Obama’s Big Test
Pundits and journalists labeled Obama’s Philadelphia speech “a test,” a defining moment in Barack Obama’s candidacy, where he would address the issue that could sink his chances of becoming the nation’s first black president – his relationship with his former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
Over the past week, Wright has been the focus of much scrutiny over his anti-white and controversial statements about the United States of America made at the pulpit in the Chicago church where Obama attends. Which explains all the media attention Obama’s 37-minute-long speech received. Much of his remarks were carried live on the cable television networks, while the campaign had to accommodate press in an overflow room, something usually reserved for the hundreds of supporters who can’t fit into a gymnasium or auditorium.
The speech was written by the senator himself, and described by staffers as very personal in nature. As he has since the story broke last week, Obama distanced himself from Reverend Wright’s “incendiary” remarks, which he called “divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems.”
He acknowledging there were still “nagging questions,” and attempted to explain why he hasn’t further distanced himself from someone who could utter such controversial words.
“Given my background, my politics, and my professed values and ideals, there will no doubt be those for whom my statements of condemnation are not enough. Why associate myself with Reverend Wright in the first place, they may ask? Why not join another church? And I confess that if all that I knew of Reverend Wright were the snippets of those sermons that have run in an endless loop on the television and You Tube, or if Trinity United Church of Christ conformed to the caricatures being peddled by some commentators, there is no doubt that I would react in much the same way. But the truth is, that isn’t all that I know of the man,” he said, reading evenly from a teleprompter.
Obama described his 20-year relationship with his former pastor; how Wright introduced him to the Christian faith and some of the good Wright has done in the community. He also attempted to explain the complexities that often go hand-in-hand with African American churches.
“Like other predominantly black churches across the country, Trinity embodies the black community in its entirety – the doctor and the welfare mom, the model student and the former gang-banger. Like other black churches, Trinity’s services are full of raucous laughter and sometimes bawdy humor. They are full of dancing, clapping, screaming and shouting that may seem jarring to the untrained ear. The church contains in full the kindness and cruelty, the fierce intelligence and the shocking ignorance, the struggles and successes, the love and yes, the bitterness and bias that make up the black experience in America. And this helps explain, perhaps, my relationship with Reverend Wright. As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me,” Obama explained. “I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother.”
Obama assured his audience that this speech was not meant to “justify or excuse” Wright’s comments. “I can assure you it is not. I suppose the politically safe thing would be to move on from this episode and just hope that it fades into the woodwork,” he said. But to do so “would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made in his offending sermons about America – to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality.”
What followed was a lengthy and personal assessment of race in America.
Keep reading below the jump….Watch Obama’s speech here:
Quoting William Faulkner, Obama observed, “The past isn’t dead and buried. In fact, it isn’t even past.” The legacy of discrimination and segregation; slavery and Jim Crow still haunts the African American community, he explained with authority, and that frustration occasionally “finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews.”
On the other side of the racial divide, Obama noted the resentment many whites feel towards the balck community. “As far as they’re concerned, no one’s handed them anything, they’ve built it from scratch….opportunity comes to be seen as a zero sum game, in which your dreams come at my expense.”
After defining the rift, as Obama perceives it, he spoke of the notion of healing racial wounds with a token blend of realism and optimism. “Contrary to the claims of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naïve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy – particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own. But I have asserted a firm conviction – a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people – that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice is we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union. “
It’s a choice, Obama said, that we have in this election. “We can tackle race only as spectacle – as we did in the OJ trial – or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright’s sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she’s playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies. We can do that. But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we’ll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change. That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, ‘Not this time.’”
To win this nomination, Obama must continue to preach unity - even if some of his own supporters and mentors do not.
Tags: jeremiah wright, obama, pastor, philadelphia, race, reverend, speech
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Racial reconciliation will only come in America if we are smart enough to elect an Obama/Romney ticket this fall.
Barrack Obama belongs to a church that hates white people and considers them to be inferior.
Mitt Romney belongs to a church that hates black people and considers them to be inferior.
Combine the two, and we have a perfectly balanced ticket!
obama is a liar and no different from any other politician. he lied on national tv last friday night to the american people by saying he never heard such hateful speech while attending church but yet today in his disengenious speech he said he had been present when this hate was being spread. obama only does what is politically correct and beneficial to his campaign. shame on him.
how can you be president when you refuse to disown someone who hates america and white americans. how divisive and dispicable is that. you can chose your pastor but not your family. rev, wright is not obama’s relative but yet obama insist on making him a part of his family. he baptized his daughters and married obama. he inspired obama’s book and obama campaign. is this what we want in the white house. hate inspired democracy. if obama knew rev. wright was this hateful and racist why did he allow him to be spiritual leader of his campaign. if he cant take a stand to disown this hateful man what is he going to do next embrace our enemies, who want to terrorize our nation.
im 21 yrs old and obama you lost my support. thx for the false hope, your no different.
