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Wednesday March 26, 2008
Obama's Ex-Pastor Cancels Speeches
Associated Press - March 26, 2008
DALLAS - The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, presidential candidate Barack Obama's controversial former pastor, canceled plans Wednesday to receive an award at a summit on black churches.
The Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth announced on its Web site that Wright will not attend the State of the Black Church Summit and awards banquet in Dallas. The school was planning to present Wright with an award Saturday.
Wright has also canceled plans to speak at three services in a Houston church Sunday. He canceled plans Tuesday to speak at a church in Tampa, Fla.
In a speech last week, Obama sharply condemned Wright's remarks damning America for its treatment of minorities and saying the U.S. government invented AIDS to destroy black people.
The Rev. Marcus Cosby, pastor at Houston's Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, told Houston television station KTRK and the Houston Chronicle that safety concerns had prompted Wright's decision.
Cosby told the Chronicle that Wright cited three reasons for canceling: "the safety of the institution to which he has been invited; the safety of his family, which has been placed in harm's way; and for his own safety."
Wright also canceled his appearance Tuesday in Florida at a Tampa-area church. The hosting church said it asked Wright to cancel his scheduled three-day appearance because of security questions.
Joan Harrell, minister of communications for Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where Wright was pastor for nearly four decades, didn't immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Videos of remarks Wright has made have been circulating widely on the Internet and news programs. Wright's sermons to his predominantly black congregation have included him shouting "God damn America" for its treatment of minorities. He has said the U.S. government invented AIDS to destroy "people of color" and has also suggested that U.S. policies in the Middle East and elsewhere were partly responsible for the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
"I think we have taken Dr. Wright out of context with sound bites," Cosby said. "After all these years, I am not going to kick him to the curb over sound bites."
In a speech last week, Obama sharply condemned Wright's remarks and the preacher's refusal to acknowledge progress in race relations. But the Illinois senator refused to repudiate Wright.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Comments
We have freedom of speech but, depending on who you are and what you say, it might be dangerous to exercise it.
In this case it's also possible he's lying low for Obama.
Posted by: nnmns | March 26, 2008 5:31 PM
Wise decision on his part. Of course, Tampa asked him to cancel, and that wasn't his decision. I certainly don't want any harm to come to him, but because of the latest publicity on his feelings, I'm sure someone would try to "silence him." MLK was silenced because of his ideas, unfortunately, as his weren't, IMO, hateful. Wright preaching that AIDS was invented by the U.S. government to destroy black people was over the top IMO, along with his other problems with white people.
nnmns, I agree he also might be lying low for Obama.
Posted by: pagansister | March 26, 2008 5:49 PM
There's a more complete version of the sermon on Youtube*. You'll have to endure a CNN moderator but otherwise there's some thought provoking stuff.
My interpretation is that everything Wright says is true but of course he's selective. I'll leave the Christian interpretations to people more familiar with Christianity.
But I hope anyone who thinks they know the guy from the short clip on Fox, etc. will watch the longer version of the sermon.
Posted by: nnmns | March 26, 2008 6:09 PM
Well, I'm glad he's cancelled, but obviously if there are actual threats on his life or something (which there almost certainly are---he's a jerk IMO, but jerks can be jerks to jerks too, of course) that's a problem.
Hmm, I'm suddenly wondering if close friends of presidential candidates can get Secret Service guards...or if Wright would allow government guys with guns that close to him. @@ (Sorry---I can't resist the sarcasm!)
God bless.
Posted by: Joey | March 26, 2008 6:22 PM
I've often wondered about diseases like AIDS could they be man made and targeted. I do know C. Everett Coop wanted to target third world countries for big tobacco companies. He tried to hatch a scheme that would eliminate smoking from US and get the cooperation from tobacco companies by targeting the third world countries.
I know gun traffic in directed and drugs, even certain alcoholic beverages with high alcohol content is targeted at Black. A cigarette experiment found out that cigarettes favored by the Black population had higher nicotine and other addictive agents content then cigarettes frequented by the White population. Trash to steam plants, toxic high risk product factories, lead paint, asbestos and refineries all placed in lower income areas.
Now I’m not agreeing with Wright’s method or language but some of his statement do bear a second look and although he might not have the best way of saying it does not necessarily mean much of what he is saying should not be said. Somebody should be saying something more then what is being said.
