WSJ: Obama's church may be breaking IRS rules

Church? Which is it Wingnuts and Billary Backers- is Obama a crazy Jihadi? or a Christian? Hmmmmmm...... tough one here. Throw some more at the wall and see what else sticks? Next.

Chelsea in 2016
Jenna Bush in 2024

Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell in 2032

IRS go get them! If they broke the law then they need to be punished. It is clear they did what they are accussed of. Take it to them.

Thats right quills...and don't stop there. All churches need to be investigated. It seems so funny that for years the church has been able to campaign for the right, and now all of a sudden....they decide to look into this.

quills:

Accussed?? Do you mean they were swearing during the sermons? That's what we call it here in the South.

From the WSJ article: "During that Christmas morning sermon, Mr. Wright declared that Hillary Clinton "ain't had to work twice as hard just to get accepted by the rich white folk who run everything or to get a passing grade when you know you are smarter than that 'C' student sitting in the White House."

Like most African-American males who refuse to recognize women as a disenfranchised group, Mr. Wright is wrong.

Why should this surprise anyone. Obama is the child of crook county. Nothing new except now the IRS is finally getting involved.

The o'bammy disciples clearly need to read the FIRST, NINTH and TENTH Commandments.

Tax ALL churches. We could pay off the national debt with that money.

Just a thought here, but am I to believe that the Sinner "Terrible" Ted Haggard didn't back any particular GOP candidates? Wasn't he in the White House? Hmmmm....Sinner. Hide the congressional pages.

If this is a violation, why is it that 'In God We Trust' is on our money, government buildings, etc. Why not put God, Jehovah, Allah, Buddah, etc on there too? Do we really believe in the separation of church and state? Why is it that ministers can run for elected office? Shouldn't they be banned?

This is really getting more and more ridiculous.

What happen to Freedom of
Speech?? For the IRS is it
because Obama is running for
President and a member of
church that's not backing
Hillary!!!!

The Catholic Church has been doing the same thing for years!

If the IRS is going to go after Trinity, then it will be called to the carpet to go after all of the conservative churches who told people to vote for George Bush in 2000 and 2004, and who are telling their congregations to vote for McCain this year.

Well, what is actually surprising is not that this has happened but that finally, the IRS may start to penalize those who violate their 501(c) status. Pastors in black churches regularly push candidates and regularly get a pass. Contrary to what Reverend Wright says, white people live in fear of black people. Hence, Jesse Jackson pays his mistress from his 501(c) and no one says anything and Al Sharpton dresses in $1,000 suits, tells the NY Times that his suits are hand-me downs and we all simply nod in agreement.

Today the news is that Al Sharpton will sue if Florida's votes are counted. The more that Americans see Jesse, Al, Reverend Wright and Louis Farrakhan backing Obama, the more likely it is that they will back off from their support of Obama. And lest you think this is about radical black men, I also want to point out that Obama's relations with Rezco, and with Bill Ayers, a member of the Weather Underground, also will hurt him.

This is another excellent example that illustrates the Junior Senator from Illinois' lack of experience and wisdom in the political arena. Talk to us again in eight years Barack!

I can't believe these blogs. Are these people not aware that if you have tax-exempt status, you may not politic.

And let me point out a very clear fact. Michelle Obama has admitted that she didn't have the grades or scores to get into Princeton but she got in. Then, with a weak degree in sociology and a minor in African-American studies, she got into Harvard Law. And she admits that she was discouraged from applying because she didn't have the grades or the scores. Again! And she didn't take the bar at the end of law school either. And I am not sure if she ever took the bar.

So don't give me the Hillary never had to work hard stuff. Bill, as a white male, could only get into an Ivy League if he were brilliant as they actively discriminate against white males there. And Hillary was not eligible for affirmative action either.

It's time for the IRS to crack down on all these "churches" that are nothing but political gathering places for candidates. And all of these "preachers" who spend more time politicking than ministering to their "flocks." If they want the tax-free status they claim, they need to be what they pretend to be. The same is true for tax-exempt organizations.

