Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Black Anger Does Not Surprise, Bother Me, Absence Of Black Anger Would


Slavery was and is something to be angry about. Segregation was and is something to be angry about. Persistent racism was and is something to be angry about. Like Mahatma Gandhi said, I'd rather people engaged in nonviolent action to seek liberation, but if it is between violence and apathy, I'd rather they took violent action for liberation.

This Jeremiah Wright dude is totally nonthreatening. He could not swat a fly if he wanted to. That is what I see on his face. This dude is harmless. From day one I have been amazed with the reaction to Wright. I have watched bemused. He just spoke a few angry words. It is not like he tried to incite violence, or even political action.

Church is where black people gather. And they need an outlet to vent anger. If it is the emotion of anger that disqualifies someone, Bill Clinton is the most disqualified person in America. That guy is prone to intense outbursts of anger on a daily basis. He gets red and blue. He never had a staffer he did not yell at. Wright never got that angry. So it can not be that the emotion of anger is what is illegitimate.

So what are you saying? The reason Wright got angry is what bothers you? How do you propose he react to his personal experiences in segregation and continued racism? Is he supposed to give you a Kodak smile in response? Racism is something to be angry about.

There are legitimate and illegitimate ways to express anger. Violence is not legitimate. Verbal expression is legitimate. Wright engaged in verbal expression. His words circulating in YouTube videos were recorded when noone, not even Barack knew Barack was going to run for president. And from what I gather, such outbursts are the norm rather than the exception in black churches. Is it news to white people that black people are angry?

But I must admit Wright's choice of words are kind of sort of unsavory for a mass audience. But you are taking it out of context. Wright never imagined the mass attention that his words have been getting. The guy is a deer in the headlights. He is like, holy. He is a little confused. Barack gave a speech saying he does not intend to disown Wright, but Wright misunderstood and thought Barack is giving him the shaft. That is someone confused with the mass attention. He is not used to being famous. Noone really is. To be associated with a president to be is quite a challenging proposition.

Black anger is no surprise as long as racism is persistent like it is today. But we can debate about:
  1. Legitimate expressions of anger at racism.
  2. Ways to end racism.
You can't be like but, da, why are you even angry in the first place? That has been white America's reaction. Too many whities want a symbolic black guy in the White House. They don't want to have to do the hard work of confronting racism in their hearts, minds and institutions.

Suddenly you have Karl Rove jumping up and down the street. I never believed you, Karl, when you said you were retiring. You got out of the White House so you could dip into the 2008 drama. Looks like race is one of your favorite topics to talk about. Mine too. I think we are going to have a blast, between you and me.

In The News




Putting Jeremiah Wright and patriotism in perspective San Francisco Chronicle, USA

San Diego Union Tribune
Putting Jeremiah Wright and patriotism in perspective
San Francisco Chronicle, USA - 1 hour ago
Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's former pastor, which said: "God damn America!" Obama's now-famous speech, concerning race and the intemperate words of his ...
Video: Obama's Former Pastor Speaks to NAACP AssociatedPressJeremiah Wright: Barack Obama’s Savior? Forbes
Wright and wrong guardian.co.uk
NPR - MSNBC
all 1,312 news articles »

Voice of America
Father Raymond J. de Souza on Jeremiah Wright: Giving God the ...
National Post, Canada - 5 hours ago
Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Sunday night in Detroit. The black church in America has long lived between the glory and the blues, between the ecstasy of ...
A Strained Wright-Obama Bond Finally Snaps New York Times
Friend who used to attend Jeremiah Wright's church stands up for ... Dallas Morning News
Timeline of Barack Obama's relationship with Jeremiah Wright The Associated Press
Tulsa World - HipHopDX
all 317 news articles »

OverTheLimit.info
Obama Expresses Outrage Over Former Pastor Jeremiah Wright's Comments
U.S. News & World Report, DC - 10 hours ago
Jeremiah Wright Tuesday and cast his former pastor from his house. One day after Wright's defiant and incendiary performance at the National Press Club, ...
Yoni Goldstein on Jeremiah Wright's hateful vindictiveness and how ... National Post
Black pastors speak out on Wright's statements Newsday
Jeremiah Wright - Hillary Supporter? Houston Chronicle
FOXNews - Village Voice
all 674 news articles »

BET
Sen. Barack Obama with the Rev Jeremiah Wright
FOXNews - 8 hours ago
Jeremiah Wright travels around the country on a speaking tour and as Sen. Barack Obama tries to distance himself from the controversial pastor, ...
Can Obama close the door on Wright? CNN
Roundup: Jeremiah Wright spreads his wings Los Angeles Times
Wright’s rant goes on Boston Herald
Kansas City Star - Detroit Free Press
all 217 news articles »

TV3 News
TRANSCRIPT: Obama Press Conference on Jeremiah Wright
FOXNews - Apr 29, 2008
I’ve known Reverend Wright for almost 20 yrs. The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 yrs ago. His comments were not only divisive and ...
Mr. Obama and Rev. Wright New York Times
Wright and Obama Cosmopolis
The Many Faces of John McCain Yahoo! News
Media Matters for America - Atlantic Online
all 118 news articles »

Spiegel Online
Time to take a breather, Rev. Wright
Atlanta Journal Constitution, USA - 8 hours ago
... postured his response to say : ”The most recent attack on the black church, it is not an attack on Jeremiah Wright, it is an attack on the black church. ...
Does Obama Get It Wright? Washington Post
Obama Says He Is Outraged By Wright's "Rants" U.S. News & World Report
Not Wanted on the Voyage: Bama Drops Wright Overboard Pacific Free Press
CBS2 Chicago - ABC Online
all 70 news articles »

Boston Globe
Obama Seeks to Re-Focus Presidential Campaign
Voice of America - 6 hours ago
... his political footing Wednesday in the US presidential campaign, one day after denouncing his controversial former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. ...
Today on the presidential campaign trail The Associated Press
Pastor is a ranter, says irate Obama Melbourne Herald Sun
Wright's comments were divisive and destructive: Obama NDTV.com
WBKO - Media Monitors Network
all 2,216 news articles »
John Bloom sticks up for the Rev. Jeremiah Wright -- Joe Bob says ...
Dallas Morning News, TX - 8 hours ago
Jeremiah Wright -- Joe Bob says check it out Longtimers may remember the regular column "Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-in" written by John Bloom of the late ...

GetReligion
How Jeremiah Wright Found Religion
TIME - Apr 29, 2008
Jeremiah Wright Jr. of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, first drew headlines for his fiery sermons, Barack Obama responded with a graceful speech ...
What is Liberation Theology? Washington Post
Wright does Obama wrong Chicago Tribune
Rev. Jeremiah Wright has reclaimed the spotlight. Forbes
CBS2 Chicago - CNSNews.com
all 42 news articles »

New York Magazine
Bill Clinton Versus Jeremiah Wright: Which Loose Cannon is Louder?
New York Magazine, USA - 14 hours ago
Jeremiah Wright is a hatemonger. He hates America. It is patently obvious." No telling what could happen if he roves White House hallways once again. ...
Hillary Clinton on O’Reilly: Wright is Offensive FOXNews
The Hillary Factor Washington Post
The Moyers-Wright interview: let’s see more Blogger News Network

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is a movement within the United Church of Christ to get Jeremiah Wright elected General Minister and President. See http://www.ucctruths.com

Anonymous said...

Baruch Osama does not believe what Rubberend Jerry Meyer Wright says. But his fatty can polish handler wants you to believe such things because it helps achieve their fatima mission.