Barack Obama's spiritual mentor retires from pastorate.

[jitterbug13]

TTT...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080315/...xu8U8g.H2M5QcF

When I was watching this unfold on TV over the weekend, I was thinking they are try to do everything to make sure Obama doesn't win (even though a lot of what Rev. Wright said was right).

[PerroLoco]

you can view pictures of Rev. Wright's retirement party before all of this BS broke out by cutting and pasting: http://picasaweb.google.com/pi.beta....48683361084018

[PerroLoco]

While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections. Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country? After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America's biggest cities. This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, who has been in the news for comments he made over the last three decades. In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy's challenge to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines. In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.) The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy's premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief's medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery. For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation. What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated. Since these comments became public we have heard criticisms, condemnations, denouncements and rejections of his comments and him. We've seen on television, in a seemingly endless loop, sound bites of a select few of Rev. Wright's many sermons. Some of the Wright's comments are inexcusable and inappropriate and should be condemned, but in calling him "unpatriotic," let us not forget that this is a man who gave up six of the most productive years of his life to serve his country. How many of Wright's detractors, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly to name but a few, volunteered for service, and did so under the often tumultuous circumstances of a newly integrated armed forces and a society in the midst of a civil rights struggle? Not many. While words do count, so do actions. Let us not forget that, for whatever Rev. Wright may have said over the last 30 years, he has demonstrated his patriotism.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...,0,92000.story

[Wolfman]

This should seen as a cautionry tale on several fronts. Just looking at it from simply a racial and political viewpoint can obscure some vital issues.

Bro. Rev. Jeremiah Wright, like his namesake, the prophet Jeremiah, stands in the line of the prophetic tradition in Israelite religion, including John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth. The navi (prophet) arose in the context of the institutionalization of political power in Israel in the kingship. It served as a counterbalance and conscious to the concentration of power in this institution. Its power and authority wasn't derived from arms, political deals, or popularity but solely from YHWH (Israel's God), who had the power to bring about the judgments and blessings pronounced through his prophet. We need our prophets, esp. in the face of drunkeness (and delusion) of power and entitlement which Americans live under. It's made by the fact, like that of ancient Israelite people, they use their religion as a form of national idolatry. The prophets were persecuted because they stood for the absolute justice of God and his covenant, and they were not "politicians."

Barack Obama is a politician and he knows full well that this involves the art of compromise and consensus building. Thus, these two strands stand in tension. As a result, Obama had to distance himself from his pastor for political reasons. In terms of the black political landscape this means that there has been growth, and there are challenges looming on the horizon. Heretofore, many black politicians were cut out of the prophetic mold, often from the African American church. The fact that we were marginalized socially and politically meant that, no matter how much the Rev. Martin L. King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement are now a part of the American mythology, we posed no real sociopolitical threat to the powers that be in both parties. Now, with Obama attempting a realignment in the American political landscape with African Americans, the young, educated whites, progressives, disaffected Republicans and others,there is going to be pushback from both the plantation politics of the Clintons and the Right-dominated Republican Party. Not only should Obama expect the kitchen sink to be thrown at him, he should expect the toilet, too!

African Americans, as Tavis Smiley has done, should not expect a national political figure like Obama with his "transcendant" politics to be a prophet, as a Rev. Al Shaprton or Rev. Jesse Jackson but we need the prophetic stream to hold him and others accountable, as the prophets of old did with the kings of Israel and Judah.

Finally, because we African Americans see ourselves as marginalized in many ways, we often think what we do in our "sphere" doesn't matter in the mainstream. THhs can breed bad habits of speech, act and thought. Bro. Wright did say some things in the loops which, while not exceptional in the black church context, would be seen as offensive in the broader society. And in some cases, the language was wrong--point blank. He prefaced some comments by saying that what he was about to say would never get the attention of those outside his context--how little did he realize how wrong he was! In the age of the Internet, You Tube, MySpace, Facebook, etc., there is no real sense of public vs. private. What you say and how you say it matters, even for African Americans. The use of the N-word, now ubiquitous through rap lyrics, has made it acceptable (so it seems) for whites and others to use it with impunity.

