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Fair ~ High: 82°F ~ Low: 52°F Wednesday, May 16, 2012 |
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I'd rather not…Posted Sunday, November 16, 2008, at 10:28 PM
Recent headlines have whispered the dreaded idea that President-elect Barack Obama must lose his Blackberry and will no longer be able to e-mail. What? I would rather not be President of the United States if I could not e-mail nor have a way to text message on my phone. I breathe, eat, and sleep e-mail, text messaging, and wireless calls. I carry a work cell phone and a personal cell phone seven days a week. Does that make me an ill person or a 21st century leader?
According to an article printed November 16, 2009 in the New York Times, Mr. Obama will be the second president to come to terms with the loss of e-mail access. President G.W. sent a "goodbye and good luck" e-mail to his network of friends three days prior to taking office. Although Mr. Obama spent the majority of his campaign time using the Blackberry to proof speeches and keep up with the Chicago White Sox's progress, it appears for now, he might have to resort to good old fashion communication channels, his political advisors. Because of obvious security risks, presidents will more than likely continue to be advised not to use e-mail and simply rely upon assistants to handle such tasks. Now that is a great idea, I will get right on that for my household as well. I have three different e-mail addresses and hundreds of unopened e-mails sitting in two of them. These messages are not spam either, thank heavens for spam filters or I might be in the tens of thousands by now. How many people think about getting up everyday and sending out thousands of e-mails regarding nothing other than "Open Your Own Dollar Store" to "Short on Cash" to insurance, healthcare, blah, blah. What a life these people must not take an active part in to do that for a living. Let me back track a little, there are actually people that are paid everyday to send out thousands of spam e-mails. For this reason, I would let someone take over my e-mail responsibilities! On Saturday, as Mr. Obama broadcast the weekly Democratic radio address, it came with a twist. The broadcast was videotaped and will be archived on YouTube for the first time. Technology waits for no one, including the President of the United States. The Obama campaign used the Web to target voter aged youth with e-mails and YouTube videos. Interestingly, Mr. Obama chose to text the announcement of his running mate Joseph Biden during the Democratic National Convention. Thinking back to days prior to birth of my middle son, over 16 years ago, I traveled the highway to and from work daily. My husband did not worry whether I made it safely, we could not call one another to ask the other to stop by the store for a gallon of milk, and if we had a flat tire, you changed it or waited for a kind sole to stop and help. I could not pick up my cell phone and call or text someone. What in the world would my 16-year-old do without text messaging? He might actually drop the cell phone long enough to develop other interests. Will the country suffer if Mr. Obama does not relinquish the e-mail and Blackberry? There is a possibility of it due to the confidentiality and safety of someone unpleasant intercepting his messages. Then again, Joe the Plumber might get the message from Mrs. Obama that Barack needs to pick the kids up from daycare before 5:30! Only time will tell. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
Karen Mullins was born and raised in Marshall. Her blog focuses on hometown events and happenings or national and regional events that affect Marshall residents. She says, "I would like to highlight working toward making Marshall a more attractive place to work and live for future generations. How do we keep our youth here or to return here
after college?" She is very interested in hearing from readers on these issues.
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Ack! Give up my cellphone? I couldn't function (as both my husband & mother could tell you) without it!
As to Obama having to give it up...my husband points out that a big chunk of people kept saying "McCain can't be president - he doesn't even know how to use email." How ironic that while Obama can use email - he won't be allowed to!!!
koeller77-
You took the words right out of my mouth. I thought the very thing, why are they worrying about this man who cannot use e-mail. Will he or should he even have enough time to utilize it to any great degree? Immediately I thought of the security issues surrounding this topic, which includes the use of cell phones.
In another sense, I can see that this person's life should not be completely altered to a state they cannot function within a rational means of normalcy. I am not opposed to the President having access to e-mail or a cell phone with the understanding that it is an open forum. How does Mr. Obama intent to communicate normally with Mrs. Obama. I would tell my husband one thing, if he wants to be president he can as long as no takes my cell phone or e-mail addresses. Someone in the Secret Service might be "going down" otherwise. Not much comes in between my cell phone and me!
I am currently working on a compare/contrast essay for my English Composition class. I am comparing what things were like when I was a teenager (late 70s/early 80s) to how they are now for teenagers. One of my topics was how the telephone I used was hardwired to the wall to which you where tethered by a spiral cord reaching to the receiver. Since it was located in the family kitchen there were no private conversations. Kids today have cell phones in their pocket or purse, but they don't actually talk on them...they text. That way parents don't hear their private teenage conversations. Most of the time you don't even know they are conversing with someone unless you see their thumbs moving busily around on the keyboard of their phone. I even commented in my essay how I could not compare or contrast computers, email or instant messaging. That was something that did not exist way back when I was a youngster. Today, where would we be, teenagers or adults, without these technological advances?? When we were young and going on some kind of road trip my parents would always tell us to make sure we had tools in the car, check the spare, make sure we had plenty of gas. Now when they call to tell us they are running to Sedalia or Columbia we always ask, "Do you have your phone charged up and on?" Boy, have things changed!
Typesetter, yes, changes, a big "Amen" to that! I was a teenager in the very late 50s into the 60s and there absolutely were no private conversations going on between teenagers via the telephone or any other means except face-to-face.
There's no doubt that having a cell phone can be a lifesaver, especially on a lonely highway miles from home with a blown tire, which actually happened to me TWICE within one month. On the other hand, cell phones can cut into your privacy pretty severely. On more than one occasion, I've missed a phone call because I couldn't get to the landline phone fast enough, and just as I hang up that phone, the one in my purse starts ringing (if the caller has both numbers).
E-mail can be frustrating, too, if the person sending the message wants an answer quickly and you don't happen to be available. Then you get three or four additional messages to deal with - "Did you get my e-mail? Why don't you answer it?."
Our "modern" conveniences have their pluses, but with them come some minuses, too, don't they?
Balancing one with the other, I'd have to say I wouldn't want to give them up!
I wanted to comment that while you might have very well read this first here on the Marshall Democrat News site or another news source. Barbara Walters is speaking with Mr. Obama tonight and she is going to address his situation of losing his Blackberry.
Darn, she always steals my thunder!!