Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11

abcnews ^ | 3/13/08 | BRIAN ROSS and REHAB EL-BURI

[MittFan08]

Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11

Obama's Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Has a History of What Even Obama's Campaign Aides Say Is 'Inflammatory Rhetoric'

By BRIAN ROSS and REHAB EL-BURI

March 13, 2008—

Sen. Barack Obama's pastor says blacks should not sing "God Bless America" but "God damn America."

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's south side, has a long history of what even Obama's campaign aides concede is "inflammatory rhetoric," including the assertion that the United States brought on the 9/11 attacks with its own "terrorism."

In a campaign appearance earlier this month, Sen. Obama said, "I don't think my church is actually particularly controversial." He said Rev. Wright "is like an old uncle who says things I don't always agree with," telling a Jewish group that everyone has someone like that in their family.

Rev. Wright married Obama and his wife Michelle, baptized their two daughters and is credited by Obama for the title of his book, "The Audacity of Hope."

An ABC News review of dozens of Rev. Wright's sermons, offered for sale by the church, found repeated denunciations of the U.S. based on what he described as his reading of the Gospels and the treatment of black Americans.

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda's attacks because of its own terrorism.

"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Rev. Wright said in a sermon on Sept. 16, 2001.

"We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost," he told his congregation.

Sen. Obama told the New York Times he was not at the church on the day of Rev. Wright's 9/11 sermon. "The violence of 9/11 was inexcusable and without justification," Obama said in a recent interview. "It sounds like he was trying to be provocative," Obama told the paper.

Rev. Wright, who announced his retirement last month, has built a large and loyal following at his church with his mesmerizing sermons, mixing traditional spiritual content and his views on contemporary issues.

"I wouldn't call it radical. I call it being black in America," said one congregation member outside the church last Sunday.

"He has impacted the life of Barack Obama so much so that he wants to portray that feeling he got from Rev. Wright onto the country because we all need something positive," said another member of the congregation.

Rev. Wright, who declined to be interviewed by ABC News, is considered one of the country's 10 most influential black pastors, according to members of the Obama campaign.

Obama has praised at least one aspect of Rev. Wright's approach, referring to his "social gospel" and his focus on Africa, "and I agree with him on that."

Sen. Obama declined to comment on Rev. Wright's denunciations of the United States, but a campaign religious adviser, Shaun Casey, appearing on "Good Morning America" Thursday, said Obama "had repudiated" those comments.

In a statement to ABCNews.com, Obama's press spokesman Bill Burton said, "Sen. Obama has said repeatedly that personal attacks such as this have no place in this campaign or our politics, whether they're offered from a platform at a rally or the pulpit of a church. Sen. Obama does not think of the pastor of his church in political terms. Like a member of his family, there are things he says with which Sen. Obama deeply disagrees. But now that he is retired, that doesn't detract from Sen. Obama's affection for Rev. Wright or his appreciation for the good works he has done."

Click Here for the Investigative Homepage.

[ari-freedom]

I heard the “audacity of hope”...it’s pretty tame. the real stuff is in the link
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3644554159124321191&q=%22jeremiah+wright%22+jews&total=2&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
and
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6144831860496532000&q=%22jeremiah+wright%22&total=67&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

[maine-iac7]

found another link where the original sermon was posted - no long will load - they are purging, it seems -

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5068610

[maine-iac7]

you have freep mail ;o)

[Floratina]

No No Obama = YOU need to come right out and. unequivocally, DENOUNCE what he said: You have to salute the flag and denounce the pledge of loyalty to 'the Mother Country, Africa" and pledge loyalty to this country - RIGHT OUT LOUD.-

It's too late for that now, as far as I'm concerned. He's followed the teachings of this person for most of his adult life. To disavow it now in this vote-seeking context seems just a leeeeetle bit disingenuous to me.

[CreativePerspective]

He is also not "just" Obama's pastor, but close advisor.

Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.: Pastor inspires Obama's 'audacity' (Obama's close relationship)

"Obama says that rather than advising him on strategy, Wright helps keep his priorities straight and his moral compass calibrated.

"What I value most about Pastor Wright is not his day-to-day political advice," Obama said. "He's much more of a sounding board for me to make sure that I am speaking as truthfully about what I believe as possible and that I'm not losing myself in some of the hype and hoopla and stress that's involved in national politics."

