Yes, what was missing and deeply disappointing was that Rev. Wright lost that "magnanimous love" that is rooted in the African American tradition. It was the "magnanimous love" of Rev. M. L. King that brought the very best out of white people and changed America. Rev. Wright got stuck in Malcom X.

i think this emmit till case is the worse ever im a white girl my self and my family is racist but not me i dont beileve in that u love who u love and i cant help that people r just sick these days

william kraal: "RELIGION POISONS EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES!!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Its not the religion William that poisons it is the lack of faith in God that harms the human soul. "We" are responsible for that. After all God only requires us to have faith in who he is, and that he is, the size of a "mustard seed," but yet we fail to produce even that small requirement.

Yesterday, I would have agreed with you. My mistake was letting go and llacking faith in God when I should have held on to what God had promised me.

I am human and the, "my" human heart was broken and I blamed God. But it was not God's fault, at all, it was mine for allowing "negativity" and "inpatience" to take root, therefore I fell.

Will I believe again, you bet! I hope you will too. All it takes is a good look within your own heart and you will see the truth of how "frail" we are as humans, subject to pride, and not taking responsibility for what, who, and how we are.

Eboo writes:
You have to know that a race of people who were enslaved and subjugated for centuries by America decided that instead of leaving this nation in disgust, they would create it anew.
When African Americans had every right to seek revenge, they decided instead to build wholeness.

Eboo - do you have room in your lesson plan for Pakistanis to mention that whites GAVE african americans their freedom? It was whites who fought one another in order to free the slaves. I don't know of another example in world history where the slave masters and those in power voluntarily gave their slaves freedom.

Rather than seek "revenge" as you suggest, african americans might instead praise white america and thank whites for giving them their freedom. Black americans might focus on the most recent 160+ years of freedom rather than the slavery NONE of living black americans have experienced.

If seeking revenge is what they want, they might start by revisiting the african villages where black african tribesman raided villages in order to capture slaves to sell to the white slave traders.

It's well past time --- generations past time -- for black americans to get it together. Unlike the waves of immigrants who followed, black americans have the luck of being born here with a leg up on the language. For the most part at this point any african american who lags behind does so because of a lack of self motivation.

Blacks who think otherwise, and people like you who enable their self destructive behavior and thinking - only make themselves irrelevant as the rest of the world passes them by.

RELIGION POISONS EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES!!

wright and obama are afrocentrics in an afrocentric church, why would you believe they don't believe the things wright preaches.

the people who embody the transcendent love of the African-American tradition include Wright, Malcolm X, and even John Brown: love does not mean servitude to judeo-christian white supremacist interests. Love requires that truth be told - it does not require that no mistakes ever be made in telling the truth. Love requires that the right thing be done - whether the wrongdoer wants to get it done or not: love requires overcomming the hater of truth - the hider of dark skin and non-eurocentric culture - the polluter of land, air, sea, and message of love. If the press - including you - have shown the transcendent love of your tradition, you must be equating love with a feeling of supremacy.

A lot of human beings carry a heavy conscience/sub-conscience about the acts of governments against innocent civilians such as blowing them up with atomic, nuclear, or smart bombs. Granted there are those who see a clear distinction between a non-governmental entity bombing an American civilian building in an act of terror and an American Governmental action of bombing Japanese civilian homes, churches, and buildings in an act of war the main distinction being that the American Government is always right and just in her actions while everyone outside of American Government and her sphere of innocent (usualy only white judeo-christian) citizens is not worthy of being placed in the same light as an American (white judeo-christian) citizen outside lip service to the sanctity of life.

If only American supremacists can be elected president, there will be no change in the way America will be viewed by the rest of the world. Obama bias towards the acceptance of judeo-christian white supremacy is similar to Clarence Thomas: they start with the premises that there is shame in criticizing or advocating against white racism and that judeo-christian white supremacy is the norm which all other cultures of people must adjust and conform to.

if the majority of churches are effectively white only, that doesn't leave as many choices for indoctrinated anti afro negroes to worship white jesus - does it?

Neo-Racist American white males are looking for Barak to be a white man in black skin... and THAT is supposed to tell the world that America is not racist anymore... and that all the killing of innocent darkies will continue to be done - in the name of security (for white judeo christians only)
chump change - that's what we want. two wrongs make fun of wright... gda racism.

Churches of all kinds were taken over by conservatives many years ago. The result of this takeover can be seen by the low attendance in most churches. Power churches like those run by the likes of Wright, TD Jakes, Joel Olsteen, Oral Roberts etc are solely interested in accumulating wealth and power based on their supposed relationship with and understanding of God.

These witless dispensers of the Gospel has done so much damage to the church that the church has been reduced to irrelevance. God has become a joke to millions of people because of these people’s antics but these slugs could care less.

The importance of wearing thousand dollar dresses and suits while driving luxury cars to deliver million dollar blessing to one of their own is the most important functions for these robbers of the poor.

The church is lost. Religion suffers blow after disgusting blow from those looking for reasons to ridicule God. The Reverend Wright and all the rest of these perverse representatives of God need to disappear and let a new generation of preachers that are more interested in spreading the word of God then the sickening siphoning of the wealth from the poor take over the church. END THE WAR IN IRAQ.

Unbeleivable what this guy's done to Barrack. And for what, he has single handidly turned this race around for Hillary. What a putz...

Unbeleivable what this guy's done to Barrack. And for what, he has single handidly turned this race around for Hillary. What putz...

jude 01;08 to jaremaih

JUDE 01;08 TO THE END in the bible.

Why is Rev Wright still on the table? Why is a nation in crisis following cheap tabloid angles on our candidates. We have an economy that is on the verge of collapse and we aren't even asking our candidates for details of the their plans to change it. Yet, we have picked every nuance of what Obama's preacher "really means". Are we suicidal? What happened to my country?

To be fair from what I understand Rev. Wright is not very good with the national spotlight being more of a niche guy. It sounds like he has had a legitimate career helping people who are less fortunate even if he does tend to pander a lot to people's insecurities and rage. I honestly don't think that he is unpatriotic but i do think he is unfit for the national spotlight and primetime, particularly if he can't learn to control himself and act a bit more professionally. I am sure there are a lot of differences between Obama's Harvard education and the life of a preacher and urban activist, who grew up in a harder america then the younger Obama.

Fundamentally, they might have had some simularities but the training Obama got in his ivy league school was some of the best in the nation. The gulf might be unrepairable, and certainly Wright is politically not getting anywhere, whereas Obama has the opportunity to do more because he is able to communicate with people who are more mainstream.

To be fair from what I understand Rev. Wright is not very good with the national spotlight being more of a niche guy. It sounds like he has had a legitimate career helping people who are less fortunate even if he does tend to pander a lot to people's insecurities and rage. I honestly don't think that he is unpatriotic but i do think he is unfit for the national spotlight and primetime, particularly if he can't learn to control himself and act a bit more professionally. I am sure there are a lot of differences between Obama's Harvard education and the life of a preacher and urban activist, who grew up in a harder america then the younger Obama.

Fundamentally, they might have had some simularities but the training Obama got in his ivy league school was some of the best in the nation. The gulf might be unrepairable, and certainly Wright is politically not getting anywhere, whereas Obama has the opportunity to do more because he is able to communicate with people who are more mainstream.

