Obama's challenge: Forging an American race

Re: Obama's Speech on Race

From today's "Head of State"
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/03/speech.html

"Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Speech

The speech that Obama will give today on race will likely be the most crucial one of his political career. Up until the questions raised about Wright, Obama had instilled a powerful and resilient enthusiasm in the American electorate, standing fast against virtually every line of attack from the Clinton camp. It was only the vivid clips of Wright's impassioned statements from the pulpit, and a line of questions that have arisen in association with those remarks, that has given some of those who had been most supportive of Obama campaign some manner of pause and reconsideration.

The questions are of two types. The group of explicit questions are now well-known. Given Obama's 20 year membership at the church, does he endorse the views of Wright? If not, why did he remain a member, or raised objections to Wright's more inflammatory positions before this date?

The implicit and unspoken questions are themselves more inflammatory, and uncover more deep-seated discomforts and fissures that many Americans still experience regarding race. Those who have embraced a new message of change are vulnerable to triggers of fear and doubt--the most primitive triggers, as we have seen throughout history, move electorates most effectively, despite the intellectual justifications for these reactions that may ride along the top of such reactions.

Those who hear the Wright clips have a chain of unspoken associations that can be described as follows: Obama brought a message of change and hope to American politics that was embodied by his calm, measured and hones judgment, juxtaposed with the distortions of the previous Administration. Obama offered not only a new view of American politics, but a new paradigm of race--of post-racial politics--as a part of this message of change.

Wright now evokes the inchoate fears associated with the old political paradigm--of incendiary conflict rather than unity. In this case, in an odd and uncanny echo of the self-restricting responses that occurred in the run up to the Iraq war, many now hear in Wright's statements a warning that support of Obama may lead them to be viewed as unpatriotic, and instill a deep, unspoken fear that Obama may be like the "old" rather than the "new"--with all of the unstated uneasiness that Obama supporters have celebrated the divestment of as a part of his message of transformation and change.

These underlying emotional doubts, precisely because they are impulsive rather than fully considered, can have considerable power--unless they are themselves calmly, clearly, and fully addressed at both the explicit and implicit levels.

One, of course, may attend a house of worship of any denomination, often for a lifetime, in which one does not fully embrace all of the enthusiasms of the Pastor, Reverend, or other religious leader of the church. Such intense enthusiasms are often issued from the pulpit among many denominations--think of your own house of worship, for example--and are often viewed by the congregations as the specific preoccupations of the pastor, products of differing generations of life experience, experienced by one who has been fully immersed in the work, issues and expressions of that time.

Congregants do not typically attend simply because of a specific attachment to the particular preoccupations of the pastor--they seek the spiritual and communal fellowship of others, and recognize the difference between generations in the experience of spirituality, struggle, and life, much as many congregants do in making distinctions between the positions of church elders, often steeped in an earlier set of issues, and their own spiritual positions, values and needs. A house of worship is a community, and as in any community, members vary and understand that they vary by differing life experiences, and recognize that these generational variations do not reflect the core issues of theological belief shared by congregants.

You can probably see this in your own house of worship--or, indeed, in any community of belief.
The hard core adherents. The old fighters. The blind followers. Those who come for largely social reasons. We understand such variance in a community, and yet often continue to attend because it *is* a community that represents the variants of time and humanity, yet brings us together because of, and to discuss, a set shared beliefs and commitments.

To succeed in his speech today, Obama will need to make clear those principles of shared belief. He will have to help those who are new to understanding the generational struggles of those who fought for spirit in the face of intense racial hatred, how the product of such struggles differs from those who have emerged today, from different experiences--that, just as the spirituality of the Protestants who arrived in fervid protest on our shores to escape religious tyranny differs in rhetoric and form from that of today's Protestants, all forms of belief are reflective of such struggles and change.

He will need to do so in the manner that has brought so many in enthusiasm to his campaign--and that both signifies and heralds such change--with the unifying clarity and honesty that will allow him to describe this spiritual world, etched and co-existing, like all such worlds, like the rings of a tree, with a history of struggle, growth and change--and his place within it.

With such a presentation, that his own views should differ from those of Wright should not be surprising to any member of a thinking community.

Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/03/speech.html

You want "race" speeches? Wait a few weeks. What do you think all the pols are going to do on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of MLK?

Politicize it, of course? The question is, who is sincere and who is not? Probably impossible to know. For all the pols, it is a "catch 22". You have to acknowledge the day, but just open your mouth and your labled an "opportunist" no matter what you do.

Here is hoping it is a day of remmeberence for the great man MLK was, without pandering or politics. Now that would be a "dream".

I think what's happening only confirms what Ferraro is saying though I think her comments are designed to be racist. The bottom line is I've seen many presidential campaigns totally implode because they were memeber of racist organizations, I suppose blacks don't have to live by the same standard and whites don't expect tehm to, and some blacks don't expect to.

Judging from voting patterns in the Democrat primaries, Obama's candidacy has exposed far more racial divisions in America's Left than it has produced cohesion.

Mar-15, 2008, OBAMA STANDS BEHIND SPIRITAL ADVISOR WRIGHT!
“Wright is like an uncle you love and respect”
How does Obama consider someone a Mentor and friend for 20 years and not know their hateful racist values and character? Obama said he had no plans to leave the South Side church. Wright is like an uncle you love and respect ! he highly respects the opinions of Rev. Wright said Obama, who brings hope to many and agrees with giving the man of year award to the notorious Louis Farrakhan. Nation of Islam Minister who said we are witnessing the phenomenal rise of a man of color in a country that has persecuted us! Obama hasn't distanced himself from Farraklhan as he wants the media to believe. A number of Jewish and pro-Israel voters have concerns and raised questions about Barack Obama. In case you haven't followed this ongoing issue, here's a brief summary of the complaints:Obama has called for engaging Iran. Daniel Ayalon, Israel's former ambassador to the United States, told the New York Sun he is concerned Obama would want to negotiate with a "Hitler-like" regime. Some of Obama's policy advisors of various stripes, such as Samantha Power, Robert Malley, and Zbigniew Brzezinski, have come under attack for their views on Israel. World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder fears, it's only a matter of time before the president becomes anti-Israel Howard Friedman, the president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, said the leading presidential candidate are all interested in continuing close ties with Israel. Obama in traditional muslim garb brought these questions back to the fore Obama is a closet Muslim. Obama hasn't distanced himself from Farraklhan as he wants the media to believe, Obamas and his church said Farrakhan "epitomized greatness. For Americans, Farrakhan epitomizes racism, particularly in the form of anti-Semitism. Over the years, he has compiled an awesome record of offensive statements, even denigrating the Holocaust by falsely attributing it to Jewish cooperation with Hitler "They helped him get the Third Reich on the road." His history is a rancid stew of lies. Any praise of Farrakhan heightens the prestige of the leader of the Nation of Islam. His anti-Semitism and particularly his false insistence that Jews have played an inordinate role in victimizing African Americans. Farrakhan's dream has vilified whites and singled out Jews to blame for crimes large and small. He talks of Jewish conspiracies to set a media line for the whole nation. He has reviled Jews in a manner that brings Hitler to mind. And yet Obama and Rev Wright heaped praise on Farrakhan. He applauds his "depth of analysis when it comes to the racial ills of this nation." He praised "his integrity and honesty." He called him "an unforgettable force, a catalyst for change and a religious leader who is sincere about his faith and his purpose." These words of the black man who touts change and claims to be a uniter of all people? DO NOT VOTE FOR OBAMANATION!

