Hypocrisy in the Public Sphere on Obama's Speech

London - Even on this side of the ocean Barack Obama's speech on his personal Jeremiah has made waves but I see that the usual suspects in the right-wing commentariat are not satisfied: Krauthammer in the Washington Post opinion pages today and Michael Gerson in the same place earlier in the week. How can a pastor, a man of the cloth attack the U.S. with words like "God Damn America?" they ask and demand total renunciation, repudiation etc., etc...

In the autumn of 1995 I was traveling around Mississippi doing some reporting for the BBC World Service. I try to get to the deep South once a decade because for better or worse it remains the cauldron where this nation's politics are forged. People reading this on either coast may think they set the nation's agenda. They don't. The South does. White southerner's lingering resentment to being conquered and occupied for the best part of a century is what drive's American politics. Nixon knew it and that's why the southern strategy was so successful. White southerners are their own tectonic plate crashing into one party or another for a time and creating the political equivalent to a super continent.

Anyway as I'm cruising the surprisingly well-paved back roads of Miss'ippi I'm listening to AM radio. A white Christian station comes up and I hear a song that is absolutely shocking. It calls on God to destroy America. Why? So it can be reclaimed for Christ. I was so stunned by the tune that the next time it came on, as I was driving through a white section of Clarksdale I pulled over, took out my Sony Pro tape machine and recorded it. The chorus ran, "Even if you have to bring her to her knees/Lord, please/ revive her again."

The song's image of America destroyed so it can be reclaimed for white Southern Christians was only one example of the relentless disparaging of the U.S. along with damnings to Hell of vast swathes of American society to be heard being broadcast by white Christian pastors.

These same pastors of course preach the politics of the right from their pulpits and their congregations provide the foot soldiers of the conservative movement.

No one ever demanded of President Bush that he repudiate these hellfire and brimstone types, yet even after delivering one of the great speeches of the last several decades the ideologues are demanding something more of Obama.

The hypocrisy here is large; I would not expect anything else from Krauthammer but Michael Gerson is a "person of faith." And surely he knows the danger of hypocrisy in that part of the public sphere where religion intersects with politics. I'm sure he knows much of the Gospel of Matthew by heart. I am certain at this season of the passion he is re-reading it fervently. But in case he is speed reading it let me remind of Matthew 23 verses 13-15. Each verse begins, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"

America needs no heavenly destroyer to revive itself, it needs people in Gerson's position to examine their consciences and stop being hypocrites. A good place to start would be for him to address the shocking statements made by white Christian preachers over the air waves every day. He might take advantage of the opportunity to repudiate them by name and renounce their help in electing Republicans to office. If not, to quote the Gospel, "Woe unto him ..."

Comments

[XYZ]

Don't worry we are keeping our powder dry right now. We need it for the General Election, I have so much hate video from southern baptists, that the GOP are tied with that fox could play it all for weeks and we wouldn't see the same thing twice.

Plus I have all the juciest lines from the Fox news outlet of there hate mongering, bigotry. It will come out when it's time, also. 527's for the democrats will pop up like weeds in the garden, and we will bring the horrors of the idealogs out into the sunshine for all to see.

[booksnmore4you]

That's not a bad strategy, actually.

[Tumult]

The reaction and views of the Right is hardly important or hypocrisy. They Right doesn't have the depth or capacity to be hypocrites. They are proud of being ignorant of history, science, logic, reasoning, or thought. Or they are the people that use those fools. What scares me is when people that self identify as liberal, start behaving with the same level of ignorance as those on the Right.

[sqweels]

"They Right doesn't have the depth or capacity to be hypocrites­."

Not sure what you mean by that. Hypocrisy is an indicator that base attitudes such as selfishnes or arrogance are present. Conservatives want to reap the benefits of the political points they can score by accusing their opponents of violating a particular principle, even as they indulge in violating whenever they please.

[Marie13]

Thank you! Great work!

[opines]

Having lost the elected delegate, count, having lost the popular vote, having fallen short with attempts to smear Obama to the detriment of the Democratic Party, losing rather than gaining Superdelegate support, one wonders what desperation maddened tactic is next from the Clinton, neocon, AIPAC, feminist camp.

Rumor has it that if Obama gains the Democratic nomination, a Clinton/Lieberman independent bid is being discussed. So far, however, they have been unable to agree who will head the ticket.

