I really like Jeremiah Wright

[Stinky The Clown]

No, there's no punchline. I like the guy. And the more I hear from him, the more I like him.

I'm as far from a religious person as one can get. Religiosity does nothing for me. It also belongs other than in political discourse. But that's not to say that religious people have no place in the political conversation. They do.

To my mind, Wright contrasts very favorably with the likes of Hagee or Robertson or Parsley or any of the all-too-many coiffed hair, right wing religious charlatans. I like that he pointed out how different the black churches are from what has become the caricature that is 'Christianity" in today's woefully fucked up America, and that is the province of the likes of Hagee or Robertson or Parsley or any of the all-too-many coiffed hair, right wing religious charlatans.

I agree with much (all?) of what Wright said this morning, for example.

I'm less fond of his "former supporters". But I also agree with what he said specifically on that subject.

Paraphrased: "They do what politicians do".

[Klukie]

1. I like him too....

very truthful man.

[donheld]

2. If I were to want a pastor

Jeremiah Wright could be mine.

[Moochy]

44. self-Delete

wrong place

[Deep13]

3. He's a snake-oil salesman that makes a living...

...preying on the fears and anger of his parishoners. That is no different than Roberston, Graham or the rest of them.

[Windy]

5. Of course, you are a HRC supporter. Your bias is on your sleeve! n/t

[stillcool]

19. You've read his books?

You've been to the Church? Do you feel the same way about Martin Luther King Jr.? Do you think he was a snake-oil salesman when he addressed the members of his Church? Or is this somehow different? What exactly has he done or said that makes you hate him so?

[The Doctor.]

20. Of course not. Haven't we learned anything from the Bush-bots?

- The more ignorant you are of your opponent, the more bullshit you can believe about them.

[stillcool]

26. reminds me of this..

"What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists, is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents."-- Robert F. Kennedy

[npincus]

4. he's done something I think is tactically brilliant:

By calling the corporate MSM's soundbite coverage of him (and his church, by association) an attack on the Black Church, he has put the MSM on notice and on the DEFENSIVE, as well as all who continue to use the soundbite loop as a political weapon.

If Wright's point of view that the black church is being attacked is truly representative of African Americans' feelings about the soundbite coverage of Wright, then those who continue the practice of using Wright audio and images are participating in racially insensitive, provocative behavior.

Is an advertisers boycott the next step?

[TexasProgresive]

7. Good analysis n/t

[spooky3]

47. well, Eugene Robinson, an Obama supporter and WaPo columnist disagrees vehemently with you

his column has been posted in several places here at DU.

And, Obama disagrees with you that criticism of Wright's latest comments constituted an attack on the Black Church, as if that were one entity.

[limit18]

6. Same here

:woohoo:

[MethuenProgressive]

8. I like our town drunk/conspiracy wackjob. But if he was a pastor no way I'd take kids to his church.

Pretending to hump Monica Lewinsky - from the pulpit?
Claiming the goverment invented AIDs to commit genocide?
I won't keep naming controversy after controvesy - we all have heard them enough.

[Stinky The Clown]

10. That's the spin

And that's what 'they' are saying.

[smoogatz]

23. So, Wright's church should be sanitized so they're safe for you and your nice

suburban white kids? That's what you're saying? Oy. I've got some bad news for you: Wright's reading of black liberation theology is not an oddity or an exception: it's pretty much spot-on mainstream in the black religious community. If you don't like it, if it makes you uncomfortable, you might want to examine that reaction before you go out in public and start making these attacks. Wright is correct when he says you're not just attacking him; you are, in fact, attacking the black church and by extension the black community.

[frogcycle]

9. I didn't see him this morning, but saw most of his speech last night

He was fantastic. So many good points made, and delivered with such style!

When he did the impressions of JFK and LBJ I almost fell out of my chair laughing. I was astonished (well, not really) to hear talking heads claiming he had "attacked" JFK.

I am old enough to remember hearing LBJ say "Mah fulluh Murcans" and Wright nailed it perfectly. I also recall vividly LBJ following that with "Ahm not gonna send Murcan boahs to faht some ayshun wowuh."

Geez, will people just TRY to actually listen for a change?

The comparison of music styles was somewhat over my head, since I have a tin ear, until he illustrated by mimicing the U of Michigan marching band and then the Grambling one. What an absolutely enthralling speaker!

My Dad fought the "establishment" in Fla when he was a psychologist charged with evaluating children who were not doing well in school. This was in the late 60's/early 70's, at the time Wright referred to. He was supposed to administer "standardized" tests and score them, rank the kids by those labels Wright referred to (Educable Mentally Retarded, etc). The tests were administered verbally.

He'd score a test "by the book" and the kid would come out with a terrible IQ. But Dad would say "I talked to him; he is no dummy; the test is wrong." Didn't matter. These were black kids living in shanties in rural Fla. whom the establishment wanted to label so they didn't have to spend money on better schools or teachers.
One example that sticks in my mind was a question "what is a hammer?"

