Healing the Wounds of Race

It has simmered throughout this campaign, and now race has exploded into the center of the media debate about the presidential race. Just when a black political leader is calling us all to a new level of responsibility, hope, and unity; the old and divisive rhetoric of race from both blacks and whites is rearing its ugly head to bring down the best chance we have had for years of finally moving forward.

And that is indeed the real issue here. A black man is closer to possibly becoming president than ever before in American history. And this black man is not even running as "a black man" but as a new kind of political leader who believes the country is ready for a new kind of politics. But a new kind of politics and a new face for political leadership is deeply threatening to all the forces that represent the old kind of politics in America. And all the rising focus on race in this election campaign has one purpose and one purpose alone -- to stop Barack Obama from becoming President of the United States.

Barack Obama should win or lose his Party's nomination or the presidency based on the positions he takes regarding the great issues of our time and his capacity to lead the country and America's role in the world. He must not win or lose because of the old politics of race in America. That would be a tragedy for all of us.

The cable news stations and talk radio are playing carefully selected excerpts of the most potentially incendiary statements from Rev. Jeremiah Wright's fiery sermons, the retiring pastor of Barack Obama and his family's home Trinity Church in Chicago. Obama, while affirming the tremendous work his church has done in his city and around the nation, has condemned the most controversial remarks of his pastor. But the whole controversy points to the enormous gap in understanding between the mainstream black community in America and the experience of many white Americans. And that is what we are going to have to heal if we are ever to move forward.

Here is what I mean.

There is a deep well of both frustration and anger in the African American community in these United States of America. And those feelings are borne of the concrete experience of real oppression, discrimination, and blocked opportunities that most of America's white citizens take for granted. African Americans across the spectrum of income and success will speak personally to those feelings of frustration and anger, when white people are willing to listen. But usually we are not. In 2008, to still not comprehend or seek to understand the reality of black frustration and anger, is to be in a state of white denial which, very sadly, is where many white Americans are.

The black church pulpit has historically been a place of prophetic truth-telling about the realities that black people experience in their own country. Indeed, the black church has often been the only place where such truths are ever told. And, black preachers have had the pastoral task of nurturing the spirits of people who feel beaten down week after week. Strong and prophetic words from black church pulpits are often a source of comfort and affirmation for black congregations. The truth is that many white Americans would indeed feel uncomfortable with the rhetoric of many black preachers from many black churches all across the country.

But if you look beyond the grainy black and white clips of the dashiki clad Rev. Wright and the angry black male voice (all designed to provoke stereotypes and fear) to actually listen to what the words are saying about America being run by "rich white people" while blacks have cabs speeding by them, and about American misdeeds around the world, it's hard to disagree with many of the facts presented. It's rather the angry tone of Wright's comments that provides the offense and the controversy.

Ironically, a new generation of black Americans is now eager and ready to move beyond the frustration and anger to a new experience of opportunity and hope. And nobody represents that shift more than Barack Obama. There is a generational shift occurring within the black community itself, between an older generation who are sometimes perceived to be stuck in the politics of victimization and grievance, and a younger generation who believe that opportunity and progress are now possible--not by ignoring, but by being committed to actually changing the facts of oppression and discrimination.

Barack Obama represents that hope of dealing with the substance of the issues of injustice while at the same time articulating the politics of hope, and even the possibility of racial unity. Obama's attraction to many who are white, especially a new generation, demonstrates the promise of a new racial politics in America. But to be a leader for a new generation of black Americans, Barack Obama had to be firmly rooted in the black church tradition, where the critique of white America, the sustenance of the African American community, and God's promise for the future are all clearly articulated. That's why he began attending Trinity Church where he was converted to Jesus Christ in the black liberationist tradition of, among others, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

So it would be a great tragedy if the old rhetoric of black frustration and anger were to now hurt Barack Obama, who has become the best hope of beginning to heal that very frustration and anger. Obama has never chosen to talk about race in the way that Rev. Jeremiah Wright does on the video clips that keep playing, and indeed has never played "the race card" at any time in this election. It's been his opponents that have, especially the right-wing conservative media machine that wants America to believe he is secretly a Muslim and is from a "racist" church.