Please tell me, if, in fact, Obama's church is violating the tax laws of the United States, what does that have to do with him? He is not the pastor or administrator of his church. If he is like me and hundreds of thousands of other Americans, he goes to church, contributes his money and then has no ideal how the money is used or handled.

The press and you bloggers should stop taking the American public for fools.

Please..
Now, Obama has to be responsible for what his minister says?? I do not agree with everything my minister says or my mother or father for that matter.
The media, again, is trying to tie something negative to Obama. Do you know how many candidates who have visited Churchs?? Give me a break. Rev. Wright has an opinion just like everyone else. Besides, we know that Obama grew up around, near and living with white America so Mr. Wright's comment is not right anyway. Obama knows what it's like to grow up without a father, without knowing who he is, without knowing what he should or should not do based on his external looks and more importantly, is internal feelings. It's not black or white. It's being human.

I have heard Hillary actually speak at a church. How can that not be political activity. If ANY CANDIDATE speaks at a church it is not to praise Jesus, it is to praise their campaign. Here, the reverend just offered a story about the black sturggle, did he actually say, "Vote for Obama"? No.
When I lived in SC they handed out literature on George Bush, had lawn signs available in the back othe church that people could take and flat out told parishoners to vote for him during services.

Any time a politician goes to Church, it is sacrilege. Remove tax exempt status from all churches.

"The Journal doesn't say that the IRS is investigating Trinity..."

Nice how conservatives (like the WSJ) are AGAINST the IRS and other regulatory arms of the government UNTIL it wants to play "cop" and bring "alleged" violations to the governments attention.

I can imagine that if liberals suggested that the IRS should investigate the WSJ, there would be an outcry amongst conservatives.

If a current presidential candidate were Catholic, you know his/her opponent would be using every church scandal against them, as if it were there doing.

I am so sick of this crap.

Gotta chime in that if Obama's church has managed to cloud the issue as to their tax-exempt status vs any possibility they've engaged in political recommendations, then by all means they should be examined.

HOWEVER, what's fair is certainly fair all the way around. Start forcing all those televangelists who've been using their pulpits to preach the evils of candidates who are non-Republican, pro-choice, and/or gay-accepting to ALSO start paying up on their back taxes. Go after EVERYBODY, not just churches who act on behalf of Democratic candidates.

So far, the Pat Robertsons of the world have gotten past radar because they endorse ISSUES, not CANDIDATES -- and if that's the case then the UCC Church should get a pass if they didn't actually tell anyone to vote for Obama as opposed to any other candidate. IF it's the case we do NOT give them a pass because they've allowed their church to serve as a catapault for political issues, then ALL those bible-bangers had better get their checkbooks out, because they've gotten a free ride for decades now and have done the same thing.

Barack Hussein Obama is one crooked man...Rezko, FarrCONN and now his churhc is breaking the laws as well...this is what you get when you have the most liberal of liberals parading himself around as Mr. Change...Barack Hussein Obama will never get my vote that is for sure!

all churches should be taxed, enough already. they have played into the political arena one too many times. When you tell your parishoners that you have to vote regarding the doctrine of the church... give me a break!

Oh, oh come now, does not the mighty IRS have nothing else to do... The late Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, et. al did the same for years and the Christian Right has so benefitted. So can it, folks,we all know what this is about!

They should look at Rev. "Snuffy" Pfleger next!

Bobin...I didn't know you were a rebel...I'm a NC democrat inside the bible belt.

I wish people could really focus on what's important in the world instead of attacking a religious establishment. If people but as much energy in trying to change the world instead of the negativity of religious establishments the world would be a better place.

