Were Wright's Comments Racist?

[Mezzo]

I seriously want to know. I am using one of my precious three on it, because I think the discussion is that important.

We all know what he said, and when (December 27th, Keith Olbermann) so do you think what Rev. Wright said to be racist?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAYe7MT5BxM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWvxTUy47Fk&feature=related

I edited this to add YouTube links for those who did not know.

[jobycom]

1. I don't, and I don't like Obama much, so I'm not vested. nt.

[againes654]

2. No I consider it to be

fact. It is a fact that many don't want to acknowledge. They want to pretend that it would be the same if a white person made the same comments in reverse, but that just isn't comparing apples to apples.

[leftynyc]

7. Well, white persons by the

name of Falwell and Robertson also tried to say America was to blame for 9/11 and I remember our side of the aisle having a stroke about it. So I'm not sure of your point.

[againes654]

15. Well I wasn't one of them

This site has a whole 9/11 crew that thinks bush did it himself (or various versions), so that argument doesn't work for me

[leftynyc]

30. My point was that white people

also made this argument (America deserved 9/11)- you said it would be different if a white person had made the argument. The only difference seems to be in the reaction to WHO made that argument. As far as I'm concerned, they can both fuck themselves.

[KittyWampus]

46. Saying "9/11 was God punishing gays" is WAY different than "9/11 was our foreign policy blowback"

[mrreowwr_kittty]

51. Exactly. If Wright had been blaming gays for 9-11 there wouldn't be much focus

Sure, some progressive communities would be offended but that's it. Note the difference between MSM coverage of McClurkin vs. Wright. Wright was attacking the powerful, and that's unacceptable.

[redqueen]

3. We don't all know, so why not put it in the OP?

[maddiejoan]

4. My problem

is with a Pastor using a church sermon to evangelize for a political candidate.

So basically --my problem would be with Wright, not Obama.

[sorrybushisfromtexas]

6. racist's remarks

No they were not racist.


I chooses to be an Obama supporter. I am also a Southern Baptist Deacon, an active Christian, who thinks that God has Damned America for much of it's history on race, on our war on Iraq, our rape of our environment, and many many more things that we do because we are "Americans".

I am old enough to remember lots about the Jim Crow days. Separate was not equal. I have Black friends who are followed around stores because they are black and of course shoplifters. I have had a black teacher friend,a dentist's wife, who said she was terrified to driving across Mississippi in the late 90's because she was driving a Mercedes. She felt sure and that she would be stopped. Why was she afraid, because it had happened before. In the 1950's I saw over 50% of my church walk out on a Sunday morning service because our one wealthy member was pushed in by a nurse who who was in a starch white uniform complete with cap and was black.

You know what, I think God is still Damning bigots wherever they may be.

nuff said

[maddiejoan]

12. what does that have to do with what I said?

It's racist of me to apply the same standard to Wright as I would to a Republican pastor that evangelized for Bush?

Sorry --no way.

When politics are preached from the pulpit --ANY PULPIT--it's wrong.

Like I said --my problem isn't even with Obama on this --it's with Rev Wright.

[sorrybushisfromtexas]

25. sorry

linked to the wrong poster. I had a Southern Baptist pastor in my town tell 300 Baptist Men that you couldn't vote Democratic and still be a believing Christian. I didn't like that either. Politics should be left away from church.
I do not think him saying God was damning America for many things was political speech. I read one place that he had made anti Clinton remarks from the pulpit. That is wrong.

[againes654]

18. Here Here

:hi:

[Mezzo]

20. what the hell is that supposed to mean?

God is damning bigots? Do you think Wright is a bigot? Is God gonna punish him?

Should I feel guilty about the fact that I am white, and sort of offended by him? I don't.

[sorrybushisfromtexas]

23. Clarification

I didn't say God was damning him. His remarks didn't bother me. I agree with them. By the way I am white. You can be offended all you want. I was saying that God damns hatred bigotry based on my things race, sexual orientation, economic status and etc.

[Irishonly]

21. That's My Problem Also

The pukes will probably not let it go and will work to convince their base it's racist though.

[maddiejoan]

24. Probably

but let's face it --the GOP would find something or someway no matter what.

Obama's in a tough spot with this one -- I don't think anyone in the Democratic Party needs to be fanning this flame though.

[Irishonly]

31. Absolutely Not

I've not seen most of the videos as they are snippets of a sermon and are used to flame.

[sorrybushisfromtexas]

33. Thank you

too much fanning of flames on all sides

[durrrty libby]

5. His sermons are loaded with Hate speech.

[kwassa]

10. actually, they aren't.

but you wouldn't know that.

[durrrty libby]

29. Oh but I do know.

[Little Star]

53. Well my ears heard the hate of whites and the separatism. What

the heck happened to unity?

[roseBudd]

54. Investigate white supremacist's web sites before you label what Wright said hate speech...

I think you will notice an appreciable difference in tone.

The dominant culture controls. Those without means can merely comment.

