I don't agree with everything Rev. Wright said, but I understand why he feels that way

[EffieBlack]

I think that Rev. Wright's comments were unfortunate - some of them were deplorable. But I understand why he feels the way he does.

Many, many people I know - some in my own family - feel exactly as he does. You can never underestimate the frustration, anger, and damage that generation after generation of racism inflicts upon African Americans. People respond in different ways. Wright has responded in this way. It is perfectly understandable, even if you don't agree with it.

Just look at the anger and distrust we often see expressed right here on DU by people who are enormously frustrated at the Bush Administration's actions. People here express their absolute disgust with this government in some of the most vile and hateful ways imaginable.

Now, imagine if the wrongdoing of this Administration were sanctioned by the entire government and every societal institution and then for centuries was inflicted directly upon your great-great grandparents, great grandparents, grandparents, parents and then you. Imagine if at every turn you continue to personally witness the damaging effects - direct and residual - of this intentional and institutional mistreatment, as Rev. Wright does. Even if it were eventually somewhat alleviated, the anger, resentment, lack of trust and outright suspicion would still likely be there.

That is how many black people feel. Rev. Wright is expressing that.

Trust me - we don't like feeling like that. We would LOVE to just unconditionally love, trust and be proud of this country - it's our country, too. We BUILT this nation. But it's hard to feel that - and easy to feel the anger that Wright expresses - given our history and the continuing problems we still see. Even though progress has been made, we still have so far to go and it seems to many that we'll never get there. That's painful.

One of the beautiful things about the Obama candidacy is that it is giving many blacks a reason to feel that maybe, just maybe, things are getting better.

So, while I don't agree with Rev. Wright, I'm not mad at him because I understand exactly where he's coming from.

Instead of attacking him (or at least BEFORE attacking him), people should step back and listen to what he's saying and consider why he's saying it. We might all learn something, even if we think he's dead wrong.

[Olney Blue]

1. Thank you for this meaningful post.

[ChazII]

2. K&R

I disagree with the reverend but he has every right to say what he thinks.

[durrrty libby]

3. Wright has spewed and encouraged Hate all his life and that NEVER

helped his parishioners. He is a hateful disgusting bigot and hypocrite and

now Obama's poor judgment is front and center

[MadBadger]

4. How do you know he has never helped his parishoners? What evidence do you have?

Or more bullshit from you?

[durrrty libby]

10. HA The Bullshit is all from BO world. Hate spewing =Helping

Save yourself Get deprogrammed asap

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[durrrty libby]

14. Obama is a "fucking pathetic "Fraud. What else is there to say?

:shrug:

[kwassa]

16. I don't think you know anything about Wright's career.

You're just hurling insults.

[Voice for Peace]

22. projection much?

[durrrty libby]

24. Nonsensical much?

:shrug:

[Voice for Peace]

26. nonsensical often. I am fond of nonsense.

But this isn't nonsense.
People who make those kinds of statements about others need to
honestly examine themselves and their own attitudes.

If you look closely you may see yourself. You may discover that
you are a pathetic fraud yourself at least in some areas or relationship
in your own life.

I'm saying this from my own experience that what we see in other
people is usually a reflection of something in ourselves, not
necessarily about the other person.

[durrrty libby]

27. Ahhh yes you are speaking of yourself. Understandable indeed

It is amusing when some dolt plays psychobabble

It is a sure bet that they don't have a clue

[Voice for Peace]

28. LOL.. see you are proving my point.

[cali]

5. bull.

He has a conflicting history. He's said some wonderful healing things, as well as questionable ones.

[EffieBlack]

8. How thoughtful of you to be so concerned about his parishoners

And how patronizing of you to assume that YOU know better than they do what is best for them.

[ThatBozGuy]

12. And you have studied this mans 40 year career for this insight? Or

are you just spewing unfounded "facts' because it makes you feel important to have an opinion.