OOOOOO...can't say anything, it may be racist.
Obama can violate any rule he likes and get away with it and lest you think I am white, I am NOT!
He can say Clinton lacks good judgement by voting for the Iraq war and yet he thinks we should bomb Pakistan. Which other country should we bomb, Senator? And then he thinks we should get back into Iraq only if Al-Qaeda forms a base there? Get real, senator. It's time to learn some history and sharpen your judgement skills as well. And he calls his real estate deal a "bone-headed" decision. Good judgement there too, Senator. Let's hope you make better judgements for the country that is not shining at all and is besot with high gas prices, a worsening economy and a huge price tag for the war not to talk about our image in the global eye.

Pat Robertson.
That's all any priest has to say when the IRS comes knocking. By giving him a free pass while running a campaign headquarters for the GOP is the only defense needed.

I hope they nab the Catholic Church for telling us we'll go to hell for voting for pro-choice candidates

Why is Obama's church being singled out for investigation when many stories have been about Bill Clinton speaking at various black churches in California and southern states to try and fix his relationship with them? Gee, bias against Obama, who would have thought it!

Seems like a pretty racist sermon also. What kind of "church" is this? It definitely is not Christian as I understand basic Christianity.
Obama may be under a false assumption as to his allegiance.

First of all this is a church in Chicago, on of the most political cities in the world. Politicians run in and out of African american churches during election time like water, so now that it just so happens to be Obama's minister now it's wrong???? This is a bit of a stretch. If it wasn't common practice in Chicago for ministers to speak about elections then no one in the city would ever be elected.

Just wait until you guys see what the IRS has on Trinity, AKA "Obama Home", and its black separatist "white-hating racist", Jeramiah Wright.

The things this guy has said from the PULPIT with Barack Hussein Obama sitting in the pews is astounding.

This pastor has said more "on the record" than you know. Bet we'll here the name Patrick Fitzgerald soon.

If O is the nominee, you can BET these "sermons" will be ALL OVER the place.

I can't wait, because some of them would make Louie Farrakhan blush!

It is a shame to see The Wall Street Journal get involved with this type of reporting. It was a promise of Rupert Murdock that he would keep the reporting of this paper in line with their long history of respectful journalism. Now my Wall Street Journal isn't worthy of lining a bird-cage. I'm not a Obama backer, but this article belongs in The Wall Street Journal like Nader belongs in the Presidential race.

Who has the Catholic Church supported?

Does Jeremiah Wright know that Indonesia and Hawaii are not controlled by rich, white people? Does he consider living in Oceania/SouthEast Asia part of the "black" experience? Beacause that is where Obama grew up.

Jeremiah Wright is as big a racist as the leaders of the KKK or Jesse Jackson. It is an insult to Christians and decent people of all ethnicities that racists like this can state such garbage.

Rachel, (hey that's the name of my daughter's dog)you just have to turn everything around to being Hillary's fault not matter what it is. Let's read the local newspapers too maybe we can find some more things we can blame on Hillary. Wow you Hillary slammers need to get a life, what will you do after she moves into the Whitehouse in January 08?

This is another criticism of Senator Obama which makes too much out of a small thing. This is similar to the story criticising him simply because his name was found on a terrorist computer in Ecuador. This piling on has got to stop.

Dear mbr47,
Sorry to correct you, but the Catholic Church has not been doing it for years. In fact it was Pope John Paul II that scolded a missionary for getting involved in politics. The Church has a policy to stay out of the local politics. On the other hand, the priests may be the ones using the church to express their choices. I stopped going to one church because of the priest doing that. Despite what so many want to believe, the Vatican does not want to control the White House. They would love it if all became Catholics, but they are not into politics like that. It is too heavy of a burden. They will let the people take care of that.

What a train wreck. Our pastor has preached and said that one candidate is more faithful to the teachings of Jesus and therefore a better candidate. We are a very conservative church. I do not think preachers being muzzled is the way to go. It is still a matter of individual conscience.

Just tax all of them. Too much protected wealth in the Churches anyway.

Use the proceeds to help pay for socialized medicine.

