“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
The story of Barack Obama’s pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, hit the MSM over the last few days. But it is a story that has been simmering for quite some time. A quick Google search reveals a Rolling Stone story from over a year ago,with quotes from Wright that I’ve never heard in a pulpit. Obama, no doubt realizing that Wright might be a problem, disinvited him from his presidential announcement. Yet until the stuff hit the fan, Wright remained a part of the campaign, his testimonial only having recently been removed from the candidate’s website.
In January 2007, Obama had this to say:
Obama says that rather than advising him on strategy, Wright helps keep his priorities straight and his moral compass calibrated.
“What I value most about Pastor Wright is not his day-to-day political advice,” Obama said. “He’s much more of a sounding board for me to make sure that I am speaking as truthfully about what I believe as possible and that I’m not losing myself in some of the hype and hoopla and stress that’s involved in national politics.”
This is what Obama had to say in his HuffPo blog last week:
I first joined Trinity United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago.
[…]
The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation.
I’m having a bit of trouble with Obama’s statements here. The only plausible explanations I can come up with for not hearing these kinds of statements is that he didn’t go to church very often or he wasn’t very close to the pastor. Neither of those things makes much sense. After all, this is the church he was married in. This is the church that his children were baptized in. And this is the church that he has donated a lot of money to.
For Obama to say that he’s never heard these things strains credibility. And at least one Obama supporter agrees with me.
Unlike Donna Brazile, who said on Sunday’s TV show that she attends a mostly white Catholic church (and, therefore, should have kept her mouth shut instead of adding fuel to the fire), I’ve attended mostly black churches as well as mostly white churches. I can say without hesitation that I’ve heard black pastors say things that would make white people uncomfortable. Heck, I’ve heard black pastors say things that make me uncomfortable. (As a matter of fact, the pastor at the church that I grew up in, the one that I was baptized in, the one that my father was ordained in, said something that has kept me away for a number of years.) But the language of Wright? Never.
I’m not buying that Wright only said these things when Obama was absent. The very things that Obama says attracted him to this church and its pastor -“a congregation that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each day” – belie that. Obama’s statement was an attempt to mitigate the damage, just as his disinvitation was. What Obama has demonstrated that he’s just another politician, willing to do and say whatever is necessary to get elected.
Or, as MLK Jr., said, he’s just dangerous.
UPDATE: See this article on Obama’s church. h/t: Below the Beltway
UPDATE2: The dates mentioned in that article are wrong. See here.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Vivian,
This is my last post, hon. I officially give up. If you want to reduce a 36 year ministry to a three minute intemperate rant about American hypocrisy on race-fine. If you what to believe Sean Hannity and Fox News over Barack Obama, that’s fine too. It is still a free country. But the truth is that you cannot answer my questions because you know and can’t admit the answers and neither can white America.
I love you anyway because you reached out to me two years ago and told me to continue blogging. I will never forget that or turn my back on you. It doesn’t matter to me anymore who you believe should be president. We disagree and it will never change. I’m O.K. with that and I’m O.K. with you.
Love, Peace and Hairgrease,
Skeptical Brotha
Isn’t it wonderful how Obama brings people together. I have never seen so much togetherness since George Wallace ran for office.
T-Shirt,
The equation of Obama and George Wallace, a former segregationist and white supremacist, is a comparison which is both disingenuous and beneath contempt. Shame on you!
sb – I did attend a church in the 70’s that was a “both church”, it was in a black neighborhood and was attended by both African Americans and non-African Americans, as well as different life styles.
There were churches in the 70’s that didn’t exclude people, for whatever reason. People look for a church that expresses their feelings and beliefs and I chose one that wasn’t segrated. They were available here in Norfolk, if you chose to attend one, as I am sure there were in Chicago at that time, if one chose to attend it.
By the way, it was a Methodist Church.
T-Shirt,
Like I said, the churches which are mainstream, integrated and welcoming of all are usually not the ones with a raving lunatic for a pastor-regardless of denomination. I pick on the Methodists for obvious reasons because the church and Hillary Clinton who is an adherent, has a muddled policy with regard to gays and lesbians and I resent that.
To be fair to her, she has changed her position on the Defense of Marriage Act but the fact that the discrimination signed into law by her husband cannot be changed at this time is really very galling .
skepticalbrotha:
If this church is so great, why is Obama lying about attending and hearing certain sermons? Simple question.
My $0.02 – Anon E. Mouse’s message would have been the right one. “If I had to agree with every position my pastor took, I’d never go to church.” Simple. True. Brilliant. Obama’s advisers told him to run from this, but the signal they’re sending with such a blanket refutation is that we all should be deeply concerned that Obama ever went to church with this guy. I hope they learn some sort of lesson from this.
Watching the Obama speech now. Can’t accuse him of trying to sweep this under the carpet. On first hearing? I think I respect him a bit more.
Will Obama continue to have the momentum going into Pennsylvania now that the far “Wright” truth message has been uncovered?
Obama’s campaign is going to have to shore up some more positive and credible resources to overcome this crippling blow to his image.
Vivian,
If minister Wright open every sermon with “GOD DAM AMERICA”, and senator Obama attended church there, then he is lying. On the other hand, if these words was in only one or a few of his sermons, then it is possible that senator Obama is not lying.
In your bio you say
I learned a lot about politics as the result of my run for City Treasurer. This blog is my way of staying in touch with those who supported me and reaching out to those who did not.
Is it possible that what you learned was the “old” politics of distorting your opponent’s words to the point where the masses become so confused that they are unable to make an intelligent decision who will best represent their interest, and could this be the source of your lost (the American public have become sufficiently sophisticated that they become irritated with you when you treat them like they are still bumpkins) .
Would you consider using your talent to help enlighten the electorate ( as Obama appears to be doing,and attracting millions of previously turned off citizens back to the political arena)
Republicans to the rescue . . . .
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/17/many_voting_for_clinton_to_boost_gop/
Vivian, I have come to deeply respect your views and enjoy your blog – it makes one think, and think deeply, which is not often the case these days. On this post, however, we part company.
The way you (and others) treat Obama on this issue is the exact equivalent of Whitewater to the Clintons, swiftboats to John Kerry, Willie Horton to Dukakis, the 2000 slime against McCain, the way they treated Max Cleland, . . . the list is endless. If you are not part of the Washington machine against real change in America, and I truly hope you are not, I hope you wake up soon.
This from a white male independent — if that makes any difference.
That Brazilian is currently worried about the race of people it seems…
currently=certainly