Obama's Cultural Xenophobia

Kenneth Durden, a, libertarian-conservative blogger, asserts that U.S. President Barack Obama has negative attitudes toward Americans unlike himself: "President Barack Obama wouldn't understand me. In fact, I don't think he or many other people on the ideological left truly understand what motivates anyone to be a conservative, at least if that person isn't white and wealthy or white and ignorant. This cultural xenophobia causes conservatives to be viewed with hostility and contempt at times but with suspicion and mistrust always. A bit of speculation would suggest that Mr. Obama's myopic political/cultural vision is based on his detachment from the real world for so long, being surrounded by elites at Harvard, union types at SEIU, activists from ACORN and black people with perpetual chips on their shoulders like Reverend Wright. To Mr. Obama, that seems to be the whole of our society, at least the parts that matter. He's been exposed to the bourgeoisie, the proletariat and the downtrodden. What else could there be? I would like suggest a little time around some different people. In order to dispel the myths and remove the fear, I came up with 10 ways to describe the people with whom I identify. I could certainly add more, and I know that others would say this differently. But allow me to introduce these people.

1. People who work hard every day, doing the best that they can to fulfill their obligations, without believing that someone else is obligated to help them.
2. People who know and accept that life isn't always fair, but who believe in treating others with fairness.
   
3. People who believe in simple notions like right and wrong -- that those who do wrong should be punished, the innocent protected.
4. People who don't waste time envying their neighbors or coveting others possessions, but are content with the fruit of their own labor.
   
5. People who believe that each man, no matter his race or ethnicity, is equally capable and responsible to do what he can to learn, to grow and to care for himself and his family.
6. People who feel a personal responsibility to be charitable, supporting family, friends, neighbors and causes, without using the force of government to help assuage their guilt.
7. People who value personal faith and respect the rights of every person to practice or not to practice a religion.
   
8. People who believe in the rights of the individual, because we live in a nation that was founded on the belief that each person was created and given the freedom to pursue his own interests and course in life. Our rights including property rights and that only under the most necessary circumstances must the government seize that property.
   
9. People who embrace others people from different backgrounds and cultures. People who love the diversity of America, but know that we must have an orderly and equal process for residency and citizenship. People who have friends and family who have played by the rules and spent years of time and treasure to be here legally and don't think others should be allowed to skirt the process simply because of proximity.
   
10. People who believe America really is a special country, an example for the rest of the world. They don't believe America is perfect any more than any other nation is perfect, but they know that without America, the world would be a much darker place.
    

Mr. Obama should have a few more beer sessions and invite some of these people over to the White House, no fanfare please. Perhaps it will help him see things from a different perspective and provide some therapy for his cultural xenophobia."