Ok I had it up to here with this Experience vs. Youth charge that keeps getting leveled at Obama, as well as us in the progressive community. I not even a Obama supporter (I've finally made my decision to go with Edwards; I love his message on poverty). Now, civil rights.....elder (I'm trying to be nice) Andrew Young is coming out against Obama saying "...Barack Obama is too young and lacks the support network to ascend to the White House...".
This is some beltway BS.
PERIOD!!!!
Repeated efforts by The Associated Press to reach Young were unsuccessful.
Young's comments were prompted by a member of the audience who inquired about his opinion on Obama's candidacy.
"I want Barack Obama to be president," Young said, pausing for effect, "in 2016."
"It's not a matter of being inexperienced. It's a matter of being young," Young said. "There's a certain level of maturity ... you've got to learn to take a certain amount of (expletive)."
Young went on to say that Obama needs a protective network that he currently lacks - a quality that could hurt him if he were to be elected. He said Hillary Clinton already has that kind of network, including her husband to back her up.
Yes, Andrew Young, once an outsider helping to fight the system of injustice, is now a part of the "...protective network..." -- ie. bubble. We progressive chide Bush&Co about being in a bubble, but we must begin to accept that some of our best progressive advocates have crossed over to be encapsulated in the Washington bubble. However, the charge against the youth that they are NOT ready for leadership, is unfounded. Andrew Young as well as other "democratic" beltway pundits have tried to straddle the fence between Hillary and Obama. We want Clinton now, and then Obama later. The arrogance of some people. But I digress. This is not a "Why I support...." diary.
Somewhere along the way Young got the idea that the young can't serve in leadership roles. Tell that to:
the 18, and 19, year olds serving in the military.the young people who were the ones sprayed with water hoses and bitten by dogs during the the civil rights movement.the Jena 6 protesters who were mainly young afican american college students. the young people of Iran, and Iraq, who speak out against their government, at a risk to there own life. the children of Zimbabwe, who continue to speak out even when limbs have been cut off, or in the case of girls limbs cut off and genitals mutilated.the protesters who spoke out during Rwaanda, and are speaking out against Darfur
Mind you, there's are alot of "old, and experience" people in charge right know while these exploitations, and atrocities are occuring, Young included.
As a matter of fact, "old people" have been at the helm during the worst atrocities known to mankind:
American slavery 300+ years (several old people in charge namely presidents)
Holocaust (an old maniacle lunatic in charge by the name of Hitler)
Zimbabwe (old man by the name of Mugabe)
Subjugation of women (several old people in charge, namely leaders of countries including America)
Dropping a nuclear bomb on Japan (ALOT OF OLD PEOPLE IN CHARGE)
Starting Iraq War (same here)
If this is what you get with old and experience, please no more......I can't take it....the world can't take it. Andrew Young is wrong in his assertion and the fact that he has allowed the bubble to surround him means we can no longer rely on him to be a voice in the wilderness.