Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11

abcnews ^ | 3/13/08 | BRIAN ROSS and REHAB EL-BURI

[MittFan08]

Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11

Obama's Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Has a History of What Even Obama's Campaign Aides Say Is 'Inflammatory Rhetoric'

By BRIAN ROSS and REHAB EL-BURI

March 13, 2008—

Sen. Barack Obama's pastor says blacks should not sing "God Bless America" but "God damn America."

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's south side, has a long history of what even Obama's campaign aides concede is "inflammatory rhetoric," including the assertion that the United States brought on the 9/11 attacks with its own "terrorism."

In a campaign appearance earlier this month, Sen. Obama said, "I don't think my church is actually particularly controversial." He said Rev. Wright "is like an old uncle who says things I don't always agree with," telling a Jewish group that everyone has someone like that in their family.

Rev. Wright married Obama and his wife Michelle, baptized their two daughters and is credited by Obama for the title of his book, "The Audacity of Hope."

An ABC News review of dozens of Rev. Wright's sermons, offered for sale by the church, found repeated denunciations of the U.S. based on what he described as his reading of the Gospels and the treatment of black Americans.

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda's attacks because of its own terrorism.

"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Rev. Wright said in a sermon on Sept. 16, 2001.

"We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost," he told his congregation.

Sen. Obama told the New York Times he was not at the church on the day of Rev. Wright's 9/11 sermon. "The violence of 9/11 was inexcusable and without justification," Obama said in a recent interview. "It sounds like he was trying to be provocative," Obama told the paper.

Rev. Wright, who announced his retirement last month, has built a large and loyal following at his church with his mesmerizing sermons, mixing traditional spiritual content and his views on contemporary issues.

"I wouldn't call it radical. I call it being black in America," said one congregation member outside the church last Sunday.

"He has impacted the life of Barack Obama so much so that he wants to portray that feeling he got from Rev. Wright onto the country because we all need something positive," said another member of the congregation.

Rev. Wright, who declined to be interviewed by ABC News, is considered one of the country's 10 most influential black pastors, according to members of the Obama campaign.

Obama has praised at least one aspect of Rev. Wright's approach, referring to his "social gospel" and his focus on Africa, "and I agree with him on that."

Sen. Obama declined to comment on Rev. Wright's denunciations of the United States, but a campaign religious adviser, Shaun Casey, appearing on "Good Morning America" Thursday, said Obama "had repudiated" those comments.

In a statement to ABCNews.com, Obama's press spokesman Bill Burton said, "Sen. Obama has said repeatedly that personal attacks such as this have no place in this campaign or our politics, whether they're offered from a platform at a rally or the pulpit of a church. Sen. Obama does not think of the pastor of his church in political terms. Like a member of his family, there are things he says with which Sen. Obama deeply disagrees. But now that he is retired, that doesn't detract from Sen. Obama's affection for Rev. Wright or his appreciation for the good works he has done."

Click Here for the Investigative Homepage.

[Girlene]

Hannity has been talking about this for weeks now. And McCain will be on Hannity & Colmes tonight for the full hour...bet Sean will ask about this. Let's hope McCain is prepared.

Here's a hint, McCain....it's NUMBER 3. Will he demand Obama disavow the "Rev." Wright? Somehow, I don't think so.

[Karliner]

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme." In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda's attacks because of its own terrorism. "We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Rev. Wright said in a sermon on Sept. 16, 2001.

Wow, this man is a loose cannon. He's never been in a war, never seen what drugs do to a human and probably never seen the gladiator crumbs that frequent the prision system...it would be better half of thoose multiple offenders be killed and do America a favor or throuw them on a chain gang and build us an oild pipeline from Alaska. He must never have had to seal with the generals when they were confronted with firbombing Tokyo( my grandpa has) or using nukes to slam Nagasaki and Hiroshima...he's probably never seen the horror in the eyes of a young man on either side that just killed his first man in the heat of battle. He never walked the streets of New York after the planes blew hell and people all over the streets, people, innocent people falling to their deaths for some cave dwelers belief in a moon idol....this man is a moonbat plain and simple

America has it's problems and a bit of pride and a lot of sin to take a word from the bimah/altar, but show me a country that compares to our compassion for others, show me a country that cares as best they can for their poor, show me a country that still, despite incredible odds fights for the freedom of our freedom of speeech, freedom to worship( yeah and preech stupid things),the right to own land, to bear arms and to pursue liberty love and happiness. God Bless America and please pray, andyone can toss stones, but few want to sweep up when the USA bashing is over: Listen and learn pastor hater: America The Beautiful

[tflabo]

The Rev. is off base in my opinion in his message but has the right to speak his message but we can judge his words without recourse as well.
He trashed Clarence Thomas and Condi Rice not respecting their accomplishments because they are Republicans...
hate to say it but this is tribal mentality... Dem AA = good, Repub AA = bad. Not really about race but AA’s off
the Dem reservation get persecuted and ridiculed. Makes my respect and admiration for conservative AA’s skyrocket even more.

[LuxMaker]

I Timothy 4:1-3
1The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

Looks like the demons are very busy with the same song and dance, and a different message.

2 Timothy 4:1-5
1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

[griswold3]

I will vote for the candidate that promotes our national interests and that their opinion of our nation does matter.

[LuxMaker]

I will vote for the candidate that promotes our national interests and that their opinion of our nation does matter.

I beg to differ. The candidate that has this particular opinion of our nation will be detrimental to our national interests. You don't pick grapes from thistles.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Did Obama financially support this kind of hatred? He's a "member" of this church; did he put money in the collection plate, and/or write checks?

Did he take tax writeoffs for donations to this church?

He has released his tax returns (unlike Hillary), hasn't he? Is there a CPAFReeper in the house?

[Miss Didi]

Lots of videos of this guy on YouTube...Rush playing sound bites now:

Jeremiah Wright - Hillary Clinton ain't never been called...

[Mac from Cleveland]

I don’t know, but the Rev ain’t doing too bad—

He drives a Porsche, and lives in a posh area of Chicago in a home valued at $733,000.

No wonder he’s down on the US-it’s been bad to him.

[Mac from Cleveland]

I don’t know, but the Rev ain’t doing too bad—

He drives a Porsche, and lives in a posh area of Chicago in a home valued at $733,000.

No wonder he’s down on the US-it’s been bad to him.

[SE Mom]

Imagine...if McCain’s OR EVEN HILLARY’S minister said such things from the pulpit..

Just imagine...

[Miss Didi]

Rush is all over this now...playing clip after hateful clip.

[jmcenanly]

The Reverend Wright may do well to read Edward Everett Hale's The Man Without a Country http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Without_a_Country . Considering what we were doing in this country at the time the short story was published, 1863, the reverend would not be so free in his condemnations.

[tm61]

nahh, she’s too busy apologizing for the last person in her campaing who spoke the truth.

[tm61]

nahh, she’s too busy apologizing for the last person in her campaing who spoke the truth.

[pepperhead]

This is devastating stuff ... used rightly, it could keep Obama from being elected dog catcher. If the GOP gives him a pass on it, they will deserve to lose.

The GOP isn't going to use it. It is going to be up to us to pass this information and videos on to our friends and co-workers.

[PLD]

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4443230

[griswold3]

We agree.
How can you uphold the ideals of a nation if you detest them?
I see BHO as leading us to slaughter.

[tobyhill]

It's amazing how many post on ABC's blog is defending what this racist said and defending Obama embracing his hate speeches.

[TexasRepublic]

Obama's preacher says "God Damn America"

The damning began when God was kicked out of the classroom.