Barack Obama & Speech on Race.its not ok
Barack Obama gives a political speech that should have been given from a pulpit not a political podium.
He stated “Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely – just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.” The problem with the words and sentiment is that he did not leave he chose to continue sitting in that pew and listening to these hateful divisive sentiments spewed from the pulpit and supporting these sentiments in doing so.
He then goes on. “But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm where not simply controversial. They where not simply a religious leader’s effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country – a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam” The problem here is the “religious leader” was teaching. He was infecting his congregation with these ideas and thoughts and you sat there, by your own admission and accepted it and in doing so you encouraged it and added your agreement with it by silently sitting there for all those years.
He then goes on… “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” Mr. Obama, no the “snippets” are not all you knew, again by your own admission, this has gone on for a long period of time Mr. Obama and you chose to remain you chose to continue to support, until such time as it is not politically convenient any longer.
When you followed the above comments with “The man I met more than twenty years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor.” I wondered if that would be the same as the creed your church has….The BLACK community….The BLACK work ethic….The Black Family did or does it continue with to care for the BLACK sick and lift up the BLACK poor by housing the BLACK homeless, ministering to the BLACK needy, providing BLACK day care services and BLACK scholarships and BLACK prison ministries, and reaching out to those BLACKS suffering from HIV/AIDS? Disgusting statement isn’t it. You can not get away from you choice and the creed of the church you chose to attend for 20+ years.
Barack Obama gave a speech this morning that basically said ignore the 20+ years I have supported this church and believed in this pastor and absorbed his teaching and considered him my mentor, but don’t hold my choice to attended a racially divisive and radically racially separatist church against me, just love me because I am the only one that can bring unity.
“But we do need to remind ourselves that so many of the disparities that exist in the African-American community today can be directly traced to inequalities passed on from an earlier generation that suffered under the brutal legacy of slavery and Jim Crow.” Mr. Obama there are inequalities in every single race in this country, many of those races have never experienced slavery in their heritage or in America’s history. The most despicable thing you and your minister and your church are doing is re-victimizing black Americans. Further you short change black Americans by saying as a whole black America will not get past the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow and seize the opportunities of today. This is what is pushing black Americans down today this entire defeatist mentality.
You’re a racist Mr. Obama and you subscribe to racism and have for 20+ years and I for one don’t want that in the White House.
He stated “Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely – just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.” The problem with the words and sentiment is that he did not leave he chose to continue sitting in that pew and listening to these hateful divisive sentiments spewed from the pulpit and supporting these sentiments in doing so.
He then goes on. “But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm where not simply controversial. They where not simply a religious leader’s effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country – a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam” The problem here is the “religious leader” was teaching. He was infecting his congregation with these ideas and thoughts and you sat there, by your own admission and accepted it and in doing so you encouraged it and added your agreement with it by silently sitting there for all those years.
He then goes on… “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” Mr. Obama, no the “snippets” are not all you knew, again by your own admission, this has gone on for a long period of time Mr. Obama and you chose to remain you chose to continue to support, until such time as it is not politically convenient any longer.
When you followed the above comments with “The man I met more than twenty years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor.” I wondered if that would be the same as the creed your church has….The BLACK community….The BLACK work ethic….The Black Family did or does it continue with to care for the BLACK sick and lift up the BLACK poor by housing the BLACK homeless, ministering to the BLACK needy, providing BLACK day care services and BLACK scholarships and BLACK prison ministries, and reaching out to those BLACKS suffering from HIV/AIDS? Disgusting statement isn’t it. You can not get away from you choice and the creed of the church you chose to attend for 20+ years.
Barack Obama gave a speech this morning that basically said ignore the 20+ years I have supported this church and believed in this pastor and absorbed his teaching and considered him my mentor, but don’t hold my choice to attended a racially divisive and radically racially separatist church against me, just love me because I am the only one that can bring unity.
“But we do need to remind ourselves that so many of the disparities that exist in the African-American community today can be directly traced to inequalities passed on from an earlier generation that suffered under the brutal legacy of slavery and Jim Crow.” Mr. Obama there are inequalities in every single race in this country, many of those races have never experienced slavery in their heritage or in America’s history. The most despicable thing you and your minister and your church are doing is re-victimizing black Americans. Further you short change black Americans by saying as a whole black America will not get past the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow and seize the opportunities of today. This is what is pushing black Americans down today this entire defeatist mentality.
You’re a racist Mr. Obama and you subscribe to racism and have for 20+ years and I for one don’t want that in the White House.
I didn’t know it then, but I became a Democrat when I was about five years old. Being born in the late 50’s, I watched history unfold on the black and white TV in my family’s living room. Imagine the horror that a five-year old child experiences when watching images of innocent people being viciously sprayed with fire hoses, bitten by police dogs, and beaten by people in uniform—innocent people whose sole “crime” was to want an equal piece of the American pie. I know the horror. I was that five-year old.
I also watched the family’s black and white TV flash the images of many good, decent, ethical White people—The President of the United States, his Attorney General Brother, the National Guard, the people of many churches, and the everyday citizen--doing what they could to stop the insanity that was being perpetuated on our Black sisters and brothers. My little five-year old heart just knew that help was on the way, and, ever since, I have always wanted to be a part of the “help is on the way” group.
As a 50-plus year old, I am disheartened. Disheartened not by where we “are,” but by where we are “not.”
Today, at 50-plus, I watched the images on my family’s color TV. The image of a Black Man-of-the-Cloth take the Lord’s name in vain, profane our great nation, and damn the people of my skin-color. Today, I watched a bi-racial Presidential Candidate attempt to convince me that the man--who had absolutely no inhibitions in standing before his congregation cursing, profaning, and damning a people—the man who had officiated at the Candidate’s wedding—the man who had baptized his children—the man who has been instrumental in the Candidate’s spiritual development—had “not once” talked about “any ethic group in derogatory terms” I do not believe this statement. And, I—just a plain, common gal—would have distanced myself from such a person instead of welcoming him into every facet of mine and my family’s life. This Presidential Candidate did not distance himself.
The Candidate is right. We are in a “racial stalemate” and my life is a testament that we have been and still are “stuck in” it” and will remain “stuck in it” as long as the antics like those of Reverend Wright are dismissed as possibly understandable. That is exactly the same premise that wrong-minded Whites used to “justify” their damnable behaviors. One of my heroes counseled us to judge people, “not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”. That hero was right: Racism is ugly, no matter what group is spewing it.
As a child, I saw other heroes take a firm, strong, and steadfast stand to right wrongs, to save lives, and to extend rightful liberties. One hero invited us to, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your county.” What can I do for my country? I can and will continue to a part of the “help is on the way” group.
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