Inspiration Versus Degradation

Sometimes our degraded press prefers the prediction to the event itself. I'm talking about Jeremiah Wright's interview with Bill Moyers. It aired last Friday night and to my mind was one of Bill's best interviews. Rev. Wright was talking to someone in his own metier. Moyers is also ordained, is a great speaker and cares deeply about social justice. So it was an equal interviewing an equal -- so seldom the case on television.

Bill Moyers nevertheless pushed Wright hard, raised all the questions Wright's out-of-context sound bites have aroused and played lengthy excerpts from his sermons. I was inspired. This is a pastor I'd listen to on a Sunday instead of namby-pamby Tim Russert or the various screaming clubs on network TV.

Wright seems utterly sincere to me. He strikes me as having a true spiritual calling. When he says, "America's chickens have come home to roost," I can't fault his logic. Haven't we been squandering hard earned taxpayer money on overseas adventures while we starve poor children? Haven't we been supporting dictators while prating of democracy? Haven't we been enriching profiteers at the expense of health care and education? You betcha.

A week ago I told my audience in Rome that in the last several years, I've been ashamed to be an American. A cheer went up from the amphitheater. It was such a relief, audience members later told me, to hear an American speak the truth for a change.

The Italians may have voted for Silvio Berlusconi, but they don't think George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have been good for America or the planet. Like most Americans, they would love to see them gone. So would Italians. Italians love American and feel pain when we slide away from the great ideals our Constitution and Bill of Rights have given the world.

Italians feel they have a stake in America. It's interesting to hear how thrilled they are by New York. When I say "sono New Yorkese" (I'm a New Yorker), they are delighted. And they also love LA and Chicago and Miami. Many Italians commute between New York and Rome, LA and Milan, Miami and Florence. They can't vote in the US but you'd never know that by how interested they are in American politics. They love our great 18th century traditions -- sometimes more than we.

So where's the discussion of Jeremiah Wright's real calling? You can't find it. Our idiotic press prefers to play orphaned excerpts and force Barack Obama to apologize for words he never spoke. What is this apology stuff? Everyone has to apologize for their pastors, their doctors, their mothers, their fathers, their churches, their social affiliations. Why? Apologies are cheap. Inspiration is hard to find.

Just because a man is inspired by his pastor doesn't mean he agrees with every word his pastor says. Duh. Even a moron knows that. But inspiration remains important. And you will never be inspired by running stuff out of context and playing gotcha.

Our press has become a sea of triviality, meanness and irrelevant chatter.

God knows inspiration is always welcome. Moyers and Wright gave us that on Friday night.

Comments

[cynicalismo]

Perhaps Ms Jong will favor us with another punditical bit of puffery now that His Obamaness has thrown the Rev from the sled. He didn't have to throw Wright to the wolves, the good doctor did that to himselfr.

[NanWhit]

I totally agree with your comments on Jeremiah Wright and Obama. I worried after I heard his comments on Monday, with the media so ready to jump on any news, I knew there would be controversy over his Monday comments. Obama has so much to offer, but I plan to vote for Hillary.. If Hillary weren't in the run for president, I would have voted for him. I really feel her life experiences make her more suitable to be president at this time. I read a lot and have been so concerned about our country ever since George Bush got into office. I, not unlike the Europeans, could not understand why America voted put him back in office for a second term (I didn't). I am just afraid if we put someone so young and inexperienced into office he will have the same problems that I remember John Kennedy had. I wanted to comment on your articles, I really enjoy them! Thank you!!!

[MinerSam]

I was also inpired by that interview, and therefore my feelings improved for him.

But unlike those who control our information pipelines I DO NUANCE and was able to make the distinction between some of what Wright has said and others.

But, I percieve that you did not see him before the Journalists on Monday. His was beligeranting and raving in a way that appeared purely egotistica­l....yet one can have compassion for the way that the terrible things he said post 9/11 superceded the apparently many ways that he helped his community.

I was Media Trained many years ago: The first thing you are taught is how what you say can be taken out of context

And having worked on the first generations of products that connect computers to each other and to the Internet I am extremely uncomfortable about the negative potential of U-Tube on our political process because it increases the potential to Practice Swiftboating, and to empower the sleaziest
such as this administration -- Whose sophisticated PR process has done so much damage.

[jerzyjc16]

Jong continues to willfully miss the point: how on earth can you convince Americans that 911 was punishment for our policies or that the government tried to commit genocide against African Americans by inventing AIDS? You do no service to righting the serious wrongs of global poverty or the very real injustice done to African Americans by screaming at the top of your lungs the most insane explanation of every situation. If Wright were saying that we need to question why 1 in 9 Black men are in prison, or that we need to question how a country with 5% of the population is responsible for 25% of greenhouse gas that might require some serious self-examination and some very uncomfortable conclusions. The "evil" of American policy is not central and cannot be central to every single issue! You won't get change with a committed bunch of lunatics running things. Look at the committed bunch of lunatics running things now. It's not working for them--is it?