Just another example of the white man using his power to attack and besiege powerful, thoughtful superior blacks.

Ah, yes, the Media Messiah, annointed & appointed by the radical minister, the reverse racist. Such lovely company Barack Obama keeps. And I didn't even mention Rezko! But idiots keep swallowing Obama as the new Jesus! And oh yes, the great uniter will just remember all the liberal whites when he gets to the Oval Office, just as his radical minister outlined, right? Wake up fools! Lastly, the guy is so trained in dirty Chicago politics if anybody thinks he's got a halo they are sadly mistaken.

The media is coming out full force for Clinton lately. Airing pro-Clinton commercials/SNL skits for free, and now throwing mud at "Obama's church".

Ted Haggard PUBLICLY ENDORSEDSenator McCain, why didn't WSJ do an article on them? Huckabee is a baptist minister, so I'm assuming that he endorsed himself. Investigate him too. Hillary Clinton actively sought endorsements from several church leaders (as did Obama), so why is it only him that is facing such 'accusations'?

"What happen to Freedom of
Speech?? "

Rach,

Nothing to do with freedom of speech. It has to do with tax exempt status and spinning a political agenda.

My own opinion;; I tend to agree with Tim and mbr47.

Tax them all. The major religions generally, and churches particularly all seem too deeply involved in partisan politics.

Let's not forget the Catholic Church's involvement in the Kerry/Bush 04 election. And their involvement with the IRA.

The right wing 'movement' churches may be the worst. In what universe are Dobson or Robertson NOT involved in politics? Do they even have tax exempt status?

Back to your question; Do they have free speech?

Yes they do, just not at taxpayer expense.

I am commenting on the article and comments that have been made. First, the IRS needs to spend its time investigating where Hillary got 5 mil to loan her campagin but hasn't disclosed her tax return.
Second, if seperation of church and state are at question, why are politicians allowed to go to churches to campaign? What about all of these White Repulican Church leaders who are extremely verbal about who they support.
All of these attempts to smear Oboma by association is getting old and tired. Is white America so afraid of a Black man becoming president they have resorted to these tactics?
Finally, to Libertarian; Rev. Wright did not get it wrong, as a Black female I learned long ago that no matter how good I was I had to be better than my white counterparts to get a job, be promoted, rent an apartment, buy a home, or any of the other things you take for granted. Tell me about being disenfranchised when in 2008 race still matters, just look at this democratic campaign and tell me it doesn't.

Who really gives a rip what Murdoch's minions at his newly owned WSJ think? And, why isn't anyone questioning Murdoch's donation of both cash and obviously NewCorp propaganda support for Billary Rotten Clintoon? Have they penalized McCain's pastor Rev. John Hagee for his support of right winged conservative dominionists who want to provoke the Rapture by next Sunday?

Obama, Clinton or McCain. the next 4, 8, 12 years will be more of the same. it always is. I like Obama and Hillary and cant stand the thought of another goof who beliefs center around war and not the issues we have at home as our president.

Im for whoever is going to screw me less.
Great way to cast a vote..

C Morris brings up a great point...Pat U (Robertson)has provided all the interns for this administration. You telling me that this isn't crossing the line?

bill:

Chicago transplant here - been in Atlanta for 15 years. But I keep track of my Bulls and White Sox here.

And let's also not forget the Rev. Hagee who has endorsed McCain.

And for those of you thinking that the Rezko trial will be Obama's downfall, this is from Yahoo.com's political page.

"Q: What does that have to do with Obama?

A: Nothing. No one has alleged that Obama has anything to do with the charges against Rezko, nor has Obama been charged with any wrongdoing. Obama has donated to charity the money that Rezko donated to his campaigns, as well as money from other Rezko friends and partners, a total of $150,000."

Also, in good news for Johnny D. and the rest of the McBush enthusiasts, we lost 5 more soldiers in Iraq today. Imagine the celebration the mime and his friends will have when the total dead reaches 4,000!!!