This most recent controversy over race just demonstrates how enormous the gap still is between whites and blacks in America--in our experience and our capacity to understand one another. May God help us to heal that divide and truly bless America.

Jim Wallis is the author of The Great Awakening, Editor-in-Chief of Sojourners and blogs at www.godspolitics.com.

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Read more HuffPost coverage and reaction to Obama's speech

Comments

[Loeb]

Rev. Jeremiah Wright addressed the issue of race. It was is US/Israeli
racism against the Palestinian people (GAZA & Lebanon) which
included massacres, torture, stealing property and resources
for the use of "Jews only", defiance of the Geneva Conventions
Articles 45 and 47 (settlements, funded mostly by the
US) the building up of Israel into the fourth largest military
nation in the world, non-recognition of the democratically elected
government of GAZA, exploitation of Palestinian labor for
the use of Jews, commanding Palestinian men to take
off their clothes and perform sexual acts for the amusement of
the evidently superior occupying Jews in GAZA etc. Rev. Wright
objects as Prophet Jeremiah criticized his country and paid dearly
for it. We owe him much for his courage.

[tommyoverload]

December is now officially White History Month to honor our white pride and heritage.
This official declaration is endorsed by over 200 million people who are proud to have a white ancestry. Sincerely yours, Ronald Blakely Massey
From>Proud To Be White

>Someone finally said it.
>How many are actually paying attention to this?
>There are African Americans, Mexican Americans,
>Asian Americans, Arab Americans, Native Americans, etc.
>And then there are just Americans.
>You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction.
>You Call me "White boy," "Cracker," "Honkey,"
>"Whitey," "Caveman" . and that's OK.
>But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head,
>Sand-nigger, camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink ...
>you call me a racist.
>You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you,
>so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?
>You have the United Negro College Fund. You have
>Martin Luther King Day. You have Black History Month.
>You have Cesar Chavez Day. You have Yom Hashoah. You
>have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have the NAACP.
>You have BET.
>If we had WET (White Entertainment Television) .
>we'd be racists.
>If we had a White Pride Day .. you would call us racists.
>If we had White History Month .. we'd be racists.
>If we had any organization for only whites to "advance" OUR lives .
>we'd be racists.
>We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black
>Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain
>Chamber of Commerce.
>Wonder who pays for that?
>If we had a college fund that only gave white students
>scholarships
>... you know we'd be racists.
>There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in
>the US , yet if there were "White colleges" ...
>THAT would be a racist college.
>In the Million Man March, you believed that you were
>marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our
>race and rights,
>you would call us racists.
>You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange,
>and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we
>announce our white pride ....
>you call us racists.
>You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a
>white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats
>up a black drug-dealer running from the law and posing
>a threat to society . you call him a racist.
>I am proud.
>But, you call me a racist.
>Why is it that only whites can be racists?
>There is nothing improper about this e-mail.
>Let's see which of you are proud enough to send it on.
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ __

[moonglowsun]

You know.......I'm so very sick of how the business of politics is played in this country. It's worse than Hollywood. Who decided what the code of ethics should be for America? And who decided that it should permeate into the personal lives of candidates and leaders? I am not suggesting corruption, but I am speaking of religious practice, sexual preference and marital condition.
Who come up with the idea it was OK to play God with people's lives? Make no mistake, that's exactly what this is. We are all human and it is common knowledge that to err is human, to forgive divine. Have we all lost track of that basic principle? Obama did not commit a gaff, his old minister did.
I have to almost laugh at the irony here. In the White House we have a man running the country who has crossed so many lines it's beyond funny. And yet, does anyone question his religious beliefs? This is a man who abused alcohol and drugs. A man who thought nothing of invading a country without provocation. Who has the blood of thousands all over his hands. A man who thinks nothing of using our dedicated military like papertowels. Squeezing them until there's nothing left to use.
How dare we assume that the words of one can be attributed or accepted by another? Guilty by association? If that's the case, then beware because none of us are up to the standards set for Presidency by the "moral majority". And while we stand in judgement, the devil will slither under the radar just like he did seven years ago.

