Palestinian people suffer-but from not recognizing Israel. (Apr 2007)
FactCheck: Palestinian suffering from stalled peace effort. (Apr 2007)
Protested South African apartheid while at college. (Feb 2007)
Focus on corruption to improve African development. (Oct 2006)
Supports Israel's self-defense; but distrusted by Israelis. (Oct 2006)
Visited Africa in 2006; encouraged HIV testing & research. (Oct 2006)
Never has US had so much power & so little influence to lead. (Jul 2004)
US policy should promote democracy and human rights. (Jul 2004)

Why would you meet with people who hate us to the bone?

On Health Care:

The problem with health care is about affordability. (Jan 2008)
Subsidies to people who can't afford care--not single payer. (Jan 2008)
Bring GOP & Dems together to make health care affordable. (Jan 2008)
FactCheck: Reducing obesity would save $18B, not $1T. (Dec 2007)
Reforms in prevention and drug price negotiation save money. (Dec 2007)
Tackle insurance companies on reimbursement system. (Oct 2007)
Help young people deal with the cost of medical education. (Oct 2007)
Morally wrong that terminally ill must consider money. (Sep 2007)
FactCheck: Correct that insurance lobbying cost $1B. (Sep 2007)
National smoking bans only after trying local bans. (Sep 2007)
Reform failed in '90s because of drug company lobbying. (Jul 2007)
Take on insurance companies; drive down health care costs. (Jun 2007)
Address minority health needs by more coverage & targeting. (Mar 2007)
Health care tied to balancing costs and taxes nation wide. (Jun 2006)
Allowing seniors to bulk purchase will save taxpayers' money. (Oct 2004)
Allow prescription drug re-importation. (May 2004)

AIDS

We need condom distribution to deal with the scourge of AIDS. (Aug 2007)
Homophobia prevents talking about HIV/AIDS. (Jun 2007)
Got tested for AIDS, with wife, in public, in Kenya. (Jun 2007)
Lead global fight against AIDS. (Jul 2004)

Condom distribution? How about keeping your penis inside your pants and asking women to close their legs for once?

Universal Coverage

AdWatch: punishing uninsured families doesn't make sense. (Feb 2008)
FactCheck: Hillary's plan does mandate; but so does Obama's. (Feb 2008)
No one turned away due to illness or pre-existing condition. (Feb 2008)
Buy private insurance via National Health Insurance Exchange. (Feb 2008)
Against enforcement mechanism for mandating insurance. (Jan 2008)
FactCheck: Yes, Obama favored single-payer, despite denial. (Jan 2008)
FactCheck: No, US costs are not twice as much as others. (Jan 2008)
AdWatch: Pressure insurance & drug companies to change. (Jan 2008)
FactCheck: OPPORTUNITY to insure all, but no GUARANTEE. (Jan 2008)
AdWatch: Don't make it illegal not to have health care. (Jan 2008)
Being poor in this country is hazardous to your health. (Dec 2007)
Problem isn't mandating coverage, but affording it. (Nov 2007)
FactCheck: Coverage plan might leave 8.5 million uninsured. (Nov 2007)
Added 20,000 children to Illinois healthcare. (Oct 2007)
Government healthcare like members of Congress have. (Sep 2007)
Increase competition in the insurance and drug markets. (Aug 2007)

On Homeland Security:

Pursue goal of a world without nuclear weapons. (Feb 2008)
Al Qaida is stronger now than in 2001 as Iraq distracted us. (Jan 2008)
Colleges must allow military recruiters for ROTC on campus. (Jan 2008)
Rebuild a nuclear nonproliferation strategy. (Jan 2008)
FactCheck: Promised to repeal Patriot Act, then voted for it. (Jan 2008)
No presidential power for secret surveillance. (Dec 2007)
No holding US citizens as unlawful enemy combatants. (Dec 2007)
Congress decides what constitutes torture, not president. (Dec 2007)
No torture; defiance of FISA; no military commissions. (Dec 2007)
Restore habeas corpus to reach Muslims abroad. (Dec 2007)
Human rights and national security are complementary. (Nov 2007)
2006: Obama-Lugar bill restricted conventional weapons. (Oct 2007)
Judgment is as important as experience. (Oct 2007)
If attacked, first help victims then prevent further attacks. (Oct 2007)
America cannot sanction torture; no loopholes or exceptions. (Sep 2007)
Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell. (Aug 2007)
We are no safer now than we were after 9/11. (Aug 2007)
Close Guantanamo and restore the right of habeas corpus. (Jun 2007)
Get first responders the healthcare and equipment they need. (Mar 2007)
Need to be both strong and smart on national defense. (Oct 2006)
Grow size of military to maintain rotation schedules. (Oct 2006)
Battling terrorism must go beyond belligerence vs. isolation. (Oct 2006)
Going after Al Qaeda in Pakistan is not Bush-style invasion. (Jan 2006)