Why is it that there was NOTHING said when John Hagee publicly endorsed John McCain?

Isn't the IRS an illegal entity anyway?

This is crazy journalism in my opinion. Has the WSJ become a watchdog group for the 2008 election? If Rev.Wright didn't say "praise Jesus, and pass the bucket for Obama" after these speeches then I would consider this a non-issue.

When did free speech become a taxable commodity?

Oh, oh come now, does not the mighty IRS have nothing else to do... The late Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, et. al did the same for years and the Christian Right has so benefitted. So can it, folks,we all know what this is about!

Posted by: Antoine | March 10, 2008 11:15 AM

Well said. That the first casualty of churches becoming too political would be a Democratic church would be the height of irony indeed.

As others have said, tax them all. Most mega-churches appear to be primarily money-laundering ventures to enrich their pastors to obscene degrees.

Hey, we know which side God is on: Ohio had 20 inches of snow dumped on it after favoring Hillary in last week's primary.

Bobin...I lived in Savannah for the last year and a half before we moved back to NC to be closer to the grandkid.

I wonder how long this "stay the course" will last. We've surged already yet no progress by the Iraqi government. I can't believe the war supporters really believ that the Iraqi government will ever remain our freinds. We will pay in blood and treasure, then they will dump us like a hot potatoe.

Someone has to be a watch dog including the new media. Obama will not win the election anyway. He doesn't have the smarts.

Is Obama really a christian ? or a Muslim?

Hey Rachel,

The problem is not freedom of speech. The issue is a little depper an perhapos you could look or perhaps "see" the real issue.

Churches which are tax exempt organizations, cannot support or have a pattern of supporting one candidate over the other and name names.

Is Obama really a christian ? or a Muslim?

Posted by: Ray Gorak | March 10, 2008 12:30 PM

Christian. Are you a bigot or a moron?

Tax the churches. Tax the businesses owned by the churches.

This guy is an albatross around Obama's neck.

Great, so now we'll go from the "Muslim" innuendo to hearing about Trinity Church for 6 weeks. From what I've read, the action against the national UCC seems a bit bogus, though the case against Trinity might have some teeth. The pastor should back off.

This guy is an albatross around Obama's neck.

Posted by: Jeff | March 10, 2008 12:43 PM

What would you like to say about Hagee?

Hey Ray Gorak...you the same idiot that came up with that racist name for Obama...aren't you? You called him a "slippery" I'll use racoon so it doesn't get removed like your post did. Tell me Ray...you still married to your sister?

This kind of stuff happens all of the time. Here in little Naperville a tax exempt church allowed a school board member to speak and then passed the hat for campaign donations. The church then 'consolidated' the donations and wrote the candidate a check.

Now this same church stands to gain millions because the school district has contracted to purchase the church's land to build Indian Prairie School District #204's 3rd high school on it. They are buying it for more than double what the church paid for it a few years ago.

And yet the church keeps their tax-exempt status.

I just knew there would be people here who would blame Obama for what his preacher says. As Bill Clinton might say, what a fairy tale.

Imagine if you will the church that John McCain goes to, giving out an award to David Duke. You think reporters would be as quiet as they have been about Obama's church giving an award to Farrakhan?

Yet this story was ignored, and is still pretty much ignored by people like Frank James, who would rather it be pushed into the blogosphere than onto the front page, for weeks as it should be.

I'd say he's a much quieter, less in trouble albatross, bill hussein.

The UCC (united church of christ) isn't a church of worship to God, it's nothing but a social club so everyone going feels good about themselves.

They need to actualy open the Bible once in a while to call themselves a church and they don't.

I grew up in UCC, it's not even close to being a true church, they might as well have ropes out front and charge admision fees like a club.

About time the IRS investigated political activity in churches. Either repeal the law or enforce it. Separation of Church and State is necessary and it is the law.

