Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the controversial minister of Obama’s Trinity United Church in Chicago has been important in Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s life. Wright is well-known in Chicago and in the black church world for taking over a small United Church of Christ congregation in 1972 and turning it into an 8,000-member powerhouse that advertises itself on its website as “unashamedly Black and unapologetically Christian”
More recently, his name is becoming nationally familiar as the longtime spiritual mentor of Barack Obama, who joined the church in 1988 – a move Obama says was important to shaping his identity as an African-American. In fact, Obama’s book title “Audacity of Hope” was taken from one of Wright’s sermons. (Plagiarism even then, huh?)
Here’s some audacious comments from the good Rev. Wright on random topics:
On Natalee Holloway: “One 18-year-old white girl from Alabama gets drunk on a graduation trip to Aruba, goes off and ‘gives it up’ while in a foreign country, and that stays in the news for months!” he added. “Maybe I am missing something!”
On 9/11: “In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01…White America and the Western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just ‘disappeared,’ as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns.”
On Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan: “He brings a perspective that is helpful and honest…Minister Farrakhan will be remembered as one of the 20th and 21st century giants of the African-American religious experience.”
On Bill Clinton: (Some argue that blacks should vote for Clinton) “because her husband was good to us…”That’s not true. He did the same thing to us that he did to Monica Lewinsky.”
My question is that if Mitt Romney was forced to answer question on events that occured in the LDS Church in 1881 why hasn’t the media called on Obama to speak about what his church stands for today? Could you imagine Romney’s church describing itself as “unashamedly white?”
I’m wondering if this is fair game. Let me know.
February 21, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Absolutely fair. Why should the standards be different because of his race or background? Wouldn’t he want equality across the board?
February 22, 2008 at 10:43 am
I don’t think he meant equality of scrutiny.
February 22, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I think it is fair game. But don’t count on it happening.
February 22, 2008 at 9:27 pm
“the media”? You mean like CNN, ABC, CBS, NPR, the NYT, WaPo, Boston Globe, LA Times, Chicago Sun-Times, et al. You mean why hasn’t that media addressed the issue of B. Obama’s minister?
That is a rhetorical question, no?
February 23, 2008 at 7:02 pm
When Obama (or anyone) associates himself with a church, then one must believe that the individual agrees with the creeds and teaching of that church. Therefore it seems to me that examination of those beliefs is relevant to understanding the man.
March 15, 2008 at 12:16 am
Its fascinating how the American people are so easily distracted from issues that really matter. Opposed to getting titilated by who Obama and McCain’s pastor is and what they think , you may want to take time to consider what any of this has to do with your paying $4.00 a gallon for gasoline; 63,000 jobs lost in the month of February; the war in Iraq which is siphoning off $13 billion a month; 47 million Americans without healthcare; the Gulf coast still resembling a war zone two years post Katrina; a gallon of milk costing almost $5.00; the astronomical number of houses in foreclosure; American banking systems threatening to go under with your money still in it; gang violence out of control in many parts of the country especially the Mid west; the number of children in this country living two to three times below the federal poverty level; and I could go on. Keep on focusing on the dumb stuff and this country will get the government you already have and deserve because you refuse to look through all the smoke and mirrors. Keep focused on the media and its titillation de jour and come November you will all be living in a tent and getting to work on a skateboard because you were too focused on somebody’s pastor instead of the real issues. Stay drunk with distraction if you will. I wish you well in the outcomes realized.