"Silence is tacit support."
Or, Does Barack Obama have the guts to stand up to anybody?
By Jeff Emanuel Posted in Liberals — Comments (63) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
An interesting observation comes from my good friend and fellow contributor, blackhedd, via email:
Interesting insight from my wife, who had the courage to look at one of Wright’s tapes. He’s got his choir sitting behind him and the camera pans over the audience periodically.You see (and hear) the usual nutjobs hanging on every word, jumping up and down, hollering “Amen brother!” But you also see a lot of people (and remember, this is an affluent crowd, by and large), who are sitting on their hands, looking away, or looking down.
It reminded her of American Muslims, most of whom are not radicalized, but have nothing like the guts to stand up and say “that man doesn’t speak for me.”
Silence is tacit support. And just as this reinforces the wildly-wrong stereotype that all Muslims support terrorism against the rest of us, so too does the reluctance of Obama and many others to forthrightly criticize Wright reinforce the wrong but growing perception that many, even most, black Americans are racists.
Remember that, for twenty years (or up until it became a liability rather than a politically expedient thing to do), Barack Obama was one of those congregation members, lending tacit support to Rev. Wright's "God Damn America!" rhetoric not only by sitting silently in the audience, but by bringing his children week in and week out and exposing them to the hateful message, as well.
This brings up a tripartite question (read on, natch):
(1) Does Barack Obama agree with Rev. Wright's message that America is equal to al Qaeda, is guilty of attempting to exterminate blacks, and is deserving of every ill inflicted upon it?
or
(2) Was Barack Obama simply sitting in that church week in and week out, for twenty years, because attendance gave him the "street cred" (and "blackness") necessary to run for office in Chicago?
or
(3) Is Barack Obama simply another one of those sitting in the audience whose conscience panged when he heard the hateful, racist rants of Rev. Wright, but who had, in the words of Mrs. Blackhedd, "nothing like the guts to stand up and say 'that man doesn’t speak for me'"?
If (1), then it goes without saying that Mr. Obama needs to disappear -- quickly -- off the public stage, as he is more deserving of Ron Paul/Lyndon LaRouche/David Duke marginalization than he is of any more serious conversation or discussion.
If (2), then Mr. Obama is, quite simply, a cynic and a fraud who is perfectly suited to the Left side of the religious vs. going through the motions because the little people think it's important divide. This option being correct would go a long way in explaining Mr. Obama's denigration of American rubes who "cling to religion," and reveals his true inhabitation of the far left of the political spectrum -- where he represents a few liberals, but is too out of touch with middle America to be elected the country's leader.
If (3) is correct, then a whole new series of problems arises, assuming Mr. Obama is elected in November. After all, the President of the United States is, in all times, looked at as the Leader of the Free World, by allies and enemies alike. The President has to lead, deal with, dictate to, and stand up both to and for these states and organization. Decisions will have to be made in times of calm and of crisis; for this job, a steady hand at the helm, an iron spine, and a compass that points in a true direction are a collective sine qua non, not a helpful-but-unrequired set of accessories.
If Mr. Obama cannot bring himself to vocalize his objection to his friend's words, where will he find the courage to put his foot down when necessary in dealing with America's allies?
If Mr. Obama cannot even stand up to his own pastor, friend, and mentor -- if he cannot even make a peep about Wright's hateful, divisive, racist message -- then how in the world can he be expected to show the spine, resolve, and direction to do so to people who don't simply preach, but deliver death, destruction, and ultimata penned in the blood of those whose security the President of the United States is ultimately responsible for?
Mr. Obama has already said that he will meet with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, among others, if and when he is elected President. If he lacks the spine to even tell a friend when he is wrong, how will he possibly come away from a meeting in Iran anything other than fully cowed, having -- through his silence or his verbal acquiescence -- given away the store, and made the U.S., the Free World, and the world as a whole an exponentially less safe place for all involved?
« Do Nothing Dem Congress Slow-Bleeding US Auto Industry — Comments (46) | Democrats Just Can't Help Themselves — Comments (26) »
"Silence is tacit support." 63 Comments (0 topical, 63 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
A fact which argues for option (1) or (2). As you can see, I was more interested in exploring the consequences of option (3) in the piece.
JE
Excellent analysis.
My question (granted, much more simplistic) has become: How does this man with domestic (and possibly foreign) terrorists for friends and race-baiting America-hating spiritual leaders for his inspiration take the Oath of Office and swear to uphold the Constitution and defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic?
