With a racially charged video of Barack Obama spiritual advisor Jeremiah Wright making waves today, lots of folks are asking, what was he thinking? The video features Wright giving a sermon from last December. “Barack knows what it means living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich white people,” Wright roars, while noting that "Hillary ain't never been called a nigger." One of the country's highest profile black preachers, Wright must have known the sermon would put serious heat on Obama. And God-o-Meter wonders if that's exactly what he was hoping for. It's no secret that Wright, who led Obama to Christ and has been an outsized force in his life for two decades, feels like he's been shunted aside by Obama since he began running for president.
Last spring, the New York Times reported:
Mr. Wright’s assertions of widespread white racism and his scorching remarks about American government have drawn criticism, and prompted the senator to cancel his delivery of the invocation when he formally announced his candidacy in February....In March, Mr. Wright said in an interview that his family and some close associates were angry about the canceled address, for which they blamed Obama campaign advisers but that the situation was “not irreparable,” adding, “Several things need to happen to fix it.”
Asked if he and Mr. Wright had patched up their differences, Mr. Obama said: “Those are conversations between me and my pastor.”
Mr. Wright, who has long prided himself on criticizing the establishment, said he knew that he may not play well in Mr. Obama’s audition for the ultimate establishment job.
So maybe this sermon is just Wright being Wright. But could it also be his way of pushing back at Obama, even while sermonizing in support of his church's most famous member?
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I am sure that Hillary Clinton and Bill have been called N****r, White H*****y, and many other racial slures by many people here in the U.S. There are many people who hate anyone in authority and anyone who tries to do what is best for the country. Everyone has their ideas what is best and what is right for the country. Yes, the history of our country has been horrible and Women, African Americans, Jews, Latinos and every other immigrant who has come into this country has suffered greatly, as well as, the Native Americans at the hands of our Government.
I hope that the Democratic Party begins to realize that they cannot continue to start hating each other but that the Primary is very close and that the American people will decide who will be the President. Hopefully it will not be another Republican. The American public like both Clinton and Obama and if they team up it most likely will be a winning ticket no matter how the race turns out. We hope that the smears do not turn out to be so hurtful that the Democratic Party could loose a major race.
Rev Wright is a raging racist. His church is no different in message than the Islamic terror mongers. He is a hate monger and it sounds as if he is close to advocating violence(against whites).
Being associated with this man is completely irresponsible for someone who wants to be a candidtae for presidnt of the United States.
Mr. Obmama's wife sounds like she is right at home in this church.
Both Rev Wright and Mrs Obama are scary.
And putting the buffon that is "W" in the White House for the past 7 years wasn't scary? Well, America did it and now look where we are with the economy, children without health care, this inexcusable war in Iraq, crime in our cities, corporate greed and we've been betrayed by so many of our elected officials, etc....
Where was the outrage over the hateful rantings of religious fanatics who supported Bush? Hagee, the late Jerry Falwell, Robertson, Rod Parsley just to name a few. Those have done incredible harm to our society, but why don't you get all worked up about them?
The brand of religious fanaticism that helped put Bush in the White House is no better than the Muslim extremists who violate human rights of certain groups because their interpretation of the Koran justifies such injustices. Hagee and Bin Laden are cut from the same cloth, the only difference is one is a ultra conservative, Muslim fanatic and the other is his Christian counterpart.
The double standard being expressed here is pathetic. Obama has rejected Rev. Wright's remarks, so one would think you'd admire his conviction to take a stand against his inappropriate sermon.
Have you ever watched a full service? You can do so every week at 9am, 11 am and 6pm. Trinitarians do not hide. People of all colors are welcome.
Many Americans wept tears after we invaded Iraq. Many of us took to the streets and tore our shirts in outrage. Preachers of all colors yelled out in protest.
We DID in fact ignore Apartheid, and Rwanda, and thought nothing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We did turn our eyes at the Klan and lynching of African Americans and poor whites. We turn our head at US supported terrorism in Colombian and other South American campaigns with organizations like the School of the Americas. We teach people how to lead coups and then 6 years later call them terrorist. We ignored Afghanistan until they came to our home.
Race and Class are real in America and many are tired of being told to suck it up and move on when very little has changed.
Watch a full sermon, not a sound byte.
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