To be fair from what I understand Rev. Wright is not very good with the national spotlight being more of a niche guy. It sounds like he has had a legitimate career helping people who are less fortunate even if he does tend to pander a lot to people's insecurities and rage. I honestly don't think that he is unpatriotic but i do think he is unfit for the national spotlight and primetime, particularly if he can't learn to control himself and act a bit more professionally. I am sure there are a lot of differences between Obama's Harvard education and the life of a preacher and urban activist, who grew up in a harder america then the younger Obama.

Fundamentally, they might have had some simularities but the training Obama got in his ivy league school was some of the best in the nation. The gulf might be unrepairable, and certainly Wright is politically not getting anywhere, whereas Obama has the opportunity to do more because he is able to communicate with people who are more mainstream.

Many of the ideas that the US is based on (Democracy, freedom of press, the Bill of Rights etc....) are sound, what they fail in is the implimentation, and they fail spectacularly when they do. However as a nation based on a divide of optomism and pessimism, we've made some interesting progress. The nation I've grown up in, as someone under 30 years old, is fairly different then the country my parents grew up in and it is different from the nation my ancesters fought for in the revolutionary war. I think many of the changes are good, as they have helped us live up to the country's potential and not to stay stagnant in the past with the human imperfections of our elders.

Something I've noticed that has bothered me, is that while Martin Luther King Jr is revered by most americans, his message doesn't seem to reach many people. It is quite noticable when everyone talks about Martin Luther King Jr., yet it seems that many of the older black leaders perpetuate an idealogy that is very different from King's, and where religion and racial politics has become a vessel for conservatism more then for liberalism, as many activists obliquely attack King's message and the man is no longer here to defend his views. Lately there seems to be a lot more in the news about how his vision failed and how schools named for him are deteriorating, then where his movement succeeded in the reduction of a lot of legal barriers, which allowed normal people to succeed if they wanted to put forward the effort. There is also an assumption that the same allies he counted on during the bus boycotts, ie white liberals, can be depended to rubberstamp all messages by black activists, no matter how much race baiting and egocentrism goes on.

There were a lot of good messages that went through during the civil rights era that people my age weren't around to hear and certainly don't hear often now, except for during Obama's campaign (as well as the campaigns of a few of the younger black politicians- mostly in their 30's and 40's). I find the old court decision Brown v. The Board of Education brilliant, that "separate but equal is not equal." So why are the most segregated schools in america majority-minority? This is not healthy and it is certainly not equal. Lastly, to go forward as a nation we need to drop the assumption that schools are charity. If we don't educate our citizens better we'll fall behind as a place of international innovation, and we're already facing backlash from the world's population that has noticed that we have many poorly educated americans who graduated from of some of the poorer public schools that we've starved of resources and neglected in the 1980's- 2000s.

(While I am not impressed with any politician or political activists based solely on their race or gender, I will have to say, that Obama is just running a better campaign. I've been really annoyed with the Clintons' populism and race baiting. Obviouly there are things that both whites and blacks can do better to heal our divides and while i've seen the younger generation step up- both sides- I'd like to see more effort and less ego from older political activists. As most normal people are showing that they are willing adapt and compromise why are some members of the civil rights generation holding us back?- a criticism that also includes Clinton).

My name is Raul Pedraza I am a Cuban American U.S. Army veteran, my grandfather Rafael fought in the WW1 in the battle of the Marne, my son Jorge just returned from Iraq after having served proudly in the 82nd Airborne in Tikrit. I am also married to a wonderful african american woman.

the Rev Wright stuff is a manufactured issue by those trying to divert attention from their votes and support for the war in Iraq. Both Clinton and McCain are old time Washington insiders just the type of folks we need to remove in order to bring about positive change. Notice MCain trying the lets not go there on the preacher speech so we don't talk about his boys Falwell or Hagge. On to something important OK America?

I have absolutely no doubt about Barack Obama's patriotism and find him inspirational and ready to become Commander in Chief. I prefer the candidate of true integrity who can admit a mistake unlike Hillary and her vote for the Iraq war and sniper fire stories. Supporting John McCain will merely let the disastrous results of the George W. years continue to drag us down.

I use my real name in this blog instead of a pseudonym because I am very proud to be supporting Barack Obama for President and wish to dispel a few of the myths that the media continually pours down our throats. No not all Cubans support the Republicans, No not all Latinos favor Hillary over Barack, No not all Army veterans are for John McCain though we do honor his sacrifice it does not make him uniquely qualified to be our leader.

I have contributed all the hard earned dollars legally allowed me to support the man whom I had the great privilege of meeting at an inner city youth center in Miami's Overtown neighborhood.

Barack Obama is the real deal folks and I pray our great nation is smart enough to give us a President of integrity and Intellect two traits sorely missing as of late.

Again my name is Raul Pedraza and I wholeheartedly support Barack Obama for President of the Untied States.

I do not care about Obama's religion. I care that his experience is not sufficient to do the job. He should be Hillary's VP for 8 years and then become president. I have a feeling we'll regret it if he becomes president now.

Bernard F. Hillenbrand:


You are correct. Rev Wright's outburst is totally non-Christian. I am proud that I and a great majority of other whites fought and continue to fight to correct the unfairness of the past. It is working. Senator Barack obama is likely to be the next President of the United States inspite of former Pastor Judas Wright. Thank you. Rev. Bernard F. Hillenbrand


May 4, 2008 8:57 PM | Report Offensive Comments


Posted on
May 4, 2008 20:57

You are correct. Rev Wright's outburst is totally non-Christian. I am proud that I and a great majority of other whites fought and continue to fight to correct the unfairness of the past. It is working. Senator Barack obama is likely to be the next President of the United States inspite of former Pastor Judas Wright. Thank you. Rev. Bernard F. Hillenbrand

It is right for Rev Wright to empower the blacks and seek to better their condition in every way. It should be done in a Christian spirit of forgiveness and love for enemies, without inculcating hatred in the blacks for the whites and without perpetuating a mentality of remaining stuck in the past of slavery and a feeling of victim-hood about the subtle and not so subtle discrimination today. Teaching the blacks to take responsibility for what they can change in themselves and their communities should be a part of the empowering process.

someone wrote:

"well well boo boy is disappointed. disappointed that iman wright did not keep his hate of america, his hate of israel, his hate of jews, under wraps until after the eiection.
dont care what you think you islamic piece of lying garbage.
you cant be islamic and an American, you cant serve those two masters.
you cant be a good man and at the same time be a good islamic.
the koran tells you to hate, murder, kidnapp, torture, and force non islamics to be islamic. not individuals but your book of death, the koran.
islam started this war 1400 years ago and you are not going to stop until you rest with the nazi's in hell."

this sort of attitude is intolerable. wright's alleged 'hatred of jews' is no justification for an extremist to come into a public forum and religiously vilify 1.8 billion of the earth's population.

in doing so you insult the whole world - shame on you.

Rev Wright who lives a life of luxury is no Old Testament prophet. Even well established academics do not have access to such wealth. The blacks in the US do not live in slavery, so the symbolism of liberation is not so readily applicable. The blacks in the US do not suffer from the kind of government corruption and resulting poverty and oppression as people in Latin American countries where liberation theology was first formulated as answer to the political situation there.

It occurred to me that reading Noam Chomsky and others like him might be a good idea to understand Rev Wright better. Rev Wright's ideas seem to be a religious version of those thoughts, fashioned with Old Testament prophet symbolism, cut out for blacks in the US as answer to their experience of discrimination.

Rev Wright was careless about portraying some far fetched thoughts as facts which could be proved wrong. He was foolish to defend those errors so self-righteously. But as an intellectual he is no wacko. He is right there in the same league as Noam Chomsky and probably draws his political inspiration from their writing. He seems wacko only when he attributes that political style and content to the Old Testament prophets.

