The Rev. Jeremiah Wright teaches “black liberation theology". Liberation theology as it has expressed itself in the African-American community seeks to find a way to make the gospel relevant to black people who must struggle daily under the burden of white oppression. The question that confronts these black theologians is not one that is easily answered. "What if anything does the Christian gospel have to say to powerless black men", whose existence is "threatened on a daily basis by the insidious tentacles of white power?" If the gospel has nothing to say to people as they confront the daily realities of life, it is a lifeless message.
Since this minister has been Senator Obama’s spiritual mentor for 20 years, will this hurt Senator Obama’s race for the presidency? I believe it should since it goes directly to the issue of his “judgment". His campaign and especially the Senator knew this could become an issue and for that very reason did not have Rev. Wright at Obama’s announcement of his presidential run. Yet the Senator and his campaign were not prepared for this issue when it became a problem for the campaign. If you are running for president and you know there are two or three problems that could become negative issues for you, shouldn’t I, as a voter,expect you as a candidate to have made some preparation to counter these issues? An experienced Statesman should have been prepared for this. The Senator should have known that if the Democrats did not bring this issue up – the Republicans most certainly will. It is my opinion, that Obama can not win the presidency with this issue hanging over his ! head.
What if Senator Obama were a white man and attended a church where the Senior Minister preached against the inclusion of blacks into our society? I would be outraged and I maintain this candidate would not even be in the presidential race to begin with.
This goes to the issues which Obama is running on “judgment, experience, and association." Senator Obama said he did not realize – after 20 years, how could he not realize his minister’s beliefs? Many will see this issue as going against his campaign of bring “blue America and red America" together. He looks to many now as if he is only another cheap politician. If he is going to be the party’s nominee, “swift boating" will destroy his campaign and the Democratic Party will lose the best opportunity to take back the White House in many years. Every super delegate needs to think about this as they are making their decision. As the popular vote stands now – Obama is the party’s nominee unless the delegates and the votes of Florida and Michigan are allowed to stand. Yes, the Democrats will lose the youth vote but the youth vote usually stays home anyway and the black vote will either stay home or go back to Senator Clinton.
Senator Clinton has a chance now to come back but needs to release her tax returns as quickly as possible as that is becoming an issue for her. And the Democrats should just pray that there is not some issue lurking there. There has been talk about how President Clinton raised the money for his library – her campaign better be ready with the answer.
Words do matter. “God damn American" – words do matter. “911 was America’s chickens coming back to roost" – words do matter. The aids virus was a United States experiment to kill off the black community – words do matter. Blacks are ruled by rich whites – words do matter. “Hillary has never been called a n____!" Words do matter. This is what happens when a campaign is built on fine speech and eloquent words.
After Obama’s speech this morning – in the end the speech was just words which I believe is all that Senator Obama is. I feel as if I still don’t know the man or perhaps this man makes me see something inside of myself that I still don’t know or understand.
My support still stands with Senator Clinton.
Few people who have been watching any presidential election coverage on television in recent weeks have been able to escape the so-called "out of context" messages Rev. Jeremiah Wright has delivered at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
Rev. Wright, now officially retired as pastor of the church he built from apparently about 90 active members when he started in 1972 to 10,000+ members today, was passionate, righteous and full of conviction in his remarks. Many charismatic leaders deliver strong and controversial messages to their followers.
Rev. Wright, who earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the United Theological Seminary, has been a professor at theological seminaries, has been a member of the Board of Trustees at educational institutions, and is recognized as a biblical scholar in the religious community.
He apparently has spent much of his ministry staying focused on the bible, the word of God and his son Jesus Christ, and preaching "black liberation theology" to his congregation, and to all who would listen and accept his message.
Rev. Wright has sought, in his own beliefs and methods, to minister to the needs of his congregation, exhibiting a perfectly normal and natural sense about what a minister should be doing. His unexpected exposure on national television has caused umbrage with some viewers, who found his remarks to be unpatriotic, inflammatory and offensive.
One remark, in particular, may have been a lightening rod for the white community. Rev. Wright blamed "rich, white people" today for controlling and apparently suppressing the black community, and being responsible for any and all sins against the black community since they (the members of the rich, white community) have benefited most from the actions of their ancestors.
This and similar remarks have been linked by many to the "black liberation theology" Rev. Wright has studied, wrote about and preached.
It is apparent—from the televised sound bites—that the African American members of Trinity United Church of Christ are very enthusiastic in accepting Rev. Wright's message of hope for their goodwill, happiness and prosperity in America.
I take very little comfort in the fact that although I am white I am not rich. I am apparently guilty of heinous crimes and injustices committed by someone I do not even know, while there are numerous examples of extremely successful and rich black Americans who are getting on better in society than myself.
Oprah Winfrey, for example, makes more than 3,000 times the annual income that millions of African Americans do and I do. The sports and entertainment industries have thousands of examples of successful and rich blacks that have overcome whatever disadvantages and discrimination they might have encountered.
Anyone who thinks that life is fair is not paying attention. I personally have been discriminated against many times by white members of my community. I recognize that in Mexico there are Mexican factories with 100% Mexican workers who are routinely discriminated against by members of their Hispanic community.
History is full of examples of people and cultures that have been enslaved by other people and cultures. Records show us that slavery existed in Africa before the Europeans arrived. Records show us that powerful African leaders sold enslaved people for goods such as alcohol, beads and cloth.
Records show us that Britain became the world's leading slave-trading country, that approximately 12 million Africans were enslaved in the course of the transatlantic slave trade, and that between 1640 and 1807, British ships transported approximately 3.4 million Africans across the Atlantic.
None of these records or actions excuse the reprehensible events that occurred at this time in history. All of them are reminders of how far we have come since then. As with most things in life, I suspect that the media's characterization of Rev. Wright as a minister and man of God is hardly as unflattering as it has been portrayed. I suspect that many white Americans who treat minorities and their ethnic cultures with respect and dignity, and accept them as equals in our mutual society, are hardly as discriminatory and sinful as some would have us believe.
All of which causes me to wonder: Is "black liberation theology" really helping African Americans? Maybe it makes people feel good that they can blame others for their situation in life. I do not know or practice black liberation theology, and so I cannot speak to its effectiveness in promoting goodwill and prosperity among all peoples and cultures.
Are there other lessons to be learned in addition to "black liberation theology"?
Although I am white and not rich, I am successful, and there is one thing that I do know: when we blame others, we give up our ability to change. I also understand that if we lack the will for change, there is no one who can show us the way, not even Jesus Christ.
Both Mary Ann Boulette & Ed Bagley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.