Why expect all this of one speech? Why can't people look at all Obama has said and done in his life, in which he has expressed the same ideas? He has worked at achieving, leading, collaborating, building teams and unity. He has not engaged in inflammatory speech, but built an organization that has created grassroots community building everywhere that he has campaigned. People should pay attention to Obama and his life, not to Wright.

It is not only a brave person to ask but an even more-so to attempt to answer, that of, what an American truly is? I do not agree with Obama on a few things, but I applaude him for attempting to ask all Americans this question... Are we all Americans? and if so, how much do we believe in eachother? in ourselves? Katrina, for example, was a disaster for America in the eyes of the world because 'We' were seen to be a 'seperate people' while preaching unity to the world. As Americans we lead the world in so many areas because we dare to remain pioneering of spirit but we lack the strength to look honestly in the mirror. Or do we? Whether Obama wins or not is not important. That we are asking ourselves these questions, is. May we answer them with reflection and grace and may God Bless America.

Patrick Monroe

If you want to be American President, you can't run away from the past and neither you can can them forever. Right or wrong you just have to come clean, nothing less. American voters are forgiving but do not insult their intelligence.

The Reverend Wright has reminded us again of the problem of differences in culture - it is not about race... "Church today is somewhat of an enigma. There are so many different kinds of churches that represent so many different kinds of social, racial, and ethnic groups that it is increasingly difficult to define Christianity. It is, as well, increasingly difficult to define the nature of a pastor....."
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/03/18/reporting-on-reverend-wright-and-getting-it-wrong/

I think what's happening only confirms what Ferraro is saying though I think her comments are designed to be racist. The bottom line is I've seen many presidential campaigns totally implode because they were memeber of racist organizations, I suppose blacks don't have to live by the same standard and whites don't expect tehm to, and some blacks don't expect to.

If you want to be American President, you can't run away from the past and neither you can can them forever. Right or wrong you just have to come clean, nothing less. American voters are forgiving but do not insult their intelligence.

While one may hate CLinton an a personal level for her sense of entitlement and desire to wrap up the Clinton legacy on a positive note, one also has to recognize Obama for who he is, a nanny-state, done nothing for IL as a rookie US Senator, racist, conspiracy theorist, anti-American going-to-lose the race candidate.

The vile anti-semitism among American Blacks is equal to and sometimes worse than the hatred of Jews in Arab countries. Jews account for less than 2% of the population in America. They are teachers, lawyers, accountants, doctors, salesmen, computer programmers, etc., etc. Jews do not head the oil companies, pharmaceutical companies, automobile companies, or major manufacturers and are normal, every day citizens in normal every day jobs. The President and Vice President are not Jews, neither is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the Speaker of the House of Representatives. There is no candidate running for President who is Jewish, but yet Blacks intensely hate Jews FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. When Tim Russert asked Obama about Farrakhan Obama did respond correctly about healing the breach between Blacks and Jews but how can you heal the breach when you sat there for twenty years hearing your pastor attack Jews and you kept silent? If Hillary Clinton or John McCain were enthusiastic members of a church for twenty years that constantly and openly demeaned and debased Blacks with vile hateful rhetoric do you really believe the Democratic and Republican parties would allow them to be their nominee? There is a double standard and Obama is getting away with something no white politician who sat idly by while their pastor`s anti-semitic rantings continued without end would ever be granted a pass on.

Gimme a break. Its been the media rather than the candidates who have been playing up and forcing the race issue since Clinton's King/Johnson reference. I still think that in the end American men would rather put a black man in the Presidency than a woman. I still do not know WHO I'm going to vote for - but I DO know my vote will be AGAINST John McCain's stance on the war and the economy.

If race is an issue in this campaign it is because Clinton and her surrogates, including her husband are promoting it. All Hillary has to do to swing the super delegates to her side is whisper in their eras that a black man cannot win the general election. How ironic that the wife of the first "black president" is behind a very subtle campaign to deny a black person a job he is seeking.

If the Country is suppose to move ahead and away from race how can it when we have a people that will stay were the hate and racist remarks are coming from and he doesn;t have the insight to leave. He who rose on WORDS and now he is saying words aren't important. He who say CHANGE well that he isn't living up to change if he never had the courage to walk away from that church or pastor before now when the heat is on. Will his words appease for now til he is elected and be like a sheep pulled one over on AMERICA And for him to all of a sudden yesterday start saying GOD BLESS AMERICA is proof to me that his words today will just be to appease voters.

Obama is an embarassment and shows he's just a typical politician. He should bow out of the presidential race and resign from the senate.
It's obvious that when he terminated his relationship with Wright a year ago that he was aware of the situation and did his best to cover it up. Thank god for Fox news for getting the TRUTH out. After seeing how Trent Lott was treated, Obama's apologies shouldn't stop him from being held accountable. We don't need racists in office, whatever their color!

God bless Barack Obama. He will truly unite all Americans. When I look at him, I do NOT see race, gender, party or any other feature, other than a sincere person that has the ability to unite. Unlike the other candidates, that will divide and fracture Americans, he will cross party lines and get the country united for the first time in a very long time.