Jesus told his disciples that they should be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves." This is the word of the hour--for prophets, politicans and people alike!!!!

[Wolfman]

Omegas Defend Bro. Rev. Jeremiah Wright

http://www.theblackchurchpage.com/mo...print&aaid=664

[Little32]

If I were Barack, I would have told the press that this is an absurd non-issue that I refuse to dignify with a response.

About Reverend Wright--Trinity members are heated about what in their minds amounts to slander and character defamation. First: Rev. Wright is not racist (especially if racism is prejudice + power). Second: all of the sound bites that they are playing are not being discussed in context--either of the sermons or the very real social and political contexts that shaped Wright's sermons.

All I can say about the media is blech!

[mccoyred]

I thought about this thread but was unsure whether to bring it back to the top....

I think that the media is being immensely unfair to both Rev Wright and Sen Obama. I understand the initial exploration of the issue but given that both Clinton and McCain have had their issues with clergy and other supporters, it is being given disproportionate attention. To his credit, Sen Obama has put it in perspective, did what he had to do politically and is preparing to address the underlying problems (tomorrow in Philly).

The Rev's remarks are not the cause but a symptom of the state of this country. Unfortunately, the 'chickens coming home to roost' comment really became problematic. I must say that I also thought about Malcom's words in the days after the attack; he had the audience to speak those words publicly. Unlike Malcolm, Rev Wright had the benefit of history and should have known what would happen...

[jitterbug13]

I agree with y'all (can't help it, I'm from the South!). I was watching coverage of this on Anderson Cooper Friday night. While Roland Martin and another guy was saying it was common for African American pastors to mix social issues with religion, another guy was saying the church wasn't the place to be for what he said. I wish the media would give more attention to the pastor who called Obama a pimp and his mother white trash and the OK state senator who dissed gays, even though her son is gay.

But I admit, when I first her the comments from Rev. Wright, I thought "those them bruhs for you".

[SmoothAv8r]

This whole thing is nothing more than propoganda. Since they can't get a clean shot at Barack, they then start to go after those who are close to him and then sensationalize anything they can.

I don't know all what Rev. Wright said, but of the statements I heard in regard to the theft of Palestine done under the tutelage of Harry Truman and Winston Churchill, the bombing and killing of more than 100k people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the CIA flooding black communities with Crack Cocaine in the 80's, all of that is true. What saddens me even more is that Barack is now on TV "denouncing" what Rev. Wright has said and I know that Barack knows in his heart that many, if not all of his statements are facts...it's so sad, but Barack has to play politics if he wants to win this thing and I understand that that's what's going on.

I hope Barack can continue his momentum. I don't think Billary can beat McCain and I also know that if Barack is facing him in the fall, all of this will surely come up which might keep a lot of people from supporting him (even if they don't support McCain).

The struggle and saga of the black man continues...

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by SmoothAv8r

The struggle and saga of Black people continues...

Fixed that for ya. Remember Ferraro implied that if he had been a Black woman he would not be where he is, too.

[SummerChild]

Smooth,

It sounds like we got two different impressions of what was being communicated.

When I listened to his speech, I didn't get the impression that he was denouncing those things that you listed that are true (CIA flooding the community, etc.), in fact, I got the impression that he did a good job of bringing to the forefront that many of the things that Rev. Wright discussed were true and that xyz was the cause of such. I thought that what he denounced was Rev. Wright's vantage point that AA are stuck and somewhat helpless to do anything about our plight in this country b/c the deck is so stacked against us. Maybe I didn't understand it all but that seemed to me to be what he was saying. I was ok with him denouncing some of his statements b/c he has a right to say that he disagrees with his pastor (as we all do). I felt good that he made clear that he was not denouncing him as a person or as a pastor, just some of the statements that he made - just like he did the same with his white grandmother for some of the statements that she made.

