Does Rev. Wright have it right?

I am very saddened by the appearance of Rev. Jeremiah Wright at the National Press Club yesterday. To call it just another disaster for the public face of American Christianity is too be kind. The church has weathered storms about hurricanes being redirected by prayers. 911 had been called "God's judgment for our tolerance of homsexuals" by one well known White evangelical preacher. The prosperity gospel continues to come out of pulpits graced by white and black preachers. The Pope came and faced up to the sexual abuse scandals of Catholic clergy. It was about time! We have seen worse! Jesus said he would build the church and that nothing would prevail against it. I believe Jesus is the only thing holding the Church together.
We have also seen egotistical preachers use their large followings to influence political campaigns. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson see themselves as kingmakers--as did Bob Jones and Radio broadcast James Dobson. I am saddened that Rev. Wright took it upon himself to sabbatoge the groundbreaking run of one of his parishioners, Barak Obama.The timing couldn't be worse for Obama. The Wright question stopped Obama's move to close the large gap in Pennsylvania. PA was a tough state for him because it is the oldest state (next to Florida) and has a big blue collar population (another Clinton stronghold). PA has few young people (an Obama stronghold) Yet Wright's comments fed all the stereotypical fears American white have about Blacks: they blame whites for all their problems, they are not sufficiently patriotic and oppose American wars of intervention, they are prone to incendiary and irrational views. In sum: they can't be trusted and would attempt to change everything Americans hold dear.
If Wright would have just stayed out of the limelinght for another 10 days Obama would probably become the next President. He was leading by 16% in North Carolina and was ahead 5% in Indiana. If that margin held Ms. Clinton would be hard pressed to continue with no money and no hope to win the nomination. Already the poll numbers have dramatically reversed. It will be bloody but I think Obama is becoing unelectable.
George Will jumped on the "This proves Obama is incapable of being President" bandwagon this morning writing:
"Wright is releveant. He is a demogogue with whom Obama has had a voluntary 20 year relationship. It has involved, if not moral approval, certainly no serious disapproval. Wright is an ongoing fountain of anti-American and, properly understood, anti black rubbish. His speech demonstrated that he wants to be a central figure in this presidential campaign. HE SHOULD BE."

I fear we will get an old man John McCain who has no interest or knowledge of economic issues, no desire to change course on fiscal or health care policy, and will keep 100,000 or more troops in Iraq for another 10 years. The legedendary fiasco of President George W. Bush would get another term. If you question my logic answer this: What ideas has McCain offered that are different then Bush? I have one--he would bring us back into a cold war with China and Russia. Did you catch that foreign policy speech? John --you are losing it!

The large claim Wright made is a church issue--finally a topic I have some expertise. He said that an attack on him is an attack on the whole Black Church. Wow! Such ego! Since when was "The Black church" only about denouncing America (even echoing Louis Farrakhan). I have spoken to African American Presbyterians who worship here and they say Wright's blame america and Blame white is the central pulpit theme in many black churches. It is not the only theme. Wright is not the archetypal representative of the African American church. Martin Luther King had a whole different message. I spent weeks with Rev. James Forbes of the Riverside church--you don't hear that stuff from him. Self help and using "god's help" to overcome barriers of prejudice is a more comon theme in Black churches i have attended.
Eugene Robinson had a great column in the Post about the diversity of the Black church. He gave examples: The civil rights Methodist church he grew up in. The bible thumping, hell fire and damnation perorations that fill Black Baptist churches that focus on salvation instead of politics. Then there are the Pentcost spellbinders like TDJakes. You will notice Jakes was not present yesterday.
All of the great "ism" that plague American society: racism, sexism, and classism are held together by sterotypes. The people in these groups are touted to not be individuals with all sorts of unique character traits and who share common values with the rest of the country. Instead they possess attitudes and views of the world that are out of touch with "American values." These groups should then be not trusted and "feared." When someone who affirms all these negative sterotypes appears on the scene you just let them run their mouth then when they are finished speaking you only have to say:"Well, what did you expect from THEM."


Robinson got it right about Wright. He is trying to throw Obama under the bus for the sin of questioning some of the more reprehensible things Wright has said. Ego maniacs with his type of self righteous--- "it's white America's fault for all what ails Black in America" are not easily silenced. Too bad for Obama. Too bad for the country. Sadly these self defeating attitudes still persist.
TGBTG.