There were a couple of examples that were acceptable, all having to do with describing a hammer. The kids from the swamps would invariably respond with what you DO with a hammer. "You drive nails with it" or "you hit a nail" or some such. When asked "what is a nail" the most popular (wrong) answer was "you bam it in a wall," followed by simple "you bam it."

Dad wanted to give them credit - they had exhibited knowledge and understanding. But the ruling was no, and they ended up branded as dummies. Because they did not conform to the "standards."

Different is not deficient!

Dad had that job for one year and they eliminated it. It was not getting them the results they wanted. I could never prove it, nor would I have tried, but I suspect some answers started getting recorded according to the intent of the response, rather than the actual choice of words.


Different is not deficient! Thank you, Rev. Wright.

[flyarm]

11. AHH YES AND THE ONLY PEOPLE'S SPEECH HE COULD DISPARAGE WAS DEMOCRATS..

JFK, Johnson Kennedy's..but he says nothing about Nixon's speech, or little lord pissy pants ( who we know can not construct a complete sentence and flubs word after word)..that was pay back time for Wright to Obama..the lord giveth and the lord taketh away..he has been denounced one to many times by his little protege..and Wright is asserting his mentorship role as we speak..Obama doesn't get to call the game..his mentor does.

He is not just pissed off at Obama ..he is really pissed off at Mrs Obama..

that she has stayed silent about his mentorship.

oh and attacking the speech pattern of Camelot ..will not play well with dems in the mid west.


hmmmmm

fly

[frogcycle]

13. bs

he did not "disparage" their speech; he said it was different, which it was, and used that to make the point that different is not deficient.

If he had attempted to find a republican with an extreme accent who was respected despite it, well, that might have been difficult.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Your posit is exactly how spin works.

You missed his point entirely.

And the analogies he used (Kennedy and Johnson) were perfect examples that made his point. Speaking "differently" is not a character flaw. He was making the point that no one criticized Johnson or Kennedy (both of whom had very distinct accents) because of the way they spoke.

(Hint: Think about "black" speech.)

[flyarm]

15. i missed no point whatsoever..i watched the pastor mock and mimick with distain JFK..

and i am not the only one who has noticed it.

it is not playing well in Indiana..

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/04/29/rev-wright-sullied-the-memory-of-john-fitzgerald-kennedy/#more-2337

Rev. Wright Attempts to Sully the Memory of John Fitzgerald Kennedy

By SusanUnPCclose

Site: http://noquarterusa.net/
About: See Authors Posts (844) on April 29, 2008 at 12:27 AM in Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.

Rev. Wright mocked the Boston-accent pronunciations of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and mimicked him — wholly inaccurately.

Not only does Rev. Wright not have a good ear for accents, he does not have a good ear for how his outrageous, self-aggrandizing remarks are received by the larger whole of American people.

[stillcool]

22. I'm not understanding....

from the link you provided to explain your 'outrage', what it is that has you spitting nails. Could you explain what it is the Reverend said, that you find so offensive? I'm sure you watched Bill Moyers, and the speech at the Press Club, with the Q&A that followed, but you seem to be basing your hatred on something Larry Johnson said about an accent?

[flyarm]

28. who ARE YOU OBAMAITES?? REALLY WHO ARE YOU? HATE??????

where did i say i hate anyone? how dare you infer..to my pointing out truth ...that it is hate? it is Wright and Obama who spew hate..i hate no one..and for you to infer "my Hate" over a reply to a post at Du as hate, is simply ignorant. and deliberate twisting ..to pacify your own mind or perhaps your own hate.

I pointed out disrespect and nastiness by this so called preacher.

I pointed out what he said..whivch was pure unadulterated nastiness.

I point out that the only people this man used in his speech can not defend themselves and all are respected democrats..when they were alive and now in their death.

the only hate i see is coming from you obama supporters and from Obama and his flock of preacher folks.

and now..just today and now..Obama says Wright carcatured himself..bullshit.. who he caractured are those many of us lifelong democrats have loved and held dear to our hearts and our values...they are who we see ourselves as , Democrats and what and who we aspire to be.

This was Obama's mentor..his "great uncle" as he has told us..changing historical words won't work now.



The hate there is on the part of Obama and his closest supporters and mentors.

There is no defending the indefensible.

fly

[stillcool]

29. Defending the truth...

you mean.

[babylonsister]

32. Bitter much, fly? You sound angry. Why is that, considering

you've told me you support neither candidate. But the anger! Tsk tsk. You rant about how horrid Obama and his supporters are but have nothing to back it up except your twisted view on what's going down.

I don't even know how to logically relate to you anymore, so I won't even try.

[flyarm]

36. I support neither but i sure as hell am angry when Obama's "uncle " smears JFK..

a dead man! and mimics him in the most disgusting way but says not a damn thing about the idiot in this white house..and only smears and jears Democrats..who are these idiots Babyalon? who are these people with ties to rove and this white house Rezko and then Wright who tears into some of the best Democrats we have had in my lifetime..

so who are these creeps Obama has tied to his hip???????? and then calls himself a democrat???????

Rezko who was trying his damnest to get Fitzgerald kicked off his case..that is fucking with the DOJ..and you tolerate Obama being good friends with these thugs? well that doesn't say much about you as a democrat now does it if you tolerate this from your messiah!!! and it doesn't say much about anyone supporting this Obama who has ties to all these pigs!

