Oval Office rug gets history wrong

The Washington Post ^ | 09/04/2010 | Jamie Stiehm

[RnMomof7]

A mistake has been made in the Oval Office makeover that goes beyond the beige.

President Obama's new presidential rug seemed beyond reproach, with quotations from Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. woven along its curved edge.

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." According media reports, this quote keeping Obama company on his wheat-colored carpet is from King.

Except it's not a King quote. The words belong to a long-gone Bostonian champion of social progress. His roots in the republic ran so deep that his grandfather commanded the Minutemen at the Battle of Lexington.

For the record, Theodore Parker is your man...

[RnMomof7]

Geee imagine that ...a quote taken from someone else without citation.....

[john drake]

MLK had a habit of taking other peoples quotes and making them his own. I believe it is called plagiarism...but....don’t go there. Nothing to see, move along....

[john drake]

That’s ok, he’s supposed to be the smartest man in the world. He can take the rug home with him when he gets impeached (preferably) or kicked out of office in 2012.

[SkyPilot]

President Obama's new presidential rug seemed beyond reproach, with quotations from Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. woven along its curved edge.

What is King doing on the same rug with Presidents?

Why not just put Ella Fitzgerald on there as well?

[humblegunner]

MLK had a habit of taking other peoples quotes and making them his own. I believe it is called plagiarism.

Yeah, well..
These days he would be pimping his plagiarized crap in FR's blog section.
Go figure.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2583347/posts

[OneWingedShark]

Is it plagiarism to use one sentence/phrase/quote in a speech? Is it plagiarism if you use that sentence/phrase/quote as the central theme of whatever you’re saying?

If so then pastors should be VERY thankful that the Bible is, for such intent and purposes, public domain.

[SkyPilot]

It turns out Parker was wrong too.

In 1841, he presented a sermon titled A Discourse on the Permanent and Transient in Christianity, espousing his belief that the scriptures of historic Christianity did not reflect the truth.[1] In 1842 his doubts led him to an open break with orthodox theology: he stressed the immediacy of God and saw the Church as a communion looking upon Christ as the supreme expression of God. Ultimately, he rejected all miracles, and saw the Bible as full of contradictions and mistakes. He retained his faith in God but suggested that people experience God intuitively and personally and it is in that individual experience that people should center their religious beliefs.[1]

[Old Flat Toad]

Confucius say, White house so crooked, even rug lie.

[drierice]

A friend sent me this variation:

The arc of cluelessness is long, but bends towards embarrassment.

[screaminsunshine]

For Obama American History starts with Wilson.

[RnMomof7]

LOL

[RnMomof7]

You did not expect a Christian quote on the rug did you?

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Famous Obama quote, to be woven into future White House furnishings: ‘can’t you see we are ordering shrimp?’

Even quotes aren’t ‘vetted.’

[stilloftyhenight]

The famous line, “I have a dream” is from Isaiah 40:4-5. I wonder how many people realize just how much King borrowed from scripture.

[savage woman]

He should have quoted Biden “Stand up Chuck”..

[SkyPilot]

You did not expect a Christian quote on the rug did you?

No, but if I could, I would put this quote on Obama's rug:

"The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted."

Pslam 12:8

[Howie66]

That Stroker....he is such a genius, isn’t he?

He’s at least as smart as his pet Wookie is stylish.

I guess that we should send him a “Thank You” note.

/sarc

[jessduntno]

"Confucius say, White house so crooked, even rug lie."

Considering the position this rug puts him in, POtuS may want to consult the Carpet Sutra...

[SubMareener]

The amazing thing is that so many of these articles by differend authors about this use the same words and phrases. The 0bamites discover that the people are responding to Glenn Beck’s talking about the founders, and SHAZAM! one of the quotes on the rug is suddenly a quote from someone with ties to the Second Awakening and roots in the First Awakening! Maybe there is a JournaList still working. Or maybe it is the 0bamaList.

[iceskater]

For Obama American History starts with Wilson.

I hate that guy. (Wilson that is)

[Lockbar]

"For Obama American History starts with Wilson."

[SkyPilot]

Isaiah 40:4-5 (New International Version) - - - 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Martin Luther King - "I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

Here is my opinion: if you going to quote scripture, in all its wisdom and power (especially if you are a minister), then cite it.

To take God's incredible words, and act like they are your own, is a terrible thing to do.

[Iron Munro]

"champion of social progress"

One man's social progress is another man's communism.
.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

See also: Journo-list.

