Words Do Matter
Why Won't Obama Dissociate Himself From Wright?
By California Yankee Posted in 2008 | Barack Obama | Jeremiah Wright — Comments (28) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Obama recently took exception to Hillary's criticism, by borrowing passages from Governor Patrick to make the point that words do matter. Yes, words do matter, words like those used in the following video:
The fact that words do matter, makes Obama's refusal to dissociate himself from Wright all the more disappointing. Obama's failure to criticize the divisive and incendiary preachings of his minister of hate for the 17-odd years Wright has been Obama's spiritual adviser calls Obama's judgment into question. That Obama only criticized Wright's "profoundly distorted" extremism because it was politically expedient, is all the more damning.
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Words Do Matter 28 Comments (0 topical, 28 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
I have a clue now why Michelle O. has never in her life been proud of her country, until BHO graced us with his presence. The Rev. explained to her how the country has never been worthy until now.
refusing to throw his pastor under the bus.
Yes, reject and denounce the rhetoric. But don't reject the man. Hate the sin not the sinner.
How can we respect a man who disowns his church.
There is something obscene about a man disowning his church.
I just can't bring myself to be outraged about this Wright story. I suppose I'm not partisan enough. I'm with Huckabee and McCain on this. Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. I don't know what Wright went through as a young man to make him so angry. He gets no judgement from me.
Bottom line for me;
Do I think Obama hates America? No
Do I think Obama is unpatriotic? No
Do I think Obama is a racist? No
He is a decent person. I can see why people like him.
McCain is showing real leadership on this.
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
There must be some line that is too far for you. You say that throwing the preacher "under the bus" would be bad as if it is a universal truism.
Is there no line too far? Or are you merely drawing it in a different place?
For example, what if the pastor had spent the last twenty years plotting an intricate terrorist attack. Would this be a sufficient cause to "throw him under the bus," or would Obama still be courageous for condemning the act but not the actor.
I'm not being difficult, I'm asking. Is there no line? Or do you simply feel he didn't cross it?
absentee
You know, matters of the spirit. It is a church, after all.
and yes, plotting a terrorist attack (in which case I throw him under the bus, run him over and then call my lawyer and the FBI).
But that's not what Wright is guilty of.
Wright is only guilty of class warfare. He hates rich white men and Hillary Clinton. I would assume he is okay with regular white folk LOL. Regardless, I just can't bring myself to be outraged.
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
That is something, then.
Although I think you've not seen enough Wright videos if you think he only rises to class warfare and race-baiting. He accuses the United States of literal terrorism, not figurative, he claims America orchestrated Pearl Harbor, and is currently engaged in active genocide against blacks using chemical warfare.
I grant this may still not cross your line, but it isn't exactly "the rich get richer".
absentee
He was a black man growing up in the 50's. That is the America he remembers. Some people just never get over that. I think black men of a certain age should be given a pass on some things. They were told they were free. But nothing on earth felt less like freedom to them.
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
I have one for you this time:
Suffering injustice spares no one their responsibility to serve justice. Suffering pain is no passport to inflict it, nor exemption from the consequences for doing so.
Many child molesters were themselves victims, yet they must suffer the consequences of their actions. You can't just express disagreement, temper it with understanding, and send them off to the playgrounds.
absentee
I still feel bad for Obama, though. I wish I didn't. But I do.
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
Life is hard, and often we face hard choices. I waited and hoped he'd make the hard one. Then we might actually have had the transcendent moment that so many were so clearly ready for. And there is no doubt that, in addition to personal circumstances, he was in an awkward position in the Chicago community.
I don't suggest the choice was painless, or even easy. But it should have been plain. Leadership requires the courage to do the things that are difficult to do. Like McCain remaining a captor past an opportunity at freedom. Like Washington graciously refusing the adoring offers of unending rule. Like Christ laying his perfection on the Cross to suffer and die for our imperfection.
Courage is what Obama needed the other day. Sadly it is not what he showed. But I never said his moment was easy. Moments of greatness seldom are.
absentee
... about poor lost Barack, searching for a father, an identity, a meaning to his hopeless private school and Harvard educated life ... and along came Jeremiah Wright to the rescue, the only pastor in all of Chicago who reached out to the young lost lamb that was Barry Henry O'Bama ...