Rev Wright's social service conviction and work for the poor and marginalized in his community is Biblically based. Helping the poor with material goods was always a very important part of Christian ministry from its earliest days. It is ironic that something so fundamental to Christianity seems so communist in a capitalist democracy. Christianity is communist in that positive sense. That kind of socialism Europeans understand and practice.

I live in Bath, England and on ITV or the BBC they discussed Rev. Wright's appearance before the Washington Press Club and pointed out that sitting next to him, the black women in the yellow dress, who invited him to speak, was a well-know supporter of Hillary Clinton. I wonder if there is any discussion state-side that the Rev. Wright might have been willingly used by larger political forces for their own ends?

Dr. Scott M. Thomas
Dept of European Studies
University of Bath

I've been attending Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s South Side since moving to this wonderful city from Washington, D.C. four years ago. Some will be surprised to learn that I am white, Republican, and an honorably-discharged Viet Nam-era veteran (who, unlike Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and others in the current Administration, volunteered to serve my country).

I was in the congregation at Trinity for the "God damn America" sermon and agreed with everything he said. On the several occasions when I heard Wright utter his now-infamous "the Chickens are coming home to roost" proclamation he was right on target every time. Only an idiot would, or could, believe otherwise.

Not once have I ever hear anything in Wright's preaching that is unpatriotic. Biased? Perhaps. Pandering? Of course. But never unpatriotic. I was also there on the dozens of occasions when Wright vociferously condemned the "prosperity pimps," misogynists, and homophobes among his clerical brethren. While the right-wingers will never admit it, Wright's long-time defense and support of women, the poor, and same-gender-loving (gay) persons and relationships is motivating many of those now attacking him. How about a little more truth-telling from the right-wingers?

Randell Franklyn Busby

600 S Dearborn #304
Chicago, IL 60605
773.724.0181 c

Mr. Patel,

Were you also disappointed by what Adolph Hitler did in his later life?

Early on he was very good at relating to dogs and children.

This article reflects a very poignant, moving glimpse into African-American ideals, beliefs and values.

As an Af-Am female, I was hoping -- intensely-- for some sort of reconciliation and restoration of hope through Rev. Wright. I had longed for a confirmation that the race discussion might moved to a higher plane. Rev. Wright sadly disappointed many of us on that fateful Monday morning at the press club. He allowed his ego to topple his legacy. I pity the man for the pathetic spectacle he became, but as Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

I stand with Sen. Obama for denouncing Rev. Wright's acts, and I also stand with Sen. Obama as he moves us forward to help change our nation toward a more perfect union.

Can't liberals just state that Wright is a racist and hates America without going into some long attack on America first?

well well boo boy is disappointed. disappointed that iman wright did not keep his hate of america, his hate of israel, his hate of jews, under wraps until after the eiection.
dont care what you think you islamic piece of lying garbage.
you cant be islamic and an American, you cant serve those two masters.
you cant be a good man and at the same time be a good islamic.
the koran tells you to hate, murder, kidnapp, torture, and force non islamics to be islamic. not individuals but your book of death, the koran.
islam started this war 1400 years ago and you are not going to stop until you rest with the nazi's in hell.

This is nonsense. When are people going to stop repeating the bit about the sound bites -- the sound bytes did not msiconstrue or distort Rev. Wright's views, as he has made very clear in his recent remarks. They come from a recording put together from the church, because they expressed Wright's long and deeply-held beliefs. To say he simply behaved selfishly or with poor judgment in one particular moment (Monday)is profoundly disingenuous.

What it comes down to is, Rev. Wright's is to be criticized for embarrassing Obama, not for spreading destructive and dispiriting lies about the govt. trying to kill minorities, etc. (Ironically, exactly the kind of belief system that impedes some members minority groups from being able to fully participate in thi society and claim power.)

Give us a break.

One wonders whether Obama's "half-white" comments on his race versus Wright's "all black" heritage had anything to do with the pastor's self-immolation explosion that triggered his downfall.

African-Americans who live now have not been slaves. In the past, slavery was done all over the world in almost every country. Trying to change the past by obsessing is a waste of time, and what American would want to return to the poverty and misery of the African continent today? I am of the Bill Cosby school, who believes a little more work ethic and sincere dedication to educational activities would help the black community. I did note that of the 10 wealthiest individuals last year, the top two moneymakers were black (Oprah and Tiger Woods). Also, looking at photos of Rev.Wright's ten million dollar mansion (abuting a golf course)and his two new mercedes does little to convince me he's been oppressed. Same with Obama, who has been given a taxpayer funded Harvard education. Something is wrong with complainers who are never happy no matter what they get.

Please don't forget Maya Angelou.

The media has given Senator McCain a near free pass on his ties to Pastor Hagee.Like others, I'm seeing a double standard here. Why can Senator McCain just brush off someone who's made some hateful remarks?

Senator Obama, for all of his efforts, continues to struggle to distance himself from someone who's also made hateful remarks? Its become clear that Senator Obama does not necessarily share the beliefs that Reverend Wright espouses, yet day after day the media have some story about an alleged link.

What's wrong with this picture?

Roxlaw, thank you for sharing. Your post is very moving and revealing.

And Mr. Patel, you have echoed my own sentiments with your comments.

If Obama has any hope of being President he needs to throw his big ugly Racist wife under the Bus with his Grandmother and the Rev. Weight. I am sure the Obama cult will believe him when he tells them he just discovery she was an American hating, Racist!

Part of the Obama snow job where he portrayed Rev. Wright's paranoid rants as coming from anger that is the baggage as the legacy of of old white racism, carried by old blacks. Well, there is current-day stuff that is alive and well, carried by the young blacks, that is a lot worse than the racism, sexism and homophobic intolerance of the older generation of blacks. It's called Hip Hop, Gangsta and Street culture. It's full of racism, paranoia, anger, violence, abuse of women, sexism and a whole lot of dysfunctional antisocial expression schemes. The social psychological disordered behavior that Rev. Wright's hate-speech-as-sermons represents and coveys to blacks and supported by Obama is alive and well in the current-day generation in Black America. It's just in a newer more dangerous carnation.

Blacks leaders should start speaking out about taking some personal responsibility for high rate of high school drop out, sexual promiscuity, children born out of wedlock, , absence of male parenting/role models, drugs, crime, incarceration, AIDS, instead of playing the victimhood game and blaming whites for black failures! Until that time there will always be hate mongers & race baiter,s to use them and profit from their plight like the Rev. Wright, Rev. Jessie Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, as well as 10,s of thousands of White and Black Politicians. In fact the whole Democrat party! Hand outs, instead of a hand up, is the means of keeping Blacks down and economic Slaves! Keeping Blacks as an race of victims and believing all of the above is Whitey fault is designed to keep them from progressing instead of a race of achievers! It is in the best interest of Black preachers and Democrat politicians! Blacks will never be lead to the promise land by hate mongering Preachers like Rev. Wright or by bottom feeding Politicians that wants and works to keep Blacks in the Ghetto, on Welfare, and voting Democrat!

Rev. Wright did not change his message.
Obama dumped Wright for stating the truth... that Obama is just another politico.

Wright did nothing wrong.
actually what he did was correct. He kept his message exactly the same..It's Obama who changed and dumped Obama
.
Obama is NOT a victim

Mr. Patel,

I must say I am diappointed to read this article. As you mentioned a week ago you wrote an article where you suggested one should not judge a person based on single or few acts but judge them as a whole.
You have contradicted your own principle. This is a classic example where a person is not sure of his own convictions. Mr. Wright may have not as charming to you when he appeared at NPC however; you running away from his more disturbing. Would you abandon your freinds everytime you dont like something in them.

cheers

SB

Mr. Patel, thank you.

