President Obama hugs children who wrote letters to the White House about gun violence, (L-R) Hinna Zeejah, Taejah Goode, and Grant Fritz, after announcing the administration’s new gun law proposals in the Eisenhower Executive Office building, on January 16
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See the list of 23 Executive actions at Prospect
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More soon
w00t
PBO is awesome! Can I get an amen to that TOD?
Amen, Amen and AAAAAAA-MEN!!
AMEN!
AMEN!
AMEN!
amen indeed my friends. Her’e s my tweet of support for our wonderful President!
AMEN!
Amen!!!!!!!!
Amen. Amen.
Way to go Alice – and thank you for all the RTs!!!
Gotta focus on the bottom line …
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/19/seven-facts-about-the-u-s-gun-industry/
Our President and VP did magnificently today!
#TrustBarack
Let’s ask the question …
my pleasure bob!
You’re right, Bob. It’s always the money. We the people must find a way to put financial pressure on our economic system until the gun issue is resolved. If people don’t want to shop because of fears for their safety, if we boycott entities that support the gun lobby, if pensions and mutual funds divest from gun manufacturers….if we put our money where our mouth is, perhaps we’ll see expedited progress. For some, human lives mean nothing but money means everything.
Well stated, PJ. For the #GunsOverPeople Party, NRA, etc … it’s ALL about the $$$ and how to keep certain folk so afraid they’ll keep buying more and more guns and enormous amounts of ammo.
Yep. It may call for a “sit out” or a “sit at home.” Don’t know if enough people have the will, but we have to hit their pockets. It can’t just be business (literally) as usual.
“Our President and VP did magnificently today!”
Yes they did! Thank you also, Bob, for your relentless and fearless tweets about the importance of regulating guns. You such an inspiration to many of us about how to be a responsible citizen.
Amen
I would call it “Leadership”, Chips.
It’s certainly that too.
(From last thread)
Chips — this is a long-shot request, but I’m asking anyway.
Would you consider a ban on fear of as______nation talk here?
Thanks for this oasis and for all you do.
I know how you feel PJ, I tweeted a couple of links today to articles mentioning that issue, and regretted it after. But I’ve no right to stop people expressing their concerns, but I would ask they keep in mind how upsetting this is for everyone. Thanks PJ.
Let me be perfectly frank: after the way this year has started, with the way PBO has taken courageous leads on all sorts of issues, my fears in that regard are pretty amped up. I will be more than glad when Monday is over.
Me too, LL.
So be it. With that, I’ll just say that it’s not so much that it is “upsetting” (although it is). I can handle that. Rather, I hate to see scare-mongering being rewarded. All great philosophies, and all great leaders stress the need to be disciplined in the face of fear and panic. I shall just do my little part and refuse to satisfy the bullies by spreading fear and anxiety in my comments. Namaste.
I understand PJ, but as I said, I have no right to tell regulars here what they can and can’t talk about.
Totally understand! Hope you didn’t misinterpret my response — I wasn’t arguing with you.
You’re allowed argue with me PJ, (even though you weren’t)! No TYRANNY here
Finding positive ways to comfort is a help, I hope. Actually made *me* think, for the first time, how President Obama is like General Washington… Who Beat The Largest Army At That Time. BFD.
“Finding positive ways to comfort is a help, I hope.”
It definitely is Northanger, thank you.
When I practiced Buddhism, one thing I learned became (and still is) fundamental to me as a way to master my emotions: Hendoku Iyaku — Changing Poison Into Medicine. I lost a family member (by gun) on New Year’s 2009, just days before President Obama’s first inauguration.
So, yes, I can empathize with the amped up emotions and fear and everything. But… We Will Overcome. I deeply admire President Obama and what he did today and I GOT HIS BACK.
Oh Northanger, I didn’t know you lost a family member to gun violence – although my memory is so woeful, you may well have told me before. I am so sorry for what you and your family have endured, today must have been especially poignant for you.
We WILL overcome, especially with this man leading us.
(((Chips))), I never told you about a 3am phone call I got one New Year’s Day. EVERY anniversary is tough. I think I can just about top any inauguration fear whatsoever, sad to say. However (and for sanity’s sake), I turn my mind to other, more productive, things. What President Obama and VP Biden did today to deal with gun violence is amazing. It’s a big fucking deal that requires a big fucking commitment from all of us to back it up.
Btw, Looking at some options where folks can get some hand-holding or whatever,
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tags/private-message
If you’re interested I can do more research for you. A Private Message system could allow TOD folks to communicate privately for a variety of reasons.
Think Positive everybody! (and if you can’t do that — “Do something constructive” as my mom always says)
“Finding positive ways to comfort is a help, I hope.” I agree and thanks Chips.