PS: I don't think many people believe for one second that you're going to be voting for McCain in November.
I feel terrible for the guy. I weep for him. I can't help it.
The only thing that will make me not vote for McCain in November is if he chooses Romney as his VP. No one loves McCain more than I do but even I have my limits.
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
... why don't you?
So far, the only thing you haven't accused him of is abusing his children. But I'm thinking it's only a matter of time ...
PS: I think you're a moby, actually ... in case you haven't guessed.
I'm sorry, but I do. I can't help it. I'm sorry. I'm sure it will pass. But right now I feel terrible for him. I don't know how to describe it. It's the exact same feeling I had when McCain was being crucified by Hannity, Rush et al. I cried for him. I have feelings. I'm sorry it offends you. Can I please be allowed to feel bad for him without being called names?
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
I think I qualified it with "allegedly". In any case, it was a long time ago. Florida primary, if my memory serves me right. Emotions were running high. I'm sure you also posted something in the heat of the moment. Something you now regret. We were all under duress. Water under the bridge.
I really hated Romney though. That was real. Nothing has changed.
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
We all have feelings. Politics is about feelings. It's all about emotions. I hated Romney. He struck me as dishonest. I could never vote for him. I was ambivalent about Huckabee. I love McCain and therefore I support him. I trust him and therefore I will vote for him. Hate. Love. Trust. Ambivalence. Feelings. Emotions.
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
1. You feel terrible for Obama because he's being criticized for not rejecting his "pastor's" racism and anti-Americanism.
2. You agree with Huckabee that criticizing his "pastor" is off limits.
3. You won't vote for McCain if he chooses Romney as VP.
You need to be hospitalized.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
I really resent the way you're attempting to portray me.
1 and 3 are not mutually exclusive. My feelings vis a vis Obama/Wright have nothing to do with my deep dislike for Romney. I am ambivalent about Obama. I think he is a nice person but I am not invested in his candidacy one way or another. I feel bad for him, yes. And it's clouding my judgement, yes. But that shall pass. It's irrational, yes. But that too, shall pass. My intense dislike for Romney is very real and rational and it's here to stay. That shall not pass. I am invested in McCain's candidacy and therefore will really be upset if he picks Romney. But of course if Meghan McCain is to be believed, his father is not about to make that mistake.
2 is just a mischaracterization. I said it was prudent for Obama to criticize his pastor but not disown him. Hate the sin, not the sinner.
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The revolution will not be televised. 1965
Of course, he would feel sorry for O'Bama. After all, there were no other Churches in Chicago without the hatred and crazy for him to attend - so he just had to go to Wright's Church.
Boo-freakin'-hoo ...
There is something obscene about a man disowning his church
What is obscene is sitting through that racist, anti-American class warfare rhetoric for 20 years. What is obscene is choosing to have Rev Wright marry you and baptize your children.
Had he shown integrity in the first place, he would NOT be disowning his church, because he would already have moved on and found a more suitable church with a Christian message.
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This post has been brought to by Thorazyne and other psychotropic drugs -- better living through chemistry
I think that there is a good (read, effective) political video to be made out of the Wright stuff, but this isn't it. It should be much shorter and include only Wright and Obama. Trying to conflate Obama with Malcolm X and the athletes from 1968 is too much. Frankly it strikes me as race baiting and I'm sure I'm not the only one. The stuff about whether or not he wears an American flag lapel pin is dopey as well.
-exits
"Obama felt perfectly comfortable throwing his white grandmother under the bus. He used her as the white racist counterpart to his black racist 'old uncle,Rev. Wright." Just how long do white people have to wait for forgiveness? The race baiting was taking place in Rev. Wright's church. That was one of the most inappropriate actions concerning this controversy.
samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/
I noticed this about him when he commented on Rezko's federal trial, when Obama said Rezko is just someone he's known a long time who got himself into some trouble.
What I want to hear now is what Obama really thinks of Rev. Wright's frequent assertion of conspiracy theories as fact, particularly the CIA-AIDS link (which began its life as a KGB creation).
lesterblog.blogspot.com