[Little Star]

56. I know all I need to know about the scum of the earth white

supremacists. Do two wrongs make a right? I can not un-hear what I heard come from Wright's mouth and I can't make myself feel that kind of black separatism ends up being something that will unite us.

[Emit]

52. Do you have a link to the ones that are loaded with Hate speech?

I would like to hear and see them.

[kwassa]

8. There is a difference between racial, and racist. Many here mistake the two.

[bicentennial_baby]

11. ...

:applause:

[redqueen]

14. Maybe that's what it is...

So far I don't get why any of this is 'racist'.

:shrug:

[maddiejoan]

16. and mostly the mistake is made by

Obama supporters on DU

[leftynyc]

32. Do you trust the intelligence of

the average voter to distinguish between the two?

[Forkboy]

41. No, but should we play dumb to please those people?

[leftynyc]

9. Yes

every bit as racist as Ferraro's. They're both clowns.

[Bluebear]

13. What DU thinks doesn't matter. Ask Mr & Mrs Undecided, November 2008.

[ellacott]

17. Not racist

[IndianaJones]

19. not possible for a racial minority in America to be racist. nt.

[Mezzo]

37. you're kidding, right?

you don't think racism is a two way street?

wow

[Hell Hath No Fury]

22. Those were some hard truths he was saying in his comments.

To think that was not -- and still often is -- the history and truth of blacks in American is to not know your history.

He said it in more blunt/possible inflamatory terms than I would choose to, but I agree with his point.

I do not find his comments racist.

[sorrybushisfromtexas]

34. agree

100%

[KittyWampus]

26. No, he just stated truths any Democrat would agree with but in a politically incorrect way.

[Mezzo]

38. I'm a democrat, and I disagree

and since you said, "any democrat"...

[Thepricebreaker]

27. Silly.. its only racist if you have hate speech for black people..

:eyes: :eyes:

[theboss]

28. I think they were inflammatory, not racist

Big difference.

[Rex_Goodheart]

35. US of KKKA, eh?

He's an obvious racist. And a buffoon.

[Mezzo]

39. I think it's shocking

how many people disagree with you.

This man is clearly a bigot.

[Forkboy]

47. I hear " Amerikkka" a lot in death metal and punk.

And as we all know, death metal and punk are bastions of black entertainment.

Amerikkka is used by many people, white and black, who see what this country has done, and continues to do, both to our own black people, and to the brown people in other countries. Never again!....unless it's brown people in Rwanda, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc.

[Igel]

36. Got the first link to work, not the second.

First segment is inflammatory, divisive, promotes hate and victimization, makes people glad they're not like the Pharisees because they're so much better. Not really racist. Just vile and loathsome.

(For my part, when my 'spiritual advisor' and 'pastor' went over the top with vile and divisive, loathsome stuff, I walked. I cut the assistant pastor more slack, but stopped going to hear what he said. You don't continue to support a pastor you disagree with unless there's some identity business going on, belonging is more important than believing: It's a voluntary association. "Catholic" is an identity, not just a church. Obama was at the church either because belonging reinforced his identity or because he didn't find it repugnant enough to find someplace else. Birds of a feather; live with wolves, howl like a wolf. It fits in with his activist days, political aspirations, and what his wife said.)

(Oh, and I note that Wright makes the same kind of mistake that those believing in a nice blue-eyed blond Jesus make. They get ridiculed. 'Nuff said.)

[uponit7771]

40. No, most people just don't like the WAY he said it but nothing he said was racist. New Gingrich even

...said that much on Vetta Van Sustrion show on FAUX

[Forkboy]

42. Not to this white guy.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

43. I think that depends on your perspective and largely on your ethnicity

[goldcanyonaz]

48. I don't agree with that at all.

I was raised to recognize and condemn all forms of racism and bigotry, regardless of them being directed at me as a black person, or being directed at another race.

It's impossible to come together as a nation when rhetoric like this is acceptable.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

50. and you were absolutey raised correctly and I agree 100% with you

[goldcanyonaz]

44. He's clearly a bigot. Not here in DU La La land, but our it reality, he is.

[KittyWampus]

45. No, but they were WAY raw & politically incorrect. But Wright's not a politician.

[Mezzo]

58. so...only politicans can be racist?

porquoi?

[BklynChick]

49. no. shining a light on the oppressor when you are oppressed is not racism. stereotyping at worst..

and very different if you are a minority in this country.

[Mezzo]

59. ahhhhh...so blacks can't be racist ever...neither can women? nt

[libnnc]

55. Nope. Just an ugly truth.

History isn't neat and it isn't pretty. Wright hasn't said anything different than what countless scholars have said already.
Anyone who has seriously studied US History (academic US History, not that pollyanna crap that Lynne Cheney espouses) recognizes what Wright was talking about. Lots of white folks on this board can't seem to handle the truth. I'm not shocked or offended by what Wright has said.

[LWolf]

57. No.

They were unacceptable coming from the pulpit, but they weren't racist.