Cult of personality

First there were reports of women fainting at his rallies.  Then he announced that he will give his nomination acceptance speech at a stadium instead of the site of the Democratic Party Convention.  Finally, there was this speech in Germany.  And, to top it off, his statement about never having any doubts.  Is it just me, or is there a troubling pattern?  Let’s compare with some other big rallies at a stadium.  Or with another guy that was never wrong.  No, I am not suggesting that Obama is a Nazi.  Although, his ideology does come close to another leftist ideology, Communism.  And now this from Atlas Shrugs:

Here is what the book description says (no, I am not providing a link to this crap):

Ever since Barack Obama was young, Hope has lived inside him. From the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Chicago, from the jungles of Indonesia to the plains of Kenya, he has held on to Hope. Even as a boy, Barack knew he wasn’t quite like anybody else, but through his journeys he found the ability to listen to Hope and become what he was meant to be: a bridge to bring people together.

This is the moving story of an exceptional man, as told by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Bryan Collier, both winners of the Coretta Scott King Award. Barack Obama has motivated Americans to believe with him, to believe that every one of us has the power to change ourselves and change our world.

It reminds me of the crap I’ve been told as a kid about the best child of all times, little Volodya Ulyanov.  This is also the same kind of crap my parents were taught as kids: "Thank to Comrade Stalin for our happy childhood".  Here is a picture of my dad’s kindergarten class:

The kid 3rd from the left in the top row is my dad.  The girl 1st from the left in the bottom row is my dad’s cousin.  The picture was taken in 1946.  The portrait above my dad is of Stalin.  The photographer who took the picture begged my grandma to give him the picture back or just to burn it, but grandma just hid it.  You see, the half of Stalin’s head on the portrait is cut off in this picture.  That would mean a death sentence for the photographer, if the authorities would see it.

So, how do you like my dad’s "happy childhood"?  I don’t want my kids to ever have to thank Comrade Obama (or Comrade McCain for that matter) for their happy childhoods.  Just like that photographer, I am scared to death of this cult of personality.  Go read this scary analysis (via Bookworm):

It is surreal to see the level of hysteria in his admirers. This phenomenon is unprecedented in American politics.  Women scream and swoon during his speeches. They yell and shout to Obama, “I love you.”  Never did George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt. Martin Luther King Jr. or Ronald Reagan arouse so much raw emotion.  Despite their achievements, none of them was raised to the rank of Messiah. The Illinois senator has no history of service to the country. He has done nothing outstanding except giving promises of change and hyping his audience with hope. It’s only his words, not his achievements that is causing this much uproar.

When cheering for someone turns into adulation, something is wrong. Excessive adulation is indicative of a personality cult. The cult of personality is often created when the general population is discontent. A charismatic leader can seize the opportunity and project himself as an agent of change and a revolutionary leader. Often, people, tired of the status quo, do not have the patience to examine the nature of the proposed change. All they want is change. During 1979, when the Iranians were tired of the dictatorial regime of the late Shah, they embraced Khomeini, not because they wanted Islam, but because he promised them change. The word in the street was, “anything is better than the Shah.” They found their error when it was too late.

Do read it all.  And be afraid.  Be very afraid.

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