We’ve all had nail biting times for PBO. When that happens, it’s good to know that TODville is a place we can come for support and assurance. I don’t see that as rewarding fear-mongering, but someone needing to be reassured that it is OK to put those fears aside.
Personally, I found it too hard for me to bear the pictures and the comments after Newtown. I knew I had to take a break from the site. It would have been insensitive for me to request that there be no talk of it here. I returned a week later, just in time for the 1 week memorial. I was barely able to make it through that day.
Yesterday, I had a very visceral reaction to the picture of PBO and Sandy Hook victims that headed the thread. I could not look at it, nor read the comments about it. Again, I just walked away for awhile. Today, same thing, the picture again. I’m getting better at being able to digest it, but I would never ask that others curtail their expression of grief over this.
I’m just saying that the ‘assasi___tion’ word is powerful and many of us have lived through the times when it was reality for us. Yet, we need to let those who have those fears express them. Our job is to comfort them, especially since we know how scary those feelings are.
Hey, it’s the same place we gather to join each other on the naughty mats. Those great over-the-top swooning feelings, as well as those overly cautious concerned feelings are what makes us TODsters.
PJ, I think decent people who express their fears about the safety of the President and his family mean well. Instead of banning them we should try to help them cope with their fears, which, by the way are not irrational fears. Some of them are probably like me who lived through the horrors of violence and assassinations in the 1960s. The fact that in a spun of just three years we went through the assassination of a President, his brother who was a presidential candidate, and the most internationally known leader of human rights, left us with scars that are not easily healed. Younger people who never experienced these tragedies may not understand our fears, but for us, they are always at the back of our minds. This is especially true because of the current toxic and violent environment which is reminiscent of the 60s’ environment. I urge you to be kind and understanding of the people who are genuinely fearful about the safety of the first family.
It’s quite surreal, sad and shocking really, if you step back and really think about a civilization having to have children begging for the adults to protect them from high-capacity killing machines. It boggles the mind.
I know PJ. Ridiculous and desperately sad. A deep, body-shuddering sigh comes over me at the thought of how truly corrupt and morally-bankrupt our political system has become. We’ve gotta fix this!
I shorten and Tweeted your comment PJ. I hope it’s ok. I should have asked first…….
It’s definitely okay, sabreen, I am honored!
Future historians will scratch their heads…
A bit OT, but here’s a graphic of the current conflict in Mali: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/graphic-area-of-mali-controlled-by-rebels
If you’ll notice, the French are striking only at Islamist-held areas; they’re avoiding striking the areas held by the nationalist Tuareg rebels, who have nothing to do with the Islamists. Pretty smart.
Back to work. Catch up with y’all later! Good stuff all morning Chips!!
Thank you Dudette, see ya later!
haven’t been able to comment in a long time, but thanks again to you chips and all here. does anyone know what time the inauguration starts next monday?
I think the swearing in is at 9:45 et… don’t quote me, but I was looking for the time, and believe thats what I read at one of the sites.
thank you
Hi Sherijr, I’ll post a full schedule for the Inaugural events later, but for now –
SUNDAY, JANUARY 20
Vice President Biden’s Official Swearing-In – Location: Naval Observatory, Start Time: 8:15 AM ET
President Obama’s Official Swearing-In – Location: White House – Blue Room, Start Time: 11:55 AM ET
MONDAY, JANUARY 21
Ceremonial Swearing-In Ceremony – Location: Capitol Hill, Start Time: 11:30 AM ET
oh thank you Chips… boy was I off on the times!
Will the private swearing in on Sunday be televized?
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((()()()()+()()()())))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Be Still And Hold Together With Our TOD Family.
Meditate for POTUS
Pray Hard for POTUS
Stand With POTUS
Thanks Chips for this beautiful haven. We will get through this for our children. We have to. Please do not be discourage, but let us encourage each other with our powerful words of goodness and our powerful strength to help POTUS solve this deep problem.HZ
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((()()()()HZ()()()())))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) !
“…let us encourage each other with our powerful words of goodness and our powerful strength to help POTUS solve this deep problem.”
Can’t say it any better than that. Love you HZ!
This is what TOD is all about! MAN, I love this blog and the people who make it come alive!!!!!
Powerful words, HZ! Thank you.
Dudette, Chips, and nath, this is so raw for all of us, and I must confess that is so raw for me because I worked with precious children daily and I saw all of the beauty of their sweet spirits, their spirits of purity of just telling it like it was in their precious little minds. Their little growing minds and bodies trying to daily cope with what we adults call life in a world torn with so much pain, heartache, adventure, and knowledge to be gathered through the lens of their little beautiful hearts and minds.
