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.