Obama's ex-pastor delivers spirited speech to NAACP

Obama's ex-pastor delivers spirited speech to NAACP

www.cnn.com

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor told an audience of thousands at an NAACP dinner Sunday that he was "descriptive" but "not divisive."
art.wright.ap.jpg

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. speaks at an event held by the Detroit chapter of the NAACP.

"I describe the conditions in this country," the Rev. Jeremiah Wright said during his lively keynote address at the 53rd NAACP's Freedom Fund dinner in Detroit, Michigan.

"Conditions divide, not my descriptions" ...

(visit the link for the full news article)

I was not fully buying into the constant media propaganda about this man being bad, and this speech confirms those feelings. I found his speech to be of high caliber (not MLK-high, but it was getting close). Even worse was how the stupid media kept scrambling to find negatives throughout the entire thing. How did they? By completely ignoring the speech altogether and asking how this would hurt or help Obama's campaign.

www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Nobody cares? Or is this in the wrong forum entirely?

reply to post by SonicInfinity



Well, I'm glad you posted this, even though my impressions of the speech are entirely opposite of yours.

Let's look at the reason he delivered the speech. He did it so that he could show the world that he was actually capable of delivering a speech that didn't contain racist or anti-semitic statements. That's all. Aw hell, he ain't so bad! He wuz just misunderstood, is all! That damn media, you know!

The comments by the person that addressed the crowd immediately after Wright finished prove that out.

I'd wager that his remarks after the speech were chock full of the same old racism that we've grown to know and hate from the Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

Wright of course was unable to keep color out of his speech completely:

Last night at the 53rd Annual Fight For Freedom Fund Dinner in Detroit, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright described to his audience of 10,000 that the very structure of the brains of Africans differ from that of European-descent brains:

“Africans have a different meter, and Africans have a different tonality,” he said. Europeans have seven tones, Africans have five. White people clap differently than black people. “Africans and African-Americans are right-brained, subject-oriented in their learning style,” he said. “They have a different way of learning.” And so on.

American Digest has the video.
Oddly enough... This is the same argument used by the KKK in promoting their campaign of hatred.

gatewaypundit.blogspot.com...

reply to post by SonicInfinity
I don't think one damage control speech will reverse all the negativity the good reverend has expounded over the years. He speaks of unity now, but preached an entirely different message from his former pulpit.

I know, everyone's taking his words out of context. Maybe he needs to take an effective speaking course if what he says must be continually filtered and tranlated for the true meaning to be heard.

reply to post by jsobecky


Would it be wrong though to assume that blacks and whites really do learn and think differently? I think more along the lines of celebrating differences.

Unless he was intending that one way of thinking is better then the other?

Here is a link from Reverend Wright's remarks today to a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington DC:


www.c-span.org...


And here is a link to a one-hour discussion between the PBS interviewer Bill Moyers and Reverend Wright. BTW, it includes both pieces of footage that many US conservative commentators have taken exception to, but it includes more of the footage leading up to each of the quoted remarks (puts them into context), plus Bill Moyers's and Wrights comments before and after each of these clips give additional insight. Here's that link:


www.pbs.org...


Note: On the Moyers website, there is now also one or more posted discussions about the Wright appearance. Further, there is also a printed transcript of the Wright interview on that website.

I haven't seen much of the C-Span show yet, but I did watch the Moyers interview. It certainly puts Reverend Wright's position in a clearer light.

[edit on 4/28/2008 by Uphill]

A related thread:

www.abovetopsecret.com...'

I'm glad you posted this thread and So Far its a great thread with balanced and thoughtful discussion from both sides of the opinion fence (lets see how long this last before the trolls take over).

I saw Rev. Wright on Bill Moyers Friday night and I also saw him on CNN during the national press thingy. I can say when I first saw the sound bites broadcasted on t.v. it took me back and I was like why would this pastor be saying such things like God **** America. So after watching the Bill Moyer interview and him showing the sermon in context talking about how God does not bless all acts, it makes sense why he chose those words for that sermon. He was showing that God both blesses and curses like in Deuterotomy (spelling...). If your acts are wicked then God will damn you, people its in the bible. Example when god sent the plagues to Eygpt because Pharoah would not let the Hebrews out of bondage.