That was a question posed to Sean Hannity last week by a caller and it absolutely stumped him.
This guy is mendacious, a charlatan, a poseur, a coward, a Marxist plant, an empty suit, incredibly cynical, or all of the above. He's definitely not to be trusted.
Good post.
You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
John
----------
Why would God invent something like whiskey? To keep the Irish from ruling the world of course.
Obama and his family weren't present for the ones with the hateful sermons, only for the ones with the positive messages. So he had no reason to worry about Rev Wright until recently when a) Hillary supporters b) McCain supporters c) racists d) all of the above took a couple of his sermons out of context in order to try to divide the country. So Obama did nothing wrong. If you don't believe me, just ask him.
I just finished listening to as much of another Wright speech as I could stand. This bigot oozes hate from every pore in his body. His lopsided historical rants of America seed and feed the anger and racism that overwhelms his deranged mind.
Wright's America is a cartoon character. America is the poor slob standing there with the little angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other, but in the Wright fantasy there is no angel. There is no good in America, nor it's past, only the perpetual evil rained down on anyone other than rich white tyrants.
Wright is a delusional paranoid living in his own intricate fictional world kept afloat by hate filled enablers and small minded followers.
AzRenegade
But what I'm wondering is, when are the true churches going to stand up to this nutcase? I'm curious as to why black preachers who actually preach from the Bible don't stand up publicly and state in no uncertain terms that Mr. Wright does not (as he claimed in his latest delusional rant at the NPC) represent the black church? If he, as Mr. Wright claims, is "for Jesus", then why does he continue to put forth a message that is contrary to the clear commands of Jesus? I'd like for several good ministers to stand up to this charlatan and expose him and his racist rhetoric for what it is.
I heard it on the X......
he is not just an aberration. This type of thing is taught in many black churches. In fact I would say at least some of this stuff appears in most black churches.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
Xin, I believe the problem you noted is quite similar to the moderate Muslim versus the Jihadi ordeal. Blacks are loathe to speak out against the likes of Wright out of fear. Fear of being labeled Uncle Tom, or being called Oreo, or worse. Fear of castigation or excommunication from the black church. Just ask Michael Steele about the disgusting attacks on him by those who claim he was not authentically black.
Having said all that, there have been some brave souls in the church who have spoken out. To be sure they have been few and far between. All the more reason for the rest of us to continue to challenge the likes of Wright at every turn. Wright must be sidelined and denounced as the fringe lunatic he truly is and his ideology tossed into the trash heap of history where it belongs.
AzRenegade
I believe it's a combination of all 3
1. Whether he believes "every ill" I don't know, but he has clearly stated that terrorism is the result of at least some of our actions
2. I don't think BO had any designs on the Whitehouse until he got to DC. As such, all politics are local and this church was certainly a part of getting the support/cred he needed to be succesful in IL.
3. he realized that Wright wouldn't play in broader America so disinvited him to his campaign. This tells me that at some level Barack knew there was a "over the top." However I think Barack's ethics on this issue are situational and adjustable depending on his audience.
And that last point is the one that concerns me most. His convictions appear to be situational...His pastor was fine when the audience was local but not so good on the national stage. What audience will Barack look to impress when dealing with Iran...his US audience or the World audience?
You're a persistent cuss, pilgrim. John Wayne to James Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
That would be more fun then a GWAR concert!
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
What's especially worrisome is that Wright PLUS Ayers means that Obama probably really believes this hate-America garbage.
Actually, I think it proves that he'd do anything to advance his political career. (keep in mind, when he got his state Senate seat, mixing with these types of people was required for his district.)
But either way, the implications aren't good.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
What's especially worrisome is that Wright PLUS Ayers means that Obama probably really believes this hate-America garbage.
At the National Press Club, Wright reminded us that Obama had distanced himself from Wright, but didn't denounce Wright.
And Wright strongly implied that the only reason Obama even distanced himself was to get elected, not because Obama really disagreed with Wright in any fundamental way.
Instapundit links to Ed Driscoll who links to National Review's Campaign Spot Blog where Jim Geraghty speculates that Wright is giving Obama a gift.
He'll say nuttier and nuttier and nuttier and nuttier things and, finally, Obama repudiates everything that Wright has said.
That speech that people are saying Obama should have given months ago? He'll give it right before Indiana... and it'll be scathing.
The Ultimate Sister Souljah Moment.
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
If Clinton had gotten rid of Sister Soljah after a month and a half of himing and hawing over his decision, it would have done a lot more harm then help. Same here.