Respectfully,

Peter

You judge a man by the company he keeps.

Who are Barack H. Obama's closest advisers?

Tony Rezko, his moneybags and house-purchase partner, and Jeremiah Wright, his spiritual guide.

Enough said.

Today i believe Barack Obama will laid to rest the controversy of his former church pastor, its shocking but not surprising the way the media embraces the words of the former pastor today like if it were made yesterday, the attitude of some people in the media shows how bias they are trying to tie obama to what someone else say no matter how close he is to the person. some racist comentators and analyst sees these as an opportunity to get to obama due to his success in the campaign by questioning his judgment and affliation with church, just because the pastor was his mentor, baptized his daughter and married him and his wife does not mean he was transfigured and under went transfusion or was cloned to pastor Wright. the injustice that continue to persist in American society is the inability of different race to acknowledge the past and embrace the future. when the oppressor refused to acknowledge the oppressed
the oppressed cannot forgive the opppressor, until the country acknowledge what they have done to the blacks in this country like the Germans acknowldge holocaust, the feelings of the oppressed will not change as they continue to undermine and maginalized. trying to tie OBAMA to pastor Wright is like trying to connect two parralel lines, a man of different background "white and black".

I'm a "white" southerner
(Alabama, born in 1951.) My feeling is that McCain being a white male is part of the mix of why he is "where he is today"; Mrs. Clinton being a white female, is partially the reason she is where she is today, and yes, in the final stretch of the race of who will be the President of the United State, Obama's being African American and "white" is part of the reason he is "where he is today" also. So what? They are "where they are" at this point because of the will of the people. I trust our citizens to define the future of our country and to continue the work of which Lincoln so eloquently spoke at Gettysburg.

Religion belongs at home where it belongs, not in the public arena, because it will divide us and we will never agree on anything. Those were the sentiments of El Haj Malik al Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X. He might just as well have said that politics belongs everywhere except in the church. Unless America learns this message and takes it seriously we are always going to have divisive politics that is driven by religious figures.

It is interesting to note that Rev Wright's utterances are condemned and analyzed mainly by journalistic politicians and not by religious people from the religious community. Rev Wright saw 9-11 almost exactly the same as Pat Robertson. Pat Robertson smiles, beams, and quietly prods the issue of why 9-11 happened, while Wright gives a very animated assessment. They both expressed their own personal opinions and that is what preachers do every Sunday.

Obama should be no more accountable for Rev Wright's words than Rudy Giuliani was when he was embraced and endorsed by Pat Robertson.

It was a Obama supporter that first brought race into this election by saying "Obama wasn't black enough" Obama has been playing the race card from the start by using his supporters instead of saying racist things himself. He bates his supporters into saying racist comments.

If we are so desperate to have Obama elected to office that we are willing to ignore the fact that Barack Obama was mentored by this venom spewing racist Jeremiah Wright for 20 years. The fact that Jeremiah Wright and Trinity United Church of Christ have a close relationship with Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam should also be another reason to be concerned. Jeremiah Wright gave Farrakhan a Lifetime Achievement Award. But then you have William Aires and the Weather Underground. He is friends with Aires too. Then you have the words Michelle Obama has said. Then you have Rezko. Then you have the Nuclear company (Exelon) . Also Larry Sinclair. I do not need any more to see the light, Obama got a free ride from the media and now we can see what a free ride will do. Obama’s speech today will mean nothing he will only say what he thinks the American people want to hear, will it be the truth I don‘t think so.

Obama and his wife along with Oprah have made race and issue in this campaign since the beginning. Review her and Oprah's speeches in the Carolinas at the start last fall. All this speech will be is a spin move trying to deflect critcizm from his relationship with Rev. Wright. Try to tell me he hadn't heard all this race rhetoric in his 20 years with the church is a BS. Why didn't he do something about it before. Now you have all these people come out and say all you know about Rev. Wright is the short bit on you tube. Hell it didn't that much to get Imus in trouble, or the golf announcer. Blacks love to use the race issue when it benefits them but conveniently make excuses when it goes against them. Love the double standard don't you all?

The Corporate--rightwing white guys want you to bicker about race WHILE THEY ROB THE TAX-PAYERS BLIND!!!
When gas reaches over the $10 gal, everyone will join together in the streets in protest chanting, "Goddamn the republican PARTY."

I am totally confused, Martin Luther King Jr. talked dreamed that America would become color blind. Now we have people like John Kerry telling us we should vote for Obama because he is black:

http://conservativewomenspeak.blogspot.com/2008/03/john-kerry-plays-race-card.html

I am totally confused, so it is ok to play the race card if you are running for President, yet we are not supposed to look at race as an issue??

I don't see how what he wrote a decade ago can become a more of a political crisis now for a presidential campaign. It is exactly what some people (especially kids with both parents of different races) go through in this world especially in this country. Where some blacks will say or think you are not fully black, whites will say you are black. You struggle with identity. People's attitude create such a conflict within you. You will struggle with exactly where to belong.

This jsut lands more credence to the fact that Obama is all words and little action. He had 20 years to distance himself from a hate-mongering preacher in a hate mongering church. Now he thinks by giving a 30 min speech it is all going to be ok. Not a chance. Obama is done. He has chosen to raise his children in a hate-filled church run by a hate-mongering pastpr. that speaks volumes about the man Obama himslef. He needs to step aside for the good of his own party. He knew Wrights views. He wrote about them in his own book. Sorry but hate is hate whether it is disguised as a sermon or not. OBAMA IS TOAST.

Mr. Koch, Who says that blacks hate jews?! I don't..

The CLINTONS opened this can of worms and Rush Limbaugh and the Republican party - AKA - the conservative PRESS was wise to feed the fire. Clintons made OBAMA the BLACK candidate and the Republicans are backing Hillary to get the whitehouse back. And since that is what "Republicans/Conservatives" want, that is what we will get. I've learned from the last election - America is HOPE-less. Obama, save your speech and take your money out of these banks!

I am one of the people that voted in IL for Obama. I deeply regret my vote. I blame myself for not doing more research, but I also blame the media for not looking at Obama the way they do all other candidates. I was attracted to his "change" theme, but now I feel betrayed. All along he was raising his children in a hate filled enviornment. I am sorry but I find this Wright extremely offensive, and I do not want someone who would continue to attend a church where an idiot like is allowed to hate monger and call it religion. Someone who doesnt have the judgement to raise his children in a hate filled enviornment does not have the judgement to be president. I am not a huge fan of Hillary or McCain but Obama needs to step aside for the good of the Democratic party. I am not sure how giving a speech is going to change the fact that Obama choose to be a member of that church and worst of all chose to pass that kind of thinking on to his children.