WELL LOOK WHO’S BACK. THE CREEP WHO’S RUINED THIS BLOG. YOU MUST FEEL PRETTY FIESTY CRAWLIN IN HERE WITH YOU’RE REAL NAME. HEY MAGGOT I REMEMBER ONE DAY YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO GO AFTER PEOPLE YOU THOUGHT WERE UNPATRIOTIC. THEN LAST WEEK I HEARD YOU SAY YOU WERE GOING TO GO AFTER PEOPLE YOU THOUGHT WERE ATTACKING CHRISTIANS. DID I HEAR RIGHT DURING YOU’RE RANT THAT YOU SAID YOU WERE A MORMON?
WELL LOSER ARE YOU A MORMON?
You couldn’t pay me to vote for Obama, it’s just the blame someone else routine.
I’d like to see a McCain/Rice ticket or a McCain/Romney ticket.
Obama’s speech was half a history lesson (which by the way we learned in school years ago) and the second half was a political statement in which he used to try and discredit Senator Clinton. What a pathetic person. The look on his face showed him to be a very angry person. Not someone we would want as our President.
American Conservative you are a termite. The Mormons do not hate blacks, nor do they consider them inferior. You sir, are a bigot that incites hate.
LIE’S LIE’S And MORE LIE’S
What ever happened to I WAS NOT THERE FOR THESE STATEMENT’S .???
Now I was there….??? And you take your kids there to hear this crap…????
HE is a Racist pig just like his freind uncle mentor Rev. ……
Mark MY Words… He has done more damage to this country than 9/11….
You will see… before this is done the civil rights movement will be set back 20 or 30 years..
Not GD america….. BUT GD REV. WRITE and GD OBAMA
It sure is a tough road for Obama. As well as his enemies, he also has his friends to worry about. Having embarrassing supporters and associates seems to go with the territory no matter where you are on the political spectrum.
After a week of solid bombardment with Wright’s edited lowlights, it will be interesting to see whether Fox now turns its ‘fair and balanced’ guns onto McCain’s ’spiritual adviser’ John Hagee, notorious hater of Catholics, gays and other minorities. I’m sure there is plenty of recorded material out there to make all reasonable Americans squirm.
How about Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell? They both blamed America for 9/11, AIDS and Katrina and were warmly embraced by several presidents - good stuff there. And then there is Rod Parsley, a totally out of control hater who McCain proclaimed as a ’spiritual guide’ just before the second Super Tuesday. It would make me very nervous to hand the presidency to a man who listens to (and does not disown) a preacher who sees America’s mission as destroying the ‘false religion’ of Islam.
Time to justify that slogan, Fox News. I for one will be the first to congratulate you if you start taking it seriously.
If it isn’t teenie weenie ed feeney…
Why do you insult me for being a Mormon?
Admit it, you’re a bigot!
There is an important distinction to make here. Although McCain might be endorsed by another lunatic racist, he is not close with him and does not consider him to be an “uncle”. So it’s irrelevant to start naming all the endorsements of other candidates, the fact that Obama has been close with this guy for 20 years is alarming. (I have a people in my family whose views I don’t agree with but a lot of the things I hear from them good or bad have in someways impacted my personality.)
Obama, feminist supporter vows support. ” I’m Not gonna vote with my vagina!! Says Marianne Williamson” Here is the clip on their viral site
http://www.rl.tv/VideoLibrary/ViralVideo/tabid/860/Default.aspx
Race IS an important issue in America. But so are the WAR and the ECONOMY.
Obama isn’t being brave or bold in bringing up this subject-he’s had since he first entered politics to talk about this. Hell, no one has touched that topic properly since Lincoln’s time.
He brings it up NOW because his back is against the wall, because of his lack of judgment in staying at TUCC when he knew that the “message” there wouldn’t sell in flyover country.
What he’s doing is trying to turn a mistake–a HUGE, twenty year mistake of association,of judgment, of common sense–into some kind of “virtue” AND rescue his reputation with his pastor and fellow congregants at the same time.
He’s tightrope-walkiing, trying to avoid the “sell out” label while coming off as “concerned” about issues of race. What he’s concerned about is his political survival.
Obama blew it. No chance for Obama now. You can not support a racist church for 20 years and thin you can become President of the US. Obama should be forced to resign as Senator! I’m deeply offended and disgusted with the people who sat in the church cheering on reverend Wright. How despicable.
