Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions."

[TGHusker]

I think this quote from GWB was an excellent statement to be shared at the memorial service for the Dallas policemen. It reminds me to step back and not judge others prematurely but to seek to listen, learn and understand. GWB struck the correct cord with his speech.

Reminds me of the Biblical verse:

Matthew 7:1-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Judging Others

7 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. ² For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and ^[a]by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. ³ Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

 

 

https://www.popsugar.com/news/George-W-Bush-Speaks-Dallas-Police-Memorial-41942706

 

Former President George W. Bush joined current President Barack Obama and Police Chief David Brown at a memorial service in Dallas on Tuesday to honor the five fallen officers who died last week during a sniper attack. The killings happened at a Black Lives Matter rally and were committed by a man outraged over the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling at the hands of police.

Tensions surrounding the officers' deaths have been high ever since — the words "Blue Lives Matter" have been circulated as a counter-response to "Black Lives Matter," further increasing tensions between passionate sides of a complex debate. So when Bush took the stage at the memorial service, he shared a speech encouraging a "unity of hope" rather than animosity.

"Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions."

"At times, it seems like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together," Bush said to the crowd at the Dallas memorial service, adding: "Argument turns too easily into animosity. Disagreement escalates into dehumanization. Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions."

This last statement, variations of which have appeared online before, instantly went viral, filling Twitter and Facebook with a timely reminder that America desperately needs.

 

 

While Bush was never lauded as a fantastic speaker during his presidency, he certainly struck a note with listeners with his inspirational speech. "We are bound by things of the spirit, by shared commitments to common ideals. At our best, we practice empathy, imagining ourselves in the lives and circumstances of others," Bush reminded mourners. "This is the bridge across our nation's deepest divisions. And it's not merely a matter of tolerance, but of learning from the struggles and stories of fellow citizens and finding our better selves in the process."

[BigRedBuster]

That is a great sentence.

[Landlord]

I said something similar in a status update a day or two ago. We inconsistently exclude the bad apples from our tribe, whether it be Lawrence Phillips representing Nebraska, Westboro representing Christianity, the KKK representing whites, etc., while simultaneously evaluating the "other" tribes by the worst examples we can find. That has to change.

[TGHusker]

I said something similar in a status update a day or two ago. We inconsistently exclude the bad apples from our tribe, whether it be Lawrence Phillips representing Nebraska, Westboro representing Christianity, the KKK representing whites, etc., while simultaneously evaluating the "other" tribes by the worst examples we can find. That has to change.

Right ON!

[TAKODA]

I said something similar in a status update a day or two ago. We inconsistently exclude the bad apples from our tribe, whether it be Lawrence Phillips representing Nebraska, Westboro representing Christianity, the KKK representing whites, etc., while simultaneously evaluating the "other" tribes by the worst examples we can find. That has to change.

 

Maybe a case of Plagiarism, Yes? I recall you stating something similar to this. +1

 

Maybe you should throw your hat in the race for presidency.

[The Dude]

I said something similar in a status update a day or two ago. We inconsistently exclude the bad apples from our tribe, whether it be Lawrence Phillips representing Nebraska, Westboro representing Christianity, the KKK representing whites, etc., while simultaneously evaluating the "other" tribes by the worst examples we can find. That has to change.

We should neither exclude the worst examples from "our tribe" nor presume the bad apples of "other tribes" represent their entirety.

 

I guess I've never considered African-Americans to be of another tribe. Just my fellow countrymen.

 

Great speech by President Bush, anyhow. Never thought I'd see the day he'd outshine President Obama in this regard.

[84HuskerLaw]

Obama has far too many times been referred to as some sort of great orator and eloquent speaker. He doesn't even have good speech writers who key the words into his teleprompter. You have to search and scan through his entire speech to find one or two intelligent statements. Usually he follows a smart statement with one that basically implodes the very central meaning of the one before.

 

At a rare press conference, Obama is forced to offer his own thoughts at the time and he fills the air with long pauses and gaps between words and lots of 'uhs" and 'ums' and etc.

 

 

George W. Bush had decent speech writers and spoke well with infrequent stutters, ahs, ums, etc. He chose not to use the $5 words as many Americans simply are not well educated and don't comprehend beyond about a freshman in H.S. level. You have to aim your message to the audience. In fairness to Obama, perhaps he feels he also must speak down to the audience but he simply looks confused and at a loss for words almost constantly when speaking from the cuff as if he has not thought about the topics and issues and really doesn't know what he believes.

[huKSer]

Obama has far too many times been referred to as some sort of great orator and eloquent speaker. He doesn't even have good speech writers who key the words into his teleprompter. You have to search and scan through his entire speech to find one or two intelligent statements. Usually he follows a smart statement with one that basically implodes the very central meaning of the one before.

 

At a rare press conference, Obama is forced to offer his own thoughts at the time and he fills the air with long pauses and gaps between words and lots of 'uhs" and 'ums' and etc.

 

 

George W. Bush had decent speech writers and spoke well with infrequent stutters, ahs, ums, etc. He chose not to use the $5 words as many Americans simply are not well educated and don't comprehend beyond about a freshman in H.S. level. You have to aim your message to the audience. In fairness to Obama, perhaps he feels he also must speak down to the audience but he simply looks confused and at a loss for words almost constantly when speaking from the cuff as if he has not thought about the topics and issues and really doesn't know what he believes.

