Another interesting thing to me about Jesse Jackson wanting to “cut out” Barack Obama’s “nuts” is that the Obama comments that stimulated the outburst are common fare in black churches. The majority of the people sitting in the pews in black churches (well in most churches) are women, so the message that fathers should do more invariably receives a welcome reception. The worshippers in those pews are quite aware that family breakdown has been a major factor in the economic problems of inner city African Americans. The difference in approach between Jackson and Obama may reflect that, at this point in their careers, Obama is closer to gestalt of the black church than Jackson. A request to those of you who spend more time in black churches than I do: are the comments Obama made typical or unusual of what you might hear your preacher say?

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