OH and By the way…
HIS I can no more disown Rev. WRITE than I can Disown the black community..????
Ya see his REV. WRITE has Infloced him… HE THINKS THAT ALL BLACKS think like HIM and HIS so called REV.
I SURE HOPE that ALL BLACKS do not think…
THAT america invended AIDS to kill off the black man…
That America deserved 9/11…
That the Government of Isreal Is a Ilegal government…
Or that the Jews are enslaveing people..
And on and on..
I don’t think that most blacks feel this way.. BUT after today I AM SURE OBAMA DOES..
G D YOU OBAMA G D YOU and your rev. write.. AND THAT IS IN THE BIBLE. FAULSE TEACHERS WILL BE CAST INTO THE DEEPEST DARKEST PITS OF HELL….
SPIN THAT…!!!!!
OBAMA GAVE A SERMON INSTEAD OF CLEARING THE FACT HE HAS SPEND OVER 20 YEARS WITH A RACIST. YOU DO NOT GO SOME WHERE FOR THAT LONG UNLESS YOU BELIEVE THE MESSAGE YOU ARE GETTING. SO DO WE REALLY NEED A MAN WHO SURROUNDS HIM SELF WITH CRIMINALS AND RACIST MINISTERS AND A WIFE WHO ALSO HATES THIS COUNTRY IN THE WHITE HOUSE. I CARE NOT HIS COLOR ONLY THE MESSAGE AND I DON’T LIKE HIS AND WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM EVER. AS A VOTER WHO REALLY LISTENS I WAS HOPFUL BUT HE AGAIN LET ME DOWN.
The Senator, however eloquent, made it quite clear that this hate-mongering racist promoting anti-American will continue to be part of his life and that of his family. If as he says the children are the future to continue to perfect the United States in coming together, his judgement is even more impaired than we thought. He and his wife are comfortable taking their own young impressionable children to a church that teaches hate, lies, racism, and anti-semitism. This is the door to the future?
I remember being shot at in the 60’s because my father made a wrong turn trying to find a bakery and we ended up in East L.A. The bullet ricocheted off the windscreen and cracked the glass. My father shoved me down onto the floor of the car where I stayed as he gunned the engine and took off to get us away from there. I won’t repeat the words I heard shouted at us we sped away. My father was a Holocaust surivor. I was 9–the same age as Senator Obamas’ daughter, and we were the wrong colour in the wrong neighbourhood. This is the brand of hate that the Reverend Wright teaches and uses God and Christianity as a vehicle to do so, and that which Senator Obama defends by virtue of his continued patronage and support at this church, and his ongoing association with Rev. Wright.
Senator Obama is unelectable now and should step down.
Obama should just come out and say what he really means and not what he thinks people want to hear.
He gave a speech. Big deal. It did not change the way I feel about him.
Obama is nothing more than a toned down version of that preecher in Chicago. I would bet my life that every time that man was preeching his political views from the pulpit, Obama and his family were praising and dancing in the church. Praise the Lord and my BLACK JESUS. It will be a cold day in HELL when I call Obama my President. Some times I yearn for the Good-Old-Days.
Obama’s race does not matter to me. What matters to me is honesty. Obama has been caught in many little lies lately. First there was no meeting in Canada, then there was. First Rezko raised a little money, then a lot. First he never heard any controversial comments from Rev Wright, then he did. Obama’s affiliation controversial figures is divisive, not his race….
There is nothing to compare McCain to Obama. People are just grasping at straws. The truth is Obama supports a church that supports hatres of Whites! Can’t change that the damage is doen. McCain and Hillary are the only two respectable candidates America has to choose from. That would be fair and balanced. Obama needs to hide in a hole like Saddam Hussein did.
teenie weenie ed feeney, fa fee fo mormon hatin meanie
da rama who mama got bopped by Obama
dat meanie dat bigot da ed fo feeney
Bwah, ha, ha, ha ha
I SAW THIS ON DR MANNY’S BLOG;
Dear Dr Manny could you tell me how to rid myself of this red-rash on my hiney? No matter what I do my bum is always sore and its spreading all over my body. I will eagerly await you’re reply.
American aka Mater Conservative
re: I believe you’re problem stems from you lying around all day in dirty diapers. Why don’t you get some pride or at least be considerate of others. Nobody likes to be around somebody who smells like a sewer. Clean up where the smell comes from and you’re rash will disappear. Lord how do you live with yourself.
Dr M
This speech doesn’t say anything. he is just twisting things around.
What we get from this is some bizzard crooked politician.