On Sunday mornings our churches are some of the most segregated buildings in America. Why? The reasons are many and for most of us that attend church services, where we worship is an intensely personal decision.

Growing up, I, my brother, sister and neighborhood friends were forced to attend a neighborhood catholic church where the mass was conducted in Latin. Therefore, we had no idea what was being preached. And while I am sure that the priests never spoke a racist word during mass, racism was rampant in the church.

The church was always filled to capacity, but we sat in pews that remained empty because the whites refused to sit next to us. On more than one occassion we were referred to as nigg-rs. Nevertheless, we were required to attend Sunday after Sunday where we tolerated the abuse until we completed our confirmation. My mother informed us that once we did that, we were no longer obligated to attend services at that church, and none of us ever did.

As small and innocent children, it was devastating to our psyches, spiritually and otherwise, as we sat in the "house of the Lord" where we were exposed to a level of racism that was evil and ungodly. And as a result, at least for me, I turned away from God because I could not fathom that a god that would allow that type of activity to take place in his home could be a god that I should believe in.

It would take another 30 years before I found my way back to church and when I did I found a church home that was 99% Black and AMEZ in denomination. There I was fed a combination of God's word and words of empowerment from a Black perspective. My Pastor was different from Pastor Wright, but spoke about injustice and inequality with a passion that was just as truthful and uplifting. There are many that might condemn my Pastor for speaking these truths, but I can assure you that no one in his congragation did so.

My final point is that many are posting that they attended white churches where the Pastors never uttered a racist word. But if that is true, and there were no people of color in your churches, did you ever ask yourselves why that was the case?

Nowadays, racism is not overt. The fact that you do not speak in racist/racialist terms does not mean that the environment of your church is one that is safe, welcoming and open to Blacks and people of color. And given the intensely personal nature of worship, people tend to worship in houses where they feel and believe they are treated with respect and dignity.

Please remember that the Black Church evolved out of necessity because white churches denied Blacks entry. It was the only place where we could go where we not degraded by a church philosophy that preached that we were inferior because we were the descendants of Ham. In the Black Church, we are fed God's word and the word that we are valuable in God's eyes. And that is something that we could not find in the white church.

Well, god bless you, we'll just scratch Rev. Wright from this here list. Done.

Love Undone
Oh love where is your sting
I pursue breaking away
From that which is an affliction
To experience a new thing
All the lies, cheating, and scrutinizing have played their course
The addiction holds secure without any remorse
Steal what you will un-natural affection
Alone for now but close is my redemption
Holding me to a higher standard
That you were not willing to live by
Hidden is your agenda hoping your whor*s will continue to lie
I have now seen the light since knowing about Portside
Hacking will not save you from me saying good-bye
O heartbreak where is your sting
It will lie within the one who neglected to consecrate the ring
Oh what a mistake you made in quenching the fire
Now what was once love has turned to a lack of desire
Others spoke for you and reported what I said
But I fed the lions the evil of which you dread
Now come hear the truth my life soon will begin anew
And in this newness hope is alive to be without you

Written by: Me

The injustice here is that the veracity of what Rev Wright has said is ignored and the focus seems to be on the incredulity that he said anything at all. He's speaking his truth and is denounced because it's controversial while the one leading the denunciations seeks to float unsubstantially above any and all controversy.

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You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.
Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

You are not allowed to post comments.

Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:

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The Wright issue is a legitimate one, and he is doing tremendous damage to the Obama campaign and quite probably race relations in America. Wright appears to represent a victim narrative that just does not have much traction anymore. As a nation we have done almost everything that can be done to redress past policy wrongs. A black person is just as free as a white person who is just as free as any other person under the law. Does bigotry still exist in America? It absolutely does. We have legislated institutionalized bigotry out of existence. We have the tremendously brave and earnest efforts of those involved in the civil rights struggle to thank for that.

You cannot control people's feelings through legislation though. The kind of bigotry that persists is not going to change through agitation but through example. People have to be proven wrong. That is going to take a change in certain black cultures, and that is a tremendously difficult proposition given the station in life that a large percentage of the black population in America is born into. That is not right or fair, but it is what is.

Wright's position of anger and paranoia will not sit well with many Americans that already feel that they have made significant sacrifices to help right racial injustices. With scattered site housing we have seen thousands upon thousands of neighborhoods plummet in property value. With bussing we have seen parents forced to send their children into less safe schools less conducive to learning. With biased admissions parents have had to wonder whether their children were denied admission unnecessarily. These issues have largely been tolerated (if a bit bitterly) because the hope is that they will eventually be able to help rectify the severe imbalance we currently have in society.

Many people feel that all that should be done has been done. When they hear the anger it is on the one hand understandable, but on the other hand it is extremely counter productive. It is not a perspective that will lead to the betterment of anyone and only serves to deepen divisions. The fear is that Barack may share that perspective. Michelle's theses and her "This is the first time in my adult life I've been proud of my country" comment feed that perception. When you add to that the patent absurdity of the AIDS theory and what not, people are becoming legitimately concerned about who Obama really is.

So Mr. Patel, I see you are disappointed in Rev. Wright and his brand of Christianity. You should be equally disappointed in your own brand of religion i.e Islam and actually in all brands of all religions:

A synposis of the disappointments, flaws, errors, and stench in contemporary religions for those eyes that have not seen:

1. Abraham founder/father of three major religions was either the embellishment of the lives of three different men or a mythical character as was Moses, the "Tablet-Man" who talked to burning bushes and made much magic in Egypt.

1.5 million Conservative Jews and their rabbis have relegated Abraham to the myth pile along with most if not all the OT.
simpletoremember.com/vitals/ConservativeTorah.htm originally from the NY Times.

2. Jesus was an illiterate Jewish peasant/carpenter/simple preacher man who suffered from hallucinations and who has been characterized anywhere from the Messiah from Nazareth to a mythical character from mythical Nazareth to a mamzer from Nazareth (Professor Bruce Chilton, in his book Rabbi Jesus). Analyses of Jesus’ life by many contemporary NT scholars (e.g. Professors Crossan, Borg and Fredriksen, On Faith panelists) via the NT and related documents have concluded that only about 30% of Jesus' sayings and ways noted in the NT were authentic. The rest being embellishments (e.g. miracles)/hallucinations made/had by the NT authors to impress various Christian, Jewish and Pagan sects.

The 30% of the NT that is "authentic Jesus" like everything in life was borrowed/plagiarized and/or improved from those who came before. In Jesus' case, it was the ways and sayings of the Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Hittites, Canaanites, OT, John the Baptizer and possibly the ways and sayings of traveling Greek Cynics. earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html

For added "pizzazz", Catholic/Christian theologians divided god the singularity into three persons and invented atonement as an added guilt trip for the "pew people" to go along with this trinity of overseers. By doing so, they made god the padre into god the "filicider".

3. Luther, Calvin, Smith, Henry VIII, Wesley et al, founders of Christian-based religions, also suffered from the belief in/hallucinations of "pretty wingie thingie" visits and "prophecies" for profits analogous to the myths of Catholicism (resurrections, apparitions, ascensions and immaculate conceptions).

4. Mohammed was an illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering, hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/hallucinating/ plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" and flying chariots to the koran but also a militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands of non-believers.

This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists, the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.