(or the current more carefully hidden iteration, “Cabalist”)

[RegulatorCountry]

He’s got those crazy eyes, like Hillary.

[Gil4]

"A mistake...that goes beyond the beige"

I wouldn't say it's way beyond the beige. The only good thing about the color of that rug is the fact that nobody will care when they rip it out to fix the stupid quote (except the taxpayers footing the bill, but it's a sunk cost already.)

[shibumi]

"Geee imagine that ...a quote taken from someone else without citation....."

If this "president" thing doesn't work out, I see a great career ahead for him in Blog Flogging.

(Jess - that "Sutra" thing is never going to die, is it?)

[skeeter]

Obama needs to keep the rug. Its makes a perfect statement.

[Don Carlos]

“He can take the rug home with him”. Yeah! Aren’t the huts in Kenya round? Little trimming with a good pair of goat shears and it’ll fit perfect.

[RegulatorCountry]

In King’s defense, he was coming from an environment wherein one would not just expect but have utter confidence that people really knew their bible. Southern Protestants make a point of not just reading the Bible but actually knowing it, and so the reference would be quite plain.

Devout black Christians are no different. So, to accuse King of plagiarism for weaving Biblical references into his public speaking is very unfair. There is plenty upon which he can be fairly and honestly criticized, such as his ties to communists, but this is not fair criticism.

[Ann Archy]

Why not some RAPPER that Obama loves also????

[1_Rain_Drop]

"(except the taxpayers footing the bill, but it's a sunk cost already.)"

There's a foot in that photo! a taxpayer?

[maine-iac7]

[muir_redwoods]

So obama collects these quotations in a format so he can trample on them. Good move.

[jessduntno]

"If this "president" thing doesn't work out, I see a great career ahead for him in Blog Flogging. (Jess - that "Sutra" thing is never going to die, is it?)"

Well, it's strange that the world's smartest man didn't catch that misattribution but he COULD try to become a blog pimp - or he could flak for the Grand Old Party ... even though he would clearly be under qualified for either.

(Shibumi - as for the sutra meme, I still haven't taken a position on it.)

[airedale]

Actually the Post is wrong. What’s new about reporters being inaccurate.

Parker ( a distant relative of mine) did say something like that, but Martin Luther King, Jr. paraphrased it to the quote used on the rug. He credited Parker a couple times but then incorporated the quote in his speeches.

The original said: “I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways; I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice.” This is from his 1853 sermon Justice and the Conscience

That’s the original source but it’s different from Doctor Kings words when he paraphrased it: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

[50mm]

Dishonest ✓
Phony ✓
Attention Whore ✓
No Real Job Experience ✓

Yep. Zero certainly qualifies as a blogpimp. Probably have a few figure skating FReepers defending him too.

[maine-iac7]

[shibumi]

"(Shibumi - as for the sutra meme, I still haven't taken a position on it.) "

Be careful in taking that position, and make sure that you and your partner are on the same page.

[nolongerademocrat]

Hmmmm, isn’t it usually a serious problem when someone messes up their magic circle? Obama should get his voudon mother-in-law working on a solution right away.

Of course, as stupid as he thinks we are, none of us would ever figure out that he’s working on a supernatural solution to his poll problems.

[MonicaG]

Obama don’t give a f*ck.

[Bean Counter]

Didja hear that Dusty Harry Reid got a new rug too...??

He asked for the Berber, but settled for the Bieber...

[SkyPilot]

Why not some RAPPER that Obama loves also????

Maybe Obama's mouth is too full all the time, late at night, to "rap" his songs. I imagine that he and his manservant, Reggie Love, enjoy quiet nights of eating ice cream, and things.

[Melian]

Ha ha! Just another splinter who thinks he’s got the one true interpretation. That wild look in his eyes makes me happy I don’t believe in everybody interpreting for themselves! LOL!

[Melian]

I’m sure he’s using that rug as his prayer rug.

[kenavi]

Is it plagiarism to use one sentence/phrase/quote in a speech...If so then pastors should be VERY thankful that the Bible is, for such intent and purposes, public domain.

You should give credit to the source. Does your pastor pass off the Sermon on the Mount as his invention?

[TigerClaws]

MLK stole his doctorate through stealing in his dissertation.

Rip up this carpet and fumigate the White House after these Muslim Communists get the boot!

[sheana]

That is the question Hubby asked.

[Nachum]

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