[daddysboy]

Bless your heart for trying. My bet is that Americans will not want to do any real work to overcome any historic prejudices and inequities so mccain will be elected by default. The problem is that those delusional white people you refer to are delusional because they refuse to believe that they are just one step away from abject poverty themselves. These are the same people that refuse to believe that Iraq has descended into complete chaotic civil war due in large part to our illegal invasion because they don't want to believe we can always be attacked from a million weaknesses. These are the same folks that refuse to believe that our educational system is in shambles because they have some money and can afford to steer their children clear of their local broken school system. These are the same people that refuse to believe the economy is tanking because they have investments and don't want to acknowledge that the paper will be meaningless if things go too far. I think your idea about addressing reality is sound; I just don't think it goes far enough. Americans need to start talking about reality on ALL fronts and fast or we're surely doomed.

[justice4juveniles]

I'm glad Obama has taken this opportunity to discuss the racial issues we face. Since I have been advocating and working with juveniles being charged and convicted as adults, receiving harsh adult mandatory minimum sentences, including LWOP for 13, 14, 15 , 16 & 17 year old kids, I have seen first hand the disparity in the justice system between blacks and whites. It is not a fantasy, it is real. Out of the 2,000 or so kids serving Life Without the Possibility of Parole, 90% are black. Statistics show that black juveniles are more likely to be sent to prison and for much longer periods of time than white juveniles comitting the same crimes. Many are first time offenders with no criminal record, but they get sentenced as adults and sent to adult prisons, white kids are handled in juvenile court where the recidivism rate is much lower than kids that have gone to adult prisons. There are report after report documenting this disparity, and the end result, more crime, more blacks in prison after being exposed to adult prisons. As Obama stated, these are training grounds for future criminals. The McArthur Foundation has done extensive studies on this which you can find if you do a Google search. We need to face the facts in this country. There is a huge disparity in the criminal justice system between blacks and whites and in my area of work, in the juvenile system. There is real anger disseminating from this very real injustice and probably is part of Rev. Wright's pulpit rants, which probably make perfect sense to the people sitting in the pews. I'm white and I would get it if I sat there on Sunday morning. Let's stop being so prudish and naive, especially the media, who think Rev. Wright is all so outrageous. There is nothing really that outrageous about what he is preaching in some respects, it is true. The part I know about, the criminal justice system and it's documented and acknowledged disparity, he has a leg to stand on. I just don't think "white America" wants to hear it, acknowledge it, or cares about it. So they poo-poo it. I'm glad Obama didn't throw his minister under the bus. That shows his true character. He took the opportunity to open a discussion, something Rev. Wright hasn't been able to do other than preaching to the choir. Thanks Barack, it makes my work easier too. We fight like hell to change what is happening to kids in this country who get caught up in the adult criminal system and are sent to rot in prisons for their entire life, forgotten and loathed by society and if they do get out, they are far, far worse off then when they went in. I've seen another side to most of these kids, the real side.

Thanks for posting my comment.

[darkladyofala]

Sen. Obama knows of what he speaks; having been reared by white mom and grandmother, I suspect that his mom lived in such a way as to make her son feel comfortable in his skin no matter the surroundings. Mrs. Obama must have been a a wise and good person; the proof is in how fine her son has turned out.
The "liberal" mainstream will ride the race thing as long as it puts money in the corporations that own them. I am of an older generation,and have found little to take pride in, I'm deeply proud now, not only of Sen. Obama, but the voters of every age, race and creed that have shown their willingness to, with Obama, take the race bull by the horns.
It is a shame that most of our fellow citizens still get most of what passes for news from corporate giants who own TV; and have their fingers in many pies, including the WAR SERVICE INDUSTRY. They ignored John Edwards and treated Dennis Kucinich as a joke; thse two alone carried the wrong message. A populist message that the powers that be made sure got precious little coverage.
Now, they are are working on Sen. Obama, their claws and teeth are sharpened, while pretending to cover the story; the race baiting story invented by them.

