The Undeniable Virtue of Jeremiah Wright's Pro-Blackness (and the Problem with Pro-Whiteness)

Bill Moyers is broadcasting a siddown with Barack Obama's "controversial" pastor Jeremiah Wright this Friday evening, April 25th. By Saturday expect every utterance Pastor Wright makes to be as picked over as an episode of Lost at the San Diego Comicon.

Now, I'm not going to even try to defend everything that Pastor Wright has to say. At least not the four of five loopy sound bytes -- out of how many thousands of sermons he's given -- that have made him quite the YouTube sensation. But there is a particular aspect of the Wright mischaracterization I take exception with: the idea that his pro-black teachings make him some kind of radical separatist. Interviewing Pastor Wright in March of last year, for example, Fox's Sean Hannity had this to say about statements appearing on the website for Wright's Trinity United Church of Christ:

"It says, "Commitment to God." By the way, I'm with you, and I hope you'll pray for me, Reverend. Commitment to the black community, commitment to the black family, adherence to the black work ethic. It goes on, pledge, you know, acquired skills available to the black community, strengthening and supporting black institutions, pledging allegiance to all black leadership who have embraced the black value system, personal commitment to the embracement of the black value system. Now, Reverend, if every time we said black, if there was a church and those words were white, wouldn't we call that church racist?"

In answer to the question: yeah, probably. But that's 'cause there's a difference between being pro-black and pro-white and the difference is a bad one.

Adherence to pro-black values isn't code for "kill whitey." It's merely how blacks have managed to stay alive and viable in America all these many years since we were first graciously given a ride across the middle passage to get dropped off in Virginia.

"A commitment to the black community" is what got us collectively through slavery, through an abandoned reconstruction and the ensuing era of Jim Crow. As I'm sure some will recall, because of a pesky little thing called segregation there was nothing for the black community to rely on but the black community.

Ironically, the community values and focus on the family Wright preaches of are exactly the kind of "don't bother us, do it yourself"-isms conservatives are always hectoring people of color to observe. How convenient for the pundits they can both wish us off the perceived teat, then get riled by those who encourage us to be self-reliant.

To the contrary of pro-blackness, it's pro-whiteness which has unfortunately produced some awful to horrible results: white sheets and nooses and burning cross and Citizens Councils and red lining and guys nicknamed Brownie doing a "heck of a job."

That's not say there's anything wrong with being comfortable in white skin. If that's what God gave you, sure, be happy with it. However, the whole concept of having to be pro-white is redundant. It's not as if, in the normal course of events, white folks as a race really need that much encouragement. Do teachers really have to explain to white kids that in a more fair America they could perhaps grow up to be president?

So, yeah; based on its suspect history, if one were to preach the doctrine of pro-whiteness there could be due cause for concern.

Pro-blackness, on the other hand -- analogous to the Protestant work ethic -- is one of the most positive American values we have.

Comments

[bluesman49]

If you think about it, the Obama naysayers have only one issue that resonates with voters - Reverend Wright's sermon clips. They are trying to use Ayres, but they can't get any traction with him, probably because there is no VHS tape of him making bombs. Now the problem is the Clinton campaign who are using this non-issue as an electability issue against Obama (thus giving it life), the republicans who will use it ad nauseam because it's all they have and a media that has made yellow journalism a career path.

[mslindab]

Thanks you, John. You are a voice of reason and bring a positive message.

[noamjunior]

White people who refuse to understand the cultural and historical context that make Reverend Wright's sermons positive and uplifting for all Americans, are doomed to the willful ignorance of racism. They should be pittied- right after they are chastized for spreading such evil.

[jrutle]

I've heard a number of political pundits this week state that Rev. Wright should stay quiet, that somehow he's thrown Obama under the bus this past week, etc. I'm glad to see that Wright is going out into the public and explaining who he is and what he stands for as a pastor and American. This tempest is not going to go away unless its fully exposed and addressed in the media. Rev Wright and his church have nothing to be ashamed of and Obama will be severely damaged in the general election if the one-sided picture of Wright and the Trinity United Church of Christ is left intact. The more Americans know, the more they'll appreciate the truth and be willing to accept Rev Wright even if many don't agree with all of his views. It will also show, once again, how shameless Clinton is in attempting to capitalize on untruths and misperceptions. Rev Wright is a patriotic American who volunteered to serve his country as a Marine during the Vietnam War and is informed through his experience as a black American. The truth isn't always pretty and should not be silenced.