I'm not saying he won't do it, I'm saying it won't help him, it'll only slow the bleeding at best, and I doubt it'll do that.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Is that they seem to think that it doesn't matter who runs against the (R), "Generic Democrat" has this election locked up.
Flip through a handful of the diaries talking about McCain (not talking about Conservatives, or the importance of The War On Terror, or what Reagan accomplished... but the ones just talking about McCain) for a reason or two they might think that.
Anyway, if "Generic Democrat" has this thing sewn up, Obama doesn't need the Sister Soulja moment to beat McCain in November.
He only needs it in the next few weeks... to beat Hillary.
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
I am, however, saying that it *WOULD* be one heck of a Sister Souljah moment.
Maybe not for those of us who frequent Redstate.com, of course.
But for them what might be voting in the next couple of weeks and are still undecided... or decided on Hillary because they felt that Obama was to "divisive".
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
Of course not.
Enough to win Indiana?
You really think that it wouldn't be enough to win Indiana?
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
Today, Reverend Wright implied that Obama is just distancing himself in order to get elected. Any more slaps on Wright's wrist by Obama aren't going to be believed anymore except by Obama's fans.
And if Obama strongly attacked Wright, he would lose all the militant blacks who were cheering Reverend Wright and who are delivering the margin of victory for Obama in states like North Carolina. That's the part of the genie that Obama can't put back into the bottle--the paranoia rampant within the urban black community. Now that Wright has voiced it, Obama is stuck with it. All he can do is hope that voters will have forgotten about it by November.
community
bingo
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
As I predicted, this has now come to pass in the last 24 hours since Wright ranted at the National Press Club:
Obama has once again claimed that Wright doesn't speak for him. But many of Obama's supporters are now leaping to Wright's defense, agreeing with him, reciting the usual entire litany of America's sins starting from 1776 onward.
This basic disillusionment with America, going all the way back to its founding, is endemic to many of Obama's supporters, especially his radicalized black supporters, the ones who cheer on a Farrakhan or a Reverend Wright.
Which calls into question Obama's entire post-racialist, bi-partisan, Blue State/Red State stance. If that's how he really is, not just saying those things to win votes as Wright suggested, then why would so many embittered political radicals support his candidacy? What do they see in him?
I mean it's like a disconnect between the candidate and his supporters that can become irreparable after a point.
I do not know that this is what is going on.
Odds are, Obama isn't going to say anything in the coming week or so and stand by his good friend and pastor and mentor and all that.
But if he does...
Well, he's going to take Indiana and take it hard.
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
of Reverend Jeremiah Wright. . . .
http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-reverend-jeremiah-wri...
It's definitely at least #2.
Remember the early days of the campaign, when the question was whether Obama was "Black enough?" IMHO, he wasn't, but he was trying.
Barack Obama is a white man with dark skin who is passing for Black. He has been sitting in that pew for 20 years to get the details of his role just right. Unfortunately for him, he got caught.
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.“--Jeff Cooper. From Bill Coffey's collection of military quotations
In Star Trek, the character of Mr. Spock is half human, half Vulcan. But he always goes out of his way to emphasize he's Vulcan and disses humans.
Spock is always trying to prove he's "Vulcan enough," just like Obama is trying to prove he's "black enough."
Spock was happy Jim was alive!
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
So, life really does imitate art, eh?
I don't know why this is never brought up. Obama was rqaised by a white mother, in Indonesian schools and in white schools on Hawaii (where he was cared for by his white grandparents, right?) He is no more "Black" American than I am, except by color. If we expect him to have a "Black" American perspective on issues, he can only do so by having studiously tried to get that perspective. It certainly didn't come to him by virtue of his life experience.
My daughter is, by birth, Vietnamese. But she is 100% American, by virtue of growing up here in a completely integrated society. There would be no logical reason for Vietnamese-Americans to vote for her at a 95% level. There is likewise no logical reason for black Americans to support Obama at the 95% level, either. He has fooled a significant part of the electorate into believing that he's something he's not, just on the basis of how he looks. (There are plenty of people who would tell you he's a descendant of slaves.) Geraldine Ferraro was right.
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.“--Jeff Cooper. From Bill Coffey's collection of military quotations
"Obama is like Mr. Spock from Star Trek"
He must have had the Human-Ear conversion surgery utilizing the Alfred E. Neumann pattern.