[CynthiaCr]

Yes, MinerSam. And finally with the Rev. Wright's awkward ("freaky?" "spastic?") mimicking of President Kennedy's famous words (which made me, retired60s­whitelady) gasp & even now keeps cringing in my ears ~

it came to me that however interesting Rev. Wright's message and it is, he IS after all, a *Pastor*.

["Carpenter stick to thy lathe" comes to mind.]

At that podium the other day, he was hell bent on stirring up shock & derision amoungst every last one of the diverse constituencies Obama, "as a politician" (speaking for the Whole Country), is seeking to bring together so we can fix it~ despite of and maybe even, on account of ~ all our various and sundry wounds.

PS This is not in anyway to excuse the media playing the childhood game of Pass The Word:
turning
"as a politician",
into: just a politician,
into: just another politician­....

Just my two cents.

[Bladernr1001]

Listen to all this hand wringing on this message board.

Face it liberals..­..Wright has made some incredible statements for which he has no proof (or will not reveal the proof....w­hich usually means there is not proof).

I think all you guys should start looking forward to a McCain presidency. Not saying I would really like that much more than you guys but he's better than either of the 2 democratic avowed socialists.

[Dannydel]

A gutsy, incisive column Erica. Wright was a U.S. Marine and has done all those positive things in Chicago and beyond. And anybody who bothers to put down their latte' and shut off the Real Housefraus of NYC, will realize that the chickens really are on final approach. I say gutsy, because at some point in the near past it became unpatriotic in some circles, to express an honest opinion about the country and it's government, if it were in anyway negative. The british have a word for that: "Bollocks!!". I believe the problem with many people is that they actually the media fruitloops on t.v. And the problem with the media, is that they plumb the depths for the most simplistic, headline grabbing piece of unimportant but sensationalistic tripe they can find, and then they run with it for about a month. The talking heads are either arrogant (Morning Joe), psychotic (Hannity/O'Rielly), or inconsequential twits (The preppy who can't dance, formerly known as 'Bow-Tie Boy'). Keep it coming Erica...."­Good onya!".

[NursePatric]

I would like to agree with you but I can't Erica. This is a story about a young, Harvard Law Grad. who suddenly finds his racial identity and political and religious calling in CHICAGO ... uh huh ... and says yesterday that he was always more interested in the churches reach beyond it's walls -- I bet! It's a story about an old school minister in a Black Church being patronized and "forgiven" for his life's work so as not to derail the young Pols ambitions. It's about a pastor who chooses to keep the lesson alive -- and let folks draw their own conclusions.
Your piece talks about all the atrocities "we" have perpetrated. The Black church I think tends to look more at what "they" have done in our name ... and speaks to the disenfranchised here who are often times as much abused by the US Govt. as the overseas victims you site.
It's different.
Good for Wright. He doesn't owe Obama anything ... and if this is how he treats his Pastor then how will it be for Black Americans if he is elected. Will they be adled uncles? Why wouldn't they just be written off as well if their issues clash with BO's ambitions?

[gekkobear]

Finally, I can see something we agree on.

I'm ashamed you're an American too.

No really, I agree completely. we're both really ashamed and saddened that you can be called an American. It's just a travesty really, and we both wish it weren't so.

I'm glad to find some area where we can agree so completely.

And if, as Wright has stated, you believe that HIV/AIDS was created by the Government and spread by the CIA as part of a secret racist Government plot...

Then I agree with you even more, if that is possible.

[Daddio1]

Excellent article Erica. It's refreshing to read an article in which a writer includes actual factors pertaining to an argument. I have to say that political motives are the biggest threat to truth and justice in our world today.

[Venise Alstergren]

I don't know when you changed the system, but today was the first day I got through to the comment section within a minute.

Cheers

Venise

[lakeqi]

I noticed that before the Pennsylvania election. Hilary started sporting this stupid grin, not like she knew she would win Pennsylvania,but like she knew something the rest of us couldn't dream of. I am now convinced that irresistible forces within the Establishment have decided in her favor. It's already been decided. Obama will either lose( most likely) or if he does win, Hilary will be given the VP and put one heartbeat from the presidency,and we all know what happens after that. There is some foul shit going on, stuff the normal public has no access to.
You will know a tree by the fruit it bears.I predict that within a year this country will be on fire.Lets hope I'm wrong.

[Scipio]

What's the matter Erica, a little alienated from Bushamerica? Like you, I couldn't understand what all of the bruhaha over Wright was all about: the man wasn't doing anything but telling the truth. When we've got all of these flag pin wearing geeks on the right, including their preachers, saying "God bless America" (proving only that Dr. Johnson was right), and an administration that actually TORTURES people (what would Jebus do?), Rev. Wright is a breath of fresh air. He tells it like it is. I keep hoping Obama will tell the pundits to bugger off, that he pretty much agrees with the controversial Wright sermon. But, hey, I'm living in an alternate universe. I'd like to see WRIGHT in the White House.