Obama praises him self to be the one for, hope and change. Stating often he uses good judgement. Well as of late, hope and change, and good judgement are just words, without meaning. Fact: Tony Rezko, Rev. Wright, war in Iraq( not in Senate, cannot vote), use of lobbyist, PAC and bundled monies for elections. I see the usual calculating, cunning politician we already have in Washington.

I can see many of the "deep thinkers" have already made up their minds. These people aren't for unity anyway.

What I find fascinating about what Barack Obama is going to do today is that we are still in a state in this country in 2008 that the necessity of having to have this conversation is still there. I have a lot in common with the Senator; I am half black, half white and had to learn both sides of the equation in terms of life and language. We are roughly the same age ( I am 40, he's 46 ); he worked the South Side of Chicago, I grew up there. Back then, in the '70s and '80s, it wasn't easy to look the way I looked because you got persecuted on both sides, white folks knew you were part black and black folks could see my fair skin and small nose and knew that something else got into the mix. But that was then. Now, with this generation that is coming up behind us, they simply do not care, and the fact that there are people who still want to keep this mess going is a big turn off. That is why any attempt to let racism be injected into the campaign is going to backfire and do so badly.
If there was ever a time that a man like Barack Obama is needed, it is definetly now. Not because of his race, but because he wants to build bridges instead of walls, he wants to include all of us in rebuilding America. Barack Obama is a leader, where he made it abundantly clear that we are needed and must perform a vital function in changing the paradigm that currently exists, and that he cannot do it by himself. The other candidates, I am sorry to say, want to be kings and queens of America. They have made it all about them, not about us. Not to mention that because our reputatation around the world is a mess, we need a president that can reach across the lands and waters, and actually do something that we haven't been able to do for a minute, and that is to talk to people and reason with them. That takes strength of character, and a willingness to see their side, to give them their respect.
This country and the world is watching and waiting for us right now to finally live up to the very best that we know we can be. Our biggest problems are a byproduct of our hypocrisy and nothing else. If the Constitution says that "all men are created equal" then let it be. Let us finally win those hearts and minds both on this side of the ocean and abroad in that we are beyond these attitudes and dispositions that have only made us weak and looked upon poorly. And Barack Obama can do that.

The perpetuators of a racial divide and racism: The American Left, the true racists in the world.

Last year Barack Hussein that's his middle name Obama gave some $17,000 to Rev Wright's church.
Where a man's treasure is --is where his heart is also.
Obama is the invention of Dickie Durbin.As a state senator with a lackluster legislative record and two years as a U.S. Senator qualifies him to be President of the most powerful nation in the civilized world. I think not. He has a 17 year friendship and legal ties and deals with indicted Tony Rezko and he is a friend of terrorist weatherman William Ayers.
On top of this he is a Chicago machine politician who knows all the winks and nods that the Chicago machine can run Illinois into the ground with.
Wakeup America he isn't who he says he is. His book the Audacity Hope comes from the Rev Jeremiah Wright who Obama thinks has been mischaracterized. I wish this speech would get over fast America needs someone not so condescending. Jerry White, Springfield, IL P.S. Obama is a socialist with a capital S.

FRAUD

I remember that Obama made some racist comments before running forthe White HOuse. The Tribune reported how the white man failed the black man in terms of health and other things. I didn't fail anyone. I eat right and exercise and am responsible FOR MY OWN health..not everyone else's. He made other comments like that and I let him know that he needs to represent everyone..not just the African Americans.
Funny how everyone forgets that now.

Jeremiah Wright represents
the base of Barack Obama's
political base, and Geraldine Ferraro was surely
correct to point that out -even though she crossed the line of political correctness. Obama cannot forge "An American Race" [your subject], because the
division of Americans by race, culture, religion, and social status are deeper than the Grand Canyon gorge, and Obama cannot leap across carrying
such a diverse social burden to an imaginary promised land. This is the land of Crazy Horse, George
Armstrong Custer, John Wayne, Mike Wallace, Martin Luther King, Louis Farrakan
and George Bush. Obama is just a Tom Sawyer with a tie, not Jesus, Mohammad, Lenin, Ghandi, Mao Tse- Tung, or a man of Universal Destiny.

Obama will try today to separate himself from his priest, Jeremiah Wright,
by creating two tracks: His
Spiritual track, and his Political track. He will claim that he took off one
shoe {Jeremiah Wright], and
that he is running on the other shoe [his political platform]. Will this willy-nilly concept "forge an America race?" I doubt it.
Nikos Retsos, retired academic.

Let’s be honest people.
Barack Obama is a black man. His name could have been George Johnson and he still would have to face the race issue because he is a black man.
White people have always and will always be extremely cautious with Black people. It started with education…is this black person “qualified” to be educated? Is this Black person “qualified” to work in our factory? Is this Black person “qualified” to manage our office? is this Black person “qualified” to be a cop? This always seems to be the question on just about every white person’s mind…How to “qualify” black people. There is an blatant game of racial “qualification” being played in this contest. Are we as Black people surprised? Not at all black people have seen this before in the media, in movies and most importantly in real life. Qualified black people get passed and scrutinized in a way that no white person has ever been subjected to.
No one is asking these questions to Hillary Clinton:
Your religious beliefs?
When were you last in Church?
Your feminists beliefs?
How will your feminist beliefs affect your role as President?
Why are such a high percentage of white woman voting for you?
Why are white men in rural areas voting for you?
Do you think that your race is playing a part in the white male and female vote in rural areas?
Are they relating to you because they know your white face and the Clinton name?