[VSamuels]

Agreed. Yet, this task is made naturally difficult when no non-whites have visible roles in the interpetation of this said information; when those who peddle these false narratives are predominately white, or all white, it further echoes the words of Rev. Wright's responses to Moyer that America suffers from both miseducation and 'myths.' The MSM, of course helps this along by avoiding the re-telling of the uncomfortableness of America, and demonizes anyone who does in the light of a lunatic or anti-American.

It is doubtful that most of those journalists participating in the media lynching of Wright will in any way feel shameful; they are merely carrying out the dictates of those who owned these clomgomerates. The hope has to be that the advertisers; their life blood, will begin to object with their tactics or backlash from their consumers who reject them associating with firms who do business this way.

[fourex]

It was a treat to watch Rev. Wright on the Bill Moyers show last night. I liked Rev. Wright from the get go. To me he offered great knowledge with a twist of Malcolm and MLK. The Rev. Wright has a lifetime of service to his, community, church, and country. It was easy to see he is head and shoulders above the right wing sissies who slander him. Thank you, Mr. Moyers for allowing the truth to ring out.

[ars]

let the music be heard
let the powers that be twist and lie
let the peoples' voices be heard
take away our reputation
take your aim
the drama is not over
like underground water the truth will find another way

[DWP]

I agree. However, many people are going to find fault with Rev. Wright because they will not sit down and carefully listen to what he says -- or because he is different. His sermon following 9-11 did not differ that much from sermons preached all over the country. It was a healing sermon that cautioned us all to not condemn a whole people and to forgive. His style differs from what many of us are used to and there were phrases that we do not like, but when you listen to the whole thing it is a healing message and the use of the words becomes more understandable.

[slink]

If Reverend Wright's church and preaching is pro-black and not, as you state in your article, a code to "kill whitey" then how do you explain that Wright credits James Cone's "systematized black liberation theology" as described below. I disagree that whites object to a pro-black church or commitment to their community. The problem lies in the theology that preaches hatred toward another race.

"Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community. . . . Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love."

[ars]

Dear slink then his church is not Chrisitian. Authentic Christianity is color, gender, nationality, and class blind. "belong to the black communty" Christianity does not belong to any one group. So how does this Black Theology fit into their cathecism?

[Lagniappe]

ars: Authentic Christianity is color, gender, nationality, and class blind. _____________I thought so too,but how does that square with the blood lust and non inclusive tenents of the Right Wing Evangelicals-Hagee who refers to Catholicism as the"Great Whore of Babylon",Falwell who said of Muslims."Let's Kill 'em over there,so we don't have to kill "em over here!",Pat Robertson calling for assassination of Chavez---these are the allegedly MORAL leaders of the supposedly Christian whites?

[Sneakerface]

You don't get to define what is Christian and what is not.

[noamjunior]

How does he "credit" it?
and how is what you are doing to Wright any different than what Fox is doing?

[slink]

“Wright: How many of Cone’s books have you read? How many of Cone’s book have you read?Sean Hannity: Reverend, Reverend?(­crosstalk)­Wright: How many books of Cone’s have you head?” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256078,00.html

Referring to Wright, Cone said, "Jeremiah Wright represents the best of prophetic preaching, coming behind that of Martin Luther King Jr. He is a mainstream, very likeable person." http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080425/NEWS01/804250445/1003/news

Wright has said that a basis for Trinity's philosophies is the work of James Cone, who founded the modern black liberation theology movement out of the civil rights struggles of the 1960s. Particularly influential was Cone's seminal 1969 book, "Black Theology & Black Power."

[ars]

HRC theology refuses to accept an opinion that is not identified totally with the goals of electing HRC. If you are not for her and against all other candidates and the wishes of the people then they are anti- American and we had better ?%$ them. The task of HRC theology is to undo all of those who do not support the HRC community HRC theology will accept only the love of the citizens which participate in the destruction of the (name her enemy.) What we need is the divine love as expressed in HRC Power, which is the power of HRC to destroy her oppressors here and now by any means at her disposal.

[Aywaller]

Where is that quote from?

[rmreddicks]

Rev. Wright's philosophy (theosophy) sounds necessary to me. Take the ideas back through history and think it through to present. I see no hatred. Anger, (proper and deserved) I see.