Posted by: cknuck | March 27, 2008 12:15 AM
Speaking as a 52 year old white grandmother who was an Obama supporter,I watched in complete shock as I heard a small exerpt
from on of Rev Wrights sermons. Of course it upset me because I felt
he was making very racist remarks.
Then I got to thinking about it and realized that I am not an older black man who was raised in the civil rights era so I cannot quite understand the message he was trying to get across.In other words
his interpretation would be different because we come from 2 very differnet places regarding race and how we grew up.
I cant exuse the words that disturbed me but I wondered if that was an ordinanry Sunday seromon or does he teach that weekly.
Maybe to an older african American people they might feel empowered by listening to that-but of course I would not. I would come out feeling discouraged that maybe racism is still alive and thriving in some communities and groups.
I realize that maybe Obama doesnt agree with this attitude but
seems to have more of a desire to look at our similarities instead of differences which is one of the reasons I liked him.
I also believe that they are not Obamas words but depending on how long he went to that church, if in fact that was a weekly
ritual, how long could you listen to that & it not affect you.
I have decided-
Im going to give Obama the benefit of the doubt. I believe he is a
god man with good intentions which is a lot more than our future president. I will continue to support him and trust my instincts.
He cannot be held responsible for something that came out of someone
elses mouth.
Posted by: moonpathgirl | March 27, 2008 5:52 AM
Actually, I'm quite glad he cancelled. There are already some ill feelings after the primaries down here in Houston (especially in the largely African-American districts), and Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church has been the center of controversy before.
Yes, Obama seems like a nice man and has some good ideas, but when did Dr. Wright become his "former" pastor? Had this been Clinton, and her pastor was spouting white supremacy stuff, the calls from her to pull out would have been very loud and very fast.
I'm not a big fan of double standards--if it had been Clinton, McCain, Paul, etc, they would have been forced to drop out. I'm not saying Obama should be forced out, but own up and prove that he doesn't believe what Dr Wright preaches. He can't--either he has to appease the non-African American population (which seems to have happened) or he faces being shunned by the African-American voters, who are probably one of this largest voting blocks.
Posted by: shae | March 27, 2008 6:47 AM
Supporters of Wright can spin it any way they like, but it's still hate speech and Obama would fair better without hate in his campaign.
You don't have to be a black man/woman living in the 60's to know what injustice feels like and identify with the victims of that time or this one.
No one ever says, "Well, I didn't grow up in rural South Carolina, born to a confederate flag waving family, so I don't really know what it's like to be that KKK guy...I'm not going to judge."
That's just a bunch of bs and a bad argument. I wish people would drop it.
We are all humans and all of our ancesters were bullied, discriminated against and had atrocities perpetrated against us. All of us experience injustice in some way today, some more than others.
We don't need another divider in the White House (ironic that he ran his campaign as the great unifier). We need someone to bring us together as one America in a global community.
Posted by: Confessoressa | March 27, 2008 7:49 AM
Rev. Wright condemns America, even to the point of calling down the wrath of God on this country because it doesn't fulfill his expectations of what it should be doing for his race. He certainly has the right to do that. The very country he condemns guarantees him that right.
But how are his rantings any different than those of another preacher who might claim that 9-11 was the result of God's judgment on America for endorsing abortion and homosexuality? How are they any different than those of another preacher who several decades ago might claim that black people should not have the same rights as whites?
Certainly Rev. Wright does not speak for the so-called religious right; he does not claim to be a part of that group and they do not claim he is one of theirs. But if some of the more vehement and vocal (and sometimes mispoken) members of the RR are to be censored for their rantings, than so should Rev. Wright.
Although I respect Mr. Obama for his sincerity and his committment to his wife and children, I have never been nor do I plan to be an Obama supporter. My reasons have nothing to do with his race; I have voted for black candidates a number of times in the past. Mr. Obama is simply too liberal for my tastes. But if Mr. Obama desires to retain his credibility in this hot political climate, he must distance himself from Rev. Wright as much as possible. After all, anyone who claims that AIDS was invented by our government to destroy a significant percentage of its citizens is just silly.
Those of you who have argued in the past that Dr. Jerry Falwell was not a good man because he suggested that 9-11 might be a judgment from God (a statement he later recanted), must also agree that Rev. Wright's statements are those of a man who is not "good." But I suspect you won't argue that way. You will soft peddle criticism of Rev. Wright because he is, like Mr. Obama, squarely on the left.
