Wright's National Press Club speech is not to be missed.

[DeadElephant_ORG]

All I can say is that you've got to see it for yourself. I've just watched the whole thing and I am deeply moved. I was not moved in the same way that I was moved by Obama's remarkable, memorable speech on race, and on what his relationship to his church and his pastor teaches us about race in America. That was deeper. But I have to concede that Reverend Wright's views are no less authentic and justified. And having heard his thoughts here, I stand by them. And I stand by his motives in stepping forward now in defense of himself, and of his church, and of the traditions of black liberation theology.

I found striking his point that the all the books of the bible were written by peoples who were suffering under direct oppression. And was particularly moved his observation that the God that the white sailor on the deck of the ship prays to is not the same God that the slaves crammed below deck are praying to.

The controversial elements, from which all the sound bites will be taken, came during a very unusual and rowdy question and answer session, during which he almost danced while listening and responding. That's the last three parts.

I've never seen anything like it:

Rev. Wright at the National Press Club (1 of 3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2H1dMbkYa4
Rev. Wright at the National Press Club (2 of 3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gXnZKUG_ic
Rev. Wright at the National Press Club (3 of 3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aM8VU47pKU
Jeremiah Wright Press Club 1of3 Q&A 28th April http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYr6jwqzEnE
Jeremiah Wright Press Club 2of3 Q&A 28th April http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DlSlQ73o-U
Reverend Jeremiah Wright National Press Club pt.6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWejjxWQWfE

I'd be especially interested to hear the thoughts of those who actually watched the whole thing.

[2rth2pwr]

1. I found it amazing that he was taking some of his frustrations at the questions out

on that poor young woman. All she was doing was reading the questions that were submitted.

[hokies4ever]

2. Yeah, but she was fair game

since it was SHE who actually wrote in the question asking if Obama dozed off in church. I say she got what was coming to her.

[2rth2pwr]

3. Yeah, and especially since she was white.

[hokies4ever]

6. Don't think he was picking on her

because she was white. He was attacking her logic, not her as a person. Can you imagine writing that question asking if Obama dozed off in church without even bothering to listen to the sermons yourself? I'm assuming that she is a journalist since she was given such a big platform at the National Press Conference, so maybe now she'll learn to try to judge people more fairly.

Anyway, do you think she went home and listened to his entire sermons? My money is on her content to live in ignorance.

[2rth2pwr]

7. A man of the church should be above petty recrimination. Especially the Pastor that Obama

has been to for 20 years and was the inspiration for the book "The Audacity of Hope". This whole weekend showed this man to be

concerned only about himself, screw Obama.

[DeadElephant_ORG]

8. if that's true, as a Hillary supporter, what's it to YOU?

As if you care that Obama's pastor is supposedly "only concerned about himself".

[2rth2pwr]

11. It tells me a lot about Obama, for him to spend 20 years in a close relationship with this

man puts a big question mark in my mind as to how committed he is in "bringing people together".

The other big deal is how likely is it that he was unaware of these beliefs that Wright espouses ie., Gov't conspiracy to propagate the AIDS virus

for the purpose of genocide, black brains different than white brains, that Farrakhan is one of the greatest men in the 20th and 21st centuries,

America and Al Queda are the same, the only difference is the flag they fly, etc, etc.

If he was aware and he stayed it's a problem, if he had no clue, that's a problem

[DeadElephant_ORG]

22. OK. But honestly, what it comes down to is that you don't like Wright.

Your list of particulars here is interesting and relevant. But whether or not Wright has an ego really isn't.

[JoFerret]

26. And YOU do like Wright. Correct?

.

[hokies4ever]

9. I think that Wright honestly believes

that the media is attacking what he believes are the traditions and values of the black church for devious political purposes. Have you ever asked yourself why the media never looped Wright's 'The Audacity of Hope' sermon? Think about it. You know that's the first sermon Hannity, Malkin, and their minions dug into trying to find some dirt on Obama. Their heart wasn't softened when they heard that sermon, so that gives you some insight into the type of persons they are.

It's clear to me that Wright has a disdain for U.S. foreign and domestic policy and that he's not exactly a fan of politicians. He does speak some truth though, that all politicians say things to get elected at some point in time. For example, I don't seriously believe that Hillary thinks that Obama supports Hamas when she dropped that line in the ABC debate. She was just saying it to help her get elected.

[2rth2pwr]

13. Wright doesn't represent the black church,

Eugene Robinson-
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/04/wright_throws_obama_under_the.html
Where he overreaches is in claiming, as he did at the Press Club, that the criticism he has suffered "is not an attack on Jeremiah Wright; it is an attack on the black church" -- and in claiming that this episode "just might mean that the reality of the African-American church will no longer be invisible."

The reality of the African-American church, of course, is as diverse as the African-American community. I grew up in the Methodist church with pastors -- often active on the front lines of the civil rights movement -- whose sermons were rarely exciting enough to elicit more than a muttered "Amen." They were excitement itself, however, compared to the dry lectures delivered by the priest at the Catholic church around the corner. And what I heard every Sunday was nothing at all like the Bible-thumping, hellfire-and-damnation perorations that filled my Baptist friends with the Holy Ghost -- and even less like the spellbinding, singsong, jump-and-shout sermonizing that raised the roofs of Pentecostal sanctuaries across town.

Wright claims to represent all these traditions and more, but he does not. He also claims universality for the political aspect of his ministry. It is true that the black church, writ large, has been an instrument of social and political change. But most black churches are far less political than Wright's -- and many concern themselves exclusively with salvation.