This contest stopped being about the economy, the war, healthcare and education the moment Barack Obama became a formidable black candidate. There was a definite buzz in the air and a shift in the Clinton camp. Hilllary had REAL competition and this was scary. The media at first had nothing but glowing things to say about the new black senator on the scene and seemed to actually be giving Barack some props although they wanted to know more about the Senator and his background. But that was just a lull to the prelude and we as Black people knew that sooner or later the sh#! would hit the fan and it did. Racism would rear it’s ugly head and of course it did. In the form of Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton starts talking about race after his wife loses what should have been an obvious win. He makes a point of insulting the very black constituents that put helped put him in office. Bill knows that as a white male from Arkansas the scariest thing to a white rural male is a black man in his neighborhood. Bill plants the ‘race card’ seed and so it begins. A downward spiral of a ‘vetting’ (aka lynching) of a Black man running for a Presidential seat in the white house. Everything imaginable becomes a reason to not vote for this Black man; His name, wife, experience, pastor, church, religion, speech, and shoes all become ‘excuses’ for some white people to find fault with voting for this black man. When deep down the real ugly truth of the issue is none of the above. The truth is he is a black man and there are some white people who would DIE before they would give him a cup of water to quench his thirst, let alone vote for him.

I’m not sure what Barack will accomplish by giving this speech today. But I do know that if he does lose this nomination to Hillary Clinton it will be because of he is a Black Man.

I can only have the ‘Audacity to Hope’ that people in America Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, etc.. will stop being such racists jerks.

Posted by: Vinny | March 18, 2008 9:06 AM

Yep, he ashould have brought them up in a proper "Christian" church where they would be taught to hate homosexuals like all right thinking americans, right Vinny?

http://www.hatecrime.org/subpages/hatespeech/robertson.html

I am once again saddened, though not surprised at the general populations willingness follow the media in believing that Obama should somehow be held responsible for the words that come out of someone else's mouth. I was raised Catholic and growing up sat through countless sermons given by the priest that headed our church. I didn't agree with every word that came out of his mouth, but just because I may not have agreed did not mean that I should denounce him or my church. What happen to freedom of religion? What happen to freedom of speech? And why I am suppose to jump on this bandwagon and now old Obama responsible for the words that came from someone else's mouth? Because this was a person who has been a spiritual guide to Obama? Therefore do I follow this false logic projected by the media that because this man assisted in Obama's spirituality (though probably not the only influence) that Obama MUST believe, endorse and follow every single thought and belief that this man has. That Obama must not have his own thoughts, beliefs and personal spirituality, but is merely a puppet of his pastor? That now I must expect Obama to defend this insane assumption and give a single speech that will explain it all away and put whatever fears or suspicions people have about this pastor (who is NOT Obama) to rest. I am beginning to agree that it seems to be the playbook of the Democractic party to shoot themselves in the foot and continue to destroy ourselves from the inside. As for me, Obama owes me no explanation.

I, to this day, am not sure what Jeremiah Wright has to do with anything. I'm sure John McCain's preacher has said some stuff that offends me (abortion is a sin, gays shouldn't be allowed to marry, etc.). Hillary Clinton's STAFF have said MANY things that offends me. While Wright's rhetoric is a bit extreme, I think the video and his entry into this presidential race is exploitative of the fact that many white Americans are scared of the anger in the black community. So scared, in fact, that they don't seem to notice that this man has made a few valid points. While his stuff about the government marketing drugs is a load of hooey, face the facts: when Wright says the country is run by rich, white people, he's right. When he says that racism is prevalent and limits the opportunities of African Americans, HE'S RIGHT. And, like it or lump it, by sheer numbers, he's RIGHT to point out the atrocities WE AMERICANS have visited upon innocent civilians (Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to name two) and their relative impact versus those visited upon us. Wright is something of a radical in his methods and I by no means condone what he has said a lot of the time, but I think whatever truth is there is lost in a haze of racist fear.

It doesn't matter too much what Obama actually says in his speech today.

Because his buddies in the media have already written their stories on the speech.

It's easy to predict what the stories will say. First, the obligatory reference to the New Messiah's charm, eloquence and brilliance. Second, a reference to how the New Messiah has "laid to rest" what they will term a mere "controversy". Third, a gentle hint that the only people who would continue examining the New Messiah's close relationship with Rev. Wright are "racists". Fourth, no mention of what Rev. Wright actually said, including the anti-semitic remarks and the rants about the U.S. government developing AIDS to kill Black people.

The New Messiah's core constituency--newspaper reporters--will continue to back him, no matter what he says or does.

It's sad to see our nation come to this kind of politics... "land of the free and brave", a place where we believe that all men are created equal and should as such be given equal opportunities. For this cause our young men and women in the army die each day in a foriegn land in the the quest of bringing liberty to others, although we seem to fail in practicing the same values we preach and promote around the world, WHY? Why should our honorable men and women die for this if we don't believe in this cause? Lets rise up above this DIVISIVE politics and FOCUS on the great challenges we face as a nation, which we can only overcome through UNITY. GOD BLESS AMERICA & GOD BLESS OUR YOUNG /MEN?WOMEN!!!

I look forward to this speech. Having read all of the quotes and not just parts of them available on right wing sites, I think Obama is fine. Even his wife's quote about pride in America was taken so far out of context and sued against her it amazes me.

I am feeling the most pride I have felt in America in my adult life with Obama running and succeeding. (And I am a white guy and former republican)

It's sad to see our nation come to this kind of politics... "land of the free and brave", a place where we believe that all men are created equal and should as such be given equal opportunities. For thjis cause our young men and women in the army die each day in a foriegn land in the the quest of bringing liberty to others, although we seem not to practice the same values we preach and promote around the world, WHY? Lets rise up above this DIVISIVE politics and FOCUS on the great challenges we face as a nation, which we can only overcome through UNITY. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

The Reverend's speech is hate speech. Pure and simple hate speech. And Obama attended the church for 20 years! On Friday, when all this was brewing, he quietly met with the Trib and Sun-Times and admitted his relationship with Rezco was bigger than previously admitted. As there was so much else going on, this news was quietly ignored. I am sure he will wait until the next big debacle falls on our country, and then quietly say, oh sure, I saw in the pews, said nothing and oh well, I was wrong. What I find most shocking is that he attends this church with his Children! I can't imagine having young people hear such vitriol.

And to those who say he has lived his life as one who tries to unite - bologna. I don't recall him doing anything to help poor white kids in the Appalachians. And he has no record, zero, zilch, of working with Senate Republicans in the past few years. Unless it is something silly and insignificant. I read his book - dreams of my father. I thought that the underlying tone was one of distaste for white people. It wasn't open-minded.