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.“--Jeff Cooper. From Bill Coffey's collection of military quotations
from Star trek Voyager
/yes I am a nerd
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
"yes I am a nerd"
Isn't recognition of the affliction the first step towards a cure?
BTW, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a hilarious movie, but you have to sit through an uncomfortable first 20 minutes (male nerd nudity) to get to the good parts.
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.“--Jeff Cooper. From Bill Coffey's collection of military quotations
un-vitation.
BHO excluding Wright from his announcement suggests a heavy dose of #2 and #3 to me.
It still doesn't jive that he was unaware of these beliefs and chose to exclude him from his announcement.
" Got to love the Lord for making things like that."
Morally Compromised
Obama's spiritual mentor and close friend of 20 years confirmed himself as an wacko, racist, and hate-filled preacher today. Obama can't erase 20-years of association, especially as he's shared racist stereotypes himself. I think that Obama is dooming himself, the party, and his supporters facing reelection. They are all challenged to denounce Wright and clarify that they do not share or accept his views.
Did I hear correctly Wright saying that Blacks think differently and need different standards than Whites?! This sets back desegregation 50+ years and is offensive to say the least. it is demeaning to Blacks and everyone.
Matthew Weaver
http://www.TheProblemWithObama.com
http://www.TheIndependentView.com
Yes, Wright actually said that:
....Dr. Hale's research led her to stop comparing African-American children with European-American children and she started comparing the pedagogical methodologies of African-American children to African children and European-American children to European children. And bingo, she discovered that the two different worlds have two different ways of learning. European and European-American children have a left brained cognitive object oriented learning style and the entire educational learning system in the United States of America. Back in the early '70s, when Dr. Hale did her research was based on left brained cognitive object oriented learning style. Let me help you with fifty cent words.
Left brain is logical and analytical. Object oriented means the student learns from an object. From the solitude of the cradle with objects being hung over his or her head to help them determine colors and shape to the solitude in a carol in a PhD program stuffed off somewhere in a corner in absolute quietness to absorb from the object. From a block to a book, an object. That is one way of learning, but it is only one way of learning.
African and African-American children have a different way of learning.
They are right brained, subject oriented in their learning style. Right brain that means creative and intuitive. Subject oriented means they learn from a subject, not an object. They learn from a person. Some of you are old enough, I see your hair color, to remember when the NAACP won that tremendous desegregation case back in 1954 and when the schools were desegregated. They were never integrated. When they were desegregated in Philadelphia, several of the white teachers in my school freaked out. Why? Because black kids wouldn't stay in their place. Over there behind the desk, black kids climbed up all on them.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/28/wright.transcript/
Ye gods. How could anybody sit through that whole speech?
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.“--Jeff Cooper. From Bill Coffey's collection of military quotations
Reverend Wright thinks he's helping young black kids by telling them that they are just naturally better at rap music than math or computers.
Well, I would tell any black kid to surf the want ads on Craiglist and count the number of job openings for folks who know computers, vs. the number of job openings for folks who know rap music.
If I were giving a talk to young black kids, I would try to convince them that black kids are naturally good at Web site design and biotechnology. But hey, that's just me. :-)
Sue all employers for AA/EO violations if they don't treat rap music background as equal to computer background.
Please don't bring up that old saw about "equal pay for equal work" again. Everybody knows that rap music is much more valuable than computer work.
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.“--Jeff Cooper. From Bill Coffey's collection of military quotations
for an insightful observation, 5 stars for Jeff Emanuel for his analysis.
I've always been suspicious of Mr. Obama's religious ties, but not because of his affiliation with Pastor Wright but because of his repudiation of the Islamic faith.
Unless I'm seriously mistaken, once a Muslim always Muslim. Under "Shari'a" law any repudiation of Islam is punishable by death. Normally any 'negative' statement or denial of Islam is met with a 'fatwa' seeking the offender's death. The Muslim community has been strangely positive towards BHO even though he has disavowed his Muslim heritage. Makes me want to go "Hmmm".
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina
(at least as far as I know) he wasn't really a muslim. Check out snopes on this one.
Now also found at The Minority Report
but when it comes to opinion and investigative journalism I've never really trusted Associated Press or CNN as "unbiased" sources.
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina
If you notice all the East coasters are asleep...
so you wont get much out of 'em
"40 million American households with guns are generally happier
than those people in households that don't have guns."
they do have a purpose, I'm just not sure what it is. FWIW they do have entertainment value and give us insight into persons with 'abnormal psychology'.