He admitted that he lied about his presence in the church when his racist pastor was screeming those nasty words!
He lied about NAFTA.
He is comparing Ferraro to his pastor. What?
Ferraro just made a racist remark but his pastor is a “racist & provocative, divisive and anti american”. There is no comparision.
What about his association with Rezko?
Enough of Speeches! we all know who he is now!
Only thing remains is what is his hidden agenda, if he wins?
the question of race doesn’t even come into mind when we speak to our african american friends.
We respect them as we respect our family members!
But this guy is just dragging and trying to justify his pastors remarks and black voilence. Play with american’s mind and bank on guilt vote? rediculous!
this speech is useless! he is done!
Rev. Wright’s church does not hate white people. You Limbaugh, Hannity airheads only think that because you have so much hatred in your heart that you think black people should hate you. Well, I’ve got news for you. We love you, inspite of your prejudices.
You know what it boils down to and that is the issues. Hillary/media isn’t allowing the issues to be discussed. I have heard numerous rants about the media and mistreating Hillary but neither one of these two have discussed the real issues.
In my own eyes I know neither one of these two will bring the troops home from Iraq. Barack indirectly released that it won’t happen for at least 16 months. You call him a liar and I say hey at least he can come out and say it’s not feasible. Hillary is sticking by her lie that she will start bringing them home in 60 days. Both have based their campaigns around this war and not the other issues that we face today.
I guess I am willing to turn the other cheek when it comes to who is pastor is, I think it is honorable that he stands next to someone that he doesn’t share their thoughts, feelings or beliefs. You can all come out and bash me but Hillary did the same thing while her husband was perjuring himself. She stood by her husband (to gain politically) although he betrayed and disrespected her. So if you are going to be critical of one then you have to be critical of the other!!
Ed Feeney: You are a discpicable rat. You have totally exposed yourself that you are the one who continually goes under my name and says the most ludicrious things. This is why no one wants to have any dialogue with you. You post as Ed when you do not have anything racist or anti religious to say. See this is what is so funny about some liberals. They can not debate the issues so instead of doing some research for themselves and then posting something intelligent, they instead pose under peoples screen names. You say you were part of the military, but we no that was also a lie. No American soldier would say and do the dispicable things you are doing. Ah, unless you were dishonorably discharged. Now that would explain it. You have so much hate for this country and God. I do not get it. This is why people, when you allow and except liberalism, you get people like Ed Feeney running the country. Liberalism is a mental disorder and Ed Feeney is the prime example.
Please read page 284 of Dreams of my father where Obamas says he agrees with the church creed.
He goes for 20 years and writes about agreeing with the churches creed but now wants to say he didnt listen , we are not fools.
Senator Obama is unelectable now and should step down. This is the bottom line.
Obamas speech did nothing except confirm that he has lied to us all. He is an opportunist. He stuck with the church because he thought it would benefit him. He has turned on his own family (the White Half) and fallen under the direction and control of Racist Reverend Wright. He has turned on his two daughter’s white heritage and taught them to hate whites. How sickening. Obama should step down. He just doesn’t get it. He isn’t wanted. He is a disgrace to this entire country. His wife is no better!
Comment by Rose
March 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Rev. Wright’s church does not hate white people. You Limbaugh, Hannity airheads only think that because you have so much hatred in your heart that you think black people should hate you. Well, I’ve got news for you. We love you, inspite of your prejudices.
*******************************
Ok Rose… it seems to me that you need to see the sermon. You can clearly see the faces of the people in this chruch cheering on the reverend as he degrades WHITE PEOPLE!
He states on page 285 Wright was at least partly Justified in dismissing the chueches Critics. Dreams of my father Paper Back
I had been an Obama supporter, and voted for him as both a senator and the Democratic nominee. Given the recent revelations about his ties with Pastor Wright, I think it is now time that Obama should withdraw his bid for President.
First, he claimed he wasn’t present during some of Pastor Wright’s more controversial speeches, then Obama said that he only agrees with him “on a spiritual level.” Well, I think Pastor Wright’s comments were inflammatory both religiously AND politically.
If I were in Obama’s position, and I heard that sort of anti-American hate being spewed, I would walk out and never look back. I expect my President to have the integrity and judgement to stand up to disgusting comments like that WHEN they happen, not years later when they are revealed publicly.
I did what Senator Obama asked us to do in his speech and look at our own religious figures and decide what we’d do. Well, in his speech, Barack Obama fell far short of what any decent American would, and that’s why I think he should respectfully step down.
