Obama Cracks My TV in Half
It didn't make sense. A politician responding to a TV news scandal during an election and he's not on the attack or the defensive. Instead he's asking us to look at the forces that shape our feelings on race and understand them. My first reaction was to call DirecTV. Clearly my antenna was out of alignment and picking up old broadcasts of the Outer Limits or Playhouse 90 that are bouncing back to earth from Jupiter. Or maybe that California roll I ate was a week old and I'm unconscious on my living room floor and chemicals in my brain are sloshing towards the wish fulfillment part of my frontal lobe.
But it happened. Barack Obama spoke like an enlightened leader from 2008 instead of like the fake cowboy from 1885 that most politicians evoke or like a pharmaceutical salesman talking about change, but "not that much change" at a team building exercise in Tahoe. In other words, he didn't pass the buck to save his own ass. It was a monumental moment in modern American politics. He didn't distract, deflect, or attempt to frighten. He didn't accuse, declare war, or get angry. He didn't game play, scape goat, or blame. Can you imagine? We need to engrave this shit onto a commemorative coin fast.
Corporate tabloid news coverage, the influence of lobbyists and opinion polls have turned our politicians into the biggest group of hacks since the writing staff for Real People disbanded in the eighties. It's been all button pushing and gamesmanship for our representatives over the past twenty years. Anyone who stepped out of line (Howard Dean, Jimmy Carter, Paul Wellstone) was either written off as boring, naive or nuts. All real issues faded to the background and instead "gay marriage" and "tax breaks" and "military photo ops" became the go to bag of hack political tricks. And our newspapers and TV news shows loved it because it took the discussion away from anything constructive and instead veered it towards juicy programming (Governor is Gay! Congressman involved in Three way! Do Gay Flag Burners Want to Pick Up Your Kids on the Internet?! etc.) and the corporate agenda.
But today's speech was different. It felt like a noise I had never heard but someone once tried to describe to me. It was somewhere between a good episode of The Wire and a John Dos Passos novel. It had perspective. Barack Obama was talking about the future of man and whether or not we will continue to fight each other because of random colors (flags, skin, etc) or whether we will solve big problems together like we have done before (medicine, space travel, democracy). Will we evolve or will we skirmish...? Tilt your head the right way when you listen to the speech. I'm pretty sure it's there.
And then as Obama finished I had to laugh. "Man this must have fucked Wolf Blitzer's shit up" I thought. He spends all of his time trying to avoid constructive discourse and discrediting those who do... This must have made him feel like he was on the tilt awhirl with a belly full of funnel cake and Stroh's. I haven't see his response but I'm sure he turned to the speech into a tactical move on Obama's part. If he didn't and was actually thoughtful about it then Hallelujah.
But enough about the fun-dents, as Ice Cube said "today was a good day."
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It seems the masses are falling in line, seduced by their unrealistic visions of a very human candidate. The season of Hope is an ideology all of it's own. Never mind that regardless of how much we bolster and project our decrees of enlightenment toward Barack Obama, he is going to be an inexperienced young president, perhaps learning as he goes. We as Americans love slick talking straigt forward politicians. Don't be fooled, Obama's seeming eloquence is to liberals, what G.W. Bush's cowboy ethics and simplified directness was to conservatives. We're not electing an official. We're creating a charachter that these humans, regardless of how well intended- will never be able to live up too. Obama is not an enlightened spiritual leader, any more George W. Bush was. Regardless of what we want them to be, or how much they have covinced themselves they are.
Please. Ability to communicate and motivate is hardly a liability for a leader. And it's a fallacy to think that a great motivator cannot also be a person of substance and wisdom. Don't let cynicism get in the way of appreciating how extraordinary it is to have a leader who speaks the truth and offers a way forward.
And our alternative is what? Or whom? Could an inexperienced young president do as well or any WORSE than the "dream team" of experience that GWB assembled in his administration? As in many professions, often it is the young neophytes who think out of the box, and succeed because they see possibilities that older heads can no longer even visualize. What is so bad about America having HOPE again? Should we succumb to DESPAIR and simply give up??? Your pessimism saddens me. But, no. For where there is HOPE, there is still a chance. So, I too shall fall in line with the foolish masses, and be seduced by unrealistic visions of an American where we can band together for the common good of our country and our world. For me, the alternative is too disheartening to contemplate.
