America May Owe Reverend Wright a Debt of Gratitude

In 1962, in connection with the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the celebrated black writer, James Baldwin wrote a dedicatory letter to his nephew on how to survive and deal with living with white racism in America. It was published as an Essay in New York Magazine under the caption "The Fire Next Time". Baldwin wrote:

A vast amount of energy that goes into what we call the Negro problem is produced by the white man's profound desire not to be judged by those who are not white, not to be seen as he is, and at the same time a vast amount of the white anguish is rooted in the white man's equally profound need to be seen as he is, to be released from the tyranny of his mirror.

My esteemed brother Dr. Cornell West writes about Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time" saying that "(he) spoke the deep truth that democratic individuality demands that white Americans give up their deliberate ignorance and willful blindness about the weight of white supremacy in America. Only then can a genuine democratic community emerge in America."

Not since James Baldwin's famous quote from the Ralph Stanley Blues' Hymn, "God gave Noah the rainbow sign, no more water but the fire next time" has America been so consumed in a national discussion about race.

The reappearance of Reverend Jeremiah Wright in the national media with an interview by Bill Moyers, a weekend speech in Detroit at an NAACP conference of some 10,000 and his recent speech at the National Press Club opening a two day theology and Church meeting in Washington, DC, has reignited this discussion and its impact on the presidential campaign of Senator Obama.

To some, the "political" consequences of Rev. Wright's comments on Obama have been the principal, if not their exclusive, concern. Some persons, like Eric Deggans, in an article earlier today in the Huffington Post, said it would be the "the race-based bullet" coming from the "friendly fire" of Rev. Wright that could prevent Senator Obama from winning the Democratic nomination.

Aside from whether or not Democratic primary voters believe Senator Obama can effectively address their day-to-day concerns with high gas prices, rising foreclosures, absence of affordable health insurance and ending the war in Iraq, the underlying issue, uncomfortably presented by Rev. Wright, is the reality of race relations in America.

"Perhaps the most pervasive theme in our history is the domination of black America by white America. Race is the sharpest and deepest division in American life....

"Almost no genre of popular culture goes untouched by race."

"Black-white relations became the central issue in the Civil War...was the principal focus of Reconstruction after the Civil War; America's failure to allow African American equal rights led eventually to the struggle for civil rights a century later."(Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Lowen)

Race relations in American is the 800-pound gorilla in our national living room that most politicians have been unwilling or too afraid to acknowledge or discuss.

The media and political pundits reaction to the remarks of Rev. Wright is an unambiguous reminder that white America remains seriously afflicted with amnesia with respect to its treatment of African Americans throughout most of our history.

Rather than condemning Rev. Wright I commend him for refocusing the issue of race in America within a more relevant contemporary framework: A conference on the role of the Church in America, its organization, community work and its theology. The Church and its companion teaching of the gospel of Christianity was the centerpiece of leadership provided by Martin Luther King, Jr. It was Dr. King's abiding faith in the ultimate decency and fairness of most of white America that enabled him to build a successful coalition for the elimination of institutional segregation and the most egregious forms of white supremacy and racism in the United States.

It may be that America will look back at this election and conclude that we owe a great debt to Rev. Wright. However painful the rebirth and perfection of a new 21st-century America may seem now, ultimately he may be the unheralded, indeed unpopular, "hero" who enabled us to reembark on a new journey of recovery for social justice, initiated earlier by Dr. King, the greatest moral leader in our country in the 20th century.

The millions of white people who have voted for Senator Obama in the democratic primaries may be telling us something that we are unable to "hear" and understand. They just might be saying, in spite of all of the negative media and a political pundits, the time has come when they want to finally cross over the bridge to a new 21st century based on a color/race-irrelevant and multiracial society.

Clarence B. Jones is a former lawyer and draft speechwriter for Martin Luther King, Jr and author of What Would Martin Say?, published by Harper Collins. Currently he is a Scholar in Residence/Visiting Professor at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research & Education Institute at Stanford University.

Comments

[Stirner]

The propaganda which passes for "news" cannot understand someone who simply tells it as it is. Wright was not expected to tell the truth. He did -- and he will pay for it. He was expected to join in the stream of bland and petty gossip which the media pumps out to divert our attention from real issues. He didn't, and he will pay for it. This has happened to another honest man, one who also tells it as it is -- but he has been long silenced and ridiculed by the corporate noise machine and its empty talking heads. His name is Ron Paul.

