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."

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[driftless2]

"sit through tirades"

That is the most damning statement concerning Obama. It's not whether he personally believed everything Wright said. It's like attending Klan meetings and pretending not to be sympathetic to what the Grand Kleagle was saying. All Obama's protestations will ring hollow.

[Elsie]

What kind of stuff does HILLARY’s preacher say?

[BibChr]

“Mush mush mush, mush mush mush, mush mush mush, let’s ‘pray.’”

[Max7]

Well, that wasnt’ EXACTLY the King I had in mind.......

[Marysecretary]

Yes, they do fall on us. Our nation really IS cursed because of the sins of our country, past and present. There are enough sins now to keep us praying for eternity. Our country is the best one in the world. I love America and have been blessed by living here. But spiritually we have almost literally turned our backs on God. Look at our Congress. Look at our schools. Look at a lot of our churches who are little but social clubs. We have MUCH to repent for. There are generational curses that come down through family lines just as there are generational curses that come down our dear country’s history.

[sweetiepiezer]

“Mush mush mush, mush mush mush, mush mush mush, let’s ‘pray.’”

Very scary mush.

[wardaddy]

i agree, I may have strong differences with him on immigration and CFR but he will probably do well against the Dems and is way less liberal then them....at least to me.

i would rather have to fight him on issues as POTUS than the Dems

[wardaddy]

how on earth can we have a Dem candidate vying for POTUS who has attended a church for 20 years that spews this anti-American anti-White vitriol?

we cannot let the Great Black Hope skate.

[Miss Didi]

In today's NY Post, which is flying off the newsstands because it features a 4-page spread on the call girl Kristen:



9/11 SLUR BY OBAMA REV. US-BASHING SERMON

[jaz.357]

Gotta love this!

[JewishRighter]

Wow, that’s a great idea. Wish I had the wherewithal (and the courage) to do it, although I’d have the guts if I had a group of FReepers to go along.

[NeoCaveman]

Hillary may have never been called a n———.

But then again Obama has never been called a b—— or a c-—

[Cubs Fan]

From what I heard Wright retired, BUT only temporarily, and as a sabbatical to become part of Obama’s campaign staff.

furthermore if you go to the church’s website http://www.tucc.org/pastor.htm

wright is still named as pastor.

[Froufrou]

And we’re supposed to believe these men aren’t anti-American?

[ping]

[JewishRighter]

No, good for you, you’re absolutely right. I have posted a few times that I was kind of impressed by Obama’s political skills, appreciative that he might knock the broomrider off the “inevitability express” and withholding any further judgment because no one seemed to know anything about what he was really about except that he hadn’t really accomplished anything in public service.

Now, we see, as Hannity says often, that the press is just not doing it’s job. Right there, in plain sight, on the worldwideweb, is evidence that this guy’s spiritual leader and his congregation of 20 years, the one that is supposed to impress America that he is a devout Christian and not a Muslim, are hardly distinguishible from Louis Farakhan and worse in terms of I hate whitey, I hate America, and other tropes of black racism.

So, yes ma’am, that stuff is worth posting and reposting until it gets the attention it deserves which means, most importantly that someone has got to stand up at a presser and read some of those points and ask BHO to say whether he subscribes to the doctrines of his own church.

[eleni121]

Yes he was. Red Foxx would have some choice things to say about this creepy “pastor” in Chicago...

[RobRoy]

>>and it only took six posts until a fundie weighs in.<<

You say that like it is a BAD thing. ;)

I’m all for stereotyping (seriously, I do it all the time), but you’re off the mark on this one. All my “fundie” friends disagree with me.

[LS]

Dangling preposition, up with which I will not put.

[Jeff Head]

Obama has been attending this church for years. He has listened this man, Wright, and himself indicated that he is one of the more influential people in Obama’s life.

Wright preaches hate, hate for America and hate for whites. He believe the US government created AIDS to test on the blacks in Africa. He believe the US is buying the drugs coming into this country to use against Blacks and minorities. He believes the US deserved 911 as a result of US genocide around the world. He believe Louis Farakahn is a great person deserving of a lifetime achievement award.

It is easy to understand how Obama does not salute the flag, wear a flag on his lapel, and how his wife has never been proud of America in light of all this. THEY believe these things.

This strikes not only to Obama’s core beliefs (because he clearly has attended this church, heard these sermons, and depends on this man for counsel), it also goes to his judgement...something he has tried to make a big deal out of in the campaign.

Fact is, Obama and his policies display themselves an agreement with this preacher, his actions betray the same...and they speak to an unbelievable bad judgement given the history of the United States in the modern world, not only abroad but domestically.

Obama and his wife themselves demonstrate how ludicrous these charges and beliefs are...and how poor their judgement is for countenacning them.

...and all of this does not even go to or address Obama’s “friendly” association with one of the founders of the Weathermen underground, who is an avowed and self admitted domestic terrorist, guilty himself of bombings in this country...and who is wholly unrepentant of the same.

The Obama’s, along with these associations, are enemies to all this nation has been founded and established upon.

It is amazing to me, and a horribly sad commentary on our times, that so many Americans are being mesmerized by this abject charlatan and camelion. He is a ravening wolf and we must spread the word of his associations as far and as wide as possible.

[RobRoy]

>>No, you are right, you are definately confused.<<

No I’m not. I maan, I don’t think I am.

I’m gonna do some research and get back with you. Well, I probably will.

Do the reasearch, I mean...