What the reactions to the speech has proven is that we've been spoon fed everything in little bite sized chunks where the content is often used out of context so we've forgotten how to think and depend on the MSM to think for us. What Obama did was gently rip a scab that had been there for a long long time. I have news for everyone: EVERYONE is prejudiced against something. EVERYONE is racist about something. EVERYONE is sexist about something. That was the point he was trying to make. He took a chance and spoke to us like adults but he shouldn't have wasted his time. The country isn't ready for an African American unless he bows and scrapes and has no opinions that white America can't tolerate. Something would have happened eventually if this hadn't. People had been looking for something to stick from the very beginning, when the Muslim rumors didn't work, when they saw Ferarro's comments resonate, they seized upon race. We're all hypocrites in one way or another, yet, straight white Christian males are always seen as saints and if any minority does ANYTHING that a white person would skate for, they're pilloried. Goodbye Barak Obama. I'm sorry that you ever thought you had a chance but you came closer than any one thought you ever would.
Now that we have heard all of the "speech" we can all open our eyes and see what hasn't been done by the author of that inspiring speech. He sat there and took it all in. He didn't challenge the Reverend to convince him that his way was wrong or what he would want us to believe he would have preached. Actions speak louder than words. Put your butt where mouth is, so to speak. He didn'tdo that. While I'm at it I have to ask again,"why hasn't he convened" one meeting of the Senate Sub-Committee that he chairs? Is he waiting for somebody to tell him to hold a meeting. Why hasn't he taken the initiative to do so? He gives great speeches but I don't see much in the way of leadership. We need a president not a great orator.
So why don't you open your eyes?.....
Where are you getting this asinine "throw his own grandmother under the bus" idea from?
Obama became chairman of that committee in January 2007, just as his presidential campaign was launching. You're grasping at straws.
Source: Barbara Ehrenreich, Huffingtonpost 03-19-08 (and Mother Jones) - partical excerpt:
"Hillary's Nasty Pastorate"
Sean Hannity has called Obama's church a "cult," but that term applies far more aptly to Clinton's "Family," which is organized into "cells" -- their term -- and operates sex-segregated group homes for young people in northern Virginia. In 2002, writer Jeff Sharlet joined the Family's home for young men, foreswearing sex, drugs, and alcohol, and participating in endless discussions of Jesus and power. He wasn't undercover; he used his own name and admitted to being a writer. But he wasn't completely out of danger either. When he went outdoors one night to make a cell phone call, he was followed. He still gets calls from Family associates asking him to meet them in diners -- alone.
The Family's most visible activity is its blandly innocuous National Prayer Breakfast, held every February in Washington. But almost all its real work goes on behind the scenes -- knitting together international networks of rightwing leaders, most of them ostensibly Christian. In the 1940s, The Family reached out to former and not-so-former Nazis, and its fascination with that exemplary leader, Adolph Hitler, has continued, along with ties to a whole bestiary of murderous thugs. As Sharlet reported in Harper's in 2003:
During the 1960s the Family forged relationships between the U.S. government and some of the most anti-Communist (and dictatorial) elements within Africa's postcolonial leadership. The Brazilian dictator General Costa e Silva, with Family support, was overseeing regular fellowship groups for Latin American leaders, while, in Indonesia, General Suharto (whose tally of several hundred thousand "Communists" killed marks him as one of the century's most murderous dictators) was presiding over a group of fifty Indonesian legislators. During the Reagan Administration the Family helped build friendships between the U.S. government and men such as Salvadoran general Carlos Eugenios Vides Casanova, convicted by a Florida jury of the torture of thousands, and Honduran general Gustavo Alvarez Martinez, himself an evangelical minister, who was linked to both the CIA and death squads before his own demise.
"Themo":
You missed the point. He got caught with his pants down, gave a good speech (written, let's not forget, by a team of superior speechwriters and delivered with an overabundance of "uhms" & "uhs"), so he must be God. We can now forget all those other issues, because Obama, whose supporters keep saying that his race ISN'T an issue, decided to peremptively dodge the Rev. White association problem by making his race THE front & center issue. Now that we've gotten that out in the open and out of the way, we can simply just skip the election and ordain St. Obama Lord of the Universe. Got that?
Obviously timinhi is not even paying attention, or would know that Obama wrote the speech alone and did not even let his team see the speech until the morning of the speech. And yes- we can move on, and elect Obama. He's answered every conceivable question about the recent controversies, and in doing so, shown what a great leader he can be. Clearly, Obama has bigger and better things than race on his agenda, and it is time to move on to the issues voters really need to hear about.
timinhi, you're really a sad case, and you just reek of racism and a divisive spirit. Free yourself man/woman!!
