We at Today’s Machining World have been thrilled with the activity on our Web site lately. We received 98 comments on a recent blog because Lloyd admitted he voted for Obama partly because of his skin color. While it pads our egos to get so many comments, we find the ugly negativity that flows out of many of our readers when buttons are pushed about politics in this country depressing. So for all the haters out there whose anger may cause them to lose perspective on what really matters, we are running the following poem by Mother Teresa, “Do It Anyway.”
Do It Anyway
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Question: If Mother Teresa ran for President would you vote for her?
36 Comments
Yes. Unfortunately our system makes it difficult or impossible for virtuous people to truly succeed in that job.
Noah, stupid people say stupid things !
You really think being President is something she could handle ?
If your answer is yes, reread line 1
If it was between the current president and Mother Teresa, yes I would vote for her instead……..
No. I’d vote for Obama or possibly even Romney. But not Mother Teresa really no point electing a dead person.
Well, maybe not this Romney either . . .
I would vote for Mother Teresa over any anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-immigration, anti-workers rights and anti-voting rights Republican. She at least had compassion for the poor.
A nice sentiment, but Mother Teresa didn’t write that poem: Kent Keith wrote it:
http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/origin.html
She sounds divine. But I don’t think she could last in cutthroat Washington. Just remember the classic film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. She’d probably get chewed up by all the scum there. But who knows, maybe she had a tough side. I don’t know much about her after all. Check this clip out.
If she were still alive, I would vote for her, and no, it doesn’t matter whether or not she wrote that poem, she lived her life that way. Having her, or someone of her caliber, in the White House would transform the world.
Yes, I would vote for her. I still like Obama and will vote for him again.
Mother Teresa is not what we need today. I think the anger you see displayed is based on fear. Although I never liked or voted for Bill Clinton, he did not scare me. Obama scares me. He is not trying to make gradual changes to our country. He is a radical, and wants to make fundamental changes to our country. As a business owner, I share the fears of increased taxation, increased government spending, increased lack of freedom and the government encroaching more and more into my life and my business. Do you think that inspires creativity or encourages people to be entrepreneurs? No way. With uncertainty, you will always see slow growth, minimal investment, low employment and the hoarding of cash until better times are here. Mitt Romney may not be perfect, but he’s tons better than who we have now. At least he wants to create an atmosphere where business feels confident enough to invest, grow and hire. That’s exactly what we need now.
I didn’t vote for Obama before, nor would I vote for him now. However, its more because of his leadership skills. The same could be said of Mother Teresa. Sometimes just doing the right thing is only half the battle. either way the poem is wonderful.
Mother Teresa would give the countty away no slower or faster than any of the rest of the politicians in Washington now. I did read a lot of negativiity in the blog you speak of Noah but a great deal of it comes from the “haters” of socialism and perhaps politics in general. Perhaps you should try and define the word “haters” to us Noah, because to me in is just another liberal talking point to describe a republican or a conservative-thinking individual.. Just like the hyphenated word “anti-“.
The Internet is probably the greatest life-changing influence on society since the automobile. And strangely, each has a common aspect that gives free rein to our darkest side.
Drivers, safe behind their tinted glass, often feel free to vent a rage and intolerance that they would not do face-to-face. Likewise, the Internet, which provides almost total anonymity, allows mean, bigoted, narrow-minded bullying without fear of consequences.
It’s obvious that this conduct is atypical and due only to the fact that they’re operating under cover of screen names and avatars. If all these people acted in the same hateful, arrogent manner in their daily lives, we’d be afraid to leave our bunkers.
I don’t know what this says about us as a species.
Yeah, I guess I do.
Noah:
I admire your medal sir, but question the appropriateness of the venue.
You are speaking to business people who have been gravely damaged by the
economic irresponsibility of the current administration in Washington after 3 years.
While Mother Theresa would encourage loving one’s neighbor as one’s self,
she would fight to the death to defend her faith against any politician who
would attack religious liberties as the current administration is actively doing.