And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering, Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.
5. Hinduism (from an online Hindu site) -

"Hinduism cannot be described as an organized religion. It is not founded by any individual. Hinduism is God centered and therefore one can call Hinduism as founded by God, because the answer to the question ‘Who is behind the eternal principles and who makes them work?’ will have to be ‘Cosmic power, Divine power, God’."
The caste/laborer system and cow worship are problems when saying a fair and rational God founded Hinduism."

6. Buddhism- "Buddhism began in India about 500 years before the birth of Christ. The people living at that time had become disillusioned with certain beliefs of Hinduism including the caste system, which had grown extremely complex. The number of outcasts (those who did not belong to any particular caste) was continuing to grow."
"However, in Buddhism, like so many other religions, fanciful stories arose concerning events in the life of the founder, Siddhartha Gautama (fifth century B.C.):"

Archaeological discoveries have proved, beyond a doubt, his historical character, but apart from the legends we know very little about the circumstances of his life. e.g. Buddha by one legend was supposedly talking when he came out of his mother's womb.

Bottom line: There are many good ways of living but be aware of the hallucinations, embellishments, lies and myths surrounding the founders and foundations of said rules of life.

Well, OK, Eboo. Good that you recognize the burnt-out case that Jeremiah Wright is. But your admission that you had previously thought he was just getting some bad press leaves us dangling. Putting those two thoughts together, I had expected you to say something like, "I realize now that my whole perspective on the black-in-America thing was skewed. My outlook has been warped all along. Maybe this black suffering buisness as a way of understanding America needs a wholesale re-examination."

But you are a bright lad, so there's probably hope for you yet.

That being said, Rev Wright touched on some pivotal sentiments regarding America today.

When do you start demanding justice, even if its against one's own brothers, fathers, family, people, leader, nation?

If one accepts and submits to the sentiments of a certain political faction in America, there is never such a time.

If one accepts and submits to the absolution of God's authority and righteousness, then there is always a time.

Perhaps many Americans are caught in between. But the matter requires what? America is the world's 'leading power', or the World's most powerful Empire. Billions of people are under its power. Trillions of dollars are at stake. Generations are affected. Can people really continue to 'sit the fence' on this? Can you really just let it be 'water under the bridge' when its millions of lives and trillions of dollars washed away?

First, I am a Muslim and say that Obama is NOT a Muslim. Nor am I supporting any candidate.

That being said:
people assume too much about the dynamic and intrinsic quality of the American religious community. Religion in America is an ENTERPRISE. The Christian tradition in America has combined capitalism and religion insomuch that pastors/ministers 'sell' a product: a religious message. If they find the right market and keep them drawn, the 'market' will enrich them. The religious message doesn't have to be right, it just has to keep the 'market'.

Is Benny Hinn right? Jim Baker, the new version?

A key factor to consider is the more provocative, sensational, perhaps the more attractive the religious message, the more support the ministry has. One should consider that several religious "denominations"- or sects- originated in America, right or wrong.

However, the mere 'wealth', prominence, or size of a 'flock' does not connote the righteousness, moral superiority, or truth of the religious message of that community. It only means that enough people with money have been attracted to and supportive of that ministry. And the larger the mass of people does not, in any time in human history, establish the greater 'truth' of an idea.

My deep respect for Eboo Patel notwithstanding the flipflop in this essay sounds politically motivated keeping time with Senator Barak Obama the presidential candidate.

Denouncing and distancing one's self from people is really fashionable these days, isn't it?

Eboo, I wonder if the disciples would have done the same thing (that you are doing now) to Jesus of Nazareth when he got angry and turned over the money lenders' tables in the Temple?

Jesus must have been an embarrassment to the disciples at that moment...out of control, angry, threatening, intimidating, defiant, etc., etc., etc...anything but the image of a transcendent and loving Saviour.

I wonder if there were followers of Jesus who denounced and distanced themselves from him at that moment, despite all the wonderful things they had seen and heard with their own eyes about his ministry.

I'm sure you're now embarrassed to be associated with the lovely article you wrote about Rev. Wright not so long ago. And I'm sure many people have told you that you should be. I would disagree.

I think you should be embarrassed that you can't stand by your first assessment of Rev. Wright, an assessment that you knew to be true. You should be embarrassed by the fact that you lack the capacity to integrate what you know about his 41 year legacy with the insight that humans fail, and that each and everyone of us can and will from time to time make mistakes.

I hope you're denouncing and distancing has made you feel better, Eboo, and redeemed you in the eyes of those whose approval you crave.

Sincerely,
Lynn

Thank you thank you thank you Eboo Patel for that sensitive and poignently written commentary on the African American contribution to the soul of this country. I have always been struck by the forgiving, loving spirit of my people, the willingness, in the face a of serious adversity, to laugh at ourselves and persevere, and our vociferous denounciation of ever forsaking our "new home" and returning to our motherland in an effort to escape the humiliations that continue to dog us in this country. But I can think of noone who has espressed this truth as beautifully as you did this morning in the Washington Post. I have sent this to everyone I can think of including my mother who was so moved by hearing it.

I hope one day to meet you.

*clapping hands loudly*

Btw.

Focus, people. The actual positions and policies of the actual President could be *important* or something.

Not to upset anyone.

By the way, Mr. Patel, ...If I can say Eboo in a friendly manner:

"O, let America be America again--
The land that never has been yet--
And yet must be--the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine--the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME--
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again."

This has always been my America. What I knew from childhood.

What I will accept no less than from any who call themselves, holy, righteous or powerful.

Since I was just *so* tall a kid.

It's a tradition of my homeland that it takes three generations living there for someone to know the spirit of a place.

Guess who. :)

This *noise.* No one is really *home* yet, or they can't accept it, cause, uprooted, they need 'Universal answers.'

It's simpler than that.

This is our home, and we'd better start living here.

I was raised to that promise. And... well, there are some who would appreciate us showing good hospitality and working out some good stuff.

America could be like Ireland.

All you have to do to be welcome is become Irish.

No Ninth Waves here in America, just golden doors and melting pots.

And a stern-faced lady holding a torch of great hope.

What's done is done.

But there is a grand promise.

When it comes down to it, we can make good on that promise, or... chicken out.

Anyone all so convinced the wrold's ending, well, we can go bak to the Bronze age any ol' time.

*This,* though. We can either run it into the ground or make something mature and sustainable of it.

This is our choice.

This has always been our choice.

Do not be distracted.

The land hopes for better.

Hi, Arminius!

" Arminius:

Hi, Paganplace!

Well, I grew up calling our Episcopal priests 'Father'. It is a term of respect."

Well, I'm all for respect. I think a lack of civility and politeness is in fact a sign of a dying civilization, but someone demanding I cal them 'Father' presumes upon intimate relationships between both the God I call Father and my biological Dah, and is otherwise way too kinky.

Sometimes I try to rationalize, 'They're *someone's* Father somehow in some life,' but, ick. Canna do.

'Reverend' means 'to be revered,' and I can say, 'Okay, do something revere-able,' and, well, 'Rabbi,' gets treated in a Pagan manner with me. It means 'teacher.' They teach me something, I don't hesitate.

Pagan convention of calling some clergy 'Lord' and 'Lady' is kind of deliberately-subversive, not meant to be mandatory for others. In our own community, few get the appellation, except by local acclaim, and that's how it should be.

'Reverend,' though, that's a tricky one. Carte blanche till someone gets cheesed. Then plausible deniability. Phhhbt.