[J4Obama08]

I am just so disgusted by this whole mess I could puke! So much of the Reverend's statements I agree with - for instance America has done terrible things in the middle east and so much of it has been based not on anything other then oil! One day a country is a friend the next an enemy. We have bombed the living hell out of Iraq and killed probably hundreds of thousands of innocent women and children who did nothing wrong - they just were unfortunate enough to be living in the wrong place. That just sickens me - how dare we? War is terrible enough when it is "justified" - this big fat lie of a war is America's national disgrace!

[marcywrite]

Agree...an­d want to share one important piece of information: the "chickens coming home to roost" comment that is being attributed directly to Rev. Wright was actually something he was QUOTING that Edward Peck, a State Dept. official under Carter & Nixon had said on Fox News (aka Faux Noise). HE didn't say it -- Peck did! How do I know? A fellow Obama volunteer in my community was IN CHURCH THE DAY IT WAS SPOKEN. He has written an op-ed on the subject and has had no luck getting it published -- but THAT is the truth about what the Rev. said. His comments have not only been truncated and taken out of context; they've also been ascribed to him when they shouldn't be.

And we're all blathering about this nonsense when we should be focused on Iraq and health care and energy prices and the environment and our schools and our roads and.......­..

[DiogenesII]

marcywrite

As a point of calrification, the earliest reference, that I am aware of, regards the chickens quote, was made by Malcom X in 1963. If anyone has knowledge that predates this, please join in.

This speech is sometimes called "The Chickens Come Home To Roost," because of an answer Malcolm X gave in response to a question following the speech. The question concerned the late President John Kennedy. It was Malcolm X's answer, that the Presidents death was a case of "chickens coming home to roost" -- that the violence that Kennedy had failed to stop had come back to him.

[BerylGamse]

I watched Moyer's interview of Wright too. I found it a slow pitch softball affair. Wright justified his relationship with and the inflluence of the demonstrably racist Louis Farrakhan's by saying that Farrakhan did good things for the black community. I waited for Moyer's to challenge him. Hitler did good things for the German community. Does that justify his policies of slavic enslavement and extermination of Gypsies and Jews?

[Willemaq]

BerylGamse,
Please provide the links you've apparently found that show where Louis Farrakhan was responsible for the deaths of millions, invaded countries, imprisoned and experimented on innocent people, etc.

I would bet that Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam has done a lot more to help people (black or white) than you ever have.

[StillIRise]

I'm sorry to show my ignorance ... but who did Minister Farrakhan enslave or exterminate?

Minister Farrakhan has indeed done many commendable things for the black community. As Reverend Wright said, he has saved many young black youth from lives of crime and poverty and inferior education. He has infiltrated gangs to bring black children back to school and from off the streets. He has lifted black families from the strangle-hold of hopelessness and have given them the encouragement to ressurect broken communities. Twenty years ago, he made offensive remarks about the Jewish community. He apologized, and he's been hated for these words ever since! Your contempt for Minister Farrakhan is your own, but what right do you, or does anyone have, to demand that Reverend Wright or anyone else hate him too! Based on your post, why am I not surprised that you would find Moyers' interview "a slow pitch softball affair?" If you feel that you are justified in comparing Reverend Wright to Hitler, then you've not only missed the point, but you'll never get it!

[elbzee]

Ahhh, but if your objective is to enflame indignation, fear, bitterness, biggotry, and paranoia, it makes total sense to paint a black leader as and equal to Hitler. Any white republican fool knows that!

[wrabbitt]

Clinton had their chance! and the only thing that changed was the trust of the people, it went away. Maybe the Clintons need some divine intervention in their quest for another Clinton White house. Or is Hillary afraid of truth! She is the one who owes favors to the lobbyist who support her, Big insurance bought her off the last time she cried insurance, Congress should be ashamed of what it did to the American people with this plan D prescription bullshit, they made lots of money from lobbyists but the people got the shaft. After all the health care plan government workers and elected officials have is the best taxpayers can buy, And Social Security is only for the people, Hillary, and her fellow criminals in congress and senate have a private investment plan because social security will be broke before 2012. Revolution starts at the ballot box!

[Steamboater]

Instead of focusing on Wroght at the moment, HuffPost should be headling Obama's agreeement to back General Petreaus in his new post. THe least he could have done, if he really intends to end this war in Iraq, is say he will vote "No" as a form of prtest against the man who's nothing but a lackey for Bush. I'd like to hear the excuses Obama supporters will make for him now.

[lakeqi]

Are you serious? What a trivial point. Theres an open post and Petraeus is obviously in line. This is politics. At this point he's not going to cut his own throat by fighting some ridiculous fight against the nomination of Petreaus. If he's elected and he orders a withdrawal,whats Petreaus gonna do say no?