Then to realize that their little precious worlds could be torn away from them in seconds and they had no one there but that loving teacher who had to make decisions in seconds for all of them to get to a safe point in their classroom setting.
Now we must take the time, thoughts, deeds of active love and caring to help our POTUS and VPOTUS bri
ng some compassion to these parents all over our country who have had to lay their children to a grave
where their dreams, laughter, and smiles will no longer be shared with their parents, grandparents,
neighbors, teachers, friends, and their country,
well, it stretches our faith.
But I pray we here at TOD with Chips beautiful leading will hold tight to each other and help change this for all of those little ones and big ones who cannot defend themselves, then this space will serve another promising and worthwhile journey for all of our TOD Family as we support our two beautiful men in that White House. We will heal, and we will help our children to heal.
Good night everyone and love and hugs to those who are still trying to heal and help others heal. Pray for our President. His heart is heavy as we all can see, but we can give him so comfort in our collective prayers, meditation, and our work. (((((( I love you all so much)))))))). Thank you, my dear Chips.HZ
However, we are so blessed to have President Obama and VP Biden in the Oval where cool heads and beautiful hearts are at work to make sense to all parents who have children in schools and teachers who are still going to classrooms every day hoping and praying that they have someone who cares and is going to get something done about this. I still am hoping for solutions rather than pollution in all of this by sane people who have a beautiful heart to help our president and vice president. So we don’t give up on being a source to help POB help to put a beautiful smile back on a child’s face, or light up a little heart to
think and be creative in that classroom
President Obama used his pen today now we must step up and make congress do their part.
Busy on two projects with deadlines today. Some quick notes –
1. MourninJoe — all over the MSNBC (either in person or quoted by other hosts); he may have been genuinely affected by Sandy Hook, however, cynical me thinks he’s setting himself up for 2016 as the sensible, compassionate conservative.
2. I share some of the concerns expressed about safety, especially on Monday; however, when I get worried, I rely on my faith. I’ve expanded my daily prayers for PBO/VPB & families, to include his supporters. I’ve said a special prayer for inauguration day; I don’t want any of the crazies attempting to mar the forward progress of WeThePeople!
Joe can’t run for anything again (that pesky dead intern). He’s only a legend in his own mind. He has a child the same age of the Newtown children, so his concern about Sandy Hook is probably sincere in and of itself. But don’t think for a minute that he doesn’t mind proudly wearing the RINO badge because of it.
Indeed what is best to stop a bad person with a gun, a selfless leader with compassion, guts, and his pen; one who is always on the right side of history!
Why Children Of The POTUS Need Secret Service
Exactly right.., no President should ever have to be put in the position of choosing between the safety of his children or the safety of his country. The fact that the NRA played ‘this card’ only goes to show their utter lack of respect for this President.. and for their no holds barred propoganda BS. They are drowning and if they don’t know it now.. they will soon enough. We, the majority are on to them.
They know this, it’s all about the Benjamins. Gun sells are up, profits are up, paying membership has risen. They know the more extreme they are, the more $$$$ they get to fill the coffers. They are exploiting the fear of their constituents with the propaganda of outlandish behavior. This is typical and it works.
You are correct cookemom.
Money trumps everything and it has for a very long time. That’s why PBO comes as a shock to many — he’s willing to risk his political career to do the right thing (ACA, DADT). He’s willing to take every sort of shit if it means the right things happen (improved gun control).And what I like the very best about our president is that he’s gone a long way toward making politics an honorable profession. He’s shown that it CAN BE so. This means smart young people with ideals can consider going into public life without automatically selling their souls.
Melissa, with this clip, made a powerful statement. Shame on the NRA leadership. Shame on them.
That’s exactly what I was thinking , GB. The reason for the protection of presidential families is ensure that they are not captured and
used as leverage against the president. A president can’t make sound decisions about the well being of the country if he’s worried sick about his children.
Yes indeed LP and JG.
Very, very powerful.HZ
My tears are flowing and my mind is swirling because I too have someone so very special in my life who carries the world on their shoulders. My life and other love ones walk daily in faith, some fear, but lots of love and daily prayers with our contact just to get through
the day because of this very special person’s responsibilities. They are very heavy, and this brief reminder through this video is real in my life.
But I know. as well as my family that we have to pray much, encourage each other much, and pray for the good because this person has the right to meet the calling on their life just like I did (with support) with my life where I had children daily in my care for over three decades.
