More On Rev. Wright

dNa notes that it really doesn't matter what Rev. Wright says, his very appearance is a liability to Obama. I'll have more to say on this later, but I've been thinking about this since I watched Wright on Bill Moyers on Friday. I've always expected a little bit of compromise out of my politicians--but I also like supporting people who know what they would be willing to loose over. If Barack Obama looses because of Jeremiah Wright--something I don't see happening--I will know what sort of country I'm living in. I'm one of those optimistic blacks that generally believes that the "white working class" is routinely caricatured, that race is complicated, and racism even more so. I have great hope for this country, and I believe that every generation has gotten a little better in how it deals with race.

But I watched Wright on Friday, and I can't, for the life of me, figure out why he's allegedly so offensive to white sensibilities. Pastor Hagee is a certified nut and a bigot, no question. But, really, him endorsing John McCain isn't the reason I won't vote for him. Billy Graham was a lying anti-semite, but that didn't keep me from supporting the Clintons. James Baker says "Fuck The Jews" and is still considered a respectable member of the foreign policy establishment. But when a black pastor is taken out of context, suddenly it's Armageddon. If this is the basis by which we elect a president, then we're in more trouble than we can begin to know.

Comments

Hi there Ta-Nehisi!

Thank you for covering the Dr. Wright fiasco! He was completely maligned by the (white) media and I commend him for NOT cowering and for NOT apologizing...he has nothing to apologize for...and if Obama has to HIDE who he is in order to get elected then he needs to decide whether it's all worth it.

What good is it to gain the world and lose your soul?

Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
http://blackwomenblowthetrumpet.blogspot.com

Posted by Minister L. Vazquez | April 28, 2008 2:53 PM

What concerns me most about the Rev Jeremiah Wright interview is how many people watched it. It was a great way to get to know the man. I'm sure most of the people who watched had already made the effort to fill in the spaces around the biased sound bites by checking out the whole sermon. Sadly, the people that needed most to see it would not trouble themselves.

The mainstream journalists who dwell in the shallow waters of sound bites are letting us all down. Not everyone has the time or inclination to dig deeper to find the truth. These "journalists" are a disgrace to their profession. I would even go so far as to call them unpatriotic. It is not in the best interests of our country to misrepresent the facts.

Posted by Vincent Sheehan | April 28, 2008 5:47 PM

This is what people dont like about Rev. Wright.
1. He made statements that are not only untrue, but even if they were, can not be substantiated
ie. that the government made the HIV virus
2. That he said those comments IN CHURCH
I thought the Bible was supposed to be discussed in a Christian Church
3. the US of KKK comment
insulting ALL white Americans who despise racism and who want to help are now alienated
4. Accusing the US of being terrorists
equating this country with Al Quaeda or Hamas is really quite un-American

Posted by Historybuff | April 29, 2008 12:13 PM

dNa was pretty right on.

The best way to destroy a black man in America today, in terms of his image to white America, is to portray him as that dreaded monster of all monsters -- an ANGRY black man.

Barack Obama is not an angry black man. This is why he's gotten as far as he has. He's not an angry Al Sharpton or an angry Jesse Jackson.

So how do you smear someone like Obama in the eyes of white America? You tie him to an angry black man.

The thing is, though, Obama doesn't even hang out with angry black men all that much. So they go to his minister, because 99% of white America has no idea what black preaching is like.

To white America, ANY black preacher sounds like an angry black man. ANY emotional black man is an ANGRY black man. ANY passionate black man is an ANGRY black man. Because that's the big scary fear. An ANGRY black man.

I explained to a friend that this why it simply doesn't work to tell people to go watch the videos and listen to what Rev. Wright actually saying. Because he's obviously (to white American eyes) ANGRY when he's preaching.

That's why playing Rev. Wright over and over again is SO EFFECTIVE, no matter what he says! It's ANGER, to the white audiences. It's anger AGAINST THEM. It's a threat. It's black male sexuality, under the surface. It's competition for Our Women. It's fear that at long last, black America will exact what it's justly owed for the crimes committed against it by white America.

It's an emotional black man, and that's horrifying to white America.

Posted by Kynn | May 2, 2008 3:20 PM