With such political bias in the network medias, there are a lot of business
owners out there still reeling over the financial burdens facing them because of Obama Care and his fabricated HHS Mandate, and that fight has just begun in the courts. I am certain however that many of your readers are eager to hear your proposed solutions to the economic mess and needless attacks on small businesses that your candidate has put on the U.S. economy. At the end of the day we of course have to cut you some slack, understanding that you live in Chicago-land where many Governors spend
short terms in office and long terms in prison. “Pay to play brother!”
I think you bit off more than you can chew on this one, Lloyd. Sure, there is a fringe element to any group that crosses the line of good taste and civility, but to imply that all of the posts that disagree with you on this topic (which were most) are “haters” is absurd, and to imply they have no compassion is doubly absurd. Haters? I think they are more like “lovers”; lovers of individual freedom, lovers of our country, lovers of free markets and capitalism, lovers of limited government (the way it was intended), lovers of the individual’s right to make it on their own and to let their ability take them as far (or short) as they are able, unhindered by oppressive government. These are the same people who willingly donate to community organizations, the Red Cross, churches, food banks, the Salvation Army, United Way, Scouting, Little League, and countless other compassionate and helping organizations without being forced to by big government. These Americans are the most generous, caring, and compassionate people you will find on the face of the planet, they are the back bone of the machining industry, and you have lost touch with them. Shame on you for that.
I thought this magazine was supposed to be about Machining but evidently you and your family have thought it wise to turn it into an outlet for your political and social views which is not a smart thing to do.
Mother Teresa was a great and compassionate human being who worked through the CHURCH (which is a dirty word to most liberals) to relieve the suffering of thousands and thousands of those who could not fend for themselves. I bring this up because Liberals have been attempting to minimize religion in America for decades now with their incorrect readings and interpretations of the Consitution so I find it funny that you use Mother Teresa to bolster and justify your fathers (uncle, brother or whatever) wrong headed decision to vote for someone based on his race.
Obama is a Socialist/Marxist and if you had taken the time to research his upbringing and his academic career as well as those he has choosen as friends and mentors you would know this. Even though Obama has striven mightly to keep as many of his records secret as possible their was enough information out there to define him and by he way what happened to his campaign promise about being the most “transparent administration in American history”?? What a laugh that has turned out to be!
This country is already on the same glide path as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France and if you’ve been watching Europe you should realize that everything Obama wants to try to do has been being done in Socialist Europe for almost 7 decades!
I heard Obama say the other night “we don’t need more of what got us to this point” now I understand he has a problem with facts and truth but is really serious that we have been trying Conservative principles and programs in America for the last 50 years? Do you really think the Liberal Democrat BS that has been crammed down America’s throat is going to turn out differently then it has in Europe?
Now…stop your political nonsense and stick to business please….or you will loose another reader! One more thing don’t try to define people based on your Liberal preconceived notions….I don’t hate Obama or your family member I just have NO respect for them.
No. Mother Theresa is not qualified. I would, however, consider hiring Obama to run an orphanage in India.
Interesting title to your statement.
“A Love Letter to the Haters”
It does follow the liberal thought line that any comment, policy, etc. that differs with there’s constitutes “hate”.
I’m so out of this rag! Get back to work and do something with yourself that makes this a productive and strong nation…….and that aint shovel ready jobs funded by our tax dollars that drives a false economy…….
WOW. Great responses. Isn’t this what Oprah did about 3 years ago? How’s that working out for her so far?
Noah,
You are very brave to tackle subjects like this in a public forum. I worry that our national discourse about real and serious problems has become so venomous. I blame hate radio, Rupert Murdock, and fear for our future, but am by no means certain of my diagnosis. My biggest fear is that we, as a people, will elect the leadership we deserve and pay a heavy price for our ignorance and inattention.