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina
n/t
 |
"40 million American households with guns are generally happier than those people in households that don't have guns." |
I don't think the site could handle a 50 million word post! Howard Dean alone would merit at least one million. I quote Mr. Dean: "YEEEEAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!", there you go, positive proof!
I vaguely remember a recently published book with the premise that the liberal mindset (they didn't call it that...not PC)was a psychiatric disorder. I can't think of any evidence to dispute that. To me the legal term 'Non compos mentis' applies to all liberals.
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina
Yes ...we forgot all about that didnt we...
And it seems like the MSM was real quiet about all those Details...
"40 million American households with guns are generally happier
than those people in households that don't have guns."
It takes courage for anyone to actually stand up for what they believe in - - whether in a crowd at a rally or a congregation at a church. There are many 'churches' that preach the kind of divisive rhetoric that Wright preaches...maybe not so blatantly but with an 'intellectual' approach ending with the same racist message. I recently found an oral exam for priests within the Episcopal Church for 2003 - - from their website. It read as follows:
"Among a range of possibilities, here are answers to three questions basic to anti-racism training:
l What is Prejudice?
“preconceived judgment or opinion; an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge;an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics.”
(Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, 1983)
l What is Racism?
“ Racism is more than race prejudice. It is more than individual attitudes and actions. Racism is the collective actions of a dominant racial group. Systemic power turns race prejudice into racism. Racial prejudice becomes racism when one group’s racial prejudices are enforced by the systems and institutions of a society, giving power and privilege based on skin color to the group in power, and limiting the power and privilege of the racial groups that are not in power.”
(Dismantling Racism: The Continuing Challenge to White America, Crossroads Ministry, 1991)
l Who is a Racist?
“All white individuals in our society are racists. Even if whites are totally free from all conscious racial prejudices, they remain racists, for they receive benefits distributed by a
white society through its institutions. Our institutional and cultural processes are so arranged as to automatically benefit whites, just because they are white. It is essential for whites to recognize that they receive most of these racist benefits automatically, unconsciously, and unintentionally.” (Education and Racism, National Education Association, 1973)
A. In the light of the foregoing definitions, write an essay oftwo and a half pages describing the role the Episcopal Church has played and continues to play in perpetuating and/or combating institutional racism. As part of your essay, give at least three specific examples from your knowledge of the Episcopal Church and three from your own personal experience.
B. In an essay of one page,state what you believe the institutional church must do to eradicate racism within the church."
I was appalled and we sadly felt we had to leave this church that was a part of our family for at least 5 generations, after learning that they instruct their priests to condone reverse racism - - actually polarizing races not uniting them. This is believed by the left - - which is attempting to change our culture through our institutions such as churches and universities.
Rev. Wright might have done us all a very big favor as he enlightens us all to the racism that is pervasive from the left. Please note that the 'definition' of racism is attributed to the National Education Association.
We all sit around and listen to this hate speech on a regular basis - - in our media, schools, churches - and we say nothing because it is presently 'politically correct' to remain quiet. It's time to speak up and stop the Rev. Wrights of the world. He screams racism when it is he who is the racist and intolerant. He judges what he terms 'whites' by the color of their skin, not their behavior.
""Evil triumphs when good men do nothing. --Edmund Burke
Atheists never have to worry about this kind of thing.
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.“--Jeff Cooper. From Bill Coffey's collection of military quotations
It's amazing, my wife who has -0- interest in anything politics heard for the first time the Rev Wright on Rush today (I forced her to listen). She was spittin mad that anyone in America in the 21st century could be so wrong about hate filled against the greatest nation on earth.
I'd go as far to say that if McCain or a 527 goes after it (he won;t, they will) and presents Wright's own words that McCain has an opportunity to take 40-45 states. Certainly not CA, NY or IL, but a rout it will be.
Best Primary ever!
_____________________________
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
--Aristotle
I always had him down as 2 above all.
But please don't think this means he's dead in the water. He seems to have an ability to get people to hear what they want to hear in his words so there may be a lot of swing voters that may discount the wright issue as Obama just playing local politics as lets face it, he doesnt come over on TV as a loopy black nationalist, mainly because he is a lot more more Harvard than Hood.
The good news is that the whole messy business weakens his hope/change image as he is, as we know here, just another liberal politician who believes the people should just be told what they want to hear while the wise decide what's best from them. That is where the contrast is with McCain and in this context you can see why his campaign is leaving the job of yelling about Wright to Hillary (and Wright himself).
...to Trinity United, I'd say it's more than just "tacit support".
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”