Excerpted from the About Us section of Trinity's website: "...We are an African people, and remain 'true to our native land,' the mother continent, the cradle of civilization."

I have a problem with a presidential candidate who remains true to any country other than the USA.

Wow! What about John Hagee endorsing McCain? TBN has for years been singing the praises of GWB. There's a fine line here. We need to proceed carefully for the sake of setting wrong precedents!

Farrakhan is worse than Duke in my mind. As horrible as David Duke is (and he's reprehensible) I've never heard him advocate violence against a rape victim.

Louis Farrakhan: "What type of a woman was [Desiree Washington]? What type of a woman would go to a man’s room at 2:00 in the morning? She knew that they were not going to look at television. She knew what a hotel room looked like. And, now, she has the arrogance to cry rape." He also said: "How many times, sisters, have you said 'No' and you meant 'Yes'?"

Then there's the whole idolization of Hitler thing.

On March 11, 1984 Farrakhan said: "Hitler was a very great man. He wasn't great for me as a Black man but he was a great German and he rose Germany up from the ashes of her defeat by the united force of all of Europe and America after the First World War." A decade later, Farrakhan would reiterate the claim that Hitler was a "great man."

Obama's church gave this man an award.

Dan C:

It's already happened - McCain was endorsed by John Hagee.

BTW, when did his church give Farrakhan this award?

Is Jesse Jackson next? He has made so many violations, not to mention it is known that he paid hush money to keep secret his affair and illigitimate child which resulted from it.

For too long, there has been a double-standard: conservative or white pastors were scrutinized while more liberal or non-white pastors could say almost anything and get away with it.

The IRS should institute an annual mandatory audit of all 501-C-3 organizations, and levy a 1 to 3% tax on them to help pay for it. That might help keep these wolves-in-sheep's clothing more honest. Otherwise, let's just tax them like any other business, and eliminate the restrictions on speech which exist.

Either way, this would introduce more accountability to the system. Besides, Todd Stroger needs our money so he can hire more of his friends to not work for Crook County.

Barack Hussein Obama is one crooked man...Rezko, FarrCONN and now his churhc is breaking the laws as well...this is what you get when you have the most liberal of liberals parading himself around as Mr. Change...Barack Hussein Obama will never get my vote that is for sure!

Posted by: Marc | March 10, 2008 11:06 AM

Gosh, I'm sure he's heartbroken. From the looks of your post, I'm sure it was a very well thought out, educated decision.

I hope Obama distances himself from this kind of sermon. It doesn't stand for the change that he is advocating.

Why should the IRS investigate the WSJ? It is a for-profit, tax-paying entity. The point of this story is that the church is a tax-exempt organization and as such, must follow the tax law.

A preacher that knocks Hillary, knowing that she is the opponent of his little Bambi, is actively engaging in politics. And that can make you lose tax-exempt status.

Seriously, this has been a long time coming. The government is scared to audit Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. My guess is that they won't audit this church either, though they should.

Seriously, the Democrats are totally imploding. They created this silly set-up of superdelegates and now, when it looks like the superdelegates could help Hillary, they are opposed. They created this silly idea that there is no winner in a state and that you take your proportionate share of votes, leading to the disaster that we confront today.

What I have learned about the Democratic party is that race trumps sex. So if a white female dares try to compete against a person of color, she will be demeaned regularly. She wears pant suits, she has big thighs, she's a racist, she's a bigot. The stuff coming out of the Democratic campaign is amazing. Add to that Howard Deans nasty comments about white males and I find myself wondering - is there any place for a white person in the Democratic party. And I mean your average every day white - not the billionaires who currently are funding Obama.

And on a day to day basis, as a white male, I say, no, there is no room for you in the Democratic party. They don't want you and actually are arrogant enough to think they don't need your vote.

Jay:

And as a white male, I feel more at home in the Democratic Party than the Republican Party.