[petecook5]

Yep. Wright saw the spotlight and liked it. Now he's going to singlehandedly make Obama unelectable and we can all thank him when Hilary loses the election to McCain--all for his own aggrandizement.

How's that for improving race relations in America? Think blacks will be any better off after another 8 years of republican rule? Hmmm....so­unds like Rev. Wright shot himself and a whole bunch of others in the foot to me.

[UnbiasView]

"Think blacks will be any better off after another 8 years of republican rule?"

Blacks and whites will be better when they rely on themselves to make their own lives better and not wait for others to do it. Gang memebers Chicago are basically having a wild west shootout right now and it's not because of Republicans, it's because of themselves, their parents and their communities. People like Rev. Wright add fuel to the fire by trying to turn people against others and against a government that will never solve their problems.

[petecook5]

That's painting with a pretty broad brush. Some truth to it, though. Regardless, I think blacks (and all lower/middle class people) would benefit from a democratic presidency and congress, nonetheless.

Wanna talk about the wild west? Let's talk about bear stearns, big oil and other corporate entitites RAPING the people of this country and then expecting the government to subsidize them.

[bkholmes79]

Obama has been trying to get out from under the weight of Wright,...

Obama. I'm giving you this clue for free: Renounce and denounce Rev. Wright. Just say you made a mistake about him, you "misjudged" him and his motivations. Take the hit. Say publically that you and your family do not subscribe to Wright's Black Liberation Theology (Theology? I don't think so.) At least you'll stop the bleeding.

Now that Wright's gotten a good taste of the cameras, he's hooked and doesn't want to give it up. The shame of this is that enough white liberals and black sycophants will follow this man, who looks more and more like a potential partner-in-crime to Sharpton and Jackson. Geez, Obama's dumb.

Wright has taken all the class out of Obama's campaign. Politically, he has set Blacks back thirty years. When people listen to his rants they say..."not in our White House."
Obama is going to have to sever all ties with this man and his cohorts or he get the fork. The funniest part of all will be watching the Dems reverse their support for him as his campaign falters. What a circus!

John McCain, you must have an angel guiding your ship through this hilarious fog. Unbelievable and sad to see our politics hit an all time low. It won't be long, before the nation will wish they had President Bush back to kick around.

[UnbiasView]

"Obama has been trying to get out from under the weight of Wright"

He hasn't been trying very hard, he has yet to come out and really draw a line in the sand to say this is out of bounds. What's worse yet, from some of his wife's comments I tend to think she buys into what Rev. Wright is selling.

"Renounce and denounce Rev. Wright. Just say you made a mistake about him, you "misjudged" him and his motivations"

If it takes 20 years to realize what most of us have in 2 weeks, his judgement will always be in question to most people.

[JJK]

If the objective is to end eight years of an illegitimate presidency and keep John McCain out of the White House, then there's a whole lot of whistling past the graveyard going on in this thread.

If the objective is to lionize Rev. Wright or to make (often valid) arguments about the state of racial relations in the United States, then that purpose is being served. However, it is being served at the expense of the man who will presumably stand between McCain and the presidency.

It is no accident that the Clinton and McCain campaigns are remaining silent and not touching the Jeremiah Wright Media Tour with a ten foot poll. They are both following the oldest rule of politics: when your opponent is self-destructing, step back and get out of the way.

[UnbiasView]

Why would they touch it? Rev. Wright is making his case every day for Obama not to be President of the USA.

I still can't believe he said any attack on him is an attack on the black church . . . doesn't that piss anyone off when a loon like this claims to speak for all black churches or black people. I can't believe every black church in the USA is as crazy as his is.

[kimbari]

It does and they aren't.

[realpolitic]

Unbiased, you are just using Rev. Wright's message to spread hate anyway. You and Wright are two sides of the same coin. Obama will take us to a better America. Those like you and those comments made by the Reverend will be left far behind. You are already very far behind.

[kesiac]

There is a crime that is well known in the African American community, its called DWB - Driving While Black. It is NORMAL to be pulled over, be searched, falsely ticketed or arrested, harassed, beat, simply for being black. A study in Texas confirmed blacks and Hispanics were twice as likely to be searched during a traffic stop. There was a recent study that came out - Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Health Care conducted by the US Dept of Health and Human Services. The studied showed how minorities received less quality health care compared to whites. According to the US Dept of Justice, black men are 25% more likely to go to prison for committing the same crime as a white man. White men comprise 72% of the countries drug users, yet black men make up 49% of the incarcerated in the US for drug related offenses. Northwestern University conducted a study. Whites and blacks with the same experience, both college graduates, applied for the same entry level jobs. The white person with a criminal history was called back 17% of the time. The black person without a criminal history was called back 14% of the time. When African Americans scream racism, these are the things in which they speak. Not individuals, but a system that treats me unfairly because of my race. What we are looking for is not reparations, we are looking for TRUE equality.