1. Learn some syntax.
2. A junior Senator cannot convene a chaired committee.
3. Admit that nothing short of GOD himself would impress you as a "great leader". Because if Hillary or McBush does....th
2. Senator Barak Obama was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on European Affairs. And it was PRECISELY his job to convene hearings.
From www.salon.
I meant to say - he's not very transparent! So we DO have to listen very closely to everything he says! If he had been opening up - not always being so vague we wouldn't have to work so hard to figure out who he is and what his plans are for this country!
Adam, your column had such resonance with me on so many levels. But the most surprising congruence was perhaps your conclusion, pondering what Wolf Blitzer must have said right after the speech in commentary.
I watched the whole speech, riveted. I had many tasks at hand, but instead of multi-tasking I just sat enthralled, watching and listening. At the end Wolf Blitzer came on, starting in with his no doubt insightful immediate pundi-nalysis. I turned it right off.
No disparagement to Mr. Blitzer, whom I rarely see, I just did not think it was necessary to hear anything else because Obama said it all and I didn't need any pundit to tell me what he said; it was crystal clear. And I didn't want to dispel the glow it evoked. I have lived through (barely, at times!) many presidents' tenures but this was the most amazing speech that I can recall. We were not talked down to, we were not yelled at, there was no blaming or any of that. I felt at one with the message that we were a nation that, while forged with a racial comprise, has risen and will continue to rise above that. And with Mr. Obama's leadership, and our own good sense, I believe we will.
I too agree that the speech was one of the best I've ever heard on race in America. Obama did a great job and those who don't get it...well, they won't ever get it, so tant pis.
However, I did watch Wolf Blitzer's comments immediately afterwards, because I do get somewhat interested in how these talking heads will pick apart things. And, I was pleasantly surprised! Even Wolf conceded, without any nitpicking, that this was the most articulate, well thought out speech that Obama could have given. He even added that there would be naysayers out there, who would unpick and parse this speech to death, and for whom no explanation or action would ever be good enough. So there you go. Even Wolf had to give a good review.
Great article...
I would guess you are not old enough to know that this is the feeling at the time listening to the Kennedy brothers.
Thats all, Thats why many of us old people support Barack Obama.
Great Op-ed!
Rarely do I say this in response to any mainstream media outlet From Print to Radio to TV.
In a couple of words, Obama manged to finally elevate the discussion on race. I hope that the media, mainstream or otherwise, can pick up the ball and not dumb us down. And since I am in a wishful fram of mind, I hope that you will not dumb us down on other issues like our Foreign policy for example.
Somehow I think that the questions in Iraq and Afghanistan are more than just "to Pull out or Not to Pull out, that is the question..
What do I know, I could be wrong.
I look to Canada and Western Europe for hope and change. They are at the forefront of implementing true progressive values without all the religiosity that Obama, Clinton and McCain espouse. Look at their healthcare systems. They are our true leaders since they have actually implemented what Americans only dream of. That is why I will vote for Ralph Nader and why I also like the Greens.
All the hatred and anomisty of the followers of Obama, Clinton and McCain is sad. No Ralph will not win but he is true to real progressive values. You can go to votenader.
While I disagree with your choice, I compliment you for getting your vote out.
Warmest,
Val
Spam much?
So do you want to pay $6.50- $7 a gallon like they do in alot of European countries? Oh, people like you are crying already about $3.40 a gallon.
I think it is fair that we as different people that have had different experiences and come from different places try to respect each others opinion. Those who support Obama , As so I, should be respectufl to those who have valid concerns. INstead, just like our candidate we should listen then respectfully give a rebuttal to their claim. Now, i have heard some perceptions of the speech that made me wonder did we read the same speech but everyone relates to his speech diffrently. Perhaps, when i read the speech, i was already biased toward him so of course i think it was brave and eloquent. But for others they may see differently.