[starboymikey]

Rumor has it that if Obama gains the Democratic nomination, a Clinton/Lieberman independent bid is being discussed. So far, however, they have been unable to agree who will head the ticket.
__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__

Unlikely, since Lieberman is a major McCain supporter.

[mojomagic]

I think this must be a rumor the Obama campaign started to smear Hillary Clinton. Any stupid citizen would know that the Clintons are Democratic to the core. Bill is one of the most beloved members of the Democratic party.

Nice try at smearing them by spreading rumors, but it just won't wash. Some people will do anything to win.....Ob­amanuts have learned well

[Jenz0r]

My first husband was a Pentecostal minister, and I heard things on a regular basis, from pastors and laypeople alike, that made the Rev. Wright's comments sound truly temperate. And for heaven's sake, any person who has read the Bible (all of it, not just the warm, fuzzy passages most politicians like to quote) knows perfectly well the prophets made shocking statements, calling for the judgment of God on Israel -- condemning their countrymen, their country, for the sins they saw in them. Read Jeremiah, read Ezekiel... but instead of "Israel" substitute "America" as the target of the prophetic judgments. Or, as others have suggested, read some of the condemnations Jesus himself uttered against the rich, and hypocrites, and so forth, and try to imagine how some of those words might be applied to our country.

It is not unpatriotic to recognize our failings-- this is how we make America better. We have the courage to be honest about when it has failed, when we have failed, when the American reality has not lived up to the wonderful ideal. Whether we all agree or disagree with some of the points raised by this preacher are irrelevant. The kneejerk rush to label his preaching as anti-American or racist is not constructive, and certainly, it is quite clear that the absurdity of laying this Reverend's preaching at the feet of Senator Obama is an act of political desperation by people running out of ideas and positive things to recommend their own candidate(s).

[calirighty]

Recognizing failing is one thing. Telling lies is another. I don't remember Jesus, the apostles or any of the prophets LYING to make a point: U.S. creating HIV/AIDS. Government introducing drugs into black neighborhood. ETC. If you are going to make a point then fine. Just don't lie when you do it.

[editrix66]

I agree that the government did not introduce AIDS, but after the Tuskegee experiments, I understand why people are skeptical. We have many examples of our government treating its citizens, including its soldiers, with total disreagard (think of Agent Orange, Gulf War syndrome, etc.), and then labeling those people as crazy when they complain. Only years later do people find out the truth. Also, we know that there are crooked cops out there, who work with drug dealers, either helping drugs come into communities or preventing its spread. We know of horrible corruption in which the black community is often collateral damage. Before we judge that the black community as completely off base, I think we need to do our own research. Just this week, a guy was arrested for requiring sex from women to get green cards, and there is videotape of police officers running down black suspects with their police cars. I think our government and its employees have proven time and time again that citizens cannot trust them to have their best interests in mind. People who have less power don't get listened to and then they are dismissed as cranks until years later. Then history judges the culprits, but its often too late to protect the citizens who have been damaged.

[LongBeachDave]

I will admit that it is silly to say the government created AIDS...but they did their best to ignore it and disregard the terrible effects on the population, mainly because it affected mostly gay Americans. Reagan himself could not even utter the words until after Rock Hudson was diagnosed with AIDS...o it is not a stretch for a group like African Americans to be skeptical of a government that has not exactly had their best interests in mind over the course of the nation's history.

[lynellep]

The only way we can hope to take back America from the pharisees and hypocrites is to stop fighting each other and unite. Until we stop fighting ourselves we will always be defeated. Let's deal with our differences and unite for the common good of our children, grandchildren and our country. Let's change America for the better!

[Desiderata]

Perhaps a good start to ending our racial divisions is to accept the challenge that Pat Bucannan spurned so contemptuously a few days ago on "Hardball". That challenge is for whites to attend some services in black churches.

The best way to begin to understand and feel comfortable with one another may be as simple as being with one another.

[mojomagic]

I have attended a black church with a dear friend, and although it was a homey sermon, there was none of this inflammatory hatred spewed.

[hillarysupporter]

Obama had a chance to denounce and reject Rev. Wright, but he didn't. What does that say about him?

[bubbaroy]

Did you read the article?

[mae692]

What exactly should he denounce and reject Rev. Wright for?