[petecook5]

That's all fine and good. But what does it have with killing any chance of getting Obama elected?

[Miamisecretagent]

It's not like people needed Wright to remind them that Obama's black. People who supposedly are so alienated by Wright's media appearances that they would vote against Obama were not going to vote for Obama anyway. On the other hand, most people, judging from the actual votes, not from the pundits, realize that a vote for Obama is not the same as a vote for Wright. Duh!

[Chavez08]

Bullshit!!

This is a CLASS WAR!! The Coprorate Establishment has been **using race to drive a wedge** in the middle of the working-poor class to keep us ALL in slavery for decades.

Wright is saying what most of America is thinking but the Elitist Media is using it as a distraction from the **real slavery problems** facing this country and the world.

Damn it!! Wake up America! Do YOUR OWN thinking for a change.

[Pema]

All those who have gone before can be owed a debt of gratitude, but I have donated over 4000 vol hours within 15 years, but I dont expect anything for my good works, Wright does, and there is the issue. If you give., just give otherwise its not gift. I am sorry but the mans ego is too great. Wright made some joke about VP? He threw Obama under the bus, and if black leaders fromt the civil rights movement cannot let younger people lead without dragging them throught their pain, nothing gets done
Perhaps you and Wright need to watch Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. I couldnt think of anything more timely. Esp. the part where Sidney says, "You think of yourself as a black man, I think of myself as a man".
Rev Wright is enjoying his 15 minutes of fame at the expense of Obama.
His ego is larger than life and it is time for him and those like him to step aside and let change happen. i support Obama, we donate, we cheer on, but men like Rev Wright just keep bringing us into the past, Mc Cain is still fighting Viet Nam, Rev Wright is still in Selma.
Wright is even pissing me off and I agree with most of what he says, but like a clumsy guest, he barges in and doesnt know when to leave.

[cbjones]

Several persons ascribe "ego" motives to Rev Wright underlying the reason for his recent media appearances and speeches. Undoubtedly, this was or is a factor. Or to paraphrase what he said, when you "play the dozens with my Mama and my pastorate, I am not going to stand by silently".

Many blame or condem Rev Wright for the possible "political" consequences of his remarks on Senator Obama's candidacy. Whatever those consequences may be, they are fundamentally a result of the pernicious 24/7 persistency of white racisism. Most white people and, perhaps, some African Americans) are "uncomfortable" with a public discourse about or reminder this reality.

Now or later, America is going to have to address the issues of race raised by Rev Wright ,and, Senator Obama in his speech on "race relations" in Philadelphia earlier this year. A transition from the 20th Century legacy of segregation to a 21st Century color irrlevant multiracial society will not be possible unless America, once and for all, publicly acknowledges, confronts and deals with the "800 pound gorilla "of race relations sitting in our national living room. Persons who voted in the primaries for Obama may be saying to us, that, this presidential election, may present them, with the best opportunity, to affirm that our country is ready, once and for all, to rise above the old paradigm of race relations in America.

This is why I said that "America(belatedly) may owe a debt of gratitude to Rev Wright" .

Clarence B. Jones

[Chavez08]

"Angry Black Men" or "Pedophile Corporatists" - who do you want to rule the world?

Take your time...

[exxman]

Neither one! I don't believe Rev. Wright is running for president, this year anyway.

[daknc]

I watched Rev. Wright's comments on the Bill Moyers program and at the Detroit NAACP dinner. I find Jeremiah Wright a more principled man and speaker of the truth than are Obama's duck and cover, Clinton's slash and burn tactics, McCain's disingenuous sleaze-mongering and the media jackels attack frenzy at NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, MSNBC, the Washington Post and the New York Times.

[bentenrai]

Wright is a man who answers to God first. The politicians are people answer to those who bestow power unto them, God has nothing to do with this, as church and state remain separate in this country.

[PennP]

Better watch a tape of the National Press Club talk, daknc. I was beguiled with the Moyers interview and the NAACP dinner speech, too, but the Press Club talk takes things in another direction. The principled man has left the stage.