Hussein Obama seemed to be giving us a history lesson as to the foundation of America, what it represents, and what needs to be changed. Obama doesn’t seem to understand many of us understand what our American founders created, what they accomplished with the documents they wrote, and how they created the greatest country and government that has probably existed since the history of mankind.
Who does Obama think he is in that he is the individual that should be telling us what this country represents? One thing I know for certain, I and many other Americans have a better understanding than Obama as to what this country represents. Some of us have given more to this country than Obama and his Rev. Wright will ever give. And then he tries to rationalize comments made by his Rev. Wright who seems to hate this country … Wright the Clown attacks this country and his friend Obama attempts to rationalize the mans stupidity and attach some element of credibilty to it.
I believe Obama’s little speech provided support for what many of us already believed …. Hussein Obama is not the man we want to elect as president of the United States. Go Away Hussein Obama.
Comment by Obama Blew It
March 18th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
There is nothing to compare McCain to Obama. People are just grasping at straws. The truth is Obama supports a church that supports hatred of Whites! Can’t change that the damage is doen. McCain and Hillary are the only two respectable candidates America has to choose from. That would be fair and balanced. Obama needs to hide in a hole like Saddam Hussein did.
==========================================================
Most you said is very right…BUT..
I am sorry Hillary is not a respectable Candide no more….
You can not tell me she did not know these things. I know her camp dug this up.
But she said nothing..??? WHY she was more worried about being called a racist. THAN STANDING UP and DEFENDING AMERICA against a anti American Jew hating pig like this Rev. Write.
I don’t think she has shown what it takes to defend America….
I AM SO GLAD I CHANGED MY PARTY THIS YEAR… I used to be a IND. and voted by person not party. BUT if this is what the DNC has to offer . I WILL HAVE NO PART OF IT ANYMORE..
I AM PROUD TO BE A REPUBLICAN…NOW….
McCain has my vote and I sent him $50 more bucks today….
P.S.
I did not go to a synagogue, church or temple to figure out for myself that there are good people, and not so good people, and they come in all colours and religions–my Holocuast survivor of father taught me that, and to be aware of who we were, what the history of my people was–and that to hate others as we were hated could never make our world a place of peace.
Senator Obama is inspired by Rev. Wright–he should have met my father.
Let’s start by saying this-Senator Obama is a Bi-racial man who has been titled “African-American”. What happened to his “White” heritage that he recognizes? He is not embracing racism; it would be a contradiction to himself.
In my lifetime, I have not noted to memory any politician that has captivated my political curiosity the Senator Obama has. Mr. Obama has attempted and has now succeeded with overcoming those “Nay-sayers” regarding his relationship with Mr. Wright.
An apology for who he is and his personal affiliates is not as important as many other issues that exist in this country.
Additionally, many of us in society work with people who have racist views. How many of us have supervisors who are racists? How many of us quit the job or openly disassociate ourselves from our bosses?
How about some of our relatives with their “Old Ways” of thinking? Remember the ’50’s? Do we openly condemn them or disassociate from them? NO!
To sum it up for you, Senator B. H. Obama is the next well qualified, well spoken, well deserved President of the United States of America.
Obama succeded! He was able to get all news people talking about race in America instead of what is the real issue - his continuing support of a church led by a pastor that hates America and white people, his wife that is not proud of America, and his total inability to provide specifics.
As for race, if he was a 100% white man whose pastor said those things, he would have been roasted by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and white democrats.
Take off the gloves and subject him to real questions regarding his church and his true beliefs. Only then will we know Barak Hussein Obama.
Just listened to Obama’s speech and knew I wasn’t goi ng to vote for him anywaybut now there is not even a remote possiblity. I felt his speech placed more emphasis on racism than not. Its not about color but about America and Americans. What a disappointment!
You airheads really feel religious freedom is only for you and that black must be obedient to your wishes. We must only go to the church you approve of and must only have the friends you want us to have. Slavery is over. Now you get over it. I choose my church, not you, I choose my friends, not you. If you would stop listening to Limbaugh and Hannity and learn to be a free thinker, you would realize that the only life you have control over is yours.
WHILE SOME MAY COMMEND THAT SENATOR OBAMA DID NOT DISOWN HIS PASTOR. HE PROVIDED AMPLE REASON TO DISOWN HIM. A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SHOULD EARN TRUST AND SHOW JUDGMENT TO THE PEOPLE HE WANTS TO REPRESENT THAT HE CAN DISCRIMINATE GOOD FROM EVIL, RIGHT FROM WRONG NO MATTER HOW FLOWERY THE SPEECH IS SENATOR OBAMA FAILED THE BASIC TEST THAT E SET OUT TO HIMSEL.I AM NOT ELECTING TO BE MY UNCLE BUT TO BE MY PRESIDENT< A DISPASSIONATE PROTECTOR OF MY LIBERTY AND SECURITY OF MY COUNTRY .THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN HILLARY AND MACAIN
Are you prejudiced against all people with medical issues, or just those of us with bowel-control struggles? Just because I have chronic, peanut-butter colored diarrhea doesn’t make me any less of an American. What, do you think everyone with the runs should be immediately deported? If so, what about all those soon to be unemployed people at the Pepto-Bismol factory? Do you care about their kids having enough to eat? People who are regular have no sympathy for those of us with intense, ongoing incontinence. Have a heart, would ya’?
