The danger that Jeremiah Wright poses to Barack Obama

Every few days, it seems, there is a resignation.

Someone from the Obama camp lashes out against Hillary and has to go.

Someone from the Hillary camp makes an inappropriate remark and it's goodbye. It's all fun and games.

Is the case of Rev Jeremiah Wright any different. Do his comments (his ranting sermons were taped, including his phrase God damn America) pose a bigger threat to Obama than any of the other incidents?

Shelby Steele, the African American author of Bound Man, a compelling book on Obama, believes that the Wright stuff is indeed more damaging:

Human visibility is Mr. Obama's Achilles heel. If we see the real man, his contradictions and bents of character, he will be ruined as an icon, as a "blank screen."

Thus, nothing could be more dangerous to Mr. Obama's political aspirations than the revelation that he, the son of a white woman, sat Sunday after Sunday -- for 20 years -- in an Afrocentric, black nationalist church in which his own mother, not to mention other whites, could never feel comfortable. His pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, is a challenger who goes far past Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson in his anti-American outrage ("God damn America").

How does one "transcend" race in this church? The fact is that Barack Obama has fellow-traveled with a hate-filled, anti-American black nationalism all his adult life, failing to stand and challenge an ideology that would have no place for his own mother.

What could he have been thinking? Of course he wasn't thinking. He was driven by insecurity, by a need to "be black" despite his biracial background. And so fellow-traveling with a little race hatred seemed a small price to pay for a more secure racial identity.

Comments

[Concerned Voter]

He isn't Negroid: he is 50% Caucasian (maternal side), 43.75% Arabic (paternal side) and 6.25% Negroid (his great-great-grandparent on paternal side). US Federal Law requires that to claim minority status one must be at least 1/8th of the racial component (or 12.5%) which you claim for minority status. Apart from that, Obama's defence that he was not present at one of Rev Wright's hate-filled, anti-white sermons (July 22, 2007) is that he was speaking in Miami that day, at 1.30, at the National Convention of La Raza. (This is confirmed by his office staff and the video of his speech is available at the link below)Don't know what La Raza is? It's a pro-Hispanic, anti-American organisation, the motto of which is: "For the race, everything; for those outside the race, nothing." Fox has video of his speech that day in which he supports, in his own words, "the 12 million undocumented people who have contributed to America" (he's referring to the estimated 12,000,000 illegal aliens who come over the border from Mexico into the US and who have contributed, indeed, to the criminal statistics in the Western US). http://www.elections.foxnews.com/2008/03/17/report-places-obama-at-controversial-july-o7-wright-sermon-official-schedule-places I'll put the question to readers here: would it take you 20 years of attendance at a hate-filled 'church' such as Obama's to realise that it is unChristian and that you would not wish to be part of it or subject your children to such hateful indoctrination? Are you running for President of the US or are you just a decent human being?

[Sylvia Johnsen]

I object to the percentage-game, stipulating how many ounces of "white and black" a person is. Race-definitions are obsolete, we are humans, all different soups of DNA and Barack Obama seems to be a decent example. Although I am a Clinton supporter, feeling as I do Obama trails in both experience and substance, I wish people could grow out of their need to group by fictitious races.

And yes, it matters that Obama has surrounded himself for years with critical thinkers lost in rhetoric dividing on those traditional lines mentioned above. It seriously undercuts message of a middle ground, and it looks like Obama has not got the strenght to object against reverse-rascism inside the closest family.

Sylvia Johnsen, Oslo, Norway

[Dr. Jesse Kally-Williams]

There is absolutely no justification for Rev. Wright's disturbing outburst on a pulpit that is a symbol of Jesus of Nazareth – the prince of peace. However, White Americans must not forget that not long ago White Christian ministers in the Bible Belt misused the Word of God to justify racism on pulpits. They must overlook how these supposedly ministers of Christ exploited the myths of Noah's children to justify the inferiority of African-Americans and their sub-human treatment in their own native country, thereby blaspheming the biblical doctrine of “imago dei” -- namely all human beings are created in the image of God. Billy Graham, the High Priest of American presidents and American evangelism, never once condemned such abuses of God's Word. Yet he travel around the world preaching repentance and acceptance of Jesus as Saviour. Was it not Billy Graham who gave the finally blessing to Bush to wage the Iraq war? The world is watching America. The race problem is at the depth of America’s soul. Obama is now saying enough is enough, let us come together and solve it. Is that a message thinking people should reject and mock?