This is my point: I have read alot of blog posts from various sites and people that dismiss the speech dont feel like he addressed the Rev. Wright issue in depth. In rebuttal to this sentiment, I propose that the speech was not limited to the incident of Rev. wright's comments. The purpose was to put those painful comments in the larger context of race relations in America. We have made progress but we can not be naive. Until his speech, I never actually thought about the fact that white americans had a legitimate plight. I always felt that minorities have reason to complain but what Obama made me realize is that Whites have reasons to feel resentment. Honestly, i thought that all white people were rich and privileged but that is far from the truth. Also white americans should try to understand that there is a difference in the History of America and the history of African americans in America. This is not being a black racist this is thr truth. There is a difference in our histories within this country. If you don't believe that then ask yourself am I being honest. it is a painful truth but once we ALL (black, white, biracial, multiracia,l hispanic and asian recognize that we have different American experiences then we start the Reall healing,
in conclusion, Obama's purpose was not too simply address the Wright comment issue but to outline the fact that both blacks and white have to reach out to each other and try to understand each others point of view.
The beauty of reading all these liberal supporters of Obama is that it confirms that Obama is resonating less and less with regular Americans. Keep it up liberals justifying the remarks of Rev. Wright and how wonderful he is.
what makes you think you all are the regular Americans.
More bran in their diet?
Because otherwise, as my ol' buddy Joe used to say, "If I go out and take a dump in the woods, that was the American thing to do, because I'm an American and I did it, and nobody is 'more' American than me so that their choice is more American than mine."
I'm a liberal with a pickup and a gun ... so clearly I'm willing to offend multiple demographics simultaneously ..... and none of it makes me more or less American than the neighbors.
Oh brother...
There are tons of things, awful things, people who are close to me -- people I love -- have said. If caught on video they could be used to destroy me. I am sure we can all say that.
This is a NON-Issue. Media, which thrives and exists on created controversy loves this.
Blitzer did everything he could to keep on distorting and inciting the public during his interviews after the speech. It was sickening.
And John Q. Public is falling for it all. Who was it that said if you want to attract a crowd, start a fight.
And the country is less for it.
Who said you and whom ever were "regular" citizens??? Don't assume, judge and speak for other people. Please, take the time to think about what you write or comment on.
How stupid and blind most liberals are to think that the comments of Rev. Wright are 'enlightening'. Of course Obama has issues with race. We can't blame him. Blacks have an extra mile to walk to get their piece of the American dream, but just when I thought liberals had convinced everyone that 'hate is NOT a family value', they go and rip-off all the 'hate is not a family value' bumper stickers from their cars. Looks like double standards to me. The real story here is that Rev. Wright really does represent Obama and the far-left liberals in ever way possible: Liberals hate America. That's nothing new. Liberals, quick: name 3 things you love about America. Come on, the clock is ticking. Name them. See, you can't. You wouldn't even if you could. It's kinda like the rappers you see in the videos and on the CD covers. They never smile. They can't. They aren't allowed. In any event, all of the bumper stickers have been removed, not just the ones on black-owned cars. All liberals are guilty. FYI: I'm an atheist. I hate George W.. I despise all of the phony religious right pretense..
I was deeply moved and impressed by Senator Obama's speech. As someone who comes from a blended family, I too have experienced the generational racism endemic to our country -- on both sides of the divide. Whatever his flaws, whatever the vitriol and thuggish behavior of his supporters on the Huff blogs, Barak Obama showed me something I'd never seen before. True, his back is against the wall on this, and he has to talk pretty fast to get himself out of the hole, but he could have done the politically expedient thing and "damn the preacher." But I understood what he said because I come from the Southside of Chicago, from back when it was still mostly white. I went to a 60% black high school -- and I was sitting in my classroom when the news about Martin Luther King brought a mob of adult black men rampaging through the halls. I stood on the white side of Ashland Avenue and watched the white and black men and boys on either side of that street, fling bottles and rocks at each other in frustration, fear and rage. I've heard my father, who was not a racist, utter the "N" word, and felt shame and confusion that such a word could come from a man who had many black friends, a man who had wept at the news that MLK had died. I've lived in that confused, confusing America. I want a different experience for the children in my family who deserve to be treated with respect and equality whatever "color" their skin turns out to be. I want the children born in my family to grow up in a different kind of America than the one that I grew up in -- but unless somebody takes on this issue in a thoughtful and rational way, unless someone in power is able to exemplify what American can be, not just what is, we will be stuck in the same old static condition we find ourselves in now. Barak Obama made me feel that this new vision was a possibility.
rational DNA..... i guess i consider myself a liberal and i do not think Rev. Wrights comments were "enlightening". I think you sort forgot who the focus is supposed to be n and that is OBAMA. it was his words that were enlightening. He diswned those comments but tried to explain that there is a a source of pain in the black community from which comments like this come. and to say that liberals and Obama hate America? hahaha hell if it were not for historic liberals who spoke out for the rights of all americans, you being an athiest would be locked up somewhere. Im sorry i got a bit passionate. As a black person, i love america but it hurts to live here. the three things that i love is that We can speak out against our government and not get our heads cut off, i love that we don't bomb each other because we are different religions, last i love america because it can progress. i dont think wright hates america, i just think that he is frustrated with america which happens with all americans at some point
Let's hear some of Hagee's sermons, some old Fallwell preaching. McCain has been in a lather to have Hagee and other far-right preachers surround him.