" But it is, and probably for the good, falling out of favor. One reason is the influx of women as priests

I am concerned with the apparent presumption of some - most? - posters that somehow a Pastor is a "leader" and his (her) congregation are "followers", who must agree with the Pastor down to the smallest detail, or otherwise leave that congregation. Clearly, Rev. Wright has done much good work in his church, otherwise his congregation would have either fired him or moved en-masse to another church. His attitude to race issues is negative, ridiculous and self-defeating, but should not be seen as the sum total of the whole man, merely baggage which comes with the rest. Surely a congregegant should not be a slave to his(her)Pastor, but an individual who takes the rough with the smooth.

Hi, Paganplace!

Well, I grew up calling our Episcopal priests 'Father'. It is a term of respect. But it is, and probably for the good, falling out of favor. One reason is the influx of women as priests. Took me some time to get used to it, but once I did, I wondered what took me so long! You can't call a female priest 'Mother' without getting a well-deserved verbal beating. Fortunately I had the good sense never to do that. So now it is our Southern "Sir" and "Ma'am", words that I use elsewhere with great frequency.

Arminius

For fairness on a few posts below, I'll also note that when the Mormons send sweating undergrads around in black polyester suits with name badges that say 'Elder,' I don't call them that, either. :)

Still. Just cause it's Obama, people are acting like they don't understand what a preacher *is.*

One word! TOUCHE
-
Mr. Patel I could not agree with you more, but there is one essential element missing from your article. That is the "Black Condition." You have to understand that Reverend Wright like many pastors in the black church have served "God" for years in hopes that the overall condition of Black People would improve. It hasn't. In fact it has been deteriorating for years. Reverend Wright came from a generation that was spit on, shot at, and cursed. They did all of this in the name of equality and justice. Have our people really seen justice? No! Is it America's fault? No, not exactly! But it is the "not exactly" that enrages the reverend, myself included. We as blacks have been the whipping post for most of America's ails up until about the early '90s. And while, yes, the playing field has changed our people are not in a condition to thrive on this level playing field. There are people who are extremely bothered by this and Reverend Wright is one of them. However, what took place on Monday was sheer "Coonery." The sad part about is that the dear reverend fell for it. Hook, Line, and Sinker.

"I wonder why Wright seems so angry. It's a puzzle."

True. But in terms of what the debate has become, I think it's more pertinent to wonder why Senator Obama *isn't.*

Could be something good.

Let's see...centuries of slavery, Jim Crow laws, lynchings, denial of voting rights, economic oppression, the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, Bull Conner, fire hoses, attack dogs, housing discrimination, "separate but equal" schools, church bombings, the KKK, skinheads, wildly disparate prison sentences, and police shootings.

I wonder why Wright seems so angry. It's a puzzle.

" Jon Lou:

" In my over 50 years of attending this southern based church, I NEVER heard bigotry and racial hatred as expressed by Mr. Wright (sorry, I can't call such as he Minister or Preacher)."

I find this bit intriguing. I do draw the line at calling Catholic priests 'Father,' ...as that's a horrible presumption, (it's sometimes amusing how strangers will insist you call them 'Father' and think it's so unacceptable to call one 'Lady,')

...but in general, I hope people will live up to their titles, and try to take them as given.

I find Christianity in *general* tends to deny what's said by their 'Reverends,' when they embarass them, then claim it's cause more of the same is the answer.

(Heck, I guess *I'm* a Reverend, as my mail-order credentials often carry more weight than my own religion's standards, ..I did swear an oath, though, and that's a big deal in my faith.)

What's in that word? It's not always what you think.

If you can decide Rev. Wright isn't a 'real' Reverend, and not due the consideration, (fine by me, apart from the element of denial that preserves notions of authority,)

...Well, if you can decide he's not a 'real' Reverend, why can't Senator Obama be credited with not obeying the man, too?

Eboo:

How could African Americans have realistically left this country, even if they wanted too? The fact that you say that blacks don't want revenge demonstrates that your experience in lower income neighborhoods is marginal.

"Lie,' "broken promise"? These are semantics! The fact that you got to college without knowing about America's underbelly speaks volumes. The love that you speak of is in short supply. Is it a surprise that Rev. Wright is human and got angry?

I am very disappointed in this country. The media, which is supposed to be liberal, and is, has completely overplayed the Rev. Wright story. This is ugly. The one's who are supposed to be most sympathetic to my community have been revealed to be utter hypocrites.

America's leadership can support murderous dictators abroad and hateful conservative religious leaders but somehow Wright is beyond the pale. He hasn't caused one death.

Get real; many members of the media and their friends espoused similar views a generation ago when they were younger. And they weren't all wrong. I guess the stories about the condescending white liberals are true. You tell us how to think, you're right about everything massah.

The views expressed by Wright are common in the African American community--many of them are majority black views. Are we all outrageous and unpatriotic?

This episode says much more about the majority and the mainstream in this country than it does about Wright or Obama. Too many whites talk a good game when it comes to equality, but they don't walk the walk.

Go to a dinner party at one of your co-workers' or "friends'" houses and you are likely the only black or minority there. Tokenism is alive and well. I thought we were free to disagree in America?

I'm most disappointed in the clergy. Jesus said one must be like a child to enter into the kingdom of heaven. This means not only obedience, but trust and open-mindedness. Compassion means trying to look at things from the other guy's point of view.

Where is the forgiveness and understanding that is supposed to be emblemmatic of the body of Christ? When we look at others in darkness, you are only looking at yourself before you saw the light.

What interesting writers! Some inconsistenties apparent, though.
To Silence,W. It is possible to be raised by white parents or surrogates and still feel black rage, if those white folks did what is perceived as a poor job. Obama did not attend his mother's funeral, and there's a message.
Actually, Obama roved around Africa looking for his identity,and finally ended up with a social-work type office in the Trinity Church where he met the pastor. After meeting his wife, he decided on conversion to Christianity (he was questionably muslim) and politician (not lawyer). These decisions were strongly influenced by his new wife who came from a politically activist father who worked for Mayor Daley. Obama has a gift, he is able to slide into any group like a chameleon,and wishes to make this idea his centerpiece. He has no wish to be like a bowling,beer-drinking "American", because he was never was American (except in the legal interpretation). Born of a wandering mom, foreign father,partially raised in Indonesia and Hawaii in the l960s and l970s, when it was a quite different place. The fact is he was developed emotionally before he ever stepped foot on mainland soil. The idea that this exotic, half-american man could be president borders on insane. Trouble is,the other two candidates are worse.

" Comparison:

between Muslims and blacks shows that both groups blame others while they have become their own biggest enemies (Most victims of Islamic terrorism and Muslms and most victims of black violence are blacks)"

And most victims of gaybashing are actually straight.

This doesn't make the bigotry correct.

Interesting observation. I am white, and belong to a church that is both Pentacostal and mainstream in most social issue. In my over 50 years of attending this southern based church, I NEVER heard bigotry and racial hatred as expressed by Mr. Wright (sorry, I can't call such as he Minister or Preacher).

My deceased wife and I sponsored a black preacher. We attended his first service, there were 6 black and 4 whites, and the preaching was outstanding. About ten years later, I attended HIS church again, maybe 5 whites and 180 blacks were in attendance. His preaching was much like Wright's now, he made himself a Bishop and is a political force, but unfortuntely a man of God fell to the level of hatred and bigotry. For your info, I have attended about 8-10 black churches in the intervening years, and yes, most preach varying degrees of intolerance and bigotry. They preach for thier congregation, not preaching God's word, except to prove a point, and yes you can almost prove anything biblically if you take the words or phrases out of context.