[more concerned voter]

^^^ Where do you get your information? He's half Kenyan....

[SO]

Whay is Mr. Obama being attacked for something he did not say? It was ok when pastor Richard Shaeffer denounced America he was invited to lunch at the white house by three ex Presidents Ford, Regan, Bush Sr.
Is there not something wrong with this issue, how can one person say those things and the next gets a free lunch?

[Poetic Justice]

I am a Black woman, but I certainly don't speak for all Black women. But what concerns me about the "Wright-gate" scandal is that I really find it hard to believe that an individual believes something so deeply that is a part of the basic foundation of their place of worship, and in a two decade period that principle belief is only mentioned 1 or 2 times. I don't agree with everything that my Pastor says either, however I also am not claiming to the "Change" and "Uniity" agent during polictical speeches on Tuesday's that are super, and then on Sunday sit in a so called place of worship and constantly listen to racist filled sermons coming out of the mouth of my spiritual leader. I don't want that in my spirit, I don't want that in my husband's spirit, and I dfinetly don't want that in my children's spirit. I have lived in the south most of life. And anyone who has studied American History know the history of racism in the south. But all none of the churches that I have attended has a pastor ever stood in the pulpit and preached hatered of people who are different from us or hatered of our country. They have preached about how to over come the adversities that occur when you are hated because of your skin color. This does not make us weak, grinning, foot shuffling individuals, but it builds our character and our inner spirit. This truly makes us strong. I am a Christian and I know that God wants us to love each other. My fellow Americans, Black or White, please stop being angry because the spot light is being put on a candidate who happens to be Black. It is not racism. The American public needs to know every aspect of the canidates' point of view, whether they are Black,White, male or female candidate. It's too important not to. We don't need to find out next year that someone may not be what they represented themselves to be. Do the research for yourself and know what your candidate is all about. Racism by any race is wrong. Black people should know that better than most other people. The American people need honest anwers from anyone seeking office. Enough with the smoke and mirrors, let's have honesty for a "Change".

[wake up!]

Even in 2008 some of us really don't have and/or want the insight to respect and at least acknowledge the minority perspective. Obama, only reinerating the honest and brutal truth about race relations is now subject to being labled as an unworthy candidate because he is willing to own and discuss this issue candidly. His mentor/former minister made controversial statements about race. Critisim of his relationship with the rev is a prime example of how we selectively redesign what is considered appropriate. How is it we became so sensitive to speaking the language of racism yet are so entertained by it?Everyone is entitled to an opinion and I applaud Obama for not sugar coating what was said. We should embrace this incident as another opportunity for change rather than use it to fuel negative ideas about the nature of their relationship. Obama understands the anger and frustration of the minority population in a way that some of us will never know yet he is just as sensitive and morally conected to the world at large. Obama has clearly verbalized his disapproval of the Revs statement and is even more clear about how he plans to nurture the future of America. Is it really so abnormal to have someone of great influence in our lives who makes us question their moral polarity amd perhaps our own? I trust that most of us consider character better measured by the collection of attributes we find are most beneficial to our survival. The media has a way of excluding information that may make their story seem less credible. Wake up America!Obama is not going to fallthat easy

[Gilbert Phiri]

The silly thing in all this convenient pretence is to think that what Reverend Wright oft repeated, OUT OF CONTEXT, sound bites are wrong. Just what is wrong with what he is quoted as saying? Hasn't there been state complicity in supplying drugs to black neighbourhoods in America? And guns in black neighbourhoods in the UK? Isn't there a lingering suspicion that HIV Aids virus was the white's race' plan to exterminate blacks?(a notion not altogether discounted even by scientists!). However illogical you may think Rev. Wright's thinking is, he still has a right to have his say! The American constitution guarantees this right. His audience also its right to applaud, as we've seen. Why am I not hearing people debate the merits of what he said? His tone may be offensive but his message finds resonance with the only group of human beings to have forcibly been repartriated to America in chains and still have to grapple with racial exclusion!

