Why is it always up to black Americans to apologize and make amends for America's bloody history of racism? Why are we so shocked and threatened when a leader of a black community, in this case Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr., Obama's pastor, airs grievances with that bloody history, and speaks in metaphors the way preachers do, referring to America as the "US of KKK A?" What am I missing? Did America suddenly stop becoming racist? Did we suddenly stop racial profiling, putting black men in prison at exponentially higher rates than other races, giving them longer sentences for lesser crimes, barring them equal access to capital, health care, education and basic services -- the basic building blocks of community? Have blacks been suddenly granted access to an equal stake in our society while I was asleep last night?
This furor over Reverend Wright's remarks is flat-out bullshit. Leaving aside for a minute my personal feelings that organized religion, and especially those of the Christian variety, is inherently a fucked up crap fest, ask yourself what black man or woman with a brain wouldn't be aggrieved, pissed and on the verge of insanity? For some reason, though, we don't grant the justifications for that anger, which are prima facie and as real as death, but expect blacks to heal the wounds of our collective guilt and are offended when they don't politely accept the burden. No, of course, I'm not talking about you specifically, but, yes, I am talking about us.
It's not true that we're in a post-racial society or era. We might be getting there slowly, slowly, but we can't be until stories like Barack Obama's are not so incredibly remarkable. No group --no matter how you want to blather about your great grandaddies coming over here with nothing, etc., etc., blah, fucking blah -- came here the way African Americans did. Their history here is entirely distinct and entirely a bloody, blight of shame on us. But it isn't their history. It's our history and we have to stop trying to deny the truth behind the words of people like Reverend Wright. No other group has been so systematically degraded and deprived of the basic rights of and access to our society (um, like family, property, community, equality before the law, capital, education...but I repeat myself). And while the achievements of black Americans in this culture actually defy all odds considering, it's more a credit to them than to a narrative we can collectively lay claim to. Would that it were different. But it isn't and history can't be shed in a minute or a year or a campaign and can't be revised because we wish it to be so or because we say it is so. It just is. And it can only be made, not remade, by creating new history and new narratives and if that process has begun, it's only just and barely begun.
Not to mention where was all the outrage when born-again Christians preachers, mostly white, were calling HIV God's revenge on gays, or were saying Bill Clinton was Satan and the UN was the devil's workshop and the End Times were nigh and that 9/11 was payback for our permissive, liberal society and was heralding The End, Hallelujah. I didn't hear your outrage then. Funny how righteous and clear it is now over this tempest in a teapot.
Now, of course, with the good Reverend, you have your excuse and you won't be satisfied until Obama can step-n-fetch-it to your satisfaction, 'til he's satisfactorily broken.
And when that happens, will we then be post racial?
Watch Barack Obama's March 18 speech here.
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There are 14 comments posted for this article.
My sentiments exactly. When I heard the clip of Obama's pastor saying Hillary didn't know what it was like to be called an N, and that rich white men run the country, I thought, "this is controversial? What world do these jerks live in where they think it's controversial? Hell, I've been white for 49 years and I completely agree with Wright's comments.
Posted on March 18, 2008 6:35 AM by RvB
I agree with you and I definitely agree with the pastor. I mean anyone who can speak the truth like that and make people uncomfortable and outraged is totally my BFF. In a world when BS is so ubiquitous to the point where the person spewing the BS knows that you know it's BS, words like Obama's pastor's are refreshing and important and needed. So then why, Joe, why is Obama distancing himself from this man? To gain acceptance from the very same electorate who are turned off by his pastor's words? The same people who would've ostracized him six years ago for his views regarding the then-popular idea to invade Iraq, I'm sure. Obama had an opportunity to finally back-up what his campaign had this country believe all this time: that he was an agent of change, someone who doesn't and wouldn't subscribe to politics as usual, and he blew it.
Posted on March 18, 2008 10:01 AM by Chris
Right fucking on, Joe. The most shocking thing about this whole incident is the extent to which it reveals how many people were trying to pretend Obama wasn't *really* black -- you know, he doesn't have the proverbial "chip on his shoulder"; he's not angry, he's not talking about reparations and all that -- blah, blah, blah. And then Geraldine "I'll decide what's best for the party" Ferraro comes out to say "he's only there because he's black," and . . .
Isn't that sufficient context for Rev. Wright's anger? I mean, I think the guy's over the top, but he has tailored his message to a specifically black community in an embattled culture, one they had to fight every odd to rise above. We want to flatter ourselves that the battle is over, but as Ferraro proved, it ain't.