Sure when Lloyd wrote that he voted for President Obama because of the color of his skin you got a lot of “negative comments”, but is that so bad. I am sure if he had wrote that he a voted for Senator McCain because of the because of the color of his skin that would have lead to even more “negative comments” and anger. The only difference would be the lack of surprise at the results, and of course the final result and with good reason would have been that it would have been the last article he would ever write for Todays Machine World. We should not be surprised when making a vote solely because of the race of candidate leads to controversy. Reverse racism may be more socially acceptable, but we should not expect that to be universal or last forever.
P.S. I may have not voted for Obama, but I was also happy we had broken the color barrier as a country when he was elected.
Hmm, so disagreeing with you because of the fact that you voted for someone because of their race and in spite of the fact that they are a socialist who hates America makes us haters.
No problem.
I’ll check myself out and find others who base their decisions on the content of someones character.
Good day, Sir
It wouldn’t matter if Jesus Christ were elected president. It’s the system. The American political system is rotten and corrupt. Any system based on who has the most money is a system that is owned by the money changers. They control the politicians and the government with so-called “campaign donations” — nothing more than propaganda for legal bribe. In return, they recieve largess, wealth and monopolies from those same politicaians and govenment who they supply the “legal” bribes to. Couple that with an American citizenry who is totally ignorant or dismissive of this malignancy and one has a system run, controled and owned by the money changers. So every election cycle, the Americans throw out the Republicans and elect Democrats. Next cycle they throw out Democrats and elect Republicans. Year after year, decade after decade. Back and forth like a ping-pong balls. Up and down like yo-yos. All the while the balls and yo-yos expect that “this time” they’ll receive the secret word from their “newly” elected saviors. However, the only ones who keep getting the gold ring, year after year, decade after decade, are the politicans and the money changers. Expecting something different from this new D or that new R or a Mother Teresa from a political system that is rotten at its core is expecting something that never was or will never be. So balls and yo-yos continue to debate and argue whether politician D, R, Mother Teresa or even Jesus Christ himself will lead you to the promise land, while year after year, decade after decade rolls by and you continue to work longer for less, are forced to retire later and later while their wealth and benefilts go up and up. What do they say the defination of stupid is?: Doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results.
I recently read an interesting perspective on Mother Teresa. In it the author explained that in his perspective Mother Teresa was anything but a Saint if you consider the overall effect on the actual reduction of poverty due to her views and beliefs. Mainly, and this may be a distorted summary, in not giving women control over their reproductive systems and in receiving money from entities that had accumulated that money at great cost to society she had perpetuated the poverty of those who she claimed to be helping. I had never heard this perspective before, nor had I ever considered Mother Teresa as anything but the religious celebrity that the Catholic Church may have gone out of their way to make her. I have no Idea if any of this is true, but I do have trouble doubting the whole story. So at the moment I don’t think that I’d vote for a Mother Teresa. I’d prefer leadership that can objectively consider the best path forward based on logic. I doubt we will ever find that, but I’d bet we can do better than Mother Teresa.
You have to be kidding. Even if she were alive, that’s like asking a beaver to build another Hoover Dam.