Pastors are just normal men (and women) and they could be wrong - or they could be right and we just have a difference of opinion. I really don't think there is anything wrong with publically disagreeing with another person ... even if they have the title "Rev." If he disagreed, I don't really see that he had any other real option but to say so unless he wanted to give the impression that he agreed, which is what his silence would have said. B/c race is such an important issue in this country, I was personally glad that he took an opportunity to talk about it... no matter which side he came out on the topic. I really wish that Hillary and John McCain would have speeches addressing it too. As we know, it is a very important conversation to start with regard to *domestic* politics. It is affecting socio-economics and many other areas of our domestic life here in the U.S. - no matter to what race one belongs. I felt like someone finally addressed the giant elephant that has been in the room in the U.S. for centuries. His speech started off about Rev. Wright's comments but really, in my opinion, the speech was really him taking a very good opportunity to start a discussion on race - which, at least it appears to me, was really the majority of the speech in terms of time and content.

SC

Originally Posted by SmoothAv8r

This whole thing is nothing more than propoganda. Since they can't get a clean shot at Barack, they then start to go after those who are close to him and then sensationalize anything they can.

I don't know all what Rev. Wright said, but of the statements I heard in regard to the theft of Palestine done under the tutelage of Harry Truman and Winston Churchill, the bombing and killing of more than 100k people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the CIA flooding black communities with Crack Cocaine in the 80's, all of that is true. What saddens me even more is that Barack is now on TV "denouncing" what Rev. Wright has said and I know that Barack knows in his heart that many, if not all of his statements are facts...it's so sad, but Barack has to play politics if he wants to win this thing and I understand that that's what's going on.

I hope Barack can continue his momentum. I don't think Billary can beat McCain and I also know that if Barack is facing him in the fall, all of this will surely come up which might keep a lot of people from supporting him (even if they don't support McCain).

The struggle and saga of the black man continues...

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by jitterbug13

But I admit, when I first her the comments from Rev. Wright, I thought "those them bruhs for you".

Many non-"bruh" pastors have said the same thing. The Black church has always been the center of AA politics, which is why so many of our "leaders" are clergy men. This really has nothing to do with the man's fraternal affiliation.

[mccoyred]

This is the reason why the other candidates have been silent on the Wright/Obama issue....

McCain http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-m...n_b_92642.html

Clinton http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080331/ehrenreich

It appears that they each have similar challenges....


A blog from a Trinity UCC member http://truthabouttrinity.blogspot.com/

[5Knowledge1913]

All I can say is that as a student of Texas Christian University, I am angered and appalled at the fact that the Chancellor not only didn't want Wright on campus, but wrote "statements" to be regurgetated (sp?) in case any one (donors) ask questions. I am too annoyed that TCU actually bought into the "media frenzy" as Dr. Wright called it. Just further proves my TCU for my school.

[PerroLoco]

From a District Officer


Bruhz... Please understand that Rev Wright is unapologetically black. He comes with the heat when standing in the pulpit. He loves Us & the skin we are in. I cant say for certain but I think the government has been on his back long before Barack was around. They didn't like that they couldn't censor him when he speaks & preaches of the life of Our people. His work & his lectures are outstanding, Bruhz. Finally... I need to hit yall with this... Rev. Wright is da Bruhz! Z squad 1960. He is a financial brother of Rho Gamma Gamma here in Chicago. Last week the bruhz sponsored a room in his honor for his retirement party. Atomic Dog came on & Rev Bro Wright danced & MARCHED with HOOKS UP on stage with his daughters. Extra Owt! He loves the frat & he rep's US well. So with that being said... man, am I tryin to be politically correct.. I wish dem $#@^$%&^ get off his back! .....If I could bump for Dog, I WOULD! ANY DAY, ANY PLACE, ANY TIME!...on the shield! Roo