It shows how biased and sold-out to corporate-right, the networks are when you don't see Obama's speech aired several times, you see no rants from the far-right preachers.
The only positive in this for viewers, is that there has been less Hillary-her dirty work is being done for her by the Letterman's and Stewarts. Guess I'll be watching more of Colbert and Maher.
Rational Dna,
the Teachings of Christ do NOT stop at the Boundaries of THIS country anymore than they stop at the color line, or religious differences, for that matter. America has NOT acted like a Christian country, despite all the posturing and lip-service.
I believe THAT was what Rev Wright meant with his incendiary comment, so badly taken out of context by our bootlicking Media, like the Dean Scream.
Truth can often be a very inconvenient thing.
Real clear politics: As a Raegan Coalition Independent, Barack Obama's speech on race, unity and politics was one of the most courageous, pertinent, substantive and important speeches of the 21st Century. Fail to recognize this at your own peril.
What happens if will fail. Is Obama going to release some disease like AIDS II to get us to fall back in line.
I think Obama was dodging the issue and using flowery language while throwing his grandmother under the bus for being a racist, while downplaying his pastors influence. His statement that everyone has disagreements with their pastors, is ridiculous. I fall in line 100% with my pastors logic, and spiritual outlook, but he's not screaming conspiracy, and trying to incite anger out of his flock.
Obama was doing damage control, and the fact that some are calling it a speech for the ages and likening it Dr. King is ridiculous. Dr. King never had to point the finger at his own grandmother and say "it's because of people like her, that we feel this way". Race is a human issue, not a white issue. Acting as though the white american owns the total of racism in this country is absurb, and a play on guilt, that sadly some people will own.
I see racism pointing in all directions from all races, this is not an issue of white intolerance. It would be an issue of segregation that all races naturally stick closer together than apart, but Obama has his chance and spins it as white racism, and black resentment. I don't buy that, I don't buy him, I don't doubt for one minute that no matter what happens in the nomination I will vote the opposite way. He's inexperienced as a leader, he gets a failing grade as a freshman senator, he has a intellectual infatuation with socialism, and he's as he clearly showed on Monday he is (A) willing to slander his grandmother to further his career (which is just a sign of a poor character and sense of entitlement) and (B) Somehow does not think that Jeremiah Wright was wrong in his ideology. Obama never stated that Wright was wrong. He tried to clarify Mr. Wright's meaning for America. "He said this, but what he was trying to really say was this"
Not on my watch. If college kids and "Intellectual Elitist" are going to push him into office, then they can stand and take accountability for their poor decisions when this country flounders. America needs a strong leader with a public record. Obama is a snakeoil salesman with a carefully crafted history of never taking a true stand on anything.
CAUTION:
YOU ARE ENTERING THE MIND OF AN EXTREME RIGHT WING TALK SHOW LISTENER. IT'S A SMALL AND DARK PLACE THAT'S LINED WITH COTTON CANDY AND PINK PONY WALLPAPER. DO NOT DISTURB THE TOAST WITH THE VIRGIN MARY IMAGE BURNED INTO IT, OR THE VIAL OF ELVIS SWEAT DRAINED FROM THE SHIRT HE WORE IN HIS HAWAII CONCERT. THIS IS A MIND THAT KEEPS ITSELF AS UNDISTURBED AS ITS COLLECTION OF BOBBY SHERMAN AND DON HO ALBUMS. DO NOT STARE DIRECTLY INTO ITS EYES FOR IT MAY INEXPLICABLY ATTACK AND KILL YOU WITH A COMBINATION OF DULLNESS AND STUPIDITY THAT CAN ONLY BE MATCHED BY THE "BIG FAT IDIOTS" THAT CONTROL IT.