I just listened to the entire speech. I commend Obama for attempting to lead, and not get lost in the past. Still, he no more saw the need for forgiveness in both directions and a christian resolution of bitterness, than his mentor Rev Wright. “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
True Christianity requires more than the understanding which Obama asks for. Apparently Rev Wright was neither able to model this nor do this across the racial divide. Forgiveness is part of the core of Christianity. Without it prayers are nulified. Enflaming and enshrining bitterness, as a leader, instead of modeling and encouraging forgiveness, is one h— of a christian mentor to look up to. And that was truly disempowering to the entire congregation Rev Wright led.
I keep coming back to it was OK for Barak to give his OK to steeping himself, his wife, and his children in these attitudes. Where was his judgement for protecting those dearest to his own heart? Or was it such a ground of being for him, that he didn’t, and doesn’t see the forest?
So two questions: What would Jesus have thought of Rev Wright’s oft excerpted words?
AND also What would Martin Luther King have thought of them?
I keep comparing the depth needed to see Ferraro’s “racism” to that needed to see past Rev Writght’s “racsism?” If Barak can “see” color issues and comment on them, then by what double standard is Ferraro condemned for the lightest touch into the same arena?
I would be curious as to what Barak, and even his wife, said in the church to the congregation. Chances are he addressed them a few times, as most politicians gravitate to such opportunities.
I don’t want to vote for Hillary, yet I find I don’t want to vote for Obama either. Both are so flawed in diferent ways.
THE LUNATIC PASTOR’S ENDORSEMENT OF MCCAIN IS THE SAME AS FARRAKAN’S ENDORSEMENT OF OBAMA. (as obama says his association with farrakan is very remote)
WE CAN’T SELECT THE MEMBERS OF OUR OWN FAMILY BUT WE CAN SELECT OUR FRIENDS……AS THE SAYING GOES
“TELL ME WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE AND I WILL TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE”
ANOTHER THING BARRACK hussein OBAMA PLEASE…… BE RIGHTEOUS…… IN SAYING…….
I DID NOT HEAR THESE WHEN I WAS IN THE PEWS (several days ago) BUT SINCE MEDIA IS TRYING TO LOOK FOR THE FACTS YOU SADLY ACCEPTED THAT THERE ARE TIMES YOU WERE THERE WHEN THIS UNRAVELED.
THANKS FOR YOUR INCONSISTENCIES, FLIP FLOPPING. WE DON’T NEED YOU IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Mr. obama is right. There is a contingent of white people who resent blacks.I and other people that have discussed this subject. Why affirmitive action? Why minority contacts?Why , if a higher gpa, does some minority knock me off? Why am I to blame for slavery? Why are blacks involved in a higher crime rate? Why do I have to pay for these “programs” that cause the resentment? Stop making excuses! We should be accountable for our contributions. Not what happened in the 1860s.
Ironic, for as long as the country has been in existence, a black person had not the chance to be president for reasons directly related to slavery and white racism. It took 200 years to change the laws and thinking of most of the population to make it possible. In that time, the oppressed managed to build up a counter force of hatred and bigotry to create some level of self empowerment. To counter your oppressors, you had to tell yourself that you were created better and stronger than they were. Now the original perpetrators, though not completely clean of their hateful deeds have decided that the rules have changed and all should now comply with a higher moral ground. You must flip your script overnight while it took them 200 years to merely slow down and give you a chance. Your pain must end in a moment’s notice of their forced compassion. Now the first ever black candidate with a chance might be denied because of black racism. I have this sick feeling like I have been stabbed in the front and also in the back. Just when it seemed like blacks might be let in to play, the game has changed.
Red rash da big bash da diaper wearing rehash
by dat big red weenie da ed fo feeney
da mormon hatin’ perpatratin’
teenie weenie, ed fo feeney
fade to black………. whoosh!!!!!