And Bush was a better public speaker in Spanish than in English

[TGHusker]

 

Obama has far too many times been referred to as some sort of great orator and eloquent speaker. He doesn't even have good speech writers who key the words into his teleprompter. You have to search and scan through his entire speech to find one or two intelligent statements. Usually he follows a smart statement with one that basically implodes the very central meaning of the one before.

 

At a rare press conference, Obama is forced to offer his own thoughts at the time and he fills the air with long pauses and gaps between words and lots of 'uhs" and 'ums' and etc.

 

 

George W. Bush had decent speech writers and spoke well with infrequent stutters, ahs, ums, etc. He chose not to use the $5 words as many Americans simply are not well educated and don't comprehend beyond about a freshman in H.S. level. You have to aim your message to the audience. In fairness to Obama, perhaps he feels he also must speak down to the audience but he simply looks confused and at a loss for words almost constantly when speaking from the cuff as if he has not thought about the topics and issues and really doesn't know what he believes.

And Bush was a better public speaker in Spanish than in English

 

Yes, but how did he do in Norwegian? Us upper midwesterns by birth would like to know.

[NM11046]

Obama has far too many times been referred to as some sort of great orator and eloquent speaker. He doesn't even have good speech writers who key the words into his teleprompter. You have to search and scan through his entire speech to find one or two intelligent statements. Usually he follows a smart statement with one that basically implodes the very central meaning of the one before.

 

At a rare press conference, Obama is forced to offer his own thoughts at the time and he fills the air with long pauses and gaps between words and lots of 'uhs" and 'ums' and etc.

 

 

George W. Bush had decent speech writers and spoke well with infrequent stutters, ahs, ums, etc. He chose not to use the $5 words as many Americans simply are not well educated and don't comprehend beyond about a freshman in H.S. level. You have to aim your message to the audience. In fairness to Obama, perhaps he feels he also must speak down to the audience but he simply looks confused and at a loss for words almost constantly when speaking from the cuff as if he has not thought about the topics and issues and really doesn't know what he believes.

Nope. Nah-ah. Disagree. With all of it, but if you think Bush "spoke well with infrequent stutters..." I'm gonna have to call you out on that.

 

I find it funny that you feel Obama speaks down to the public and uses "$5 words" when I see your lengthy posts here where you attempt to make yourself look like you're well spoken and educated vs. the rest of the group.

[NM11046]

Obama has far too many times been referred to as some sort of great orator and eloquent speaker. He doesn't even have good speech writers who key the words into his teleprompter. You have to search and scan through his entire speech to find one or two intelligent statements. Usually he follows a smart statement with one that basically implodes the very central meaning of the one before.

 

At a rare press conference, Obama is forced to offer his own thoughts at the time and he fills the air with long pauses and gaps between words and lots of 'uhs" and 'ums' and etc.

 

 

George W. Bush had decent speech writers and spoke well with infrequent stutters, ahs, ums, etc. He chose not to use the $5 words as many Americans simply are not well educated and don't comprehend beyond about a freshman in H.S. level. You have to aim your message to the audience. In fairness to Obama, perhaps he feels he also must speak down to the audience but he simply looks confused and at a loss for words almost constantly when speaking from the cuff as if he has not thought about the topics and issues and really doesn't know what he believes.

[BigRedBuster]

I think people are missing the part of the sentence that I find the most profound.

 

Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions.

 

That doesn't mean judging ourselves by just leaving out our bad apples. That means judging ourselves based on outward intentions as to who we think we are. (the last word is important).

 

Who we think we are....many times isn't who we really are.

[zoogs]

Very well said. Both presidents made great speeches, by the way. These are times to remember that we should strive to come together, not be riven apart.

[Landlord]

Obama has far too many times been referred to as some sort of great orator and eloquent speaker. He doesn't even have good speech writers who key the words into his teleprompter. You have to search and scan through his entire speech to find one or two intelligent statements. Usually he follows a smart statement with one that basically implodes the very central meaning of the one before.

 

At a rare press conference, Obama is forced to offer his own thoughts at the time and he fills the air with long pauses and gaps between words and lots of 'uhs" and 'ums' and etc.

 

 

George W. Bush had decent speech writers and spoke well with infrequent stutters, ahs, ums, etc. He chose not to use the $5 words as many Americans simply are not well educated and don't comprehend beyond about a freshman in H.S. level. You have to aim your message to the audience. In fairness to Obama, perhaps he feels he also must speak down to the audience but he simply looks confused and at a loss for words almost constantly when speaking from the cuff as if he has not thought about the topics and issues and really doesn't know what he believes.

 

 

 

You're part of the problem.

[Moiraine]

 

Obama has far too many times been referred to as some sort of great orator and eloquent speaker. He doesn't even have good speech writers who key the words into his teleprompter. You have to search and scan through his entire speech to find one or two intelligent statements. Usually he follows a smart statement with one that basically implodes the very central meaning of the one before.

 

At a rare press conference, Obama is forced to offer his own thoughts at the time and he fills the air with long pauses and gaps between words and lots of 'uhs" and 'ums' and etc.

 

 

George W. Bush had decent speech writers and spoke well with infrequent stutters, ahs, ums, etc. He chose not to use the $5 words as many Americans simply are not well educated and don't comprehend beyond about a freshman in H.S. level. You have to aim your message to the audience. In fairness to Obama, perhaps he feels he also must speak down to the audience but he simply looks confused and at a loss for words almost constantly when speaking from the cuff as if he has not thought about the topics and issues and really doesn't know what he believes.

 

You're part of the problem.

 

Like he's going to absorb that.