[Concerned Voter]

To More Concerned Voter: Yes, his paternal side is "Kenyan", but of a Kenyan Arabic, not Kenyan African, tribe. It's a common mistake when people speak of 'Africa': large portions of Africa are Muslim in their religion and Arabic in their ethnic composition because Muslim slave trade has been a major factor in African history for almost 1400 years of Islam's dominance in certain parts. BTW, the link I posted is no longer available; several links of Obama speeches, including one where he effusively praises Reverend Wright, have 'disappeared' off YouTube. Not very surprisingly, on Obama's own webpage, the testimonial from Revd Wright has also been removed, along with any mention of the Revd! There are (or were, when I last checked!) testimonials to Senator Obama from Keith Ellison (Muslim Rep from Illinois who also travelled to Libya to meet Gaddafi in the company of Louis Farrakhan as Rev Wright did, and admitted to in a New York Times article of 6 March, 2007 ---"When his enemies find out that in 1984 I went to Tripoli to visit Colonel Gaddafi with Louis Farrakhan, a lot of his (Obama's) Jewish support will dry up quicker than a snowball in hell" --- which is also the one in which Obama is quoted as saying of Rev Wright, "You can get kind of rough in the sermons, so what we've decided is that it's best for you not to be out there in public") and there is also a testimonial to Obama from one Dr J Alfred Smith who was given an 'award' by the Black Panther Party in 1975 and an 'award' by the Nation of Islam in 1990. Not only will Obama lose if he is the Dems' candidate, the Dems may never recover as a party.

[Femi Alese]

Daniel, I think you should try and read Peter Hitchen's take on the church (Trinity United Church of Christ). He's actually worshipped there and did not consider the congregation to be an anti-white or hate-filled group. In fact , I was surprised he saw the value of the church to society at large (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=511901&in_page_id=1811).

You'd be surprised to learn that we have similar churches here in the UK and their growth is now phenomenal. I have attended some and listened to things I disagreed and agreed with. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the sermons and understood the impact they attempted to make in the lives of their fellow worshippers. I attended one that had a 'home-work workshop group and school' for young children, a marriage counselling group for couples and mentoring groups for teenagers. These are some of the things many people discover when they attend any of these churches(http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/michael_tomasky/2008/03/wright_and_wrong.html.),(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7303987.stm).

These churches provide a base for many blacks to reconnect with family values, avoid drug dependency, gang culture and find solace for the many socio-economic challenges (of which racism is a significant one) that they face.

There's no denying that there is an unequal distribution of wealth between blacks and other groups, that black men are perceived differently from other humans and easily criminalized by the justice system.

Rev Wright's statements are partly true, there are evidence of the ills imposed on African Americans by their governments. It is also true that he carries the anger of a generation and that he was also wrong not to inform that racism is not everywhere and that many whites, asians and jews fought and died for the existence of civil rights. He did not tell us that progress has been made in many areas, that although we may not have a perfect society, we have many ordinary people, irrespective of colour, willing to abide by fairness.

On the other hand, very few commentators have lauded Wright for rescuing lives over the past forty years, giving voice to those society had condemned, fighting against homophobia and sexism in the black community (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004284042_pastorside15.html)

Simply put, no journalists, presidential candidates, politicians or political commentators can stand up and compare their public duties with those of Rev. Wright.

This is the reason why I salute Obama for condemning the statement and not the man. The furore will pass and Obama's Archilles heel, the blue collar white men, will remain until he's able to win his party's nomination. I have no doubt, he'll be the 44th president of the US. As for Shelby Steel, he speaks only for his bank accounts.

Finally, Fink, thanks for the blog.

[Dr Fred]

Poetic Justice:Amen & Chazak U'Baruch!