On Immigration:

Immigration raids are ineffective. (Feb 2008)
Health plan: not enough resources for illegal immigrants. (Jan 2008)
Illegals shouldn't work; but should have path to citizenship. (Dec 2007)
Don't deputize Americans to turn in illegal immigrants. (Dec 2007)
OK to provide government services in Spanish. (Dec 2007)
Comprehensive solution includes employers & borders. (Nov 2007)
Undocumented workers come here to work, not to drive. (Nov 2007)
Support granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. (Nov 2007)

How come Obama is for illegal immigration?

Racism & Race

I am a proud Christian who believes deeply in Jesus Christ. (Jan 2008)
Intertwined search for father and racial identity. (Dec 2007)
A Bound Man: inner turmoil of 1960s black nationalism. (Dec 2007)
Joined church that emphasized a "Black Value System". (Dec 2007)
Rooted in African-American community but also more than that. (Dec 2007)
Embodies smothering racial power in individual democracy. (Dec 2007)
More influenced by his race than public perceives. (Dec 2007)
In college, rejected multiracialism for black identity. (Dec 2007)
Whites sense that Barack grants them "benefit of the doubt". (Dec 2007)
Fans see Obama as opportunity to vote for redemption. (Dec 2007)

On War and Peace:

$2 trillion and the loss of life in Iraq are not sustainable. (Jan 2008)
The surge is not working toward enduring peace. (Jan 2008)
Iraq takes our eye off al Qaeda & Afghanistan. (Jan 2008)
Get our troops out by the end of 2009. (Jan 2008)
No permanent bases in Iraq. (Jan 2008)
2002: Iraq will require US occupation of undetermined length. (Jan 2008)
FactCheck: No, violence in Iraq is LOWER than 2 years ago. (Jan 2008)
Congress decides deployment level & duration, not president. (Dec 2007)
Surge strategy has made a difference in Iraq but failed. (Nov 2007)
Clinton has not been consistent on the Iraq War. (Oct 2007)
2002: I don't oppose all war; I do oppose dumb war. (Oct 2007)
Leave troops for protection of Americans & counterterrorism. (Sep 2007)
Hopes to remove all troops from Iraq by 2013, but no pledge. (Sep 2007)
Surge has not succeeded because it ignores political issues. (Sep 2007)
Tell people the truth: quickest is 1-2 brigades per month. (Sep 2007)
No good options in Iraq--just bad options & worse options. (Aug 2007)
Be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in. (Jul 2007)
Troops not dying in vain; but we need plans for success. (Jul 2007)
We live in a more dangerous world because of Bush's actions. (Jun 2007)
Case for war was weak, but people voted their best judgment. (Jun 2007)
War in Iraq is "dumb" but troops still need equipment. (Apr 2007)
Increase ground forces in Iraq to decrease troop rotations. (Apr 2007)
Open-ended Iraq occupation must end: no military solution. (Apr 2007)
Begin withdrawal May 1 2007; finish by March 31 2008. (Apr 2007)
Open dialogue with both Syria and Iran. (Apr 2007)
Withdraw gradually and keep some troops in Iraq region. (Mar 2007)
Iraq 2002: ill-conceived venture; 2007: waste of resources. (Feb 2007)
Longtime critic of Iraq war. (Nov 2006)
The surge reduced violence, but at enormous cost. (Jan 2006)
Begin a phased redeployment to send a clear signal. (Jan 2006)
Saddam did not own and was not providing WMD to terrorists. (Oct 2004)
Initial military was extraordinarily successful in Iraq. (Oct 2004)
Invading Iraq was a bad strategic blunder. (Oct 2004)
We must make sure that Iraq is stable having gone in there. (Oct 2004)
Advance the training speed and get the reconstruction moving. (Oct 2004)
Democratizing Iraq will be more difficult than Afghanistan. (Oct 2004)
Never fudge numbers or shade the truth about war. (Jul 2004)
Set a new tone to internationalize the Iraqi reconstruction. (Jul 2004)
Iraq war was sincere but misguided, ideologically driven. (Jul 2004)
Not opposed to all wars, but opposed to the war in Iraq. (Jul 2004)
International voice in Iraq in exchange for debt forgiveness. (Jul 2004)

You see I cannot SUPPORT him because of his track record. Nothing personal. I just feel he is too liberal for me to support. Too far to the left. The scary thing what I saw at the rally was the number of people who were following him like a cult or something. No questions, just follow.