It seems that most of you missed the fact that Trinity is not being investigated by the IRS. It is the UCC that is being investigated. The Journal did their article in the hopes of stirring up enough controversy to start an investigation. But while the IRS is making its way to Trinity, it should stop at all of the conservative churches that have for the last several elections openly endorsed Republican candidates. Or all the black churches that Hillary goes to on Sunday morning to shake hands and kiss babies.

The democratic party's supporters have been found guilty or more of these abuses of election law in recent years than the GOP.

Rock the Vote, a supposedly bipartisan and tax exempt group, put a fake draft card up on its web site a few years back which was blatant support of John Kerry.

The Miami Herald found 209 different violations of election law by a group trying to win the state house for the democrats.

Why should ANY tax exempt organization get to use its status and the taxpayers' money to sling political mud?

hear Obama's minister in a racist rant for yourself.

audio on utube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfNEfEBYIZs

text at: http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/obama_minister_wright/2008/03/06/78440.html

Obama Minister's Hatred of America

Thursday, March 6, 2008 3:54 PM

By: Ronald Kessler Article Font Size

…
The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., pastor of Obama’s Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, gave the sermon at the school’s Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel in Washington on Jan. 15, 2006. While snippets from the sermon have appeared in a few magazines, no news outlet has previously run the entire text of Wright’s diatribe. An audio recording of the sermon appears on YouTube.
Raising his voice in rage, Wright began his sermon by saying, “Fact No. 1: We’ve got more black men in prison than there are in college. Racism is alive and well. Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run. No black man will ever be considered for president, no matter how hard you run Jesse [Jackson] and no black woman can ever be considered for anything outside what she can give with her body.”
Omitting fact No. 2, Wright thundered on: “Fact No. 3: America is still the No. 1 killer in the world. We invaded Grenada for no other reason than to get Maurice Bishop [a Grenada revolutionary who seized power in 1979], invaded Panama because Noriega would not dance to our tune any more. We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns, and the training of professional killers. We bombed Cambodia, Iraq and Nicaragua, killing women and children while trying to get public opinion turned against Castro and Qaddafi.”
Wright continued: “Fact No. 4: We put [Nelson] Mandela in prison and supported apartheid the whole 27 years he was there. We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God. Fact No. 5: We supported Zionism shamelessly while ignoring the Palestinians and branding anybody who spoke out against it as being anti-semitic.”
His voice rising, Wright was on a roll: “Fact No. 6: We conducted radiation experiments on our own people. They’re just finding out about that. We care nothing about human life if the ends justifies the means. Fact No. 7: We do not care if poor black and brown children cannot read and kill each other senselessly. We abandoned the cities back in the '60s when the riots started and it really doesn’t matter what those nations do to each other; we gave up on them and public education of poor people who live in the projects . . .”
Wright went on: “Fact No. 8: We started the AIDS virus, and now that it is out of control, we still put more money in the military than in medicine; more money in hate than in humanitarian concerns. Everybody does not have access to healthcare, I don’t care what the rich white boys in the Senate say. Listen up: If you are poor, black and elderly, forget it.”
Concluding, Wright said: “Fact No. 9: We are only able to maintain our level of living by making sure that Third World people live in grinding poverty. And fact No. 10: We are selfish, self-centered egotists who are arrogant and ignorant and betray our church and do not try to make the kingdom that Jesus talked about a reality. And — and — and in light of these 10 facts, God has got to be sick of this s***.”
Meeting with Jewish leaders in Cleveland on Feb. 24, Obama described Wright as being like “an old uncle who sometimes will say things that I don't agree with.” He rarely mentions the items of disagreement.
Obama went on to explain away Wright’s anti-Zionist statements as being rooted in his anger over the Jewish state’s support for South Africa under its previous policy of apartheid. As with a previous claim that his church gave an award to Louis Farrakhan because of his work with ex-offenders, Obama made that up out of thin air.
Wright’s statements denouncing Israel have not been qualified in any way.
As for Wright’s repeated comments blaming America for the 9/11 attacks, Obama has said it sounds as if the minister was trying to be “provocative.”
Hearing Wright’s venomous and paranoid denunciations of this country, the vast majority of Americans would walk out. Instead, Obama and his wife Michelle have presumably sat through hundreds of similar sermons.
Indeed, Obama has described Wright as his “sounding board” during the two decades he has known him. Obama has said he found religion through Wright in the 1980s and consulted him before deciding to run for president. He prayed privately with Wright before announcing his candidacy last year.
Aside from showing poor judgment, it’s difficult to imagine that Obama could be so close to Wright without agreeing with at least some of his views.
In light of Wright’s perspective, Michelle Obama’s comment that she feels proud of America for the first time makes perfect sense. (In a second iteration, she said she feels “really proud” for the first time.) Wright’s blame-America mentality also fits in neatly with many on the left who support Obama’s weak approach to national security and dealing with foreign dictators.
To date, the Obama-loving media have largely ignored the senator’s close association with Wright. The question is whether the blackout will be lifted before voters decide whether they want to entrust Obama with America’s future.
Ronald Kessler is chief Washington correspondent of Newsmax.com. View his previous reports and get his dispatches sent to you free via
e-mail. Go here now.
© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