[thrutheseasons]

There was a person who made a comment about Obama not being Martin Luther King. Of course he is not and we don't want him to martyr himself either. We need a fresh politics, a transparent politics, we need less obfuscations, half-truths, and all out lies which, as good as the Clintons were, does not compare with the politics which will be shown by example by the Obamas. Not only is the president the commander in chief, he is also a group leader for the whole country who advocates that we eat better, that we have more time for our kids, and ensures that discussions about policy around the world are clear and devoid of misinformation. Obama is one of the best writers and speakers to come around in a long time. And, about experience, some of our greatest presidents had the least amount of experience, i.e. Lincoln and Wilson, and some of our worst, i.e. Nixon, had some of the longest experience. We all thought when Bill said, "I did not inhale." that what he said was kind of cute, but who knew what it would lead to: the failure of "Don't ask, don't tell.", and the disastrous inability to come up with the goods over non-issues like a felatio he was misleading about. Rwanda happened and the media was more interested in a blow job. We did nothing for them, when the exact same thing happened in Yugoslavia, but we came to their help, why, because they were white. When America does wrong, it gives the rest of the world an excuse to act poorly. Think about what it would mean for Kenya and the third world to have a president of color who got to his position by being the best candidate and not let racism to fall him. And, in terms, of first ladies, Michelle Obama is so impressive, I almost would like her to be president over Barack. I never felt that about Hillary. The Clintons are simply outclassed by someone who refuses to take the low road.

[RunNM]

This speech was too little and at least 6 1/2 years too late.

[yowza1]

Well unfortunately or not, this race and campaign will take place within the parameters of America as it is, not as it should be. Remember this bunch of yahoos elected GWB twice. They would revert to slavery and whippings and the whole 9 yards in a nanosecond if given the chance. The people in this country just want to drive their twucky or "4 wheeler" or car with "after market" exhaust system and make obscene noise to try and advance their own little amoral cache'.
If you want to get ahead, apparently all you have to do is shout platitudes and speak in cliches. Don't give any indication that you think, others may have to think a little to understand you and they all have ADHD (that's their excuse!) and so won't be bothered.

[Balloonman]

Again yowza1, NOT elected twice. First election stolen and the second likely so.

[LisasLaunchpad]

HuffPost's Pick

I would go further back than that!I just listened to this very heartfelt, truthful and poignant speech that no other politician has had the nerve to make. In all it's greatness and sobriety of how America relates to one another, he has missed a very important fact that is far larger than race, and that is wealth. Wealth is the single most important divisive tool in the American arsenal.However "better" capitalism has proven in America that anyone can become something in this country, has been a powerful aphrodisiac. With that capitalistic view, the centricity of our thoughts and our immediate family and friends has made us a society with blinders to any others. Community is not important when everyone is wireless with no real need for real contact. The very idea that we don't even need wires to connect us to experiencing what a computer can offer is a great metaphor for how we run our day to day lives.When was the last time the majority of families had a mother or a father inside the house to help nurture and take care of their children? To simply exist presently both parents (if the family is lucky enough to have that) must be working full-time jobs with overtime to make ends meet. With that comes children who are raised by themselves or other siblings or a host of daycare centers or schools around the country. This allows too many kids not enough guidance and rules to really fulfill their true potential.But capitalism has also given many men and women something they could never had had before given the life they were born into, which I think is wonderful about this country. But whether people amassed great fortunes because of a certain talent or just by having inherited it, many use this to cheat a basic fairness we all feel within our bones. Take OJ Simpson and Phil Spector. One black, one white, both crazy. Because of money they are able to allude a most just jail sentence. A sentence that most people any race that have even a decent income could never escape. I think that not only does Barrack have to take on tackling race, but he needs to tackle the wealth divide. Education = Wealth = Power. It's a simple equation and if we don't start at the very root of decent public education we will always have this great divide.