Posted on March 18, 2008 11:28 AM by Judith Lewis
In all of the Rush Limbaugh-fueled outrage about the comments of Wright, let's not forget about the influential evangelical Pastor John Hagee.
This is the man that Sen. John McCain sought and received the endorsement of. (read story here.)
On Fresh Air in 2006, Terri Gross asked Pastor Hagee, "Do you still think that Katrina is punishment from God for a society that's becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah?"
His answer:
HAGEE: All hurricanes are acts of God, because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they are -- were recipients of the judgment of God for that. The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades. So I believe that the judgment of God is a very real thing. I know that there are people who demur from that, but I believe that the Bible teaches that when you violate the law of God, that God brings punishment sometimes before the day of judgment. And I believe that the Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans.
John McCain on getting Hagee's endorsement, "All I can tell you is I'm very proud to have pastor Hagee's support."
Hear the entire interview with Hagee at NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6097362
Posted on March 18, 2008 3:27 PM by Mark Mauer
I will have to disagree with ya their. First of all.. blacks now a days, with all the bullshit laws have just as many rights as whites, maybe with getting a job they might have a little trouble due to the lack of education they desire for themselves is most of the population. They have the fair shot at being successful as well as any other nationality. The fact is simple. They DO NOT take ADVANTAGE of it. 90% of blacks dont give a shit or a rats ass about school. Now a days blacks have a better chance of getting into schools them some whites cause they wanna mix things up a bit. My opnion,stop bitchen about racisim get the fuck over it, its barley in our society tillt his day, cant even say niGG3r with out getting a bunch of peoples underwear in a twist.
Posted on March 18, 2008 8:43 PM by Josh
If anything Josh said had the faintest whiff of truth, it would then have to be called the narcissism of small differences.
Posted on March 19, 2008 4:07 PM by Justin
josh you are tripping lil man.
will you deny california prison statistics?
will you deny racial profiling?
how many black or latino friends do you have?
what is your level of education?
how many countries have you visited?
lets face it, you don't own a passport. stay comfortable and ignorant my white brother.
Posted on March 19, 2008 6:00 PM by B
Obama and Donnelly are both full of you know what!!!
Posted on March 21, 2008 3:06 PM by geomar
What if hillary had a friend that made very anti black racial remarks.Then took the same stance barack does ?
Posted on March 24, 2008 10:38 PM by Rusty Shakleford
I know many Latinos. I grew up around them . The state prison is full of them here in Tx. They commit crimes. Not all but a lots of them. 13 year old girls are women to them. Its legal in mexico. I talked to one that went to prison for sleeping with his woman. She was 14 he was 25. He said that its perfectly legal in mexico.
I see them get put on probation just like everybody else . They get sent off just like everybody else. I think you bleeding hearts have race confused with finances. Lady Justice is a prostitute. Many of all races that are in state prisons simply because they dont have money. Oh most have committed crimes but money would have kept them from going. I am not saying people with money dont go to prison , but it is far less likely.
Posted on March 24, 2008 11:02 PM by Rusty Shakleford
I know many Latinos. I grew up around them . The state prison is full of them here in Tx. They commit crimes. Not all but a lots of them. 13 year old girls are women to them. Its legal in mexico. I talked to one that went to prison for sleeping with his woman. She was 14 he was 25. He said that its perfectly legal in mexico.
I see them get put on probation just like everybody else . They get sent off just like everybody else. I think you bleeding hearts have race confused with finances. Lady Justice is a prostitute. Many of all races that are in state prisons simply because they dont have money. Oh most have committed crimes but money would have kept them from going. I am not saying people with money dont go to prison , but it is far less likely.
Posted on March 24, 2008 11:02 PM by Rusty Shakleford
Obama: Ivy League.
Josh: Trouble forming coherent sentences.
Posted on March 25, 2008 2:36 AM by Mel
Obama: Ivy League.
Josh: Trouble forming coherent sentences.
Posted on March 25, 2008 2:36 AM by Mel
Geomar,
We do know what they are full of? They are full of courage, honor, truth, ideas and service to their community and country. There is very little "truth" published in the media today. There is very little "truth" allowed to eek out of the darkness. It is always funny to see rational discourse attacked by irrational people. It is never a refutation of the idea, only, a sad little smear towards the person. Geomar & Josh, go back to your smug little world of intolerance and ignorance, the grown ups are trying to have an important discussion.
Posted on March 25, 2008 9:29 AM by Todd