Posted on 03/18/2008 11:20:16 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama in a speech Tuesday addressed the controversy surrounding his former minister, using it as an opportunity to challenge Americans to take a closer look at race relations.
Speaking to supporters at Philadelphia's National Constitution Center, the Democratic presidential candidate said he rejected racially charged comments made by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but he tried to explain the root of those remarks.
Wright formerly preached at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where the senator from Illinois worships.
Some of Wright's old sermons came under fire after an ABC News report last week, becoming a YouTube phenomenon.
In one, Wright said America had brought the September 11 attacks upon itself. In another, he said Sen. Hillary Clinton had an advantage over Obama because she is white.
Obama on Tuesday said his belief that all people want to move in the same direction comes from his "unyielding faith in the decency and generosity of the American people. But it also comes from my own American story."
The senator said that race only became a divisive issue in the campaign during recent weeks.
Obama admitted he had sat in church and heard his former minister make controversial remarks.
"Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely -- just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
So, how does his acceptance of his pastor’s hate-America ranting translate into a “racial divide” that “we” need to “heal”. Everyone now knows exactly what has been going on in that church, and most are quite appropriately appalled.
“Obama and Michelle need to just fade into the sunset.”
After he gets the nomination. After.
Pimp Daddy more like it cause they know that Barry O is gonna keep them Reparations coming... courtesy of Joe Taxpayer...
I think I’m gonna puke.
No $#i+ Sherlock!
Perhaps Obama should give his speech in all the radical black racist, Afro-Centric poverty pimping churches in America and in the prisons filled with black men.....
Ask THEM to put aside black racism, black crime, black dependence of the public dole and stop destroying the black community by not addressing the >70% unwed births and absence of fathers in the black homes...
Blacks must STOP looking toward others to solve THEIR problems....
The Democrats will buy it and send him on to the nomination, and then his total Mondale-esque destruction in the general election.
Physician, heal thyself!
The best way I can think of to heal America’s racial divide is to stop sending $22,000 donations to racist, anti-American hatemongers so they can continue to advance the cycle of racism to yet another generation.
That, and for the Democrat Party to apologize for its leading role in the perpetuation of slavery and its implementation/enforcement of segregation. It would be even better if the Democrats would step up to the plate and pay reparations (from its own coffers) as well.
the DU thinks that after that speech he’s the second coming of MLK, JFK, all them K’s..they simply don’t understand how anyone can NOT vote for him now, and by the way, anyone that doesn’t is a racist, but we’re moving beyond that now, aren’t we, thanks to Obama The Healer..
Sure hope that we give Michele MORE reasons to go back to not being proud of her ‘mean’ country.
my church and pastor are so boring compared to Obama's *ridin dirty* friend and his *mac daddy* foe
Why? He’s not.
Omamma let’s start with your pastor first.
He might want to try and start by talking to his Pastor. The Good Reverend ain’t doing very much to heal the racial divide, or does Obama believe that is only for the whites to care of.
Hillary Clinton and John McCain should demand equal free time.
Uncle Jeremiah in the Lincoln bedroom? Won’t be called the White House no more!
Disclose the Puppeteer.
Hey Obama! Read Luke 4:6-8! Especially pay close attention to Verse 8.
I did not notice in your spin, er, speech today that you spoke those words to the Puppeteer who carried you up on the mountaintop and offered you the world if only you would pledge allegiance to him.
Rejected the Devil and all his empty promises lately? Didn’t think so.
Spot on, Sig!
Blacks in this country are the luckiest on Earth.
They have better schools, healthcare, jobs, income, and
most of all....Freedom! I’m totally sick of their bitchin.
The other day somebody posted a link to a youtube of Pastor Manning (a black preacher) who was just as racist as Wright, but his anger was aimed at Obama, as well as whites (I think he must have been a Hillary supporter, the church was in Harlem and he talked about Bill Clinton.)
Wonder if Obama would “explain away” Manning’s hate speech since he’s willing to overlook Wright’s? And if we can excuse black hate speech toward white people, then can we excuse white hate speech toward blacks?
After all who knows what experiences shaped the views of the KKK members or the David Dukes of this world? Maybe there’s something in their history that explains their hateful speech. (end/sarcasm) But that’s where Obama went...Wright talks like this because...blah, blah, blah.
God damn Americans or God damn AmeriKKKans?
My heart goes out to Obama’s two beautiful little girls. They are being brainwashed week after week with vile hatred towards their own country. Those two sweeties will spend a long time on psychiatrist’s couches when they grow up.
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