[thrutheseasons]

I'm sure Barack Obama understands too well the problem of the divide between the haves and the havenots. That was not the topic of his speech. Unfortunately, race is not a non-issue. The way he tackled the issue was very important and shows that he is just at a level way above the rest. Think about it. He is smart. About as smart as Lincoln. He gives a good speech. I think better than Kennedy. He is comfortable and polite, probably as good as Reagan. I believe he is honest, probably as honest as Carter, but much more socially astute. I really believe we have not seen anything like him ever in American history. What impresses me most is that he develops his policies on just a few ideals as his strength. I believe he is a follower of the Golden Rule, and that is why I believe Hillary is losing this campaign. His ideals are not without education. He is the only candidate who can think out of the box, and when faced with unpopular issues and unpopular stands he takes to these issues, he does not run, he does not obfuscate; he has patience, he explains very clearly to the public very complicated issues; and for a public who generally admits to their lack of education or knowledge of a world that is ever more quickly changing, we need a president who can communicate, and we also need a president who can discern when a person is committing fraud in order to draw us into war. Barack just is better with people than either Bill or Hillary, and in a world filled with many difficult personalities and different cultures, Barack is going to be able to better deal with them.

Question. How are we going to prevent Bush from pardoning all the criminals that he has been involved with?

I did not like the way Bill Clinton pardoned so many questionable people either, but none of those seem as bad as getting us into a war under false pretences and profiting from it.

[LeoMarvin]

Some of the HuffPost's Picks make me think the moderators must just get punch-drunk after 5 or 6 hours of reading all this drivel.

[Binea]

I loved Obama's speech yesterday. I have decided to vote for Obama in the general .I decided this a quite a few weeks ago. But first,let me admit..I am a Republican.I voted for Ron Paul in the primary,but since Ron Paul doesn't have the backing of the neocons who have taken over the "conservative" airways,and no backing from those in government..he doesn't have a chance.I know it seems to be such an extream switch Ron Paul to Obama,but let me say how I see they are the same.Both were very much against going into Iraq,Ron Paul was that lone republican that voted "no" on it.Both Ron Paul and Obama got the largest amount of donations from active Duty Military (Ron Paul got about 200,000 dollars and Obama 90,000) what does that tell you ? It tells me that the most vocal anti Iraq people in the Government got the most support from those there in Iraq,or who will be going there.Both drew a large number of young new voters.Both care about cival liberties deeply.Ron Paul actually spoke highly of Obama in a republican debate on those issues.Both have introduced legislation and called for more transparency in Government ,But Obama even goes further than Ron paul on that.You can't go wrong with a transparent government,think about it...Secretive government" Bush "and secretive future government "Hillary" vs open transparent government "Obama".Obama in a speech this last weekend said that one of the first things he will do as president,is to use executive orders to reverse the executive orders that Bush gave that stomp on our cival liberties! These are freedom calls in my opinion,freedom from a facist type government.Ron Paul too,was accused of being racist because of some supporters of his and what some wrote in his paper.But,he is far from racist.what he actually wrote about race and government,"What really divides us ?" back in 02,Obama touched on is his speech.Obama seems to have the view that Government helps to create equality through some of it's programs,Ron Paul say's Government is the cause of the problems.Both Ron Paul and Obama see there is a problem.They disagree on some parts of the cure.Ron Paul wrote "Racism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans only as members of groups and never as individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike; as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups.By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so-called "diversity" actually perpetuate racism. Their intense focus on race is inherently racist, because it views individuals only as members of racial groups." Ron Paul also wrote "The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence, not skin color, gender, or ethnicity." Yes it is a very anti collectivist piece..but,,could it be true ? Don't get me wrong..I'm not trying to get you to vote for Ron Paul,there's no way he will win,but I want you to understand some things Obama and Ron Paul have in common,and how thier political philosophy on how to solve those problems ,differ.Both want the same thing.A truer Union ,separte but equal ?I would love to see the two get together and discuss all the things I mentioned.Ron Paul a white male falsely accused of racism and Obama falsely accused of racism do to what Others have said.I do not believe eigther of them are racist.But I do think both of them have supporters that are,and for various reasons.I'd like to see Obama,Ron Paul,Lieberman ,and Jackson or sharpton,all standing together on a stage weeping and hugging each other..LOL ok that's a bit far,but..it would be good to see them come together on a stage and stand for the unity we need in order to solve these problems in government as well as society. What say ye ? Can we ? I don't know how to send e-mails to these people..maybe some of you do.lets get this together and move on to solve these serious serious propblems..economy,racial divisions,housing,medical and Wars that I and others who supported Paul ,and those of us who have or now do support Obama.are concerned about.The Fed and taxes we can deal with later :)BTW can this be done BEFORE the PA primary ?