[dkf]

6. Listening to him makes me sad.

But it also makes me want to prove him wrong. We have become a better country than the US the Reverend grew up in.

[MadBadger]

7. Katrina would prove otherwise.

[dkf]

9. Most people deplore what happened there.

Katrina was a failure of leadership including Ray Nagin and Gov. Blanco and George W. Bush.

[Window]

13. Thank you for this insightful post.

It's a "black" thing, and will never be understood by someone who hasn't walked in his moccasins.


K/R


:kick:

[EffieBlack]

19. Thank - but I don't agree that you have to be black to understand

You just have to have empathy - and an ability to look past one's own limited experiences to understand that others' experiences and perspectives can be just as valid as our own, even when they are different.

[kwassa]

15. Thanks for your post, Effie.

before your effort gets derailed.

"You can never underestimate the frustration, anger, and damage that generation after generation of racism inflicts upon African Americans

The people on this board should consider WHY he says it.

[NDambi]

17. "One of the beautiful things about the Obama candidacy is"

.. that it is giving many blacks a reason to feel that maybe, just maybe, things are getting better."


Uh Huh...

[Tarc]

18. Wow, what a steaming crock of hypocritical bull shit

When a Clinton supporter's comment is viewed by many as inflammatory, DU's O-Bots call for her head on a platter.

When an Obama supporter's comment is viewed by many as inflammatory, DU's O-Bots call for patience, understanding, and reflection on why he said what he said.

:eyes:

I'm glad I haven't had breakfast yet, otherwise it would've just been vomited upon the flatscreen.

[EffieBlack]

20. If you can't understand the difference between a politician saying that Obama is where he is only

he is black, that he is "lucky" to be a black man and that anyone who objects to such a characterization is attacking the speaker because she is white and a minister bemoaning America's history of racism, imperialism and warmongering and saying that Hillary Clinton has never been called the n-word, no wonder you've worked yourself up into a state of nausea.

Fortunately, many others of us are capable of understanding various types of speech, the motivation for it, and the meaning behind it and are able to rationally assess and discuss the matter without getting worked up into a snit.

Geraldine Ferraro's comments were obnoxious. So were Jeremiah Wright's. Ferraro's comments were clueless. Wright's have some basis in experience.

And, while I didn't compare the two comments in a political context, since you have brought it up, I will go there. It took more than a day for Hillary Clinton to offer a half-hearted comment distancing herself from Ferraro's remarks. Barack Obama immediately denounced and distanced himself form Wright's offensive comments. Jeremiah Wright does not have an official role in Obama's campaign. Geraldine Ferraro had an official role in Clinton's campaign right up until the public outcry forced her to resign, which she did in a petty, self-pitying way.

[MadBadger]

21. There is nothing wrong with what Rev. Wright said about Hillary

She doesnt know what its like to be black. White people are just shocked that he used the Dreaded N word. I actually think he is completely right on that part of his sermon, and Chris Matthews agreed.

[mtnsnake]

25. Using his church to convince people who to vote for is fine with you?

[EFerrari]

23. There's also this moment in America which isn't any moment.

We've move to a place where Obama can run viably. But, this morning a writer for the black press was on Washington Journal and she pointed out that racism has been on a steep up tick, and then she listed a number of events -- Katrina, the Jena six, the Bell case, others I can't think of at the moment.

So, there are conflicting "currents" in this culture right now. It isn't surprising, in a way, that either people get what Wright is saying or they react away from it because people tend to polarize from the tension.

[Catherine Vincent]

29. He's just being your typical black preacher to the masses.

But he should have kept politics out of his sermons whether Obama attended his church or not.

[EffieBlack]

30. What is "your typical black preacher to the masses?"

[mzmolly]

31. Thanks for your reasoned post. I am so glad you did not attempt to speak for everyone

and/or condemn all "white people" as many have done here in an attempt to justify ignorance.

A K and R to you EffieBlack :toast: