What about his daddy?
Posted on 04/29/2008 2:52:53 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Watching Jeremiah Wright's speech to the National Press Club Monday morning was both cathartic and alarming.
Cathartic because, after weeks of the endlessly repeated soundbites from his controversial sermons, which have been used to tar his former parishioner Barack Obama, Wright got to speak up for himself. He spoke plainly about racism, his own leftwing political point of view, and what he called, wryly, "this unknown phenomenon of the black church."
Much of what Wright said was absolutely true--yet too hot for white America, for the National Press Club, and for a mainstream U.S. Presidential campaign. It was not great for Obama, whom Wright hinted has distanced himself from his former minister only because he's "a politician" doing "what politicians do.”
In his appearance on Bill Moyers' show Friday, as well as his Press Club speech, Wright blew away any hope the Obama campaign may have had that he would stay mum and let the storm of controversy he kicked up with his impolitic sermons pass.
Instead, Wright came out swinging, mocking the media for knowing nothing about the black church, for taking soundbites from his sermons out of context, and, basically, for being lazy and ignorant.
He called the news generated by his controversial remarks "the most recent attack on the black church." And while he clearly takes the media characterizations of him personally ("Those are Biblical principles, not Jeremiah Wright bombastic, divisive principles," he said), he couched his decision to speak up now as a defense of his people--the people of the black church.
"If you think I'm going to let you talk about my mama and her religion . . . you've got another thing coming," Wright told the press.
At times he seemed cocky, clearly enjoying putting his Press Club hosts' noses out of joint and playing to the crowd of supporters. At times he seemed a little confused, saying both that Obama had and hadn't distanced himself from Wright within the space of a minute.
He talked a lot about reconciliation, but at the same time, in heated terms, he outlined the ugly history of racism in our country, from slavery to Jim Crow to the Klan to gross economic disparities today. There was a lot of anger visible under the surface of that tight smile. And, most alarmingly for the Obama campaign and its supporters, there was ample fodder for more endlessly recycled sound bites. Fox News will have a field day.
It was striking to hear the themes of Wright's speech: the criticism of U.S. militarism and imperialism, racial and economic injustice, the references to progressive figures from Cornel West to Jim Wallis, and watch the audience and the press corps react.
Most progressives, and even most Democrats, understand where Wright is coming from. Just as Bill Moyers made reference to his previous encounters with Wright and the friends they have in common, many of the touchstones of his politics are familiar to both black America and progressive America.
What will this mean for the rest of the nation?
To be sure, Wright's refusal to denounce Louis Farrakhan, his angry-sounding declaration that Farrakhan didn't put him in chains or "make me this color," his assertion that "yes, I believe our country is capable of doing anything" in answer to a question about whether he thinks the United States deliberately infected black people with AIDS will be held against him.
But the audience of his friends and supporters ate up his strikes back against what has surely been a racist and unfair campaign against him. Wright's 9/11 sermon, though it looks, in soundbite form, supremely insensitive, was actually a profoundly moving statement on the tragedy and on the desperate, destructive logic of revenge.Q
The "chickens coming home to roost" line was a quote from a U.S. ambassador, by the way, not Wright's own words. Wright is a scholar, and he brings layers of meaning and a nuanced understanding to the great themes he addresses. But that is quickly lost in a cable news report.
Unlike Obama, who is relentlessly positive, Wright's points in his speech tended to characterize the U.S. government as an agent of evil more than a beacon of hope. "While our government cuts Food Stamps and spends billions fighting an unjust war in Iraq," he said, his own church has been working hard to serve the poor. In many ways, he pointed out "our congregation" was right, when the U.S. was wrong. On slavery, South African apartheid, and other issues throughout history, he pointed out the leadership of his church, contrasted with the benighted thinking of the U.S. government. "While those who call me unpatriotic have used their position of privilege to avoid military service . . . sending others to die for a lie."
Furthermore, Wright pointed out, "the Christianity of the slaveholder is NOT the Christianity of the slave."
So much for national or religious unity. Wright doesn't hesitate to puncture the national myth of America's essential goodness. It is with his church that his loyalty lies.
None of which is terribly shocking to those of us who are quite familiar with the U.S. government's misdeeds over time. But it's a heck of a message to send mainstream American voters.
"We must root out racism or there will be no reconciliation," Wright declared. Or, as the kids say, "No Justice, No Peace."
Needless to say, this is not the Obama campaign jingle.
Wright fielded questions on all his controversial statements. Including patriotism:
"I served six years years in the military. Does that make me patriotic? How many years did Cheney serve?" he said to wild applause.
Good point.
We'll see what the press, whom he clearly enjoyed teasing, makes of it. And what the voters have to say. Not to mention Obama. If the Obama campaign raises hopes that America could get past its racially riven history, Wright is here to remind us what a huge feat it would be to make that dream a reality.
Ruth, seek help. Really.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
When clarity exposes one's extremism, nuance serves well as a disguise. Liberals are legendary at nuance.
The Progressive. Says it all.
This twit repeats the leftard cliche that the “chickens coming home to roost” phrase was introduced into the political lexicon by a US Ambassador. In fact, it has a specific radical provenance in another infamous misuse of a national tragedy for distorted purposes of political activism. Regardless of who might have repeated the phrase in the past 45 years, it wad made (in)famous by Malcolm X when talking about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy:
http://www.malcolm-x.org/speeches/spc_120463.htm
“This speech is sometimes called “The Chickens Come Home To Roost,” because of an answer Malcolm X gave in response to a question following the speech. The question concerned the late President John Kennedy. It was Malcolm X’s answer, that the Presidents death was a case of “chickens coming home to roost” — that the violence that Kennedy had failed to stop had come back to him, this resulted in the Elijah Muhammad silencing him. Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam a short time later.”
Agree with you 100%
Heads up!
This is a well-calculated ruse.
Did you hear the code words of Rev, Wrong: that obamama needs to say whatever he needs to get elected” Smell the collusion.
That is the permission he is giving obmama – to say whatever he must to get elected.
They’ve hatched a plan: the Rev. Wrong comes out and makes it abundantly clear that he’s an outrageous, American hating racist. Then obamama will come out and ‘condemn’ him = wink-wink = thus putting daylight between him and the Rev.
BUT, it’s not a question of does obamama agree with the Rev, Wrong – condemn him all he wants. He STILL remains committed to the church. THAT is where attention now needs to be turned. What does the church espouse?
Let’s get the website out = the church espouses
“We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain “true to our native land,” Africa.
We must ask: “Is that why you don’t salute the American flag?”
We must ask: “Is that why you have stated your goal of rebuilding Africa?”
We must ask: “As you going to rebuild Africa with our tax money saved from your other goal of dismantling our military?”
Now is the golden opportunity to connect obamama with the church he has stated his continued allegiance too. It’s more than his long friendship with the pastor – it’s the stated tenets of his church which he still clings to.
Let’s point this out to Hannity, Rush et al – Let’s not let this golden egg slip away.
Wright has too much Afro in his voice yet not enough nose and lips to back it up..
He could be Betty Whites brother acting BLACK...
He is DOING a Black Face act like the Kingfish..
If the blacks mesmerized by him ever notice that...
He might end up like Malcom X did..
Ultimately, Barry split Black America. His crazy uncle was given lots of LOVE Sunday by the NCAAP in Detroit. If Barry’s church picks sides, I would bet they pick the crazy Uncle over his nephew who could be President. The MSM will be giving Barry lots of love for throwing Uncle Jeremiah under the bus, but in Black America his crazy Uncle has lots of resonance.
Nuanced????
I admit as a typical white guy I'm just not sharp enough to understand the nuance of " G-D America."
Today, the militant blacks sandbag other blacks who try to educate, elocute, and participate in the culture at large by accusing them of acting white. The extremists ridicule striving holding back the black youth from genuine “mind growth.” It isn't limited to the youth. J. Wright is doing the same thing to Obama by torpedoing him relative to the election. It is a destructive behavior that is bad for black citizens, especially the dupes who fall for it. It seems that Wright just cannot bring himself to stand out of the way for Obama, his friend of so many years. He seems compelled to be the spoiler. Having said this, I must say I would never have voted for Obama, anyway. Traitorous behavior, disloyalty, and leftist radicalism seem to flow in its own rainbow and it disgusts me. Thanks.
I find it fascinating that Dennis Miller (brilliant man) oozes references that the average man doesn’t understand - references that are caustic and denigrating to those that are not like him, but doing so is not “extremism”. “”Extremism” is always a liberal fault.
How sad for us that our fragile ears can only hear what we believe.
From the article: “...progressives from Cornell West to...”
Cornell West is pretty close to being a black Ward Churchill. He’s a black racist who uses pseudo-academic gobbledy-gook phrasing to frame his pronouncements. And he’s an Ivy League professor!
Not the original intent of the word “progressive.”
What about his daddy?
I do not think that Wright wants B.O. to win. It would shoot down Wright's rants about Whitey's America being unfair and cut off a large supply of his income.
How sad for those who have adopted PC and cannot countenance a smattering of disagreement.
How sad for those who have adopted PC and cannot countenance a smattering of disagreement.
___________________________
Exactly what Sen. Obama did at the behest of the masses.
Rev. Wright’s fame is now made by angst ridden conservatives denouncing his sound bites. Kind of funny.
“(CBS) Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan admits in a 60 Minutes interview broadcast Sunday and reported on Wednesday’s CBS Evening News that his incendiary rhetoric played a role in the 1965 assassination of civil rights leader Malcolm X.
Farrakhan makes the statements to Malcolm X’s daughter, Atallah Shabazz, and 60 Minutes Correspondent Mike Wallace.
“I may have been complicit in words that I spoke leading up to February 21 [1965],” Farrakhan tells Shabazz and Wallace. “I acknowledge that and regret that any word that I have said caused the loss of life of a human being.”
Wait, we still have slaves around here somewhere?
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