When Obama sought his own church community, he felt increasingly at home at Trinity.

Later he would base his 2004 keynote speech to the Democratic National Convention on a Wright sermon called "Audacity to Hope," --also the inspiration for Obama's second memoir, "The Audacity of Hope."

Though Wright and Obama do not often talk one-on-one often, the senator does check with his pastor before making any bold political moves."

[ari-freedom]

this takes the cake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfNEfEBYIZs
thread here
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1985461/posts

[Pinkbell]

"No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people,"

Surely he must be talking about the unborn. Right??!! Maybe not.

[Pinkbell]

I was thinking the exact same thing. If you ever view DU or Kos, you can see he’s preaching to the choir.

[ari-freedom]

They just don't care. here's a quote:

For the sake of argument, let's say that this crazy ass pastor (and he does sound kinda nutty to me) does have a great deal of influence on Obama. Well, if this crazy ass pastor somehow inspired Obama to become a community organizer to help the disenfranchised, to help write legislature that set the standard for ethics reform, to be a vocal supporter for network neutrality, to author laws on government transparency, and be a strong vocal critic of the Iraq war (among many other good things), we should make it mandatory that all elected officials attend this church to listen to his crazy ass preachings.

[Pinkbell]

That video did anger me. Besides blaming us for 9/11, he referred to this as the KKK USA and ridiculed black republicans as sell outs. Then, the women interviewed said he wasn’t radical, and one said, “It’s just being black in America.”

I suppose I’m saddened that there are black people that think such a way in this country with so many opportunities provided them. Yes, there are problems in their community. Blame the white man they say. Ok, but blame the Democrat white man. The Democrats have promoted the free sex/pornography/abortion plus welfare agenda which has helped to destroy the black family. All the money in the world won’t save the black community unless they rebuild the family. The breakdown of the family has led to drugs, crime, violence, poverty, and more welfare.

[Freedom2specul8]

ANYTIME I GET A CHANCE TO POST THIS LINK, I’M GOING TO.

---

FROM: Obama’s church’s website
THE BLACK VALUE SYSTEM
http://www.tucc.org/black_value_system.html

[Freedom2specul8]

JUST IN CASE THEIR WEBMASTER REMOVES THAT WEBPAGE:

THE BLACK VALUE SYSTEM
http://www.tucc.org/black_value_system.html

Trinity United Church of Christ adopted the Black Value System, written by the Manford Byrd Recognition Committee, chaired by the late Vallmer Jordan in 1981.

These Black Ethics must be taught and exemplified in homes, churches, nurseries and schools, wherever Blacks are gathered. They consist of the followingconcepts:

1. Commitment to God. “The God of our weary years” will give us the strength to give up prayerful passivism and become Black Christian Activists, soldiers for Black freedom and the dignity of all humankind.

2. Commitment to the Black Community. The highest level of achievement for any Black person must be a contribution of strength and continuity of the Black Community.

3. Commitment to the Black Family. The Black family circle must generate strength, stability and love, despite the uncertainty of externals, because these characteristics are required if the developing person is to withstand warping by our racist competitive society.

Those Blacks who are blessed with membership in a strong family unit must reach out and expand that blessing to the less fortunate.

4. Dedication to the Pursuit of Education. We must forswear anti-intellectualism. Continued survival demands that each Black person be developed to the utmost of his/her mental potential despite the inadequacies of the formal education process. “Real education” fosters understanding of ourselves as well as every aspect of our environment. Also, it develops within us the ability to fashion concepts and tools for better utilization of our resources, and more effective solutions to our problems. Since the majority of Blacks have been denied such learning, Black Education must include elements that produce high school graduates with marketable skills, a trade or qualifications for apprenticeships, or proper preparation for college.

Basic education for all Blacks should include Mathematics, Science, Logic, General Semantics, Participative Politics, Economics and Finance, and the Care and Nurture of Black minds.

5. Dedication to the Pursuit of Excellence. To the extent that we individually reach for, even strain for excellence, we increase, geometrically, the value and resourcefulness of the Black Community. We must recognize the relativity of one’s best; this year’s best can be bettered next year. Such is the language of growth and development. We must seek to excel in every endeavor.

