Obama eloquently rebukes Giuliani in Selma
By Jonathan Capehart March 9 at 12:46 PM
President Obama’s remarks marking the 50th anniversary of the marches from Selma to Montgomery were masterful. His ruminations on race were clear-eyed. They reminded us that despite the horror and disappointments of the past few years, the United States is much closer to its ideals today than it was on March 7, 1965. But Obama’s words did something more. They took our country back.
During the tea party’s rise against the president and its eventual takeover of the Republican Party, the irritating refrain was as constant as it was uniform. The tea party wanted to take its country back — from whom was always left to interpretation. But it was pretty clear when Obama’s citizenship, his very Americanness, was questioned in the next breath. Just last month, Rudy Giuliani said of Obama at a gathering of Republicans, “He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country.”
The president delivered a not-so-veiled rejoinder to Giuliani and his ilk. (Fast forward to 23:55)
Fellow marchers, so much has changed in 50 years. We have endured war and we’ve fashioned peace. We’ve seen technological wonders that touch every aspect of our lives. We take for granted conveniences that our parents could have scarcely imagined. But what has not changed is the imperative of citizenship; that willingness of a 26-year-old deacon, or a Unitarian minister, or a young mother of five to decide they loved this country so much that they’d risk everything to realize its promise.
That’s what it means to love America. That’s what it means to believe in America. That’s what it means when we say America is exceptional.
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