By the way. Churches are not supposed to allow political statements from their pulpits. Rev. Wright is clearly violating IRS restrictions on free speech in churches, restrictions which claim that a non-taxed institution may not be involved in political actions. I believe that ruling is a violation of our free speech, but it is the law. Also, Rev. Wright is not representing the Christian faith when he asks God to "damn" America. The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans that "the powers that be are ordained of God" and that Christians are to be "subject" to those powers. When Paul wrote that, Nero was the emporer to whom the Christians were subject. Nero was a man who certainly was capable of inventing a disease to destroy people who disagreed with him had the technology to do so been available to him in 60 AD.
Posted by: Windsors Child | March 27, 2008 8:25 AM
Anyone who thinks US is incapable of doing any of the things Wright mentioned need to take their head out of the sand, that not to say the US is doing the AIDS thing he mentioned.
I think to campaign against Obama because of what Wright said is a reflection of the universal closed mindedness toward Blacks. nnmns and a few others are the only ones not to join in on the rally to unseat B.O. I am a Republican so it doesn't effect me.
To think that everything is straight with America and African Americans is just short-sighted and ridiculous. African Americans are denied a huge portion of the American pie. Our neighborhoods are targeted by big business drugs and firearms our youth can sooner get a gun and dope then a book. Cigarette companies target us and add more addictive agents to the product we us it's not coincidence that Black youth have no hope and commit crimes early in life and violence against each other.
I personally don't think that Obama will change any of this so if you don't vote for Obama because he's Black you are stupid because you will probably get just the man you need if you don't want the Black situation to change IMO.
BTW I don't see any candidate worth anything in the running.
Posted by: | March 27, 2008 11:40 AM
Your suspicions are wrong.
I'm happy to call both Rev. Wright and Dr. Falwell hatemongers who harm the advancement of humanity.
Posted by: Confessoressa | March 27, 2008 11:42 AM
I personally don't believe Obama was in church enough to even know what kind of message this guy preached. Obama used his church membership for votes period. What a blunder.LOL
Posted by: cknuck | March 27, 2008 11:43 AM
Barack Obama is the same great man he's always been and for all of the naysayers and impressional people posting don't be lead astray by what Rev. Wright said, it was all out of context anyway. The people who started this started it to stick pins in one of the best presidents to be that Americas had in many years, because they feel their power being pulled from them.
Posted by: Henrietta22 | March 27, 2008 12:25 PM
A WSJ/NBC poll seems to suggest this kerfuffle has not hurt BO nearly as much as the right wingers would have liked.
Posted by: nnmns | March 27, 2008 12:33 PM
Conessoressa, what advancement? Look beyond your block or neighborhood and get your head out of the sand.
Posted by: cknuck | March 27, 2008 1:42 PM
First, I am incredibly and profoundly sad that a preacher would feel endangered by unseen threats of violence in this country and this time. That is perhaps the greatest condemnation of our culture and national character in this entire episode.
Second, I think Wright is being aware of the larger picture here. If he is an incendiary presence, he seems to understand that his absence is of greater service. I applaud him for his willingness to do this.
Third, has anyone considered ever reading the book of Jeremiah? He was NOT popular for his views. He was roundly condemned because he was calling for God's wrath on an fallen and failing nation. I have a strong feeling that those who are so sorely wounded by Rev Wright's words would be just as battered if they lived in ancient Israel and the Prophet Jeremiah was pronouncing judgement on them. If we spend less time defending ourselves and more time defending others who are denied justice and care, then the world will be a better place.
Finally, I am again horrified that anyone would think that violence would be any sort of solution or serve any sort of purpose in this situation. ANYONE who thinks that is condemned and "as good as dead" (a Biblical phrase that is not a threat but means they are lving as though they are already dead)
Posted by: jestrfyl | March 27, 2008 2:23 PM
cknuck, how would you know whether Obama was in church enough to know what kind of message Wright preached? Obama claims this man helped him become a Christian and was like a father to him (or words to that effect). In 20 years I would think it would be hare NOT to know how Wright felt about things?