[Al]

Surely we should not be judged on what we say but rather on what we actually do. Mr Obama recently gave a great speech and said all sorts of brave things - but he actually sat for twenty years listening to Mr Wrights drivel and did nothing. What says more about him - what he says now or what he did then?

[Roy]

There are only 3 groups who gain from this. The pro Israel group,Hillary Clinton or John McCain. You pick who opened this can of worms.

[Sue Simms Davidson]

America...why are you shocked at the opinions of Rev. Wright? White America...we (african americans) had kept our feelings on the "down low" out of neccessity. I am thrilled that race is in the forefront. Perhaps it's time for the return of the 60's. PEOPLE GET READY, THERE'S A CHANGE A COMMING.

[Mike]

RE: Sue Simms Davidson....
If you don't like the way things are in America, you're free to go back to your "homeland"! No one is keeping you here. However, if you did go back to africa, I'm afraid your "brothers" might just hack you into pieces because you were not a member of their tribe.

[Concerned Voter]

Roy: The group which, as you put it, "opened up the can of worms" was the loathsome and false 'church' itself: it offered for public sale several videos and transcripts of its pastor's 'sermons.' ABC TV News and Fox News were the first of the media to publicise these videos and did so because it's an election campaign, so anything and everything eventually comes out into the open. This brings me to a point I've wanted to make for some time. I read the English press all the time and I was first amused, then amazed and finally disgusted at its mindless and blind bias and its willingness to remain silent about certain matters. Obama, and his church, display a contempt for public opinion because they were fairly confident that MSM would protect them by saying nothing. We're going to have to find a new label for the media; there's nothing 'mainstream' about covering something which SHOULD have been talked about long ago, like back when the Dems were considering possible candidates. As for this 'church,' and its 'congregation,' it has been widely known in the blogosphere for over a year now that this body was Afro-centrist, Marxist-oriented, racist, anti-American, anti-Jewish, anti-white race BECAUSE people in the blogosphere actually looked up the webpages of this church, were shocked at what they saw and tried alerting MSM to it. MSM ignored these concerns. If there is any 'conspiracy' in all this, it was the conspiracy of a media which has relinquished whatever professional journalistic standards it once had.

[eb]

when will the Americans face the truth and look at themselves as the world's most hypocritical and ignorant nation. Everybody hates us! and you still think we can look the other way and continue to bully the rest of the world? Obviously the majority prefers to remain stupid and therefore we do not deserve a brighter future. I am white but have to admit Rev, Wright just dared saying what everyone else knows and thinks OUTSIDE the US!

[Andy]

It would seem, judging by some of the comments here, that many American people have forgotten the values that originally underpinned their once-great nation. Mike's comment is despicable and racist, ignoring the fact that the majority of black Americans are not the descendants of wilful immigrants, but of kidnapped slaves who EARNT their right to be American citizens, which equally entitles them to voice their opinions on that nation, in common with all citizens of all states.

There is, I believe, a concentrated campaign on the internet (from all sides in this campaign) that has unfortunately spilled over onto sites such as this one, which were previously a reliable source of balanced debate.

Talk of the "blogosphere" backs this up, as we all know that that domain is dominated by zealots and nutters who have forgotten the purpose of politics, and play it like a big game. Well politics isn't a game, it affects real people with real lives, and you should all be ashamed of your cheap attacks that sully the reputation of your country and of your people.

[M. Vincent Savage]

It seems that this country is more serious about mere words than about substance. Political correctness, political incorrectness, rigid patriotism are all elements of closed minds. I see this caper as a possible broaching of a long festering wound of our history.
It is wrong to impute the words of one onto another. When Pat Robertson endorsed Mitt Romney, no flap resulted, although Robertson expressed a desire to have President Chavez assinated.
I find lies and the use of conceit more dangerous than harsh words. Personally I think that President Bush's "Mission accomplished" have resulted in more actual damage than the raging of the Reverend Wright.

[keithR]

re:Mike | 20 Mar 2008 16:47:43
I presume your invitation also applies to former europeans,et al, who invaded a land owner by the NA Indian tribes?
If you think this 'spin' is bad, guilt by association stuff, wait and see what the GOP will do to HC if she is nominated. Whatever Wright has said in no way matches the actual damage done to the USA and the dignity of the Presidency by RN,GWB,and - BC.