IT SPEAKS:
I am appalled that Senator Obama would be so inconsiderate. How dare he make us, the good people of this God fearing country, stop feeling good about liking him. Just when we were getting used to not thinking about his half Black blood, and we gave his wife a pass, who’s very much into her blackness, and looks it, here we find out that he goes to one of those holy roller churches with all those militant types. And that preacher, he’s just a downright black...yo
The other day I was watching that Tucker Carlson and he said what we all feel, we liked Obama, we really did, he made us feel good, until we saw his pastor, and we were reminded that he’s just another one of those smooth talking…. He talks about audacity of hope, well he certainly has a lot of audacity, to prey upon our goodwill and be so inconsiderate, after we overlooked his most obvious flaw. Well what can we expect from someone who goes to a church like that. Thank god, I’m a Christian, and can forgive him for being so inconsiderate.
That’s all I have to say.
WWW.RENYMO
I don't think I will touch this post, even though I am probably hated by about 3/4 of the people on this site already.
i'm fine with that
Please Easy on the Kool-Aid didnt turn out well with jim jones followers
HuffPost's Pick
Many seem to be fixated by the AIDS conspiracy, the drug sales conspiracy, the 9/11 was a U.S. conspiracy, and various other "kooky conspiracy theories" that seem to have some credibility in the African-American community, and were given voice by Reverend Wright. As I have posted repeatedly, I disagree with these conspiracy theories (although the crack cocaine/drug sales conspiracy has a certain superficial plausibility). However, you are missing the point if you don't take time to understand the context in which these beliefs cam to be believed, and the double-standard to which the African-American community is sometimes held regarding these specific views.
First, remember a little history that white America tends to forget and the African-American community remembers vividly:
1) Tuskeegee. African-american men were (some say) infected with syphilis and (all agree) deliberately not treated as a medical experiment to see what happens with untreated syphilis. It sound like a kooky conspiracy theory, but its true. In this context, its understandable how the AIDS urban legend could get traction and come to be believed by many who are willing to assume the worst.
2) In 1986, rogue elements of the U.S. government (including parts of the CIA) illegally sold SAM missles to its arch enemy, Iran, in order to use the illegal profits to finance its illegal war with Nicaragua (in violation of the Boland Amendment). The drug sales story is that, at the same time as the missle sales, the CIA also got involved with the Colomian cocaine trade and sold the drugs in the form of Crack in African-American communities, with the intent of diverting the profits to also illegally finance the Contras in the Nicaraguan conflict. This story was credible enough that it was seriously investigated by a number of parties. Also, the CIA's history of overthrowing democratically elected governments and installing dictators could lead one to believe that they were capable of doing WHATEVER was necessary to win the Cold War (which is what the Nicaraguan conflict was all about). When combined with the obvious racial disparities in criminal penalties for crack vs. powder cocaine, its understandable how this urban legend got traction.
3) The U.S. complicity in the 9/11 attacks. For some people who are predisposed to believe the worst about the Bush administration, coupled with a lot of strange circumstantial evidence in support of the story, its easy to see how this theory gets traction as well. While this theory has been debunked, many Americans have bought into this urban legend. BTW, my wife has the single best explanation for why the Bush administration COULD NOT have been involved in the 9/11 attack: IT WORKED!
Finally, we need to be careful about ascribing any unique nuttiness to the fact that these legends/myths have believers in some African-American communities. Afterall, 60% of Americans believed that Iraq was behind 9/11 for a disturbingly long time, even when the evidence clearly contradicted that "crazy conspiracy theory." Hell, our vice-president and a good portion of FauxNews viewers still believe it. People believe there are alligators in the New York sewers. Some people believe that God wants us to support Israel to fulfill the prophesy bringing about the apocalypse, which will result in any jews who don't convert being transported immediately to hell (and these folks are among the biggest Christian allies of AIPAC).
My point is simply that, as Obama said yesterday, people believe what they believe because of their own historical context. And to ignore the underlying causes of these beliefs is to forego any real chance of shedding the light of truth on the subject. And we should be careful of double standards in unduly trivializing these views.
To summarize: There are no alligators in New York's sewers; Neither Iraq or the Bush administration had anything to do with 9/11; The U.S. did not create HIV to eradicate minority populations; The CIA almost certainly didn't traffic crack (though they did sell missles to Iran); and Supporting Israel will not bring about the apocalypse and the transporting of millions of jews to hell. We all believe things that are probably not supported by the facts, and Jeremiah Wright, do largely to the historical context in which he lived, was no exception.