(someone else's writing)
Posted by: rose
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So what's your point? There's a lot of truth in what Rev. Wright has to say, especially the part about being labeled anti-semitic if you dare to criticize Israel. Isn't that what you're doing?

I have been a Obama supporter since he ran for senator. I don't believe he should be linked to Rezko. Millions of people have sent in donations to his campaign, you cannot possibly know all the peoples background. However, with this said, I am upset over the relationship with "Wright." Preaching that Farrakhan is good is like the Pope saying the KKK are just misunderstood. Farrakhan has repeatedly talked of his hatred for Jews. He has stated that Hitler didn't kill enough of them. Catholics believe their Jesus was a Jew. Wright's statement that whites are bad only promotes violence. As a taxpayer I urge that the Irs go after Wright for this clear violation of pulpit politics and I also hope Mr. Obama you consider another church. If you stay with this "uncle" then I must change my vote. Wright you are an idiot!

Barack has been a member of this church for 20 years. There is no way in h...I would ever be a part of a church that talked about other races like this pastor does. I would remove myself from any sermon that attacked other human beings. For heaven sakes, this is church where healing should be going on. What I saw tonight was purely racist remarks. That pastor did use Barack's name and thus tied him to those racist remarks. Barack can't have it both ways. He can't just say I don't support everything my pastor says. O.k....what does he support and what does he condemn. For Barack this problem is NOT going to go away. The fact that Barack is a super liberal doesn't bother me near as much as the fact that he hangs with men that preach hate. Why on earth would Barack attend such a church? What were the benefits? BTW, I have done tax returns for churches and I assure you they know every single loophole there is. I think they should all be taxed and then all the secret endorsing won't break any laws.

It says something about Obama's judgment that he can sit week after week in a church that preaches such things and feels like he should stay. I don't buy the idea that he stayed because Wright was "about to retire". This has been going on for years. I personally could not sit under someone's preaching week after week whose world view was so different from mine. So my conclusion is something of the preaching resonates with him.

Pastors, as individuals, can support candidates. As citizens, they have the right to freedom of speech and association. They cannot do so, though, as official representatives of their churches. If Pastor Hagee has appeared in places other than worship services, endorsing McCain, he can argue that he is doing so as a private citizen. Churches can also invite a candidate to speak during worship, if they introduce the speaker as simply visiting, and if the paid staff of the church do not endorse the candidate.

So, these are really very broad guidelines, and shouldn't be a challenge for anyone to live with. Yet, Rev. Wright broke the IRS rules in the most obvious and egregious way. It's actually stunning to those of us who know these rules to watch how blatantly and unapologetically he does this.

The IRS has no choice but to remove Trinity's 501c3 status. There's just no way around it.