6. Adherence to the Black Work Ethic. “It is becoming harder to find qualified people to work in Chicago.” Whether this is true or not, it represents one of the many reasons given by businesses and industries for deserting the Chicago area. We must realize that a location with good facilities, adequate transportation and a reputation for producing skilled workers will attract industry. We are in competition with other cities, states and nations for jobs. High productivity must be a goal of the Black workforce.

7. Commitment to Self-Discipline and Self-Respect. To accomplish anything worthwhile requires self-discipline. We must be a community of self-disciplined persons if we are to actualize and utilize our own human resources, instead of perpetually submitting to exploitation by others. Self-discipline, coupled with a respect for self, will enable each of us to be an instrument of Black Progress and a model for Black Youth.

8. Disavowal of the Pursuit of “Middleclassness.” Classic methodology on control of captives teaches that captors must be able to identify the “talented tenth” of those subjugated, especially those who show promise of providing the kind of leadership that might threaten the captor’s control.

Those so identified are separated from the rest of the people by:

Killing them off directly, and/or fostering a social system that encourages them to kill off one another.

Placing them in concentration camps, and/or structuring an economic environment that induces captive youth to fill the jails and prisons.

Seducing them into a socioeconomic class system which, while training them to earn more dollars, hypnotizes them into believing they are better than others and teaches them to think in terms of “we” and “they” instead of “us.”

So, while it is permissible to chase “middleclassness” with all our might, we must avoid the third separation method – the psychological entrapment of Black “middleclassness.” If we avoid this snare, we will also diminish our “voluntary” contributions to methods A and B. And more importantly, Black people no longer will be deprived of their birthright: the leadership, resourcefulness and example of their own talented persons.

9. Pledge to Make the Fruits of All Developing and Acquired Skills Available to the Black Community.

10. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting Black Institutions.

11. Pledge Allegiance to All Black Leadership Who Espouse and Embrace the Black Value System.

12. Personal Commitment to Embracement of the Black Value System. To measure the worth and validity of all activity in terms of positive contributions to the general welfare of the Black Community and the Advancement of Black People towards freedom.

[Freedom2specul8]

ooops,I should have checked to see if anyone else posted the black value system. Oh well, it’s WORTH repeating, over and over and over and over.

[Pinkbell]

Did you notice that he spent that entire video discussing politics and comparing candidates? If an Evangelical church were to do so such a thing, the liberals would be running around yelling that they are tearing down the “wall” of separation between church and state. It’s ok when liberal churches preach politics in relation to their religious views. It’s not ok when conservative churches do it.

He spoke of Jesus being against hatred and bigotry. Yet the whole thing sounded like a hateful screed against white people in America. The man’s job is to preach the word of God. His job is to ensure those people live the right day and spread the truth of Christ into the world. He sounded like a pity party which will ultimately serve to build fences and maintain racial divides.

[Pinkbell]

Sheesh. From listening to him talk, you’d think white America was holding him back, forcing him to live in the slums. The man is much better off than our family.

[Freedom2specul8]

I highly recommend looking at their website....especially the older articles about him and his pastor's relationship... including the ones where his pastor travelled to libya with louis farrakhan.

FR search results

google search results

Fox news
Excerpt
"...If his pastor went to Libya, Tripoli with Louis Farrakhan, a virulent, anti-Semitic racist, his church gave a lifetime achievement award to Louis Farrakhan. That's been Barack Obama's pastor for 20 years..."

[Freedom2specul8]

last, but not least...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/14/AR2008011402083.html

Excerpt
Barack Obama is a member of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama's spiritual adviser, is the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. In 1982, the church launched Trumpet Newsmagazine; Wright's daughters serve as publisher and executive editor. Every year, the magazine makes awards in various categories. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said "truly epitomized greatness." That man is Louis Farrakhan. Maybe for Wright and some others, Farrakhan "epitomized greatness." For most Americans, though, Farrakhan epitomizes racism, particularly in the form of anti-Semitism.

[Pinkbell]

Bless your brother for serving our country. My cousin is headed to Afghanistan next month for his first trip. We just have to keep praying.

[Pinkbell]

Yep. It’s unfortunate we’re stuck with McPain.

[Pinkbell]

He also takes God’s name in vain which violates one of the Commandments.