“If you don’t understand me, it’s your fault!!” That’s from the Spirit album by Earth, Wind and Fire. I think it’s saying that maybe we should stop jumping off of the deep end and take a deep breath.
There are all these accusations flying around. Reverend Jeremiah Wright has been called everything from blasphemous to a racist to a hate-monger. (In response, Obama’s church sent a press release supporting Reverend Wright.)
All of this is based on the four phrases that have been seen on YouTube, adding up to a total of 8-10 sentences. People have based their opinion on 8-10 sentences. Most of these people have never been in a Black church. They don’t understand how Black preachers get the congregation into the sermon. They don’t understand the emotion. Yet, they feel qualified out commenting on Reverend Wright’s personality based on the sound bites.
Both Hillary Clinton supporters and “hardcore” Republican have openly stated that they never trusted Barack Obama. Because he is Black? Because he worked in Illinois and not Washington? Why? Don’t give me this garbage about “I had this feeling.” And, by the way, where’s Hillary Clinton’s Reverend? Where is John McCain’s? Do these politicians go to church? They say that he has always seemed to be hiding something. What? That he goes to church?
Some have even thrown around the ridiculous notion that Obama has not been “vetted.” This is pure nonsense. All of those Americans with half-a-brain please stop for a minute and think. (To those Americans without half-a-brain: Please continue to stick your head in the gas tank to see if you’re car is running out of gas). Obama spent years in the Illinois House and Senate. The Chicago Tribune wrote numerous articles on Obama. I promise you, he has been investigated up one side and down the other. This is Chicago. The home of Mayor Daley. Every major politician gets vetted. Ask the former governor! Obama has been under scrutiny for the last four years. The scrutiny just intensified over the last two. You can’t tell me that the Washington Post or the New York Times or the LA Times haven’t been trying to find something on Barack Obama. If they haven’t, you know the Republicans have.
So, this is what they’ve come up with: 5-10 sentences that are objectionable to white people. I specifically say white people because I believe phrases like those spoken by Reverend Jeremiah Wright have been heard in Black congregations throughout this nation for the last 70 years (or more.) Until you have been at a Black church for three or four weeks, I do not believe you can adequately criticize a few sentences. Sit in the pews. Feel the emotion. Then, then come back to this blog and tell me that Reverend Jeremiah Wright said something that was blasphemous. Only then, will I take your criticism seriously.
I am a fence-sitter when it comes to supporting Obama or Hillary, however, even I can see that this is the “Swiftboating” of Obama. Most people are ignorant about where this story grew its legs. Rush Limbaugh and other right-wing talking heads talked about it nonstop for DAYS before it “broke” on FoxNews and then the MSM.
Rush stated that Wright’s 30-seconds of clips (from a 30+ year career) is total “proof” that both Obamas secretly HATE AMERICA AND WHITE PEOPLE, therefore Obama is “scarier than Hillary” because of “what he might do” if he gets into the White House. So much racist innuendo it makes your head spin.
I expect this kind of attack from the Right/GOP. However, it’s disgusting that so many Hillary supporters are gleefully piling on. Regardless of who gets the nomination they’re both going to get attacks like this– and worse– and whomever is left standing is going to need all of us to support and defend them.
I wish everyone would put their knives away and support their preferred candidate without trying to eviscerate the other. Otherwise we’re just doing the GOP’s work for them.
Let’s not forget that the whole point of Wright’s sermon was patriotic. The point was that racism was anti-Christian and therefore damnable. Ergo the closer America got to Christ, the better her citizens got with god, the better for the nation. Wright’s Christianity places a far higher emphasis on love for fellow man, and self-sacrifice than most white, fundamentalist churches.
Z-
great comment!
P –
you hit this one out of the park! 100% correct!
Unfortunately you’re not going to hear that from the MSM- the only portrayal of Wright they seem interested in is one where he is an unpatriotic, white-hating racist.
Regardless of what Wright has said, the core issue of this controversy is this– does any of this mean that Obama shares Wright’s views thought-for-thought? Absolutely not.
What we really need to watch out for is the GOP meme where anyone who criticizes America, its government or American history is called “anti-American” or “unpatriotic,” we need to remind people that there is nothing more American than dissent. A person can love America and everything it stands for and SIMULTANEOUSLY be sad/frustrated/angery by certain aspects of our history or the legacy of those policies.
As a pastor myself, I don’t have a big problem with what Rev. Wright has said. I may not agree with his interpretations, but, I’m sure he wouldn’t necessarily agree with all of mine either.
I have only 2 problems in the sermons I’ve listened to/read:
1. He sometimes gets historical facts wrong. The historical/critical aspect of Biblical interpretation is taught in the first year of Seminary. It’s critical. If you don’t have the basic facts straight, your analysis will be flawed from the get-go. There are historical components to scripture that have nothing to do with faith. They’re just facts, plain and simple. If you get these wrong, well, it’s going to have a negative impact on your analysis.
2. It is forbidden to endorse a candidate over another from the pulpit. In one sermon in particular, Rev. Wright praised Obama and criticized Hillary. That’s a no-no. You can talk about issues and give an opinion, but you can’t endorse candidates nor tell people how they should vote. To me, it was quite clear that he violated this, and I have a problem with that.
So, Pastor Wright’s argument that AIDS was “invented” by the government in an effort to commit genocide against the African American community is only offensive to White people? Just to be clear: You’re personally NOT offended by his comment on AIDS? And, in order to legitimately comment on such remarks in the first place, you have to experience a Black church for several weeks and become acquainted with the religious culture there?
News flash Adam, this argument did not originate with pastor Wright.There are numerous scientists,researchers and writers that subscribe to the evidence that AIDS is a bio- weapon created in the labs of fort Dietrich. Follow this thread. Dr. Leonard Horowitz in the award winning book Emerging Viruses: AIDS & Ebola — Nature, Accident or Intentional? (Tetrahedron Press, 1998; 1-888-508-4787; http:www.tetrahedron.org) Dr. Horowitz unearthed and reprinted stunning scientific documents and National Institutes of Health contracts proving that chimpanzees, contaminated with numerous viruses, were used to produce hundreds of hepatitis B vaccine doses administered to central African Blacks along with homosexual men in New York City at precisely the time Dr. Myers and colleagues claim the origin of HIV “punctuated event” occurred.
Adam –
The thought is so pervasive in the Black community, in many places it is not even discussed. It is understood to be true.
Oh, no. I’m not offended. I think that Rev. Wright is wrong but I’m not offended.
Thanks for your comments.