Race, Wright or Wrong
It dominated news talk last night, and is being repeatedly played on YouTube. The words of Sen. Barack Obama’s former minister the Rev. Jeremiah Wright come as an epilogue on a week where the issue of race has been featured prominently in the Democratic presidential campaign.
It’s not exactly a new story; newspapers two months ago began pointing out Wright’s affinity for harsh statements and borderline militancy about his feelings that blacks remains well behind in American society today.
(Wright is Obama’s former minister; he stepped down last month as pastor at Trinity United Church Christ in Chicago, where Obama is a member.)
Obama has publicly sought to distance himself from Wright, saying he doesn’t agree with all the political positions of his former pastor. Aides say the senator “profoundly disagrees” with Wright’s extreme positions and “deplores divisive statements.”
But we keep hearing Wright’s words again and again, so let’s discuss them. Most recently we’ve heard the replays of transcripts and clips from Wright, suggesting that Obama knows better about the racial divide in this country because Sen. Hillary Clinton hasn’t faced the prejudices that a black man can face. In Wright’s words, “Hillary ain’t never been called a n****.”
The Chicago Tribune offered this editorial. Slate offered this roundup yesterday of the blogosphere. The National Journal this morning offered some summary of last night’s talk show commentary. The New York Times’ online opinion section proffered this. Here’s yet more reportage.
It’s no surprise that race has come up as an issue from time-to-time as the campaign has continued on. And let’s be honest here: How could it not, when this country continues to confront a racial divide and nation watches and considers the first viable black candidate for president.
So what do you think? How much should race be an issue? Where do you draw the line? How far do we have to go yet on this subject to heal wounds began in previous decades and centuries? How much do those hurts still fester today?
Below, I’m posting the most recently referenced clip of Wright’s preaching. It’s drawing a good bit of attention on YouTube and elsewhere.
But, but, but, let’s keep this civil. Race is obviously an emotional issue and there’s room and need for robust debate. Just stay above board.
What I find disturbing is Obama’s basically giving a disingenuous slant to everything his pastor has said and making it seem like it’s no big deal. From today’s WSJ:
Meeting with Jewish leaders in Cleveland on Feb. 24, Mr. Obama described Mr. Wright as being like “an old uncle who sometimes will say things that I don’t agree with.” He rarely mentions the points of disagreement.
Mr. Obama went on to explain Mr. Wright’s anti-Zionist statements as being rooted in his anger over the Jewish state’s support for South Africa under its previous policy of apartheid. As with his previous claim that his church gave the award to Mr. Farrakhan because of his work with ex-offenders, Mr. Obama appears to have made that up. Mr. Wright’s statements denouncing Israel have not been qualified in any way. Mr. Obama nonetheless told the Jewish leaders that the award to Mr. Farrakhan “showed a lack of sensitivity to the Jewish community.” That is an understatement.
As for Mr. Wright’s repeated comments blaming America for the 9/11 attacks because of what Mr. Wright calls its racist and violent policies, Mr. Obama has said it sounds as if the minister was trying to be “provocative.”
Hearing Mr. Wright’s venomous and paranoid denunciations of this country, the vast majority of Americans would walk out. Instead, Mr. Obama and his wife Michelle have presumably sat through numerous similar sermons by Mr. Wright.
Indeed, Mr. Obama has described Mr. Wright as his “sounding board” during the two decades he has known him. Mr. Obama has said he found religion through the minister in the 1980s. He joined the church in 1991 and walked down the aisle in a formal commitment of faith.
The title of Mr. Obama’s bestseller “The Audacity of Hope” comes from one of Wright’s sermons. Mr. Wright is one of the first people Mr. Obama thanked after his election to the Senate in 2004. Mr. Obama consulted Mr. Wright before deciding to run for president. He prayed privately with Mr. Wright before announcing his candidacy last year.
Mr. Obama obviously would not choose to belong to Mr. Wright’s church and seek his advice unless he agreed with at least some of his views. In light of Mr. Wright’s perspective, Michelle Obama’s comment that she feels proud of America for the first time in her adult life makes perfect sense.
Obama “disagrees with some of the statements” from Wright???
Give me a break! To sit and listen to ANY of that crap for 20 years makes Obama just as dirty as Scumbag Wright (don’t call him Rev. again; he ain’t no man of God!).
For Obama or anyone else to sit in that cult “church” and listen to that evil B.S., just lends a false credibility to such an imposter.
Now we see where Obama’s wife feeds her hatred from too.
I don’t care how many “good” things a person has to say. When their “evil” finally shows through, it’s time to stay away permanently.
Obama displays TERRIBLE JUDGEMENT!!!!!! He should NEVER be allowed to make decisions for this country!!!
Hey Obama, try explaining what parts of Wright’s message you DO agree with!
Barrack Obama along with his America hating wife and their America hating, racist preacher who HATE America and white people are NOT what America needs! VOTE FOR HILLARY!! Before it is too late. THIS is an OUTRAGE.
Obama’s Mentor –> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAYe7MT5BxM
Are you kidding? Obama chose this church; he has been a member for 20 years. The pastor married him, baptized his children. You can not tell me this Pastor developed his views of the world overnight and it just so happened Obama never sat in the pews and heard these sermons.
What kind of judgment are you displaying if you maintain a relationship with a church and pastor with such radical views?