And think about it. His campaign has branded all these other Democrats racist. Can you imagine the turmoil he will cause if elected? Will any criticism of him be deemed racist by his minions? I saw the new minister of his church on TV yesterday, along with the congregants. They strike me as an angry bunch.

No more double standards. Participation in a church like this is ok if you are a local politician. It can probably be ignored even for a Senator. But his 20 year participation in this church should derail his candidacy. He doesn't have the judgment to know that this extremely hate-filled racial rhetoric offends whites to do end.

Lastly, how many members of the Nation of Islam are employed by him? Is that a valid question?

This speech is a cover up. Obama knew that he was following a racist white hater. Al Sharpton is coming out for Obama. He is about as Racist as they come. When I see Al Sharpton standing by a candidate, it makes my skin crawl. Obama should resign from the Senate.

There is no place for him in Washington.

We must ask ourselves the same questions we want to have answered by Sen Obama. How many times has someone said something we didn't aline with, but not call them on it? Why do we feel that what was said is a personal afront to us.
And given the history of America, what did he say that wasn't true. We as Americans don't want to open any type of dialogue on racial relations, but want to crucify anyone that does, just as when a friend tells us what is true about ourselves, that we already know, but still dislike them for it. It appears we are looking for a reason not to like the man. It appears that all he wants to do is bring us change, kicking and screaming as it seems, but change non the less. Hilary brings us nothing new, because she brings Bill, and considering how it may turn out if she is elected, we should have just elected Bill again, upfront. Why not a Hilary, and Bill ticket. Yeah, there you go. Just from the title (I think) his speech will be about unity. Let's all be Americans for once. You are an American Citizen, right? Stop putting subtitles on who we are, remember, we are a melting pot. No one wants you to disown your heritage, but embrace a unified heritage American, plain and simple. And I can't help but think about the first "stone"

The WHOLE WORLD watches as Americans TEAR themselves up over the RACE question. It is a fact that we have a very bad history when it comes to the treatment of black people in this country. It continues as I write. Not only is the behavior SAD, but it is even more so because a great majority of it comes from the country's elite and those who are in high level positions who decides what and how much to give in terms of salaries, where to live, keeping someone out of jail, the disproportionate number of black males in prison... And, over the past 15 years, the WORLD has seen INNOCENT victims who have served over 20 years in prison for crimes that they did not commit.

Let Sen. Obama have his say: We are a BETTER people because someone has the COURAGE to take the stand in this DIRE hour to keep everybody from riding on a train wreck!

Let us get beyond this... GOD is watching over us!

This is the most important speech of Barack Obama's political career. If Obama just says that he did not hear those hateful and racist sermons in the 20 years that he has been a member of that church this will not cut it with the vast majority of soft Democrats, Independents and soft Republicans that might consider voting for him. That might be fine for his hard core supporters and applogists but it will not go over with the rest of the voters. I have been to Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim services and have never heard such hateful sermons as occurred at Obama's church. In fact all of those I attended were some what similar. They preached love, together, live a good clean life and respect and worship God. If Obama's church preached those same things they seem to have lost their message.

Mark @ 8:06 a.m.

"They are teachers, lawyers, accountants, doctors, salesmen, computer programmers, etc., etc. Jews do not head the oil companies, pharmaceutical companies, automobile companies, or major manufacturers and are normal, every day citizens in normal every day jobs." I would also add - fantastic, inspired musicians, and at least one incredibly great, left-handed major league pitcher and human being, that wore the Blue.

Mark, you are so on the mark. Jews were also very strong supporters of the Civil Rights movement. The NAACP was founded and funded, initially, by a Jewish man who wanted America to develop some sense of racial justice.

I don't know that the average black person hates Jews, but too many of these charismatic, ignorant hucksters in leadership positions sure seem to. It makes absolutely no historical sense, in addition to just being vile and hateful. It is disgustingly sad, but abject, committed to stupidity, is all that I can offer you here.

David Axelrod has not prepared his candidate to be President. If Obama had been vetted - Rezko, American terrorists Ayers & Dorhn, Jeremiah Wright, Illinois Legislative Present Record and God knows what else - he would not be swimming in the fish bowl looking for a place to hide.

Good Lord, why didn't Oprah give Obama a heads up when she ditched Rev. Wright?

Why didn't Dave Axelrod ask that question long ago?

Last week's 11th Hour visits to the editorial boards of the Obama Friendly Chicago Newspapers, mad dashes to Cable news outlets, and wild assertions that his problems come from American racism and Hillary Clinton prove that Barack Obama is no where near ready to be President.

Axelrod's arrogant dismissing of the American Voter -'They'll take what we tell them' is classic Progressive Democratic Nation Committee Thought - an it loses voters and subsequently elections.

Now Axelrod has Obama about to 'lecture' America in Race? If Obama thought the lights were getting hot before, hold the phone!

Barack Obama's problems are his own to be sure, but David Axelrod should 'wear the jacket' for not dealing with Wright, Rezko, Ayers/Dorhn, weak legislative record a very long time ago.

http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/2008/03/john-mccain-steve-huntley-lays-out.html

Ask the Phillipines, China, Korea, Burma, Southeast Asians, and toeh surviving pow's about how innocent the Japanese of the times were. Ever hear of the Bataan Death March?
Even HItler sent a message for them to tone it down.
They didn't listen.

Zak, accurate history isn't your strong suit, is it?

Look at the buildup -- it's a "major" speech. This will probably be a lecture on race, it will add little to the acutal facts of the Rev. Wright, but instead will lecture white people on the problems of black people. Obama will slide; no one will call him on anything and we'll be left with "Oh! He's such a great speaker! He can unite us!"That's not exactly confronting the facts of this particular situation.

I'm going to throw up.

Please, America, do not be frightened by the mere mention of disgust in America's racist past by a Black preacher in a Black church, to his congregants, behind closed doors. There isn't anything scary about it at all.

I mean, what, do you disagree? Are you happy that America's past involves centuries of kidnapping, brutality and torture? Do we not all agree with the Rev. Wright that America has treated its citizens of African heritage as second-class citizens for half a millenium? What, is he wrong?

Also, when he rails on about American policy in the middle east, why in the world are Democrats upset or scared? You don't agree? What, are you pleased with American policy in the middle east at the moment? I'm confused.

Barack Obama has more than sufficiently distanced himself from any sentiment that could be construed as anti-American. Rev. Wright may be a little nuts, but he's not running for President, and hey, most mega-church pastors are nuts.