It still goes back to judgement on Obama as to why he attended this church for 20 years if he himself does not subscribe to those views. I find it hard to believe that a man we are going to elect president would want to even start listening to those views in the first place. And then have children follow in this man's footsteps. The man's persona shows a person of deep faith and solid judgement. This is why the paster thing doesn't make sense to some of us.
Have you researched the church, listened to a few of the sermons. People seem to forget that these snippets are from a few sermons out of twenty years. I'm sure some other sermons were fiery as well, though perhaps not to the extent that those passages are. People who are not part of that community have to realize that what they saw over and over again on the news was a twisted view of the church and to some extent a twisted view of the pastor as well.
Having said that, I'm sure that one of the reasons Obama was attracted to this church was because that church is central in helping the needy in that area, something that he was working on at the time. My guess is that he was also attracted to the pastors view that the status quo needed a good examination.
Many of us Americans only react but do not think about criticisms of the US. This country is not perfect. In fact, it really does have a very ugly past. People came here from Europe and literally wiped out almost the entire indigenous population. I'm no historian but my guess is that this hasn't happened very often in the history of humankind. And on top of that, they brought in slaves from another continent to do the heavy lifting, killing millions in the process, and creating a whole system of racism to propagate this lifestyle. Do you think that this doesn't affect this country today in some ways?
So when other countries and people criticize the US, try to have a broader view of humankind. For some of us, the Rev's comments were off the mark, but not that vile when you put them into perspective.
622440,
Consider this: you have heard 15 second sound bites from only 2 maybe 3 of Rev. Wright's sermons. If Obama has been attending that church for 20 years then that means 1040 sunday sermons. Maybe in all those sermons Rev. Wright preached about something other than what is in the 5 sound bytes that are all over the air. And (now get ready for your mind to expand here) maybe in his other sermons, other than the ones that have been paraded all over the news and sermons that I'm sure you have not taken the the time to research, he was preaching about things that are palatable to all of America.
What I don't get is this...
It appears that the members of Wright's church does a lot of good in their community. But if we are to ignore that and also ignore the contrast that Obama represents and ONLY concentrate on what Wright has said...wha
If that's all we focus on then Wright just said some words we don't agree with...he didn't do anything harmful like kill, molest, drug or steal from anyone.
No, more than judgment issues it goes to the fact he's the son of an Anthropologist who earned her degree in his childhood. Think about it. Anthropologists sit in the middle of cultures they don't personally belong to or agree with all the time, and to interfere in the culture is prohibited. Being a member of a Black church allows Barack to finally understand all the underlying assumptions people made whenever they laid eyes upon him for the first time, and to understand what his children face as they grow up unless he works to change the world around them. He believes, as he said, that the world is changing around the people like his former pastor who had a static view of life and race. My age-cohort (I'm 31) is much less racially-focused than people even 10 years older than me. And it's a 6000 member church, the children are hearing a LOT more than just the words of one Pastor... in most UCC churches the kids are off in Sunday School, not in the sanctuary listening to the sermon.
If Huckabee can get it, what's your problem?
any Catholics out there care to tackle this question: why would you continue to support a church mired in child abuse scandals (despicable actions not words)? Perhaps this explains why Obama continued to attend a church when he disagreed with the pastors sermons (controversial words not actions),
There is no evidence to suggest that Sunday after Sunday Wright preached the same controversial sermons - if there were they would be playing them on CNN showing Barack in the audience.
This post is my pick too!
Please note that some of your summarization points are OPINION and not FACT necessarily, either.
Point well taken.
I'm a white liberal democrate who loves to listen to Keith Olbermann dissect the Bush Admin. I eat it up because it satisfies and calms my rage and frustration to hear an erudite and impassioned person speak to my deepest, most anguished frustrations in a public forum. Do I always agree with everything he says -- well, yeah, mostly. But that's not the point. This is the roll that African American preachers play in their communities. The outlet they provide in speaking to and for their congregations deep frustration at the inequality in America. Those beliefs may seem extreme to the delicate sensibilities of some white people, but not to me. We cannot judge what they are expressing in that forum. We have never had to be afraid of losing our children to violence, drugs and jail in the vastly higher proportion that the African American community does as a matter of routine. Until we have walked a mile in their shoes, we have absolutely no right to judge whatever they do in order to deal with and survive in white America. None. I don't agree with anything I've heard expressed by Reverand Wright, but I understand, or at least I try to understand, why he might feel the need to say them. I hope that all of the leaders of all churches, white and black, will begin to look at the way in which they express themselves, and to realize that hatred is a destructive force that harms those who speak it, and those who listen to it.