[CookieCrunch]

I thought the Bill Moyers interview was thought provoking and well done. I learned some things that I didn't know before. I thought that yesterday's press club event was terrible.
I do not however believe that Sen. Obama should address this any further.

[realpolitic]

Yes, I agree. It was almost like two different people at the two events. The Wright who spoke with Moyers was thoughtful, kind, and eloquent. The one in front of the press club was arrogant, divisive, and willing to put himself far above the campaign of Obama, as if Obama meant little to him. It was very unfortunate.

[adavis08]

Race is indeed something that has to be discussed, but not this way. At first I was glad Reverend Wright had come out of hiding to address all of the controversy, his interview with Bill Moyers was calm and insightful. Yesterday however he went much too far. Now he seems as though he is enjoying the spotlight and is jealous of Barack. He also seems angry that he was dis-invited to the announcement of Barack's candidacy. It's also easy to see that he loves being in front of a camera. He is now in danger of diminishing all of the good works that his church has done. Wright now joins the ranks of other fanatical ministers such as Hagge, Parsley, Fallwell, Jett, etc. This is just the reason the founding fathers separated church and state.

[soundfury]

OMG! REV. WRIGHT WAS SET UP BY CLINTON SUPPORTER!

http://digg.com/politics/Hillary_Supporter_ORGANIZED_Rev_Wright_at_Press_Club

Should have know the Clintons were behind this! They obviously tried to sabotage the Obama campaign once again.

What won't these people do to get elected?

[DTGB]

you have gone off the deep end!! Clinton had nothing to do this, this is a tour he is doing to kick a theological seminar. Just b/c someone who supports Clinton was on the organizing team, doesnt mean she's responsible.
dont blame Clinton, in fact, dont even blame Obama, Wright made his own choices and conspiracy theories only show your blindness to the obvious.
it is unfortunate that this was his choice but it was. it also arks back to that good old "judgement" question that Obama has bantied about. i guess it's good judgement that drives him to call Wright his friend and pastor?
Wright just delt a potential death blow to Obama, personally, i find it disgusting. Sad that a man who has spent his life fighting for civil rights and justice may have just ended the first real AA candicacy INTENTIONALLY. Wright is obviously, arrogant and self centered and possibly jealous of Obama's success.

[bentenrai]

I'm an Obama supporter, but I have to say this is a bit far fetched.

[adavis08]

I just checked this out ! And it does appear that Wright could be a tool used by the Clinton camp. Yesterday when Hillary was asked about reverend Wright she refused to comment and only said "Ask him" (Barack) like her comment "As far as I know" Very strange and telling since they were responsible for the native garb picture, etc.

[zeiben]

No, you just have to watch Morning Joe to see the profound depth of white ignorance in the media. Scarborough is desperate to scuttle the Obama campaign, and his fake rage barely masks the glee that he obviously feels over being able to pin it on another raving black man.

[Genisa]

You got that right!

[bobo209]

America has blood on its hands. America, as Martin Luther King said, "is the greatest perpetrator of violence in the world today." So what else is new?

What's new, is the media is using every soapbox in the country to preach uber-nationalism and vilify America's critics as unpatriotic. Their "Love it or leave it" gibberish is being used to tar a presidential candidate who hasn't sufficiently prostrated himself before his corporate overlords to make them feel that he can be trusted to carry out their directives. That is what's really happening. Obama is just unpredictable enough to make the parasite class nervous that he might do something crazy, like serve the public interest. That would be a real disaster. It'd be better to install the appalling Ms. Clinton than take a chance on the “populist” Obama. That's why the wrath of the media has descended on Obama like a Texas hailstorm; they're afraid he doesn't understand who really runs things in America.


Wright means nothing to the media or to the men behind the curtain. If he didn't provide an avenue for denigrating Obama, he'd be treated with the same indifference as the thousands of other blacks who were herded at gunpoint into the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina. It's Obama's scalp they want; that's the real prize. This is a turf war; the big-wigs are defending their fiefdom from interlopers. They're even rolling out the heavy artillery expecting a full-blown conflagration.

[burlapbob]

hey bobo209, i have to correct you regarding your statement that "thousands of other blacks were herded at gunpoint into the superdome during hurricane katrina." i'm a new orleans native, was there for katrina, and i can tell you that no one was herded into the dome at gunpoint. i don't know where you got that info, but it is flat out wrong. there were people of all races who had the unfortunate experience of spending time at the dome in the immediate aftermath of the storm. they went there voluntarily, as the dome was the refuge of last resort. how do these myths get perpetrated?