[MarineBugler]

Read this before you pass judgement:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/21/meet-the-white-man-who-_n_92793.html#postComment

[PJay]

Or read the truth that you won't get from the agenda driven media:
http://truthabouttrinity.blogspot.com/

Reverend Wright received a letter of commendation from President Johnson for assisting in LBJ's surgery:
Click on the page of the above link to read the letter.

[starboymikey]

Obama had a chance to denounce and reject Rev. Wright, but he didn't. What does that say about him?
__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­_

Another Hillary supporter who gets his/her truth from Fox News. Did you listen to or even read a copy of Obama's speech? You are talking pure nonsense.

Are you really as a big a nitwit as you seem?

[Jerry1979]

I don't care about Obama's pastor, what worries me is what I heard him say about Typical White people. It makes me wonder about a story I read about him wanting to change the name of the white house back to its original name "the presidents house." I think Obama is too sensitive on race. What is he gonna do when this story gets out there in a major way?

[Zentomato]

Jerry1979 please provide a source for that story you read about Obama wanting to change the name of the White House. I would like to read it.

[nk007]

Jerry1979:

There you go again clearly misrepresenting Obama's thrust to show that racial stereotyping is true on both sides: Black and white, including his grandmother whom he loves so much. With respect to stories about him wanting to change the name of the white house, my advise is that you should find the source of this story to make sure it is credible. You can also contact Mr. Obama's campaign to find out if that is his plan. Otherwise, it is nothing but a malicious rumor intended to derail his quest for the presidency. My hunch is that this is a false story. But, come to think of it, it easier to peddle lies than it is to tell the truth.

[Desiderata]

Hey, Jerry, where'd you read that "president's story" article? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt because this appears to be your debut to comments (see Jerry1979 profile), but we vets at HuffPo kind of expect a link or at least an attribution of source to facts presented on these pages.

[RButler]

I invite everyone to state their description of the 'typical black person' for all of us to see, now that Obama has informed us of the 'typical white person'.

[DocSmith]

The typical "black" person is a person who works hard everyday to get ahead and achieve, but in the back of their minds, they feel that if it comes down to them and their white counterpart getting the promotion or job, it gonna go to the white guy. It's the average brother who walks in the mall who when he is looking on the rack, is altogether wondering if the white clerk really want to help him or is she making sure he is not stealing anything. It is the affluent black person, driving to their nice home in the suburbs, and when a police comes behind them, will they get stopped for DWB (Driving While Black) or will he simply pass by. These people are typical (average) black people. Not extraordin­ary....jus­t average.

I hope this helps.

[robXdion]

And just prior to what DocSmith stated, the "average black person" has to grow up having teachers snidely dismiss their intelligence or automatically consider them a threat. So at any time there is a disagreement or fight in school, they can count on being suspended, expelled, etc. because the mostly white faculty deems them dangerous. They have to endure stares, comments, and assumptions daily that imply their inferiority from adults that feel they can because that child in question has no power, parents, or lawyers for protection. They have to be conditioned to watching TV and see blacks like themselves relegated to demeaning roles of mockery, and rarely as beautiful, intelligent or authority figures. Cops, security guards, or anyone with authority views them as a threat and suspect 1st. And if they by some odd chance make good, get educated etc. not only must they here the "you're smart for a black guy" line, they become spokespersons for ALL things black because whites can't differentiate and get pissed when called on it. And that's the average early life for the "typical black person".

[TerenceHartnett]

Please---he meant "average"---for fucks sake. Meaning that there was nothing extraordinary about her. He did not mean that all white were like that. Please. There is nothing in his books or speeches or any where that suggests that Obama meant "typical" and all that it implies.

Bad choice in words--but my God. It doesn't take a PhD to understand what his point was.

Also--ask yourself this. If you are this pissed about this tiny misstatement, then how pissed would you still be if your grandmother had to ride in the back of a bus??????

[opines]

Should read 'AIPAC opposition is not the kiss-of-death'.

[opines]

The neocons and AIPAC thought that it would be between Hillary and McCain (or whomever the GOP nominated). Whichever one won, their Middle-East policies and oversized Congressional influence would remain intact.

The possibility that Obama will be the Democratic nominee is anathema to them. He is not beholden to them. More importantly, in AIPAC's case, an Obama win over Hillary would demonstrate that AIPAC in an election is not the kiss-of-death

In support of Hillary, AIPAC assets now are in all-out smear Obama mode.

