Obama in 2007: “I constantly remember Rev. Wright as the shepherd who guided me to my commitment to Christ one Sunday morning at Trinity. I often consider, as I work in the Senate how he lives his life-a life of service to Trinity, Chicago and the nation; his activism on behalf of causes that few would champion and his dogged commitment to the first principles of love for God and fellow man. And in my personal walk, I seek daily to imitate his faith.”
Gateway Pundit: "Now- is it OK to tie Barack Obama to his pastor, mentor and father figure, Jeremiah Wright?"
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The current pope was a Hitler youth as a child. Does this mean that all Catholics are antisemitic white supremicists (however it's spelled)? Not so much.
I don't think the fact that Wright was the one who led Obama to his faith means that he has to agree with everything the man has said regarding politics and/or his understanding of race in this country. While politics and religion are often bedfellows, they certainly needn't be. There are liberal Evangelicals and conservative racists.
Issues of faith, race and politics haven't ever been clear-cut or easily predictable (as in, if person A has pastor B, her politics will be C). Historically, the only Christian sect that officially renounced slavery was Quaker. This doesn't mean, however, that numerous Christians of other varieties didn't participate in the abolitionist movement, or that there weren't churches that were divided over the issue. Indeed, there were slave holders who claimed that their faith asserted that slavery was right because they claimed that slaves bore the "mark of Cain," and were therefore doomed to a life of servitude. There were others, who read the same bible and even attended the same churches as those who were proslavery, who said that their faith told them the opposite.
Finally, to end a long rambling comment, I dunno if Wright's ideas are as simple as they've been portrayed in the media. He was awarded 3 letters of commendation from the White House for his military service. There might be more to his thoughts about the country than has been portrayed on YouTube.
oops--above, I meant to say "there are liberal Evangelicals, and conservative ATHEISTS." Sorry for the sloppy proofreading.
For starters, the current Pope fought in WWII not necessarily because he was an antisemitic white supremacists," but more because he was drafted, and if he didn't he would be killed. He's an honorable guy, but not that honorable. So I don't know if that's an excellent example.
In the quote I pulled in my post, Obama repetitively displayed his favor of Wright's faith and personal walk of life. In fact, he considered Wright so influential in his life that he actually called him, "the shepherd who guided me." Somehow, I think it's fair to say that Obama should take a little heat for being so strongly connected with this black supremacist who said, and I quote, "God fuck America"... don't you?
Isn't "black supremicist" a bit harsh? It isn't as if Wright expressed an opinion that those who are black are intrinsically better than those who are not, or participated in/supported terrorist groups that use violent tactics against those who are not black or spoke out against interracial relationships. White supremicist groups do all of these things (the clan's tactics, including lynching, and theft/destruction of property, define them as terrorists): you can check out their rhetoric on their websites for yourself if you can stomach it (it is pretty horrible).
Also, saying "God f* America," for one, does not make him some sort of "black supremicist" or whatever you'd call it; a number of different ethnicities went into making this country, and a black man who had an honorable stint in the military is certainly aware of that, to say the least. In other words, your quoting of Wright's comments about America, following your defining him as a "black supremicist" implicitly asserts the notion that this nation is not one of black people as much it is as others.
If you're referring to a comment in which Wright directly makes a judgment about white people as a group, that is a different story. Critiquing the nation, which he acknowledges he is a part of (see link below, where he uses "We" when referring to various things the nation has done), does not make him racist. Claiming that there have been policies that have disproportionately affected blacks negatively--whether or not one agrees with that claim--does not make Wright racist. Disagreeing with the US's international policies--whether or not one agrees with him--does not make Wright racist.
Wright's use of "we" in critiques of the US are viewable here:
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/21/the-full-story-behind-rev-jeremiah-wrights-911-sermon/
While you'll likely disagree, I don't think Obama's association with someone who has found fault with aspects of our country's actions a bad thing. If it is the case that you believe that someone is a better American if she doesn't find fault with "The Trail of Tears," or slavery, or the internment of American citizens of Japanese descent during WWII, or jim crow, we'll have to agree to disagree, I guess.
If it is the case that you believe that someone is a better American if she doesn't find fault with "The Trail of Tears," or slavery, or the internment of American citizens of Japanese descent during WWII, or jim crow, we'll have to agree to disagree, I guess.
Never said that. It is obviously important to look back and realize those terrible faults in American history. But it only proves useful to examine those faults with the hope of improving them and eliminating them from our culture. Looking back on them and claiming that prove some sort of moral fault in the American people as a whole is incorrect and unjustified. To say "God fuck America," so passionately he did, he obviously hasn't travelled much. I just got back from a service trip to Ecuador as I'm sure you've read, where I found a lifestyle so dismal and so impoverished where I literally teared up multiple times a day. They're unethical, completely corrupt government is robbing and destroying the people instead of helping them. 1/3 of Ecuador lives on a dollar... a DOLLAR... a day per person, and all those except the wealthiest 6% live on less than 3. A family of four will live in a home the size of the room I am typing in now (which isn't that big). I went to two masses while I was down there, both in open air churches; one couldn't afford to finish putting in flooring, so it was only half covered. They sing praise to their God and are joyful for what they have. Reverend Wright preaches from his gorgeous air-conditioned Church and oak-wood pulpit, wallowing in self-pity and anguish of a crime now largely gone.
Yeah, God, you fuck America, please.
Will, I agree with you however you are misquoting Wright.
He has said, "God damn America" not "God f--- America".
-Jason
http://thecandidconservative.blogsopt.com
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