Posted on 04/30/2008 1:40:36 PM PDT by mojito
Well, it is likely that Sen. Barack Obama won't be going back to Trinity United Church of Christ.
Not after this.
On Tuesday, Obama responded to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's ill-timed defense by condemning his former pastor's fresh comments as "ridiculous," "outrageous" and "appalling."
"When he states and then amplifies such ridiculous proposition as the U.S. government somehow being involved in AIDS, when he suggests that Minister Farrakhan somehow represents one of the greatest voices in the 20th and 21st century, when he equates the United States wartime effort with terrorism, then there are no excuses," Obama said during a press conference.
"They offend me. They rightfully offend all Americans and they should be denounced," Obama said.
This is a sad day for Black America.
At a time when African Americans are on the cusp of watching a barrier come crashing down, up jumps a divisive issue that is being driven by those outside of the black community.
Obviously, Wright's timing for a press conference about his sermons couldn't have been worse.
Still, when Obama says he is "offended" by Wright's latest comments -- given in defense against an orchestrated assault on his character and on his ministry -- he's opening up a can of worms.
There is no institution in the black community more respected than the black church. And the notion that white pundits can dictate what constitutes unacceptable speech in the black church is repulsive to most black people.
Even so, after Wright's fiery speeches surfaced on the Internet, most African Americans understood why Obama had to distance himself from Wright.
Obama's cross-cultural appeal, which, by the way, made some blacks suspicious of him early in his campaign, is largely because of his ability to make white people feel comfortable with his blackness.
But Wright speaks to a different audience, and that audience has been supportive throughout his ordeal.
On Monday, for instance, when Wright spoke at the National Press Club, the predominantly black crowd cheered, clapped and punctuated Wright's speech with shouts of "amen."
So, when Obama says America was "offended" by Wright's harsh language, he isn't speaking for or to Black America. He is speaking to White America.
As much as I want to see Obama make history by becoming the first black man to be elected president, I don't want to see a warrior like Wright denigrated to prove to white voters that Obama is not a radical.
When Obama denounced Wright's angry words but refused to disown him, it signaled that he understood the sensitive tightrope he is being forced to walk.
His "outrage" over Wright's latest remarks signals something quite different. With the gap narrowing, Obama advisers are obviously scrambling for every white vote.
But really, what more should blacks have to sacrifice? Their dignity?
Frankly, Obama and Wright risk becoming metaphors for the ongoing struggle of blacks to unite politically.
Obama shouldn't have held a press conference to deal with Wright.
He should have been able to pick up the phone.
AMEN!! I have been taught my whole to NOT SEE RACE. This election has me questioning the fact that I am the only one not allowed to see race.
Not only are they guilty of developing AIDS and crack cocaine, but of kidnapping and infecting/injecting innocent Blacks with the same, but now, they are driiiiiiving a diviiiiiisive isssue!
Deal with it you black racist pukes.
I will certainly pass along your kind words. He’s now been home for approximately five months. If what he has told me stays the same, he will not have to redeploy until the summer of 2009.
And naturally, this guy will equally proclaim as unacceptable the notion that black pundits can dictate what constitutes unacceptable speech in a white institution (assuming such a thing as a "white institution" was legal in the US these days)
I wouldnt doubt Hillary offered Wright money or something to do what he’s done. Nothing could have helpoed her more.
Yesterday, Rush Limbaugh said that a woman from the Clinton campaign helped get Rev. Wright an audience before the National Press Club. I wouldn’t be surprised if the good reverend is working for the Clinton campaign in order to punish Obama.
Well, Mary, if by "dignity" you mean "buffoonish paranoia", then yes.
Mary Mitchell, it’s sistas like you who are bringing down Black America for Black Men like me who want to make it and compete with our own God-given talent.
Yeah. Obviously there’s only two possibilities. Either Obama was a loyal parishioner of Wright’s because he agreed with him, in which case his present disavowal of the man is a shockingly cynical and dishonest piece of political expediency and a total betrayal of everything Obama claimed to be to win election in Chicago. Or, Obama never agreed with Wright or his theology and just attended Trinity United in order to get a leg up politically on the South Side, in which case he’s a con man who played his own people for suckers.
I guess there is a third possibility. That Obama only attended the church because Michelle insisted on it, and he slept through every sermon too bored to pay attention.
I don’t know which of the above is more insulting to the “Black community”, but any one of them will do to make Obama burnt toast. Forget the White House - I’m not sure he can even win re-election to his Senate seat after this.
A decisive issue? A possible US President goes to a black so-called preacher who hates all the whites?
Being driven by those outside the black community?
Silly, me. I always thought that black people were part of the same community as me......the Human Community.
This election is a real eyeopener.
Good point.
Hear! Hear!
Worst possible outcome for Barack Mohammed (since we are no longer to refer to his given middle name) Obama, Jr., the charismatic, messianic Magic Negro. He is unmasked as a total fraud, an Uncle Tom that does the Stepin Fetchit routine, and in the end, is dragged back into that bucket of crabs that he has nearly gotten out of.
He dies in a drive-by shooting, and crime goes unsolved.
Not literally, of course. But it is still the kind of “lynching” that so many of the community of Americans of African descent seem to consider their continuing legacy.
Many are hearing what they want to hear, not what Senator Obama actually said.
Thou speakest a heap of wisdom there, friend.
The best scenario is for him to go ahead and barely win the nomination, continuing under great pressure and a real dog fight with Hillary, and get lambasted and blown out in the general.
Mary Mitchell is a racist. Jeremiah Wright is a racist lunatic. They’re killing their candidate with it and true to form all they can do is blame somebody else.
They just showed a clip of interview with Meridith Viera & the O’s. MV askd MO how she felt about the rev and MO dodged the question. MV asked again and she said something about getting past this and is just thinking about her kids and something else I couldnt understand but didn’t answer the question at all.
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