[Voter]

The world is watching America. The race problem is at the depth of America’s soul. Obama is now saying enough is enough, let us come together and solve it. Is that a message thinking people should reject and mock?

Posted by: Dr. Jesse Kally-Williams | 18 Mar 2008 20:11:07

He might be saying. But by his deads he is rasist and anti-american. And if that's not the case, he is weak. You cannot sit in a chruch and listen to your pastor for 20 years spouting racist and anti-American remarks without either agreeing or being weak.

[nick]

We have friends, pastors, teachers and relatives who behave the way they want and say things they want even if we do not support it. I do not think Obama should be punished for some one's crime.We've had pastors who I haven't agreed with,"But I didn't stop going to church. Because I'm not going for the pastor, I'm going for my soul." Obama unfairly blamed for what his pastor said. As he said, Our country should show UNITY IN DIVERSITY….. PLEASE LET’S UNITE……..OBAMA’08

[john d topley]

How Obama got mixed up with this racist,anti-American lunatic I don't know.What I do know is that he can wave bye bye to any hopes of residing in the White House.How on earth did he think that he could have got away with such idiocy.

[Sara]

I am astonished at the "outrage" expressed by so many White Americans on this forum. How could Barak Obama sit in Church and do nothing while listening to hate-filled rants? He did in the same way every single white person has spent their life listening to racist comments and doing nothing. Any white person telling the truth would have to admit hearing hateful racist comments throughout their lives, whether at work, in their college fraternity, at a party. How many of you spoke up and confronted the person making the racist comments? Was the person making the comments someone you actually cared about - a parent, a teacher, a pastor? What did you do in that situation? White Americans are expecting behavior from Black Americans that we don't pratice ourselves. It is time to get past this kind of behavior and I believe that is what Senator Obama was trying to do with his speech. Let us all finally face the reality of race relations in this country and let us all finally tell the truth.

[Dalton]

He hates America, Mrs. Obama hates America,John Kerry hates America, the Democratic Party hates America, the comments of Rev. Wright will not hurt him among the America-hating left. He wins the nomination and loses the election.

[Chris]

http://truthabouttrinity.blogspot.com/

Reverend Jeremiah Wright was among the honored guests at a White House prayer breakfast on September 11th, 1998.

Then President Clinton and the First Lady were in attendance.

This is the same prayer breakfast at which President Clinton stated he had repented for his actions involving Monica Lewinsky.

The link abouve shows a picture of President Clinton and Reverend Wright at the breakfast.

[Dalton]

Comments of Rev. Wright are perfectly in keeping with the America-hating left, Democratic Party, John Kerry, and Michelle Obama.
Where is the controversy?

[zqll]

Rev. Wright does have the right to preach what ever he wants to preach.
Obama has the right to stick by his "pastor".

But Obama nor Wright have the right to be exempt from criticism. Nor, does Obama have the right to expect other people to not question his long faithful relationship with a racist bigot.

This guy is toast!

[The_Black_Liberator]

Shelby Steele is a well known black conservative, a fellow at the Hoover Institution, a leading right wing think tank. He also derided the US administration for taking a softy softy approach in Iraq! See his opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110008318
As the yanks would say ;sucker please', find someone else to quote maybe Don Imus or David Duke. He is what Malcolm X described as a 'house negro'. He is another Lawrence Dennis, and an irrelevance for the vast majority of Black people. He does find favour among right wingers who buy his books!

[Jon]

I think that Obama -- like most of us -- takes the good with the bad with people who he associates with. And, like most of us, he develops relationships on the commonalities, and tends not to focus on the areas where there are disagreements or incompatibilities. And, thanks to his relationship with Reverend Wright, Obama has developed a set of invaluable skills that we could only wish our current President had, and uniquely equip Obama to be an effective President of the United States of America.

To see a full analysis behind this opinion, please visit http://blog.HopeAgainstTheMachine.com