Bwah, ha, ha , ha…………
page 293 he talks about write speaking of Hirosima hm sounds familiar Dreams of my father
Interesting, Ben. You see Obama’s long association with Wright (even though he totally and publically disavows his political and racial views) as dangerous, but nothing wrong with McCain’s embracing Parsley just two weeks ago - even though he has not distanced himself at all from that man’s inflammatory talk.
I do not suggest that either McCain or Obama is in the thrall of evil forces. It seems to be part and parcel of American politics that you cannot get anywhere without some group of religious or racist extremists or other behind you.
Let’s be fair. I may be moderately leftish in overall outlook but I try to take as impartial a stance as I can on individual issues. This fellow Wright is nuts and it is silly of Obama not to have distanced himself long ago. Surely there are people on the right who are embarrassed by the antics of their own extreme wings - the neocon warmongers, the tv evangelists etc.
I just don’t know how the Fox News producers and presenters can hold their heads up when they are constantly presenting just one side of any argument, always under that ‘fair and balanced’ banner. If anyone faces the ‘blush test’ every day, it must be them.
“Not this time” is exactly right Sen. Obama. You’re history, so step down. You might have had a chance if you could have convinced people you were sorry, but you don’t even attempt to show remorse for having attended a racist church for 20 years. You honestly think you haven’t done anything wrong. Amazing! By the way, media: you owe Sen. Clinton an hour of free air time too. I can’t believe you gave this guy free air time.
The Democratic Party should insist that Barack Hussein Obama step down. He said nothing today in his speech that would make Americans feel any better about him. In fact, he actually just reinforced what he and Rev. Wrong have stood for all along. His friends are criminals, white haters, American haters, and this is just the tip of the ice berg. I hope the super delegates are taking note of how true Americans feel about this man and his black brethern. WE DO NOT WANT HIM EVEN ON THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET ANY LONGER. He is a political joke.
I think that all people should be able to vote over. I think they have been tricked and would vote differently if they had really known the true Obama.
How sad that if, Obama is truely the racist that he seems to be, that he was able to pull the sheets over a percentage of America.
Why are people allowing him to downsize how extremely hateful and damaging his deep connections are?
It is mostly heartbreaking…..
How could one belive him anymore????
What is wrong with the church members that firmly still stand by the man’s words.
We have seen men in the news lately lose their ENtire Career for saying hateful things
half or almost as bad as Wright did.
What is going on?
I highly doubt he wrote that speech himself like he said. Probably yet another lie.
To American Conservative:
You’ve been slandering my name for days, and now you’re harassing ed feeney . . .
You are a sad, pathetic, paranoid person!
Same old political stuff…They say one thing last week, and turn around and say something different on the same issue the next week. Most times just to cover their political
Truth / Lie hm the books he wrote say enough
I AM A SIMPLE MINDED PERSON TELLING YOU THIS…….
“TELL ME WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE AND I WILL TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE”
VERY SIMPLE INDEED IF YOUR ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
SIMPLE…..SIMPLE…..
Those of you that are not ready for an African-American President, get over it. You are going to have one.
Wow… after such a powerful speech, to see all of the hatred and vitriol from the good ol’ Fixed Noise audience… Even if I eschew the mention of the comically atrocious spelling, grammar, syntax, and sentence structure displayed by the toothless hillfolk on this post, the aggregated profound lack of vision reminds me how that chimp got to be president for the last 8 years. God I hope the smart people outnumber you in November!
Do any of you really think Obama is a racist? Anyone who answered “Yes” to that question needs to LEARN TO READ! Fox News does not actually present any news, folks…. sometimes you actually have to display intellectual curiosity to learn about what is happening.
There is clearly nobody who has more strongly-held beliefs and more true patriotic spirit than Obama. That speech made me want to take ot the streets. Hillary just wants to win regardless of cost, and we have tried a warmongering ignoramous already, with results even the provincials among you can see when you (for example) pay for gas… not a good outcome.
Yeah… you people are terrifying in your ingorance, but we only need 51% of people to be more intelligent than you are for America to have a change to recover.
- ID
Probably right, Rose. He has proved just how like most other presidents he is. He lies.
That would be great if we could vote over again!
Mr. Obama is of bi-racial heritage. Just shows you that in this country you still are what you look like.
Too bad some people use any vehicle to distort valid truths. We will not be united as a country if people are looking for reasons to find fault; or not to vote for a candidate who is not traditionally qualified. ( Wrong color, Wrong time, Wrong place).
By the way, there were Whites in the audience during some his Mr. Wright’s sermons. Look at the footage again. Still have blinders on!
You are hateful too Int.Dave
THANKS FOX NEWS…..
THIS TIME YOU GOT IT RIGHT……
FAIR AND BALANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barak Hussein Obama …. GO AWAY!