[littleblackcat]

Does anyone know if there exists a COMPLETE version of Rev. Wright's sermon? If the usual has happened, the cherry-pickers have taken a few sentences and run amok with a bull-horn. When you only get half (or less) of a tale, you cannot make an informed analysis. Too many people don't want to bother with the whole picture, would rather run like lemmings over the cliff of half-wittedness but I would like to have heard the entire thing. There are times when parts of it apply absolutely, whether or not it could have been phrased in a more "politically correct" way. Personally, I'm sick to death of political correctness. It is FIVE YEARS PAST TIME to have looked bushit in the eye and told him he is a stupid fool with an ego bigger than the whole herd of repu elephants and declared him a mass murderer, along with many other crimes.

[vsign]

I knew Dr King. Obama is no Dr King.

If he behaves in a different manner, I suppose he could attain the kind of manhood that Dr King had.

I'm sure he doesn't understand what he is doing wrong, nor you, to deserve my judgement that he is a false prophet. What is he doing wrong? He is seeking power. Stop running for office and do the work you were hired to do Obama. He has run for office 4 times and was in the Senate one year before running for President.

That alone disqualifies him, in my mind, for respect. I think he needs to show us what kind of work he can do other than preach to the masses.

Rev Wright is divisive. Obama is divisive in his sermons as well. When Obama says - "Young people unite and get rid of the old folks. Tear down the bridge to the past and follow me. I will give you the power you so deserve " - this sounds to me, much like the sermons Rev Wright gives. Maybe Obama has just stirred up divisions between young and old voters like his adopted father does between white and black Americans. Obama certainly blames Hillary and Bill for all kinds of ills like Rev Wright does.

This has little to do with fear of black men. This, for me, has to do with a fear that democracy and the right for all to vote could actually give us a President who is anti American.

We know inside ourselves who has sufficient love for this country or not. Obama does not and likely never could. He would have to work the land, love the people and stop running for office.

[littleblackcat]

Whaat are you sniffing? Obama has NEVER said "young people unite and get rid of the old folks". What he DID say was the old way doesn't work anymore and he is right. "Politics as usual in Washington, D.C." will lead to the total destruction of whatever is left of this country. I don't believe any greater love could be shown to this country than to sacrifice his time and family life to step into the mess created by the republicans and begin to set it right. Not to mention the extreme probability that the repukes will try to assassinate him, especially if the nation DOES get to its feet and begin to get it together. The repus will never allow any "N" to show the rest of the world what a piss-poor bunch they really are. I do hope there IS such an entity as "God" and that same entity protects Barack Obama. He is going to need it.

[vsign]

I don't have white guilt and I do not want a leader of this great country to encourage white guilt and feed off it to get votes. I dislike religion and see this new religious left movement for Obama to be as dangerous as the religious right was for the Republican Party.