Jon

Interesting observation. I am white, and belong to a church that is both Pentacostal and mainstream in most social issue. In my over 50 years of attending this southern based church, I NEVER heard bigotry and racial hatred as expressed by Mr. Wright (sorry, I can't call such as he Minister or Preacher).

My deceased wife and I sponsored a black preacher. We attended his first service, there were 6 black and 4 whites, and the preaching was outstanding. About ten years later, I attended HIS church again, maybe 5 whites and 180 blacks were in attendance. His preaching was much like Wright's now, he made himself a Bishop and is a political force, but unfortuntely a man of God fell to the level of hatred and bigotry. For your info, I have attended about 8-10 black churches in the intervening years, and yes, most preach varying degrees of intolerance and bigotry. They preach for thier congregation, not preaching God's word, except to prove a point, and yes you can almost prove anything biblically if you take the words or phrases out of context.

Jon

". . .but for some reason, when the moment mattered, he offered us something very different. Those minutes on Monday were not the whole man, but heroes are made by how they respond to adversity when the whole world is watching."

Perhaps, Mr. Patel, you need to read "Hamlet" and his early speech about one flaw overcoming an entire character. Or, as Rhett Butler once said to Scarlett O'Hara, "When you throw your principles overboard in a storm, you'll find they've suffered a sea change when you retrieve them."

The fact is, when a man hangs his hat up enthusiastically with Lewis Farrakhan's anti-Semitism, it cancels out the rest - especially if you happen to be Jewish. It's absurd to try to fit something so massively ugly into some larger context. There IS no larger context that will accommodate that. And, in fact, the willingness to engage in it should have told you something about the man that you were clearly unwilling to see previously. No one who has ever heard Farrakhan speak about Jews is surprised at what his fan, Wright, did to Obama. The only people walking around looking disappointed and stunned are the people who, all along, have ALSO been willing to give the Farrakhan association a pass.

If Clinton's pastor had done 36 years of community work, but maintained a firm belief in the inherent superiority of white people, would you have given THAT pastor a pass?

"By their fruits ye shall know them." Jeremiah Wright has been holding up one of the world's best-known and vicious anti-Semites as a role model to the black community. That community now has a dismaying and increasingly evident problem with anti-Semitism. Is this what you call 36 years of good work in the community?

Why were you so willing to look the other way on this until the man rubbed your face in it?

between Muslims and blacks shows that both groups blame others while they have become their own biggest enemies (Most victims of Islamic terrorism and Muslms and most victims of black violence are blacks)

Someone really needs to close the italics up there somewhere. :)

As for 'Flip-flop,' ...now who's being 'racist?'

Yes, in fact, many black people have 'moved on,' but these are *generational changes,* and Rev. Wright is of a previous generation.

Still stuck there, in a lot of ways. Frankly, by the looks of things, he reverted to a lot of the history he feels is in the black churches, once given the national spotlight so.

Few are placed there, so suddenly, or have had such import placed upon them with so much at stake.

It's not at all so unlikely that a person in that situation will behave in ways that even those who know them well will simply not recognize.

If you really believe that people are so insidiously susceptible to any one voice they hear, then I'm sure, Flip-flop, that you'll go right out and rebuke and deny those in your own camp who try and impose religious hysteria on American politics: the unsurprising irony to me is that so many who are quick to claim Obama (And 'blacks'') are defined by Reverend Wright's statements are also the ones who most want to impose *their* religious agendas on people, as voiced by the worst extremism of *white fundamentalist preachers.*

Whereas, whatever Obama took from his interactions with Rev. Wright, (which he's twice gone on record explicating) ...he's shown and explained how he's always been his own man.

McCain, long known as a 'maverick,' supposedly, has simply *caved* on his positions to those white preachers.

I know whose 'religious advisors' *I'm* more worried about.

And, you know, Angela, two weeks ago, Wright hadn't gone up and said what he did. Obama has always repudiated such notions, though, and I think the most important thing to take away from this is not some notion Senator Obama, who's always acted and spoken quite differently, was somehow slavishly conditioned all that time by ideas he didn't even *recognize.*

I really loved this article. I really think that Rev. Wright couldn't handle the attention that was paid to him. He probably felt that he had to stir the pot or say something deserving of so grand a spotlight. He really messed up. And to Jim Cowles, I say that a three-second sound byte can be unfair. So the sound byte says, "I hate Jews." But what if the entire sentence was, "It is not righteous for the people of God to say,'I hate Jews.'" What do you say about that? Three-second sound bytes don't always represent the message, huh?

There was one statement that the Rev Wright said that I agree with 100%, that is that Obama is a politician. What he implied was that he was a liar, which he has proven by first saying he never heard Wright speak hate, then he disagreed with him, and then by throwing him under the bus when the heat got too much.

Michelle Obama said today that they were 'moving forward' that the issue was some how over. Just because they want to does not make it true. She also had the nerve to tell the people of IN that they were just like them, trying to pay the bills. They live in a million dollar home and both make over 6 figure saleries. Get a clue Michelle.

While I will agree with you the majority of blacks in America have shown great love, support, dignity and class in moving on with the horrible injustace done in the past to their race, many have not and have a major chip on their shoulder and hold whites today responsible for the sins of their fathers.

There are two ways, as a potential voter, to evaluate the Reverend Wright “issue”: 1) Obama's membership in the Trinity Church for 20 years reflects on his character and judgment, and therefore you shouldn't vote for him or 2) Obama's character stands independently of his pastor's and should be viewed and evaluated on its own.
Wright is an issue because many voters are flirting with option #1. This position neglects the Obama's entire life, public and private, his work and his background. A man, raised by his white mother and white grandparents who he loved deeply, cannot fall victim to “black anger” later in life. By the time he entered Trinity, any chance of Obama becoming an “angry black man” had evaporated due to the way he was raised. Obama has not shown any leanings similar to the extremes of his pastor in the entirety of his public life, he was, after all, the candidate who said in 2004 that “there is no black America, there is no white America, there is a United States of America”. This type of rhetoric, not Wright's, is what Obama lives by. In 2003, Obama showed this unity type thinking that characterized his campaign up until the Wright scandal when he worked out a compromise between death penalty critics and law enforcement.
Then comes Wright's media blitz. It seems Wright didn't bother to watch Obama's speech in Philadelphia, where he condemned Wright's comments but accepted the better parts of his pastor: his message of hope, and the good work he did in the community around Trinity. Yet to Wright, one of Obama's greatest rhetorical works yet amounted to nothing but the typical political dissociation. Wright seemed resentful of Obama, and I believe Obama was hurt by his most recent comments (yes, politicians can have feelings, too). The man who had shown him God, shown him hope when he needed it, had set out to deliberately destroy him. Wright knew the media would be paying attention, and knew the impact his words carried, there is no other conclusion one can make from the events of the past several days except that Wright intended to destroy Obama. Obama meant what he said on Tuesday when he finally did what Wright thought he did in Philadelphia.
Obama must be evaluated as his own man, not as a product of his Pastor's worst moments. Obama is obviously at odds with his Pastor's turn to entirely inflammatory rhetoric, and that is why Wright shouldn't be an issue: he obviously didn't, and couldn't, effect Obama's worldview. The voter has no choice, if he/she is rational, but to ignore Wright and look at Obama's policies and character separate from whatever his pastor said.

Your essay is interesting - however, I think that you cynically use it to excuse a one -sided pilloring of Rev. Wright - the truth teller by a racist, right wing media.