All you guys want is to simply destroy the only good man that would have ever been the president of this country!!!!!!!.Shame on all of you conservatives who even at this century have not realized the mistakes of yesteryears.
Obama is the only person close to unifying AMERICA and God knows it and will see him through.God bless America.
Here you go because of his Behavior and associations,
you are now accusing others of Racist attitudes. Most of America has
ALREADY ALMOST VOTED HIM IN……
So that is not the reason/ the color.
IT IS HIS ASSOCIATIONS.
I am still in shock, I feel like I am being asked to accept racial and anti-american biased, like it is normal behavior. I cannot accept this in 2008, and I cannot vote for a President of the United States of American who justifies this predjudicial precedent.
Look Captain America, I’ve spent more time in the Marine Corps then I care to explain. My first job in the Corps was a 3371. Thats a cook for you don’t know MOS’s. After 1 1/2 yrs of flippin flap jacks, I jumped at the opportunity to become become a CHASER and worked out of the Camp Pendleton brig for many many years. Which means that if you were in the Marines and you had the sh@$% attitude that you have now theres a good chance you and me could’ve gotten to meet each other. Real close and personal.
I think he waited too long to admit race has been part of this campaign. He kept saying it’s not an issue and now it’s blowing up in his face. Of course it’s an issue. He’s doing something that hasn’t been done before. I still don’t believe him though. And I don’t feel sorry. I knew something would come up sooner or later. He had too easy a run up untill this point; for any candidate.
Do you all agree with his association?
You act like you do.
Because people set and listen to someone speak their mind on a subject does not mean that an individual is going to go out and lead a life on someone elses preaching.Just as you have teachers parents pastors and neighbors whom we associate with that will sometimes speak their opinions about certain subjects,but that doesn’t mean we live our lives just as they do.There is people that have already made their minds up not to vote for Obama and no his speech is not going to change their minds.Just as the saying goes love is blind well prjudice is deaf.No matter how a person tries to make his voice heard there is no getting through to that person.And when all you are getting is bombardment of news on something that is negative and it seems that since we have a black man running for president well it like everyone is on this band wagon to show just how shrewd they are. Even the reporter that lied and said he was in church on a perticular Sunday sermon and that Obama was in church and heard minister Wright,well Obama was in Florida at the time.I will continue to support Obama not because he is black or that I feel that he is being the way for news outlets to build their ratings but because I believe he is still the one to bring our country together.
IF THIS WAS A TEST, OBAMA FLUNKED! HIS TRUTHFULNESS AND JUDGMENT HAVE BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS AND WE HAVE GOTTEN VARIOUS ANSWERS TO EACH QUESTION. HE NOW REFUSES TO TERMINATE HIS ASSOCIATIONS WITH PASTOR WRIGHT OR TRINITY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST WHICH IS HIS RIGHT TO DO. HOWEVER, IT GOES TO THE VERY CORE OF HIS CLAIM OF SUPERIOR JUDGMENT. CONTINUED FRIENDSHIPS WITH INDICTED TONY REZKO, TERRORIST BILL AYERS, RACIST PASTOR WRIGHT AND THE TRINITY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST GIVES MORE THAN A GLIMPSE OF OBAMA’S OWN CHARACTER. WHILE I WAS BRINGING UP MY CHILDREN IN THE 1960′S AND MY GRANDCHILDREN IN THE 1980′S AND TO THIS DAY, THE “N-WORD” WAS NEVER ALLOWED IN MY HOUSE! MY FAMILY KNEW THIS, MY FRIENDS KNEW THIS. YET, IT IS USED IN OBAMA’S CHURCH. IF OBAMA IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE A STAND ABOUT HIS BELIEFS, THEN I HAVE TO QUESTION WHERE HIS BELIEFS REALLY LIE. SO, I SAY NO TO OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!
Ginger is exactly right. What speaks the most to me is that he knew full well what his children would be taught at this church, and took them there from the get-go. The only possible conclusion is that 1) that’s what he wants them to believe as moral truth, or 2) he’s trying to teach them that church is just a place to see and be seen, and not to believe anything you hear there. And if it’s #2, what a fool he is to think young minds are prepared to make those kinds of evaluations and distinctions. Parents are supposed to teach, guide and protect their children. Of course, now I’m wondering about the thousands of children who have been brought up hearing such hateful “sermons.”
We’ve all heard about the church’s Black Value System (used to be easier to find, but they recently moved it), but I’m starting to think that the “unapologetically Christian” reference may mean that they don’t teach enough real Christian apologetics for their members to understand and defend the simple gospel of I Corinthians 15:3-4.