i m glad you posted this because i think white americans forget that African Americans have a diffrent historical experience in America. When the idea of the American dream was introduced it wasn't necessarily offered to black americans in the same way
On the "Exploitation" Anger and Resentment in this speech towards his grandmother
I just read some of these comments about Obama's grandmother on another post. And I must admit, I did hear that speech and I do remember him saying what he did about his grandmother! It went right by me but I do NOW remember cringing - just like he did but for Different reasons. Wow! EVEN if that's a true story and it could certainly be true - wouldn't the way to deal with someone so close to you, someone you also say loves you more than anyone, wouldn't it be best not to exploit your own grandmother and instead go to her in private to let her know that she has hurt you? I know he was trying to make a point about his diversity, the development of his mindset, but exploiting his own grandmother to illustrate that point to save his campaign was so unkind, so not thoughtful, and as far as the Presidential campaign shows us he does NOT have GOOD JUDGEMENT. This is yet another example of him ACTING one way (exploiting his grandmother) but saying WORDS (I believe in Peace and Unity) that are the contrary! He has no doubt NOW caused a very hurtful DIVIDE in his family! Wow! To use that point in public against his own grandmother! No doubt, it must have been horrible for him to have that happen. AND IMPORTANTLY just like he said of Rev. Wright - it is clear that Obama also STILL has tremendous ANGER and RESENTMENT towards his grandmother!
He wasn't exploiting his grandmother.
It's as absurd as the used-to -be-popular, closet Muslim smear.
Wow you have issues. Now the man is beating up on his grandmother. Stop reaching or just admit you don't like but at least be honest that it has no foundation.
You know what? I agree - it's exhausting to have to reach so much to figure out who Barack Obama is and what he think and what he is going to do IF he were to be the President of the United States! BUT he decided to chest his cards and since this is one of the MOST IMPORTANT elections in history - SO MUCH AT STAKE - all we can do is work hard to figure out who he is - BECAUSE we already went down this BLIND road when we went to WAR 5 years ago - and I'm not going down any BLIND ROAD with any of the candidates! Stop reaching??????? NEVER but it would be real nice if Obama dind't make it so hard to find out what he's all about!!! He's got a lot of FOLLOWERS - I'm looking to find the right person to SUPPORT - NOT FOLLOW!
Geez, some people will look for any excuse. How do you know he didn't talk to his grandmother first about this? How do you know she didn't even give her blessing to say it? It seems to me that he probably did. So unless you know save your resentment and holier than thou attitude for something meaningful like how Clinton says that states she lose in are states that somehow don't matter.
....becaus
How do you know he didn't already ask his grandmother if he could use that example when speaking to others? Once again - people are taking parts of his message out of context and trying to use them to show that he's a liar or has bad judgement. Clearly you did not understand or recognize the truth in what he was saying. He was not using this speech as an opportunity to "deal with" his grandmother's hurtful behavior -- the use of this example in his speech was to show you that he understands all sides of the race argument. He's experienced them. And toward that end of trying to unify everyone and help them understand each other, I'm sure his grandmother had NO problem with it. Much respect to you lavisiter.
I have no doubt that a person of integrity would say something ALSO like "my grandmother and I have healed this experience and she doesn't mind me telling you.......
You should read Senator Obama's book, "Dreams From My Father," and I think you would have to reconsider your conclusions about Senator Obama's relationship with his grandmother. He used the example of his grandmother to express what is to him the true meaning of loyalty. His grandmother, a white woman, who loves him more than anything, occasionally said things that made him cringe. She occasionally expressed fear of a community with which she was unfamiliar, and she sometimes used racial sterotypes. But these infrequent incidents did not take away from the whole person that she was to him, which he expounds upon eloquently in his book. And he could no more "disown" her than he could disown any of the people who have played such an important part in shaping his life, in spite of the fact that he did not always agree with them or always see the world through their eyes. To me, he showed the unconditional love for his grandmother that we all experience with people in our lives who sometimes see things differently than we do. For some of us however, it serves our purpose better to twist and distort the meaning of his words than to embrace what he actually said.
Just curious...
It is very rare that we have a politican who treats Americans as thinking adults, the way Obama does.
He gave a serious speech. Let us reflect on it with the same seriousness, instead of using the opportunity to score cheap political points.
Bill and HHillary, show some leadership and stand up for Obama, like Huckabee has, in this instance.
Caught Huckabee being question and he was far better in response than the Clintons..
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