Why is is that Rev. Wright is a villian - and not the right wing media who created this controversy.

Mr. Wright has been unfairly portrayed by the media. To deny otherwise, means that you are racist just like the media - and one really needs to question if you respect the black American community as much as you say that you do.

You don't speak of white right wingers being stuck in rage - but they are.

You act as if THEY are the only ones who should have a voice - and as if no one - not a black man or woman - has a right to be angry and speak out against this UNFAIR - onslaught.

Also, remember - you are from India - where caste systems are respected and revered.

We don't need your approval of who is good and who is not.

You seem to be saying that Rev. Wright is worse than the worst conservative racist pastors. This is wrong and unfair.

Mr. Patel, This is a very true post when it comes to the oppression, pain, hurt and rage that most of us of all backgrounds have experienced throughout our time on this earth, especially African Americans and I do agree w/several of your statements. However, for the past six weeks, almost every every one who is part of the OnFaith panel didn't believe that Jeremiah Wright said anything wrong. What I heard from his speech in Washington, DC is the same speech he's been spewing for the past year and up until now everyone had their head in the sand. I do feel awful for Obama but I have to say, two weeks ago, Obama didn't feel that Wright's comments were that bad, however, when Obama stated on Tuesday that he was very hurt because Wright didn't care about him (Obama) and what they were trying to accomplish. My question: is Obama really sorry or did it come to a situation as he had no other choice to completely disown him which leads me to believe he only denounced Wright because this situation wouldn't die. In addition, Obama's statement that Wright is not the same man that he knew 20 years ago. How about the man that made those same statements for the past 10 years. Is Wright the same man that was in between the 20 years. We need to understand, if we are speaking against oppression in an honest debate or for that matter, caring enough to listen to those who really want to see change for the entire country not just for personal or political reasons. We are all in this together...

by Mr. Patel and Mr. Obama. Rev. Wright has been spewing hatred and intolerance (like a prophet of certain religion) for more than 3 decades. Why Eboo Patel wrote last time calling for more compassion and understanding of Wright, is beyond me.

Your assertion that Blacks have forgiven and moved on is also wrong. They feel entitled to wrongs done to them more than 100 years ago and that explains their plight today. They want everything handed to them on a platter.

This is a great article. I share your disappointment right now with this whole affair. If Obama goes down because of this that will be a great injustice. People who want to cast blame on Obama for belonging in TUCC are making a big mistake. A person's reasons for staying in a church are personal and should stay that way. Obama is not a hater. A lot of good members of TUCC have been shocked by this recent display by the Rev. To tar members of the church because of what's happened is very, very wrong. The comments of Rev. Wright were a result of being shunned by Obama. He lashed out and that's something he'll have to live with.

Well, Eboo, a "3-second sound byte" can tell us a lot. When Wright says that the AIDS virus was concocted to kill off African-Americans, that may be a "3-second sound byte", but it tells us a lot about the man -- and about Obama's years-long support of him and his ministry. If Wright had said "I hate Jews" or "I hate gays", that, too, would have been a "3-second sound byte". Would you still argue, in those 2 cases, that those sentiments would be nothing to be indignant about? If so, why the double standard? JIM

Obama has spent the entire campaign trying to avoid Howard Dean's mistake of stating that the US should be more "even handed" in its dealings between Israel and the Arab world. If you saw the debate in which he stated this, it looked like Joe Liberman was going to spring up out of his chair to attack Dean. The comments by Wright denouncing Israel have mortally wounded Obama, who was already viewed with suspicion by Jews and evangelical Christians. The news media colludes with this. They don't show Wright's comments in full for fear that they might sound more reasonable than the media would like them to be portrayed. Then there was the "damn America" comment which is guaranteed to offend many Americans- white or black- combined with a few unsavory comments by Obama's wife which probably would have passed by on their own except when in the context of these other disclosures. Obviously, the Clinton campaign is behind all this Wright business. She had to find a way to peel away liberal white, Jewish voters from Obama and she succeeded.
As for Wright himself, Billy Graham stands virtually alone among modern, high-profile ministers who have maintained high ethical and moral standards throughout their entire ministry. Others succumb to greed, political machinations, sex scandals, tax problems, and/or a propensity to issue goofy-sounding statements from time to time. Why should Wright be any different in that regard than his peers?

This is so powerful, inspiring, and enligtening. As an African-American woman, I hail from 300+ years of perseverance, determination, excellence, and etceteras. Your blog is so moving, it has moved me to tears. How can I participate in/volunteer with the Interfaith Youth Core Organization?

In response to the comment posted by John .. what the 'naive' and 'stupid' folks that he mentioned don't get is that a pastor is suppose to SERVE the word of GOD and not the word of a GOVERNMENT. So without getting into the debate about the moral justification of any violent war and/or social injustice or factuality of the claims Wright spoke about the important point here is that his first duty is to GOD or as he said JESUS and not his country.

Even I as a naive and stupid white guy get this -- why can't the rest?

Now if every Christian in U.S. uses the opportunity to walk out of his or her church when they hear something objectionable by their pastor/priest/minister then it will be very tough to stay in one church for a long time.

I definitely find myself a bit confused about Wright, having caught what must have been just the tail end of his Press Club speech and thought pretty well of him... till they started playing back some of the other stuff he'd said.

Frankly, I think it's a classic example of why the media *shouldn't* be giving these types quite so much attention, not if it drowns out the candidate himself, which is exactly what's going on, here.

If he's behaving different now than how Obama knew him, though, I'm not too surprised, ...the man's suddenly thrown in the national spotlight with the idea he's got to represent the black churches...

Unfortunately, in the process, he may have done further damage to who could be our first black President. (Though maybe we shouldn't call him that, since it's become a race issue. Obama's mother was white and a profound influence on hislife, and Senator Obama is familiar with many cultures and really, can represent all of us.)

Tsk, on Rev Wright, though. I thought the end of his bit showed a witty man of his times, not that I of course agreed with everything, ...but it seems he'd already done his damage.

I think it's now the media's responsibility to pay more attention to, oh, I dunno, the candidate's direct addressing of what's been said, than what that Reverend Wright decided to say.

Yet... Rev. Wright is a leader in his community. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are too. All wag their fingers and cast blame and aspersion all around. It's all about posturing and elbowing one's way to the front of the self-righteous line. Sir, with all due respect, this is the face of the 'African-American' experience in the 21st century. There's plenty of love - for themselves. I reflect upon the sweet, humble kind souls of black folks I know, but they are not held up to public acclaim. We get the charlatans and con artists - and folks like you enable them by by constantly retreating and giving them the benefit of the doubt. I am glad you had the courage to speak out against Mr. Wright. Will you continue to have the courage to point out that no individual or race has cornered the market on righteousness? Here's a primitive religious thought for you and all other 'progressives'. We're all sinners sorely in need of the saving grace and love of a just and merciful God. Isn't it funny how those who free, and humble, themselves to say that bring the most 'love' into the world?

Americans may be naive at times, but even white stupid bitter rednecks that Believe in God, loves this Nation and support the second Amendment, know this much: When you take money out of your wallet and lay that money down for the same cause, week after week, month after month, year after year, for 20 years...you HAVE endorsed and believe in their Message and you have most assuredly endorsed the MESSENGER. Period.

For 20 years Obama has supported Reverend Wright and his Radical American Hating Racist message but now that he wants to be President he throws the man under the bus alone with his Grandmother that raised and provide for him. The question is just how bitter is Obama at whites, and what kind of man is he that is seeks to be President?!