Shattering AIPAC undue influence in Congress is another strong reason to support Obama.

[Leebot]

I just have to laugh when people claim Obama only said the things he did in his speech because his hand was forced by the Wright controversy.

What rubbish. Clearly these folks who are regurgitating the Fox News sound bites have not read Obama's books -- because he has discussed these issues with searing candor in these books.

[RButler]

'searing candor'. Where do you folks come up with this stuff? If I thought that Obama's followers could tolerate 'searing candor' that would make sense. But, they can't and it doesn't.

[TerenceHartnett]

maybe try reading his books

[Leebot]

Yawn.

[nazgul]

AMEN.

They've scanned10, 20 years of sermons tapes and found a few minutes of mania, mania which Obama didn't even witness first hand. With what we know, any other controversial remarks were few and far between, the kind of thing many of us have witnessed in various crowds...

That an old black guy might actually have moments when he buys into a conspiracy theory, racial or otherwise (let's not forget the syphlis experiments, etc., that did happen), is not so startling or offensive. That he might see "violence begets violence" blowback involved in 9/11 is not so startling or offensive, except perhaps to those who believe US hegemony continues to be a form of manifest destiny. The occasional "Goddamn America" is not nearly so offensive or disconcerting to me than persistent, powerful hate speech from evangelicals and the end-times politics that exists in DC and treats our nation as a Biblical pawn. That's "Goddamn the whole world and end it now!" That IS real and disconcerting and offensive, and Hillary is connected to that through The Family.

Moreover, the few minutes of mania expressed by Wright--at least part of which involved quoting a white ambassador from the day after 9/11--is nothing compared to the hatred you would hear in a week in the words of Dobson, Robertson, Hagee, etc., against the communities and organizations they revile and the America that tolerates them.

Let's maintain perspective about Wright. As HRC likes to say, let's get real.

Also, Obama's approach helps underscore the fact that, contrary to what HRC and the right-wing are saying, HIS references to race have always been in the context of response to something from the HRC campaign and the media. He has tried to campaign on everything but race. They try to accuse him of using race to his advantage, when really he is simply responding to their efforts to make it a disadvantage.

[Jenz0r]

Right on. (Oh, I could say so much about that whole end-times fever, and how truly horrifying it is for people to be eagerly anticipating and wishing on the world...)

As a country, we've been saying "God damn the rest of the world if they don't agree with us" for years. Whether we use those specific words is beside the point. Sure, we have our reasons for doing the things we do. But ultimately, American doesn't exist in a vacuum, and those reasons don't mean jack to the people who get the raw end of our country's choices, or the choices of corporations in this country (corporations aided and abetted on a daily basis by our elected officials). It's not America-hating to acknowledge the reality of blowback, as has been pointed out above.

[PioneerKing]

Mr. Goldfarb:

These are not ideologists that you speak of; ideologists are capable of rational and logical thought. These are bigots whom you speak of.

[robXdion]

And Michael, this kind of raging hypocrisy is exactly why some blacks are pissed in the 1st place. Many are used to it. Its the American way, we wouldn't expect any better.

[JBS]

"Person of faith" - just another way of saying "hypocrite"

[clemo]

I think they're just pushing to see if they can get him to cave and then they can feel a moment of power. If they really heard his speech on Tuesday, they would know that for the first time we heard a politician speak from his heart. There is no way anyone can give a speech and cover everything there is to talk about to help heal people's prejudices, yet we have these pundits not quite satisfied because he didn't say this or that. You are right about the hypocrisy which is why I have had just a hard time understanding why Wright gets all the media attention when McCain had two recent endorsements by religious leaders who also have at least a few sound bites of highly controversial statements. Obama showed us he can indeed handle any 3 am or 3 pm call that comes to the Whitehouse. He was getting attacked by every corner and he rose above it and called upon us to look inside and think about how the other side feels. His mother raised a great human being who is not only brilliant but wise. The nation and the world will rejoice when he becomes our next president.

[Desiderata]

Perhaps, clemo, one has to be a "great human being" his or herself in order to see the truth of what you have written. If so__ judging by the millions and still growing Obama supporters__ our nation is bursting with a greatness that no evil can nor will triumph over.