I point all this out not to say that one tradition is better than another; as Wright said, different doesn't mean deficient. But what Wright did was try to frame the issue in such a way that to question him or anything he has ever said was to question the long, storied tradition of African-American religion.

Historically and theologically, he was inflating his importance in a pride-goeth-before-the-fall kind of way. Politically, by surfacing now, he was throwing Barack Obama under the bus.

Sadly, it's time for Obama to return the favor.

[murielm99]

15. Thank you hokies, for this post.

I appreciate that you posted an honest point of view without attacking the questioner or Clinton.

I am a Clinton supporter. But I find it hard to understand all the hoopla over Wright. From the beginning, I understood that he is a black minister with a large AA congregation. He preaches a brand of AA theology that is very common. He is not offensive or frightening to me.

Of course Obama would go to his church and find inspiration there. What is the big deal?

[JoFerret]

25. You named it

.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

18. Oh, put a sock in it.

[donheld]

4. I thought it was wonderful

I also thought it was kind of funny. Fox news so desperately wanted Rev Wright to say something about Barack. He never mentioned him.

[hokies4ever]

5. A couple of points

I thought that this opening remarks were wonderful. Did a great job pointing out the good ministries of his church and focused on that 2-day religious symposium as well. Then, it was the media that decided what questions to ask, and he didn't back away from any of them. I think that the media is slightly frustrated that Rev. Wright was still speaking his mind. It was clear that he was attacking them as the 'corporate-owned media' and he was fearless in his attacks. My favorite was his answer on patriotism, where he pointed out that his goddaughter's unit was just sent to Iraq and that he served 6 years in the Marines, instead of using his position of privilege to avoid military service. OUCH! A nice sideswipe on Dick Cheney, which he made sure to sharpen even further rhetorically asking how long did Cheney serve in the military.

I think part of the fear over Rev. Wright is ill-founded. It's essentially based in the belief that blacks are looking forward to getting into a position of power and exacting revenge on the white race. Please point to me the evidence of that and furthermore the evidence that shows that is why Obama is running for President. Just a different type of fear-mongering to scare people. As a black man, I find it quite laughable that the media keeps hinting at this, trying to portray Obama as a closet racist or something.

[K Gardner]

10. This was absolutely FASCINATING and I find myself wishing I could

be there to attend the 2-day seminar on this subject which I obviously know next to nothing about. As I listened, riveted, I thought back about having to teach my children the REAL story about the history of the Native Americans when they were in school; the things they did not learn, the truths that were not in the textbooks and the ugly realities that were glossed over or misrepresented altogether. He was thoroughly impressive and, after watching a few minutes of teevee tonight, I am disgusted that once again the media is dissecting this brilliant speech and this remarkable man into a caricature. It is bordering on criminal, in my mind.

I do wish he had ended after the speech, because it is the Q&A they are distorting.. but he has a right to speak, the absolute right to defend himself and he has a personality obviously not to be squelched!

I turned the morning news shows off two months ago and am saner for it. I turned the afternoon punditocracy off prior to PA and have not regretted it. I skim the topics here infrequently and only read a few posts, for there is no news here any longer.. only insanity and bile that mimic the cable news.

Most of the country has voted. Out here in flyover country, it is spring and real life goes on. The media, and this echo chamber here, is about as far from reality and real people and real problems as anything could possibly get. And as I tread back to my world far away from the madding crowd, I take the words of Reverend Wright with me and I am better for it.. my children and grandchildren will be, as well.

Knowledge is power. Education is illuminating. I would not have missed this for anything.

[2rth2pwr]

14. What distortion of the Q&A are you referring to?

[JoFerret]

24. Sounds like you really enjoyed it

has Obama changed your mind at all?
(btw - I enjoyed it too.)

[Bentcorner]

12. In which clip does he say that the U.S. invented AIDS?

[hokies4ever]

16. Wright's style

seems to be to go through a LONG list of things that support the topic of his sermon and to let people pick and choose which things reached them the most. I think in the U.S./AIDS sermon he was listing a long line of things that governments can do, have done, or have the power to do that aren't righteous. He also spoke about the mistreatment of the Native Americans and women in that long list, but of course nobody cares about that, since it won't get the same ratings and attention.

I think that his NAACP speech was a great example of this. For example, critics might harp on whether or not his right-brain, left-brain learning styles analysis was correct, but you'd be missing the main point of the sermon. If you don't believe he's correct in that, it seems that he wants you to pay attention to the other evidence supporting his sermon's title then, like the clapping on the 1-3 beats vs. 2-4 beats. I think this is what he means when he says that his sermons are taken out of context.

[Bentcorner]

17. I was just wondering where he said the U.S. invented the virus that causes AIDS.

[EFerrari]

20. There was some mention about that in a sermon, iirc, a number

of years ago. When he was asked about it at the press conference he brought up Tuskeegee and the book Medical Apartheid.

[stellanoir]

19. On an npr yesterday

a woman with a Republican father said that she hadn't been able to speak with him in years about politics in years until he heard Pastor Wright over the past several days.

[DeadElephant_ORG]

21. Wright is FEARLESS. He assailed Cheney, a war based on lies, and our chemical weapons sales to Iraq

Where the hell are our Democratic "leaders" on the moral issues that matter?

[Laughing Mirror]

23. He was excellent

Thanks for posting.