Also if there hadn't been any advancement in rights for people of color, why are the schools integrated, and public areas not separated by color, black doctors, black mayors, black senators, black scientists, black sports figures, black actors/actresses. Restaurants, theatres, buses don't have areas for blacks only & whites only etc. Are there neighborhoods that have problems, in all colors? yes. I know my examples don't mean anything to you, because I'm "bigoted" (your defination) but to me there has been much advancement, and could be more...with everyone working towards that. Wright has lived long enough to see that....have you?
Posted by: pagansister | March 27, 2008 3:19 PM
If people would care less what their Ministers say and pay attention to the people they elect to run our country and thus our lives we'd all be better off. Past generations understood this and it's about time the citizens of the U. S. woke up while we still have some say. I've never heard all of what Wright said, why do that? I know what I hear Barry Obama is saying and has done since he graduated from Harvard, his ministers preaching doesn't enter into the next election as far as I'm concerned.
Posted by: Henrietta22 | March 27, 2008 7:55 PM
You're right pagan your examples don't mean much to because I have come to understand your point of view. Proportionately success comes far to seldom for Blacks because of many circumstances people like you have very little understanding of. Because Black individuals have arrived has very little to do with Black folk as a group arriving. The death and despair have very little meaning to you it doesn’t touch you and is very impersonal. It's impossible for me to give credence to your perspective on African Americans because you think because we can share the same water fountain we should be grateful.
Posted by: cknuck | March 28, 2008 12:07 AM
Whatever, cknuck. You obviously think you are right...always. No I don't claim to totally understand, but I still claim the belief that things are vastly improved law wise. The fact that some don't take advantage of that isn't our problem...it is the problem of the individual. Frankly, IMO, if other "races" who are sometimes defined by their looks can make it, all can.
Should things improve? Of course, that I hope goes without saying. But I personnlly have never had a problem with a person's looks, contrary to your beliefs. As to sharing the same water fountain, do I think you should be grateful? NO! It was at totally stupid rule among many stupid and unequal rules. But it was at the time a tiny bit of progress.
Posted by: pagansister | March 28, 2008 10:09 AM
"The fact that some don't take advantage of that isn't our problem...it is the problem of the individual. Frankly, IMO, if other "races" who are sometimes defined by their looks can make it, all can."
Pagan you do more harm then good with statements like this and the shame of the matter is that there are many more that think like you.
Posted by: cknuck | March 28, 2008 10:21 AM
"I think we have taken Dr. Wright out of context with sound bites," Cosby said. "After all these years, I am not going to kick him to the curb over sound bites."
"Also if there hadn't been any advancement in rights for people of color, why are the schools integrated, and public areas not separated by color, black doctors, black mayors, black senators, black scientists, black sports figures, black actors/actresses."
Nothing has changed.
GOD DAMN AMERIKA!
Posted by: rage | March 28, 2008 10:23 AM
A little Rage, rage? There are other countries you could move to...where certainly things MUST be better!! Iraq, Iran, Africa?
cknuck:
I stand by all my statements. In order to do no more "harm" I'm done with this. You have a very large brick on your shoulders. I have sympathy for you.
Posted by: pagansister | March 28, 2008 10:45 AM
Cknuck,
As a Pagan, she is in a position to understand just what it means to be treated as less than, as a threat to, and an undesirable to mainstream America.
Your life may last a century but evolution takes longer than that and we are headed in the right direction.
And you should be grateful for that water fountain; so should I. There are many of our brothers and sisters in Africa without access to safe drinking water.
Posted by: Confessoressa | March 28, 2008 12:08 PM
Confessoressa:
"And you should be grateful for that water fountain, so should I. There aer manhy of our brothers and sisters in Africa without access to safe drinking water."
Well said. I hadn't thought of that.
Posted by: pagansister | March 28, 2008 1:42 PM
I don't know what you are talking about Confess, pagan is a sixty year old White woman who has enjoyed the mainstream benefits of America just for being what she is as she watched Blacks persecuted in the South.
My organization has supplied hundreds of water purification stations in Africa so I don't just talk about it I consistently do something about very real injustices. What have you done lately? pagan openly admits she don't even think about that.
So you can just talk about Black people or you can do some things to really bring about change. The trouble I have is when liberal racist say things like pagan said, "it is the problem of the individual" have no idea what Black even in the US are born into.
Posted by: | March 28, 2008 9:29 PM
Since I was 11 at the time, no-name, I was hardly in the middle of the fray, as they say, in Birmingham, but I did know that the treatment of blacks was wrong. Sorry, I didn't get out in the middle of it, no name. Little hard at 11.