In line with Harry Pappas train of thought…
Ego, Power, Money, and self interest have brought us to this point. The democrats are too stupid to understand that they can’t take money from the rich and give it to the poor, the rich make the rules, if the gov takes more, the rich withhold more from the middle class by way of no raise, more cost sharing, etc.. the rich make the rules and can’t be forced into anything. The republicans are too stupid to understand that there is a fundamental tendancy for those in power to slowy take and take and take and then justify how an hour for an elite executive is worth 1000 times more than an hour of a janitor’s time, or the VP 300 to 1 over the machinist, or the boss @ 40 to 1 over the drill press operator. Democrats are stupid to believe handouts to the ‘entitled’ are helping the ‘entitled’… it’s just holding them down and it will never be enough. Handouts serve the self interest of the party to institutionalize the base and hang on to power with bad policy, always promising more, never delivering enough, and no funding to pay for it. Republicans are stupid to believe that a free market is fair with no favoritism towards the suits in the board room, survival of the fittest/richest let’s just pay them enough to be competitive, or from the good ones… just enough to be the ‘most’ competitive in the area. It’s like congress voting themselves raises, it happens at every level and the divide always grows. The real wealth is controlled on top, and the democratic attempts to try and get it are only making the divide between the rich and the poor worse. We need to recognize that these issues exist and put policy in place to offer the complete free market, yet promotes and incentivies a fair and responsible atmosphere. Start with tax rates where they are and offer discounts to businesses who do right by their people, i.e. 5% tax break if top to bottom wages are within 20:1 for businesses w/ 100 employees or less, XX:1 for the bigger boys, or a 5% tax break for companies with a profit sharing program that meets the stated guidlines, a 5% tax break for evironmentally compliant companies, 5% tax for being an equal opportunity employer, etc…, etc…, a tax incentive for any agenda either side wants to present. Then stamp the business that plays ball with some clever ‘energy star’ type label to help promote the responsible ones. If you choose not to play, then you don’t get the tax break, free choice. If you choose to play, the government accomplishes their agendas (they build the middle class, become more environmentaly friendly, etc..) but the money never filters through bureaucracies, it stays in the private sector, it’s efficient, fair and free. And if someone would run on this ticket, they would get the right, the left, the in between… the whole middle class, because we are tired of being squeezed between the top and the bottom.
Compassion for the poor—by what—stealing from others?!?! Redistribution is NOT “compassion”; such a delusion is a twisted ethos that basically says the weak have a right to destroy the strong—or the mob of those who make terrible life decisions are entitled to kill the few who are successful. Well, I reject that premise—-just as I despise the attempts to get disqualified residents on the voting roles so Democrats can corrupt elections. As for Mother Theresa as President? HELL NO!!! Imagine how the world would have turned out if she held that office when Hitler strode the Earth! “Nice” does not translate into good leadership—Theresa would make America a doormat.
I wouldn’t vote for her JUST because she was Mother Teresa. I might vote for her EVEN IF SHE WAS Mother Teresa!
I would certainly consider her as a choice. I would find out what her stance is on the issues of budgeting, fiscal responsibility, social programs, and how she would international politics, then I would find out what experience she has. I would not consider her race or the fact she was a women.
Now, a question for you, do you think the gay/lesbian movement would call her homophobic? Do you think if she questioned Obama’s results and programs, that she would be called a racist? Finally, if she responded this way in your column, would she be a hater too?
While she does make the age requirement for being president, I don’t think anyone, not even the libs could get her on the ballot because she is no longer alive. Therefore, the best they could do is to get her registered to vote as a Democrat. Also, she was not a naturally born citizen so that would also disqualify her. I know, I know, she might be able to come up with a brand spanking new 50 year old birth certificate, too, but I don’t think the people would fall for that one again.
YES, I WOULD VOTE FOR MOTHER TERESA IF SHE RAN FOR PRESIDENT.
THE PROBLEM, WE NEED MORE LEADERS THAT ARE LIKE HER.
A couple of problems there guys:
1. One she’s married to a polygamous husband who has thousands of brides so it wouldn’t look good in the papers.
2. She trained for her current job only for 60 years and is therefore less qualified than a community organizer.
Typical liberal question if I would vote for her. How could she even be on tha ballot? She wasn’t born in the USA. OH, sorry, I forgot that the guy in the White House wasn’t born here either and he got voted in by all the clueless sheeps walking around in this country.
Great response to your subscribers…….keep up the good work. Mother Teresa would….!!!!!
Seriously Noah? Mother Theresa would disband all of our security systems and then pray that the world would follow our example.
Shortly there after a radical would trade her life for 57 virgins.
I think a better question to ask yourself is “What would my Grandfather think of the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into, and how would he suggest we fix it?”