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March 18, 2008

So. Let Me See If I've Got This Straight

Concerning Senator Obama, his address today and his non-repudiation of his minister.

..."I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother — a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe."

Comparing his racial demagogue of a minister to his granny? Who "once confessed her fear of black men"? "On more than ONE occasion" made him cringe? At what point did Rev. Wright make the good Senator cringe?
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.

"Occasionally fierce"? After voluntarily spending TWENTY years sitting in Rev. Wright's church ~ subjecting even his impressionable children to the man's foaming, racially charged advocacy ~ at WHAT POINT did he CRINGE? His granny made him ashamed, for God's sake! He just told the world. But he could walk back into that man's church week after week for twenty years and not feel enough shame NOT to go back the next week?
...He also said black anger persists over injustice in America, and whites shouldn't be surprised that it bursts out in sermons.

..."In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination — and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past — are real and must be addressed,"

What I heard?

The Senator from Illinois has just advocated and endorsed minority set-asides for the language of hatred, offensiveness and vile divisiveness by virtue of some people's inherent RIGHT to be angrier than others.

Is that how he proposes to break "a racial stalemate we've been stuck in for years"? When there isn't a standard applicable to all on what's offensive, what's racist and what's hate-filled?

I think he's blown it with your average Joe American. My angry, pasty white Irish face has a real problem with someone being allowed to be angrier, more hateful, more offensive more consistently before rebuke because he's a privileged class rating special entitlement.

It doesn't matter what color mouth words come out of when determining whether speech is helpful or hateful, morally right or repugnant.

To paraphrase Justice Stewart, "I know it when I hear it."

I want my president to, too.

UPDATE: Yup.

Posted by tree hugging sister at March 18, 2008 07:54 PM

Comments

From your lips to Black Xenu's ear.

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at March 18, 2008 09:10 PM

Obama's officially jumped the shark.

Posted by: Dave J at March 18, 2008 09:15 PM

Amen.

Posted by: Skyler at March 18, 2008 09:36 PM

I don't think he agrees with any of Wright's extreme racist beliefs. I'm not doubting his faith, but I think he started (and continued) to attend this church for political gain, turning a blind eye to this in order to keep playing the religious card. In short, it's another reason why this isn't the change I'm looking for. He could have left Wright's stupid church at anytime for another, more moderate one. It just wouldn't have been as big and influential.

Posted by: Tainted Bill at March 18, 2008 09:36 PM

Street creds go a long way in the black community, it appears.

Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at March 18, 2008 11:27 PM

Honestly I don't mind Wright's rantings too much, I find him a bit entertaining.

But I have to wonder, what's so wrong about an old lady being a little nervous walking past black men on the street? I guess I realize the point Obama was trying to make, but I've heard things like this before like we're supposed to feel ashamed of ourselves for being cautious. I think it's ridiculous. The rates of black crime is not simply a stereotype.

Posted by: sand at March 19, 2008 03:14 AM

Hey, Barack can talk tough about a dead woman; I'm convinced he can keep Iran in line.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 19, 2008 06:46 AM

Oops, looks like she's alive. He's even tougher than I thought!

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 19, 2008 06:48 AM