BTW, no matter how many water purification stations you provide Africa, I'm sure it isn't enough, thus being grateful for a water fountain unrestricted by race, is more than I'd say many African's have access to. Yes, it's true, I didn't make the very good point Confessoressa thought about.
I am proud, pagan liberal, however I'm not a racist,that would be your incorrect assumption, which you are of course, entitled to. I don't have to accept it. I've seen individuals of every color, black included either fight for and get a good life, if they weren't born into it, and I've seen those who can't break the cycle of poverty. Poverty has no color, it is an equal opportunity problem. Thus I do think is is/can be up to an individual.
Posted by: pagansister | March 28, 2008 10:06 PM
correction: "I've seen individuals of every color, black included, fight for and get a good life, if they weren't born into it, and I've seen those who can't break the cycle of poverty.
Posted by: pagansister | March 28, 2008 10:29 PM
I'm a Black person who has fought and did well but even as a Black man who has seen prejudice, poverty and injustice even I cannot judge all Black people and you as a White 60 year old woman who watched the persecution of Blacks in Birmingham from the age of 11 to the age of 24 (and oh yeah it magically ended when you turned 24 and Blacks automatically got a square deal) really cannot even begin to judge Blacks and act like you know that they are getting as equal of a opportunity as everyone else. Yes it is racist to claim the slate has been wiped clean and Blacks can be as successful as whites as easy as pie. I resent anyone who thinks they are an authority on my heritage especially one who does nothing about the injustice they participate in by doing nothing.
Yeah I’m a success story but it was God and because of Him everyday I do something to make others successful not just criticize with lip service but create opportunities for others with hard work and sacrifice.
And you are wrong, our water purification stations are making a huge difference for many villages; a lot more of a difference then just sitting around and criticizing.
Posted by: cknuck | March 29, 2008 1:26 AM
I was born in the “Bad Lands” of North Philly and if you live in that area and look around, there is very little difference in it and bombed out Palatine. So even though I don’t agree with all of Wright’s speech I can understand and agree with some. America is a great country, but it could be greater especially for Blacks and other minorities who helped build her. I do ministry in neighborhoods that are struggling with gun and drug violence, we’ve seen drug lollipops, and there is very little chance for kids. You cannot know the scope of that enough to make judgment from white suburbia although much of that is spilling over, it’s the nature of sin to spill over. I don’t in no way condone suicide bombers (purposeful double negative) but I do understand the whole process because where I come from I see them everyday only these suicide bombers implode instead of exploding and to much of America that’s acceptable, in the kingdom of God for disciples of Christ its not. So if you ever want to do something about it come to the bombed out Bad Land’s close to wherever you live that’s where you will find me and many upper/middle class White-Black-Asian-Hispanic and Middle Eastern Americans do; they make me cry with joy almost everyday, and we do something. So yeah I do have a problem (not a brick on my shoulder) with those who talk and talk and talk about others without doing. So sue me.
Posted by: cknuck | March 29, 2008 1:02 PM
Moved at 24 and never claimed that all was well...cknuck. You won't answer this, as I have asked you questions before and you don't answer, but where in all my posts did I say everything was all right for blacks in this country? Please point it out. If I remember correctly I've said things have improved...not that all problems were solved. And I do believe they have improved (but that is just my racist view, as a 60 year ole White woman!)
I have no doubt that water stations have made life more bearable for Africa...but did it solve all the problems?
As to your success? Good for you...you've proven some of my points. You and your God got you somewhere.
BTW, your sarcasm is an interesting defense mechanism.
Posted by: pagansister | March 29, 2008 3:17 PM
The bad lands of Philly, they've been bad for a long time. My husband flew with the Naval Air Reserve for many years, and once he landed somewhere around Penn. and went from the airfield to a train station in a taxi, about 2:30 A.M. On the way he watched two men carrying a big Church sign between them, a couple more blocks a large TV was traveling along with some new owners, and next block had a couple of other men rolling tires. My husband said to the black taxi driver this happen alot? He said every night, don't walk anywhere around here at night. The thieves were all black. This was 1977. Things don't change fast in Philly, Cknuck, maybe you'll change it, good luck!
Posted by: Henrietta22 | March 30, 2008 7:29 PM
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