Let's all relax a little. It's okay if African-Americans don't love every single decision America has ever made. None of us should. In fact, it's more patriotic not to. I thought most Democrats agreed.

Senator Obama will do OK. Many of us white folks recognize a good man, or woman, when we see one. The pastor thing is being overdone. Who among us has always agreed with everything our pastor said? I was raised a Catholic and, hopefully, will die as one. That doesn't mean I have always agreed with my pastor's views. There was even a time, prior to Vatican II, when my mother thought I might be a Protestant in Catholic's clothing.

I believe it is very honorable for Obama to address an obvious concern of the American People. It shows the contrary of what Substance posted earlier when he stated "you can't run from the past etc..." Obama isn't running from anything, infact he as addressed every question asked of him, unlike the infamous Hillary of whom has not disclosed her tax return or her campaign supporters and or monies raised. Obama will address the nation today and clarify the issues of race and his counterparts. Rev. Wright is Rev. Wright and Obama is Obama, when has anyone on this blog ever agreed with everything a person said. Shall we remember the old saying "You can't please everyone all of the time etc...

What happened to my post?

America, let us not be shaken by one man's reasoning. Everyone of us have DISAGREED with our government at some point in time. Nor, is the BLACK church the only church that is UNHAPPY with the state of this country. Why is the MEDIA continue to talk about this as Obama has stated over and over again he disagrees with some of his statements. All of us have friends, relatives that we don't always agree with... the same here! Let's use reason and not EMOTION to rule the day.

Sen. Obama is the candidate for the DEMOCRATIC PARTY!

Yes - the Clinton's did interject race into the campaign in Carolina. I thought it amusing that what once was the solitary sin of conservative America had spread its wings in a manner that even a very liberal and Democrat Party invested media had to report. I was interested in Obama, thought maybe here was a Democratic candidate who wasn't going to play the race card. He handled the CLinton attack well. Maybe here is the personifcation of MLK's exhortation to be judged by the content of your character rather than the color of your skin. Unfortunately, I did some research and began to see about his ties to Wright and the veneer washed right off. If you are going to span the divide he hoped to span, you cannot have in your closet a racist pastor, who is virulently anti-American,and believes in black supremecy ala Farakhan. Yvette, if Barack loses this nomination (forget the general election, he has no prayer now), it won't be because he is black, it will be because he promised change, and turned out to be the same thing like every other politician, and can be appropriately defined as a racist, which he is.

Face the reality here that
Barack Hussein Obama is
nothing more then a fraud
and phony baloney.

Jeff, reverand Wright is a racist, of huge dimensions. Obama's reluctance to break from him shows a lack of judgement of immense proportions. I don't know what you were taught, but I was blessed to be taught during the apparently brief time when MLK's exhortations were actually being taught. The danger here is that there is no way to look back at the use of slaves in this country's history and not be disappointed and then be even more disappointed once they were freed but still oppressed. I have never quite understood why anyone gives a damn about the color of a man's skin? It's pigment. Why should it mean anything? So I guess I am lucky I grew up when I did. SO, I hate the KKK, and David Duke. But I also hate the race hucksters like Al Sharpton and "reverands" like Wright who spew hate and venom. I know why Michelle Obama is the way she is, and she has been successful. The Obama's have had greater opportunities than I ever received and make more money than most of us ever will and yet they will still subscribe to a church that does as much to keep its own members down as any white supremicist ever would. Don't they get it? Wright is a huckster. What has his megachurch provided him? What is his incentive to keep his sheep dumb and angry? And how can Obama have been so stupid to stay close to him. If you want to make apologies for him, or say it doesn't matter or we should actually believe Obama's lame excuses, then you need to look in the mirror, because you a racist too.

Sorry, JEM, I just don't see it that way.

You sound like you probably also believe BET, Black Ms. America, and Black Student Unions, etc., are racist, too. I believe that view is short-sighted.

The necessity in them, however, I do not believe is based on reversing the evils of slavery, Jim Crow, or America's racist history in general. Rather, they are necessary because of the inequalities that still exist today, both covert and overt, in hiring, college admissions, housing, government, public schools, the drug war, urban planning, the military, should i go on?

I'm a white guy, by the way. I think we've gotten over-sensitive of "reverse discrimination". Blacks and whites are still not battling from even playing fields, not even in 2008. It bears no benefit to be willfully ignorant of that, or to simply wish it away.

Racism is defined as believing one race to be superior to another. Isn't the desire to silence what you see as an eternally disgruntled minority closer to that definition than my desire to give them a larger voice? (I'm not calling you a racist, btw, I just don't understand how you would be so quick to label me thusly.)

He delivered!

Brilliant, truly historic address. This one is one for the ages: an answer to all of the bitter, race-baiting invective that has polluted our politics for decades, as displayed in many of the comments above.

We are witnessing the emergence of a giant in American history...

Please---don't tell me we all don't have a friend who has "radical" views (however you want to interpret that) and that makes us --- identical to them? American president should be what exactly...? A wax figure with a battery clip and a speaker box for anus? Or someone who HAS LIVED America's paradoxes, multinational, multiracial, international entrails and has emerged with an EMPOWERING message with a RESUME TO PROVE IT.
Wright's is a voice of anger inside of America -- and of course it isn't pretty. Especially to those who hold crisp NY Times under arm waiting for their name to be called in line at Starbucks. Because to them America is, well, news.
But what we have to realize, all is not well in America and the world. Wright is America's problem, N O T Obama's.

www.zpub.com/un/zinn12.html

In my deepest of hearts, I believe Rev. Wrights comments were taken out of context because of the level of frustration he displayed and the generalization he chose to use. You mentioned I just cannot fathom his comments that whites created the AIDS virus to act as genocide against blacks, well everyones interpretation will be different. However I got out of the message that AIDS is man made and the team that successfully created AIDS was white. His intended purpose was not that ALL whites came together and said lets creat AIDS to kill off BLACKS. No I didn't get that out of his message at all, but I do understand with the generalization, how some whites may have gathered that opinion. Rev. Wright speaks facts from his past and what he's seen in his life, on this day he also spoke about The Tuskegee Airman experiment where Syphillus was created and injected into African American men for testing but no whites. These are facts that he's speaking on regardless as to the tone of his voice. We all have to look deeper into the message and listen to what he's trying to educate us on. Ignorance is the worst enemy one can have, so his position in a community where he has the utmost respect, is to teach the truth and that is his ultimate goal. Like Gergen stated, it's not a lack of patriotism it's respectfully a different form of patriotism as seen through the eyes of the not so privileged. As CNN analyst David Gergen stated, going back to the days of Fredrick Douglas, MLK Jr and other prominent AA leaders they respectfully have a different view of America

OH by the way did FOX or ABC news go purchase tapes from McCains church or Clinton's church like Sean Hannity of FOX news did. And then fast forward through all of them and pick out the two most derogatory statements. Now all of sudden they are being played on every station, you tube and radio . I didn't think so.