I do not put into a category which of our careers or lives were/are more important, but I do know that any day, as has already been proven with security, that all of our lives are so precious and there are some people who just do not give a damn about our lives. So we come together as a loving and thoughtful family and pray for each of us to be strong and not to walk in fear because that fear will destroy what love, ordinary life style and , hope of dreams to come from each of us within our family..
So I know and live with the insensitive people who do not think of how vile, careless words can turn a family, or even a system or nation upside down. So we think hard, strong, with lots of goodness of faith for the best for our president. Come together with much, much prayers and faith, not fear, because it is the fear stained mindless people who will try to take our joy or steal away our focused hardworking actions to stand firmly with and behind our president and vice-president and their administration. That is all I will or can say for my own safety. Be encourage and lean on your faith above all.HZ
Oops! Grabbed the wrong link above. Here’s what I meant to post:
Several Americans have been taken hostage by Islamist militants in Algeria, the State Department confirmed Wednesday, but no U.S. casualties have been reported.
Al Qaeda-linked militants claim to have taken 41 hostages, including seven Americans, after an attack on a BP-owned oil field near the border with Libya. Two groups, the “Masked Brigade” and the “Signers in Blood,” have claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was carried out in retaliation for the U.S.-backed French offensive in neighboring Mali.
http://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/terrorism/277553-state-department-confirms-americans-taken-hostage-by-islamist-militants-in-algeria
Holy Heavens!When does it end?
Whoa.
PBO is beyond brilliant. He’s got House GOP up a tree, the MSM whining about their irrelevance (can you believe POTUS is bypassing us?) and has set the strategic direction of U.S. foreign policy, all before he is inaugurated for his amazing second term.
Look at what Morning Joe tweet this morning about 2016!
“If Republicans fail to adjust to political realities after Newtown, they will make a Pelosi speakership more likely in 2014.”https://twitter.com/JoeNBC/status/291627969460461568
Meant to say 2014, not 2016.
Robert Gibbs said this morning that if the NRA has such a big following, then OFA has more. OFA folks have said, they are willing to continue to work for PBO. All PBO has to do is ask them and the largest, biggest, bad ass group of folks will be unleashed to do what they did to get him re-elected.
Love Gibbs and he’s right.
DAMN STREAIGHT……I am ready to put my OFA Marching boots and start making calls, knocking on doors, this should be a 50 state strategy.
Yes, jackiegrumbacher and jojo. Gibbs is right on point. We are ready to stand with our POTUS.
x 1000000000000
Peace and good day to you all, my peoples, friends and supporters online. The day is here, and I am humbly grateful, for all of your love and support. The Official Music Video of Chris Nelson’s “Hour Time” is finally here, and I would like to share it with you all, here on this magnificent diary. If you all like the President Obama “Hour Time” Obama Campaign 2012 Remix Video 2, then I think you might, like and enjoy this version.
I’m trying this again because this is the tweet from Morning Joe that I meant to sent earlier re: 2014:
“The House can pass comprehensive gun legislation now and have Speaker Boehner shape it, or wait two years for Speaker Pelosi to do it.”
Wow!
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/01/16/inaugural-schedule-january-19-22/
More on today’s gun reform news later
I think the most important thing said in PBO remarks was the master class of political jujitsu in re-framing who’s “rights” are being infringed:
We have “the right to worship freely and faithfully; that right was denied to Sikhs in Oak Creek, Wisconsin,” Mr. Obama said. “The right to assemble peaceably; that right was denied shoppers in Clackamas, Oregon, and moviegoers in Aurora, Colorado. That most fundamental set of rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, fundamental rights that were denied to college students at Virginia Tech and high school students at Columbine and elementary school students in Newtown; and kids on street corners in Chicago on too frequent a basis to tolerate.”
Thank you for writing that lovelyplains. I have not yet listened to his remarks from today.
well said, I noticed that too
I haven’t heard the speech yet. Will have to wait ’til I get home tonight, but glory, glory, the snippets I’ve seen written here are MAGNIFICENT!! Thank you!
Thank you so much again, everybody for your love and support. And let us all support our President this week in regards to the gun laws he is putting in place to save our children. Happy MLK Week to you all as well. One Love and Much Respects!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Had to block someone today for believing the conspiracy theory behind Sandy Hook. Had to re-read their tweets over and over to make sure I wasn’t misreading anything. Lawd, this girl was serious.
Do you remember her handle? If she shows up in my TL, I’m blocking her immediately!
@westNDNbeauty I followed her because she has a natural hair blog.
Hopefully the message of service and change within this video helps everybody to see how important it is to help our President push his agenda about how he feels about children and how he feels about his our country as a whole when it comes to moving forward. This song “Hour Time” speaks to the very same issues of all of us overcoming our adversities as a collective human body and individually too.