[sweetme]

The media completely took Rev. Wright's comments out of context. It's really disgusting what they have done to this man. That interview was a very honest and compassionate interview. Unlike other irresponsible media outlets it showed the ENTIRE context of those comments. Everything he said was true. America is not perfect and America DOEs have blood on its hands. Anyone that can't see that by now, is a lost cause, and will never see that because of their close minded brains. Thank you Rev. Wright.

[Give Peace A Chance]

It is amazing how many were fooled by the attempted swift-boating of Obama via his pastor. These idiot talking heads, that too many waste their life paying attention to, are the same ones that were warmongering for Bush wars. All they really do is sensationalize the news to increase their ratings and income.

Get a clue, turn off the TV or be very selective in your viewing choice.

[glny]

Do you believe that everyone is bi to some extent? Not sure about this. But I also heard about the same from the site http://www.biloves.com, which is exclusively for bisexuals and bicurious looking to explore their sexuality. Maybe it depends on how to define it.

[jakie]

I WATCH IT THE MEDIA HAS DOWN THIS MAN FOR NOTHING. IT IS SAD THAT FOX'S NEWS AND SEAN HANNITY ARE SO DAM DUMB

[Moka11]

I watched the Rev. Wright/Bill Moyers interview. Reverend Wright is a remarkable man. I am so impressed with his candor and I am equally impressed with why Sen. Obama holds him in such high regard.
What is clear is that in Rev. Wrights sermons in full context with the true history of this country attached to the sermons, Rev. Wright is an educator as well as a Biblical scholar. We, as individuals, have often no say as to what our government does but we have a responsibility to educate ourselves towards the truth. Our elected representitives fail us miserably.
We cannot continue to blindly believe our country does no wrong. Especially if we protest that someone is "unpatriotic" if they expose or speak out. Our "Main Stream Media" is so corrupted by the corporate sponsorship it embraces.

[WaynesWhirled]

You equate being pro-white to nooses and the KKK, and yet when speaking of pro-blackness you totally leave out the negative aspects like the murderous gangs the Bloods and the Crips, who have killed just as many if not more than the KKK. To imply that pro-white is all about being anti-black, but refuse to admit that there are many pro-black aspects that are indeed anti-white, only highligts the virtues you want shown and hides the ones you don't want to be seen or discussed.

[FloaterBall]

Bloods and Crips very rarely murder whites. You sound quite racist, not to mention paranoid.

[zerostress]

I think your argument is weak. The KKK is a exclusively white organization openly racist "that are best known for advocating white supremacy and acting as vigilantes" while the Crips and the Bloods are criminal gangs, mostly African-American but not exclusively..

I have heard about the criminal activities of the Bloods and the Crips but I have never heard about any racist supremacist dimension to their crimes.

[bentenrai]

The following video is from Fox News:

http://foxnews.com/video?maven_playerId=videolandingpage&maven_singleClipReferralObject=1fd1c0cf-5c80-4d75-996f-bd53b2461ae0&maven_referrer=copylink

I don't know if you have noticed the pattern at Fox, but it is clear that the so called journalist instead of trying to get the point of the interviewee is rather trying to push his own point. That's not journalism, that's propaganda.

[realpolitic]

Yes, no kidding! At Fox, the "journalists" just ask interview subjects to respond to their points of view. They never ask open-ended questions.

[ann1]

Rev Wright has nothing on Jeana Neely from the foodnet work channel. She's so annoying. God bless her husband.

[steamboat]

Before all you puppets nominate Wright for sainthood and a Nobel Prize there are a few things that I wonder about......being from the southside of Chicago I've been aware of Wright before most of you were.

The guy has preached that the government (we taxpayers) hasn't shared the wealth with his community enough. Especially those wicked rich-wealthy whites. Yet, he is having a $1.6 miilion dollar mansion built for himself in the far south suburban town of Tinley Park, IL. Far from his flock, as they say. Gee, in my thinking, "$1.6 million would sure have gone along way in helping the NEEDY in his community". I guess that gives new meaning to the 'why doesn't he practice what you preach' meaning.

Wright and Farrakhan went to Libya to visit and honor Kaddafi not long after the Pan Am incident in which it has been proven agents sponsored by Libya blew-up that jetliner. Only about 2 years ago has Kaddafi acknowedged Libya's role and offered restitution. Probably because Libya is now kissing our rear-ends because of their fear of Al Qaeda and other extremist groups. So please be less enthusiatic in your ass-kissing of Wright.