I like the movement for the working class. I am working class and my vote will go to the person who best represents my interest in jobs and benefits for the working class.

I was for Joe Biden and John Edwards in the beginning of this primary election cycle. By the time of my caucus in Colorado, I had two candidates to choose from. I had already decided that Obama was the opportunistic candidate - egocentric to the extreme. I consider Obama dangerous because of what he encourages in his followers - vote for me not with your mind or you are a racist.

Obama delivered Ferrara's words to the media. His campaign made a big deal out of them - just like they did with Bill words about Obama's voting history on the Iraq War. Then his campaign made a big fuss about Hillary's words about LBJ and partnerships between the races to achieve results. He obviously wants no criticism or he thinks it is quite acceptable to intimidate other Democratic voters with charges of racism. To me, that attitude is very dictatorial.

The way he got most of his delegates is also dictatorial to me. Half of his delegate count come from caucus states, like mine. Going to my caucus was one of the horrible experiences in my life. Obama supporters were very hard booted - very evangelistic. They were not concerned with helping people vote. I want a new Voting Rights Act to prevent something like this from ever happening again in the Democratic nominating process. All I have is my vote. I do not have grandiose ideas any longer about being able to affect change any other way. And that is fine. I deeply appreciate the right to vote for a leader to represent me. What a terrible experience Obama supporters have given me.

[eaglefan]

He lost all respect when he tried to turn the Clinton's into racists. I began to really dislike him when he tried to turn Ferraro into a racist. The final nail in the coffin was when I woke up and realized that Obama had drawn a line and all those on the wrong side of the line were racists. According to Obama and the media I meet all of the criteria. 1. I want Hillary to win. 2. I don't like Obama and do not think he should be President. 3. I believe that he has been given a free ride by the press and the other candidates, gulp, because he is a black man and any questioning his life, character, etc is being racist.
Imagine my surprise, after all of my life being a Democrat and pulling for all people regardless of their race to be treated fairly, to find out that I am a racist. The republican's will not give him a free ride, and I feel certain that a lot of this will come home to roost in the back rooms at the convention.

[Rabbin]

I never knew Dr. King but I set and watched all that was going on in those days! I heard the comments of whites and blacks as I hear all the comments from liberals and conservatives. However I witnessed that period of time and was there as white American and prejudice was and still is prevalent in our society no matter what we have been or are going through!

Such silly things as Obama is a Muslim when the church in attends is of the Christian Faith
divisive is the key word and making judgments as to how holy or unholy one is or is not is also divisive is that not what we were told in the Bible and as well in the Koran for those who take the time to read any of these holy words. The word is the sword of righteousness and sometimes silence is more golden. As it reads in proverbs 16 "a wicked man sows strife; gossip separates the best of friends; Wickedness loves company and leads others to sin. The wicked man stares into space with pursed lips, deep in thought, planning evil deeds! All of these words of wisdom seem to be a total part of political process anymore and righteousness has been left for dogs to tare apart. As a Christians we are taught not to judge until we have been judged?

Understand as it is written, God shall make holy who He wishes not your judgements nor mine can change that! I tell you as it is written you can't get both sweet and bitter water from the same fountain! So it is with this all of this nation! We are a nation filled with half truths and prejudices which has no gain to anyone on anything ! We don't understand prejudice is there because someone is or may be different than we are! Foolish is as foolish does and the American people today seem to have fallen into judgmental foolishness beyond logic approach!

For me I love my God first and then my family and then my nation! God is first always and from His teachings we have righteousness too bad the nation seems to lost in the mist of confusion which God is not the author of:

For me I felt Obama who I am not a supporter of, was as candid as he possibly could of been and stated his feelings and told the truth. I felt it was the best objective logical and honest speech I have heard in a long time! As an older man who has been around more years than I should of my comments here I know will be taken out of context by some and properly by others.