If we forget Obama for a moment and think about his young daughters, it’s okay for Obama’s children to be exposed to this kind of hate?
Do the Obama’s believe at some level that any of what this man says is true? Is that why Michelle Obama states in her speeches that “America is mean” and “I am proud of America for the first time in my life”? Have these views formed because of this Pastor?
When I saw thI see nothing wrong with a pastor or anyone saying “Hillary was a never called a n…” because odds are, she wasn’t LOL. Okay, she didn’t grow up black or a boy…right. The country ’s controlled by rich white people. No news there.
As white people, we can’t get riled and all “scared” because they don’t sound happy all the time. Every minority group in America expresses some set of frustrations about how larger society relates to them — and so what? He never disrespected Hillary and we do have a C student in the White House LOL. I think some people are just scared of an old black man talking loud. Talking loud doesn’t constitute hate, so get over that.
He’s reacting to stuff like plenty whites/non-blacks I know, who are frustrated with some key US policies, can criticize heavily and still love our country. That’s what Americans are supposed to do.
We can’t go back to the Freedom Fries-era of the earlier days of this Bush Administration when any question of our imperialistic jaunt into Iraq got anyone branded “unpatriotic.” Look where that’s gotten us — almost 4000 American soldiers dead and we’re dissecting what some southside Chicago preacher said on old videotape? Stop it already.
He’s no worse than McCain’s John Hagee and his other nutso spiritual advisor who’s out to “destroy Islam”…way to go there and demonize a whole religion, sheesh.
Obama’s still got my vote and in every way when you see Michelle Obama say what she said, for commenter who mentioned that, you know she was marveling at how hordes of people have engaged themselves in the political process. This is creating a DIFFERENT kind of pride and ENGAGED patriotism.
Hopefully, our soundbyte culture won’t ruin it with intolerant, buzzkill posts like these.
I am a black independent male voter who has not decided who to support in the fall, but I know it won’t be Obama. I have been trying to tell people for months now not to believe what Obama is saying - he’s playing a game to get elected.
Obama keeps saying that Wright is like the “crazy uncle” in the family. That excuse is tired and weak. The mainstream media keeps letting him get away with it. My problem with Obama is that he sat in the church for every Sunday to listen to Wright’s racist, anti-American rants. If you don’t agree with a crazy sermon like Wright delivers, you get up and leave the church immediately, never to return again.
Not Obama - he kept going back for more. Don’t tell me he doesn’t share some of his spiritual mentor’s thoughts. Stop the madness and wake up America. You are asking for trouble if he is elected. Is this the “change” you want to vote for. Well, it would be different. This country would have a President whose mentor is a racist lunatic.
If you want to learn more about the retired Wright or see more of his sermons, go to http://www.unfilteredopinion.com. I will be voting for McCain or Clinton. I like the candidates who have skeletons that I know of.
If members of a congregation had to agree with and believe in every word their pastor utters over a 20-year period or walk out, our churches would be empty or filled with mindless cattle.
And I recall some of the right-wing Republican “reverends” - Pat Robertson & Falwell - also blaming America’s woes as the results of America’s “sins”. So, by your logic should everyone in their congregations or regular viewers of their TV evangelist spin-offs also be equally condemned? If I recall, these same “reverends” endorsements were accepted by Bush, Giuliani and McCain. So, why should anyone vote, or have voted, for them?
So stop being so hypocritical by demonizing Wright. Ministers often give voice to feelings that congregation members cannot publically voice – some legitimate, some over the top. That’s not Obama’s problem – it’s the nature of organized religion in America. Accept it –all, or condemn it –all. But don’t cherry pick and condemn the ones who support candidates you happen to dislike. Thant is the essence of hypocrisy.
African Americans have every right in the world to be less than swooning over what a fabulous country this is. Until you’ve walked in another man’s shoes, your criticism is no more than blind hate - exactly what you condemn Rev. Wright for.
The news media has said this isn’t about race, how could it not be? I can’t remember any election were a candidate got 85% of any group except in this one. The hammering whites get about being racial at least should be put to rest since there is no way Mr. Obama could have got this far without a good share of White Vote.
I saw in the clip when Barack’s Role Model was talking about his enemies, the enemies of his “church”, do you realize who he is talking about? The majority of the country are his enemies. Can some reporter, any reporter, get Barack to answer some questions about this guy? Does BMN believe that the majority of the country are his enemies as Wright stated? Is BMN filled with as much hate as Wright? Does he expect us to believe that he was a member of this church for half of his life and wasnt aware of this type of speech? Was his membership in the church just a political move to get the votes of those in the congregation early in his political career?
Oh please! I learned a few years ago that the Bishop that confirmed me in 7th grade was a pedophile and so was another priest at the Church I attended for 25 years. So does that make ME responsible for the priest’s action. Do I have to renounce the Catholic Church because of the sex scandal? I don’t remember anyone asking Guiliani about the New York priest who were arrested and convicted of child molestation. BTW, where do John McCain and Hillary Clinton worship? Are they atheist? What did their preachers or ministers say five years ago which might be relevant to their campaign?
This whole thing is a bogus attempt to get Obama out of the race. SO LET ME BE CLEAR WHITE PEOPLE, he nor does any other AFRICAN AMERICAN have to answer for another black person any more than a CATHOLIC has to answer for pedofile priest. IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT REV. WRIGHT SAID THEN TAKE IT UP WITH REV. WRIGHT.