You can make him Mother Terressa..but it won't work with real democrats!

fly

[spooky3]

48. and he was wrong in the point he was trying to illustrate, in making fun of Kennedy.

In fact, many comedians, etc., mocked his Boston accent - and Ted's.

Obviously, there are racist criticisms of some blacks' speech. But to claim that no one ever made fun of the patrician Kennedys' speech as a contrast - ridiculous.

[Armstead]

12. I like him too -- I just wish he'd shut the fuck up right now

I want to see Obama get the nomination and get elected.

Wright is not being helpful.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

21. I have to say, I think the time has come and gone.

Wright's speech to the NAACP exposed a side of "black thinking" that will frighten most of white America.

I loved every word and agreed with it all, but I think that Obama's connection to Wright will ultimately lose him the nomination.

[ecstatic]

30. bingo. nt

[harun]

16. I think he is awesome, very educated, insightful and entertaining (n/t)

[ClayZ]

42. That is what I think, too!

K and R

[mopinko]

17. i like him, too. if this is the worst they can throw at him

hello president obama.

[BigDDem]

18. He's the best!!! I hope he keeps it up!

Spread the word brotha!

[Egnever]

24. Me three.

[DemVet]

25. You like him? Seek immediate help!

[Stinky The Clown]

49. What's that supposed to mean?

Seriously.

Why do I need help?

[CreekDog]

27. actually, i can't stand Wright and I support Obama

that said, I also think Wright has many things correct.

what I dislike is the broad brush approach he uses that name calls and judges things.

you may not like Zionism, but that term is widely misunderstood and what you dislike about it should be explained in some detail --yes, it's important enough to explain what it is you dislike about it.

the 9/11 thing is true in some ways but incredibly insensitive to those lost loved ones, loved ones who didn't take part in the overthrow of the Iranian president in the 50's, loved ones that didn't establish Israel, etc. etc.

the problem with the style of argument is that it accuses without teaching. one thing I like about Obama is how different his approach is --he does try to explain why he stands where he does, he has tried to teach people to view our system from an objective standpoint and eschew the conventional ways of judging candidates and participating.

that said, i'm sure Wright does a lot of teaching, but the screeds against Zionism for example, and constant references to us being terrorists really begs the question for a lot of people without a hell of a lot of explanation. that's why those statements aren't helpful.

but i absolutely can understand and appreciate that Obama feels a debt of gratitude to Wright for teaching him about Jesus Christ and helping him become a Christian. i'm grateful to my own pastors for that and yet they are quite conservative and i disagree with all but one of them on most politcal issues, yet my debt to them and their correctness on theology has kept me in their churches.

one final thought, Wright was replaced by someone with a different style. if Wright's style was just what they needed now, i think they would have selected a pastor with the same style --but they didn't. i'm sure members and Trinity UCC see Wright's imperfections too.

Church membership often means disagreeing with the Pastor but sticking it out for the sake of that church community because of what you owe to the community and because of what you want to contribute to it apart from what pastor you have.

[2rth2pwr]

31. How many times are you going to sell out your credibilty for a candidate

who has none?

[Stinky The Clown]

33. Who's "my candidate"?

[2rth2pwr]

34. Wright?

[McCamy Taylor]

35. He is great!

[Auntie Bush]

40. How come Obama no longer thinks so? Could he be pandering

just like they accuse Hillary of doing? He's a political animal...just like everyone else in politics...only his supporters didn't know it. Too much sand up their noses and in their ears and eyes to see anything wrong with Obama.

[goodgd_yall]

37. Too much ego

is what I sense. I think he loves the limelight a little too much.

[Stinky The Clown]

38. Maybe so ..... or maybe he just wants the opportunity to state his beliefs to a larger audience

[mtnsnake]

39. Yup, I've become a fan of Reverend Wright, too

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5716195

[frogmarch]

41. I think Wright's a wacko

I am glad Obama denounced the crazy old coot.

[Honeycombe8]

43. Ditto. His statements are rantings that are negative in character, hate-filled, not reality based.

A real wacko.

I will have to change the channel every time I see him appear on TV in the future. He's hard to take...his ego fills up the entire screen.

[Stinky The Clown]

45. Is that based on sound bites or have you actually listened to the guy for more than 30 seconds?

[mtnsnake]

46. I wish everyone could listen to his speech from yesterday morning in its entirety

It was a classic and he ROCKED.

[Honeycombe8]

50. Political junkie here. Heard him plenty....PLENTY. But even if I'd only

heard soundbites....there is no context that makes "God Damn America" appropriate, except in the context I just used....quoting someone else or as an example of something abhorrent to say.

[JuniperLea]

52. Then you didn't hear the whole thing and you are judging

only by the sound bite.

I wanted to hate him for this statement, but after hearing about 20 minutes of that sermon, as opposed to the one minute sound bite, I couldn't find one damn thing to hate... in the sermon or in the man.

[JuniperLea]

51. Me too

I've said much the same thing here many times. I actually like Wright more than I like Obama... no joke.