Americans need to learn to be honest with themselves before we attempt to judge others!
I am ashamed of this nation I was born in and love and I wonder what God thinks of me and of us?

[athenalong]

How did you know him? I am interested in your experience.....

[Purple Girl]

I applaud the Rev for calling his Congregation to defy the Unamerican acts that have been committed using OUR name, Our Flag , our Resources and our Blood to justify! We have been Used by entities that are not innately AmericaN. They do not share our goals , our Values or Our Principles.
As a White 44 yrold Natural born atheist Female- I would have been the First to stand and Cheer his Sermons! We have been infiltrated and comntaminated by these entities who have Wrapped themselves in our Flag and have seized our rights and Freedoms. THEY have betrayed US. Lied To US and have Placed our Citizens in Grave Danger to promote their Imperialist Agenda throughout the World. and we have remained Comatose if not assisted them in their 'New World Order'.
I once as a starried eyed youth thought the World would b ebetter off with a central Gov't to bring Us all together...But now realize the fantasy I invisions ( Walden) is NOT the vision these Entities share. I have come to value our unique cultural diffenences and see them a sa Strength to mankind as much as I see the Diveristy of this Country being Our Strength. We all have the basic underlying Principles need to bring down these 'Frankenstiens' ...All Men are Created Equal, Life Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness and we all have th eRight to th eGifts we have been given to be the Ordained Stewards of this Planet. the meaning of Life....to care for all we have been given and pass it on to the Future- It is not jus tour gift we are the most Able of Species .. It is Our Responsiblity!

[CarmenCameron]

Senator Obama has just shown us what a true leader he is and what a great president he would make and I hope that the majority of Americans can see it but if they can't, he has won my respect and unswerving admiration. And that won't go away. But the bigotry and hatred will - sooner or later (and I'm praying for sooner).

[soisam]

I have wondered for months if we ever were going to have an actual conversation about race in this campaign-- as opposed to accusing everyone that disagrees with us of being a racist. Senator Obama gave a thoughtful speech on the subject. However, I'm not sure that the Rev. Wright controversy is really about race. I don't know a single liberal or progressive (myself included) who has not shared Wright's anger with America and spoken in those same words out of anger and despair. Obviously, one does not need to be Black to be angry at America. "I am waiting for someone to really discover America and wail....and I am waiting for the American Eagle to really spread its wings and straighten up and fly right"--to quote L. Ferlinghetti.
I think the Wright videos offend many Americans over the issue of patriotism not race. I grew up in the midwest and lived for many years in the south and these people take flag waving, lapel pin wearing, hand over the heart , God Bless American patriotism very seriously. It's not always my country right or wrong but it is always I love my country and I'm proud to say it. They don't get rage born of love, and they are not going to elect a president who belonged to a church where the pastor gave sermons that included repeating the phrase "God Damn America." I really like Senator Obama. I just don't think he has a snowball's chance in H___ of being elected after this .

[FranktheDem]

I appreciate your candor, but we, as Americans who truly want America to pursue "a more perfect union" must also truly take a positive approach, against great odds to do just that.
My take is that we, as lovers of our pursuit toward a more perfect union, should discard the old notion that "no, we can't"! There has never been a positive gain in social progress by shrugging our collective shoulders and giving up because it is hard.
I must say that when I first heard Reverend Wright use the "God damn America" verbage, I was appalled. I still do not think that he was right in using that verbage because it is not a proper way to gain a sympathy from those who do not recognize the bigotry and hatred pent up in "white America", or "black America". None of us are without some prejudices and bias, but we will never make any headway toward progress if we don't continually put forth effort to achieve this noble cause.
It is not naive to pursue this course, it is senseless not to.
Obama may, or may not become president, but I believe that his dialogue and movement will not stop because the young people will become our new leaders with a more pure perspective.
"Let us go forward............" (JFK, 1961).

[kennedy]

"His vision" of lie after lie after lie. I agree with that.