In my deepest of hearts, I believe Rev. Wrights comments were taken out of context because of the level of frustration he displayed and the generalization he chose to use. You mentioned I just cannot fathom his comments that whites created the AIDS virus to act as genocide against blacks, well everyones interpretation will be different. However I got out of the message that AIDS is man made and the team that successfully created AIDS was white. His intended purpose was not that ALL whites came together and said lets creat AIDS to kill off BLACKS. No I didn't get that out of his message at all, but I do understand with the generalization, how some whites may have gathered that opinion. Rev. Wright speaks facts from his past and what he's seen in his life, on this day he also spoke about The Tuskegee Airman experiment where Syphillus was created and injected into African American men for testing but no whites. These are facts that he's speaking on regardless as to the tone of his voice. We all have to look deeper into the message and listen to what he's trying to educate us on. Ignorance is the worst enemy one can have, so his position in a community where he has the utmost respect, is to teach the truth and that is his ultimate goal. Like Gergen stated, it's not a lack of patriotism it's respectfully a different form of patriotism as seen through the eyes of the not so privileged. As CNN analyst David Gergen stated, going back to the days of Fredrick Douglas, MLK Jr and other prominent AA leaders they respectfully have a different view of America

OH by the way did FOX or ABC news go purchase tapes from McCains church or Clinton's church like Sean Hannity of FOX news did. And then fast forward through all of them and pick out the two most derogatory statements. Now all of sudden they are being played on every station, you tube and radio . I didn't think so.

In my deepest of hearts, I believe Rev. Wrights comments were taken out of context because of the level of frustration he displayed and the generalization he chose to use. You mentioned I just cannot fathom his comments that whites created the AIDS virus to act as genocide against blacks, well everyones interpretation will be different. However I got out of the message that AIDS is man made and the team that successfully created AIDS was white. His intended purpose was not that ALL whites came together and said lets creat AIDS to kill off BLACKS. No I didn't get that out of his message at all, but I do understand with the generalization, how some whites may have gathered that opinion. Rev. Wright speaks facts from his past and what he's seen in his life, on this day he also spoke about The Tuskegee Airman experiment where Syphillus was created and injected into African American men for testing but no whites. These are facts that he's speaking on regardless as to the tone of his voice. We all have to look deeper into the message and listen to what he's trying to educate us on. Ignorance is the worst enemy one can have, so his position in a community where he has the utmost respect, is to teach the truth and that is his ultimate goal. Like Gergen stated, it's not a lack of patriotism it's respectfully a different form of patriotism as seen through the eyes of the not so privileged. As CNN analyst David Gergen stated, going back to the days of Fredrick Douglas, MLK Jr and other prominent AA leaders they respectfully have a different view of America

OH by the way did FOX or ABC news go purchase tapes from McCains church or Clinton's church like Sean Hannity of FOX news did. And then fast forward through all of them and pick out the two most derogatory statements. Now all of sudden they are being played on every station, you tube and radio . I didn't think so.

It was a great speech!
That being said, it is simply not enough.
Positve points:
1. He acknowledged that whites also suffer economic anguish.

2. He acknowledged that the crap this guy spewed is racist lies. e.g.;
(The Aids virus, most likely caused by 3 scientists in the 1950's Congo trying to rush a polio vaccine by not screening monkey spinal material for viruses in order to hurry the process. SIV was injectd into human test subjects with out proper test first. See Sundance Channel in early April. Pharmaceutical companies keep trying to quash the special's airing. NO plot other than plain short sighted greed with no regard for any human life.)

The atomic bombing was necessary it save probably 2 million American lives and even more Japenese lives a they were prepared to fight to the last child. Proven, admitted facts.
3. He acknowledged taht he did indeed know about the Reverend's hate speech.

Now the cons:

1. He did lie earlier, saying he never heard the hate speech. Small lie, but still a lie. (We've already had 2 lying Presidents in a row, enough, thank you)

2. Is this false remorse? If elected, is there a hidden agenda? 20+ years of listening to this stuff can have an effect.

3. The fact that I now have to ask the questions in # 2.
This is the most powerful political office on the earth.

3. He did not acknowledge the fact that he should have distanced himself from this nut case long ago. Especially considering his political ambition.
Very Bad Judgement.

4. While being one of the best written AND extemporaneus speakers I have heard in a while, he still has not come up with any specific what, how where all of these changes are going to occur.
Iraq? he can't really pull out as soon he'd like as has very quietly acknowedged it. Yet, he keeps trumpeting we're out of there!

I could go on but I won't. I think it's pretty clear.
He and his wife have spoke volumes on how they really feel about this imperfect country.
He has lost the moderate vote. Mark my words.
If you cannot carry the moderates you cannot win any election.
Hillary is unthinkabel, so that leaves the least of 3 evils. McCain.
He might win the nomination, but now, he can't win the white house.
It is not about race.
I'd vote for Colin Powell in a heart beat.

Yes, it was a great speech.
Next!

I watched most of Obama's speech today. He started off trying to explain himself, and the confusion of trying to blend in with a white family and his black culture. He mentioned the pain it caused him that his white grandmother, who he knew loved him dearly, was fearful of black men and made derogatory remarks about them. He was confused and wanted to fit in. Is that why he kept going to such a racist, angry and unpatriotic church as Trinity? Did he think that was just black culture and he had to go along to fit in? Obama reinforced the separation of the races in his speech. It comes as a shock to the white race how much hatred there is because of an era when slavery existed long ago. He said the Constitution was never finished. How does he propose changing the Constitution?

Obama's issue to face is a question about credibility and judgement. Who is he really? Does he see hi