Now do I want God to damn America, no, but I do believe you reap what you sow. Or like some like to call it Karma. No one likes to see bad things happen but we all have to admit America does not stand in the world with a clean spotless record. On no my friends there is blood on the hands of this great nation, that of the Native Americans, the African slaves, the decendants of the slaves who then had to live through Jim Crow (these people are still Alive), the blood of the Japanesse put in camps, and the countless other things done abroad in the name of the USA.

The one thing I find interesting is that the media still wants to make this a race issue. This is social issue, and so much positive could come from it being in the spot light if only the media would take a more responsible approach at dealing with the information they are given.

The speech from this morning

[edit on 28-4-2008 by whoreallyknows]

Good discussions so far. Infowars has put in their perspective: www.infowars.com...

I agree, the media just doesn't want to seem to stop making it a racist thing.

Originally posted by gaeliclad
reply to post by jsobecky

 

Would it be wrong though to assume that blacks and whites really do learn and think differently? I think more along the lines of celebrating differences.

Unless he was intending that one way of thinking is better then the other?

Just imagine if any white person said that remark (never mind all the other remarks). He would be labeled a racist no matter what. Once Jimmy the Greek (sports announcer) said that blacks bodies were better for running because of their African past and he was listed a racist and fired. The main problem in the world today is we call one race racist for saying something and another race can say the same things and be applauded. What's up with that?

Mods, please add your comments on this thread:

After viewing the Bill Moyers interview with Reverend Wright (which includes both "sound-bited" video clips (in their complete and - ahem - unedited form) that made the rounds of "mainstream" news websites and political discussion websites, and also viewing today's press conference with Rev. Wright at the National Press Club in Washington DC, I suggest that our discussion not only focus on the role of "racism" in Wright's discussions, but also the role of "white privilege" in discussions of Wright's remarks.

reply to post by whoreallyknows

Originally posted by whoreallyknows
I saw Rev. Wright on Bill Moyers Friday night and I also saw him on CNN during the national press thingy. I can say when I first saw the sound bites broadcasted on t.v. it took me back and I was like why would this pastor be saying such things like God **** America. So after watching the Bill Moyer interview and him showing the sermon in context talking about how God does not bless all acts, it makes sense why he chose those words for that sermon. He was showing that God both blesses and curses like in Deuterotomy (spelling...).

When someone says "God bless America", it is meant as a wish. Not as a statement of fact that indeed, sometimes God does bless America.

And when someone says "God damn America", it is the same thing. Not an observation of something that happens occasionally, but as a wish that it will happen.

Originally posted by whoreallyknows
Now do I want God to damn America, no, but I do believe you reap what you sow. Or like some like to call it Karma. No one likes to see bad things happen but we all have to admit America does not stand in the world with a clean spotless record.

Can you name one nation that has a clean spotless record?

Originally posted by whoreallyknows

The one thing I find interesting is that the media still wants to make this a race issue. This is social issue, and so much positive could come from it being in the spot light if only the media would take a more responsible approach at dealing with the information they are given.

Race issues are social issues.

I know you want to defend Rev. Wright, but if you research his words and actions over the years, you will see a pattern of racism emerge. His political statements do not belong in a church.

reply to post by gaeliclad

Originally posted by gaeliclad
reply to post by jsobecky

 

Would it be wrong though to assume that blacks and whites really do learn and think differently? I think more along the lines of celebrating differences.

Unless he was intending that one way of thinking is better then the other?

No, it would not be wrong to think that way. That's the stuff that research papers are made of.

But I think it's safe to assume that Rev. Wright was not celebrating differences. If you look at his history, you will see that he has always been a divisive person with a divisive outlook.

www.politico.com...

Wright said, “He did not denounce me. He distanced himself from some of my remarks...
“He didn't distance himself. He had to distance himself, because he's a politician, from what the media was saying I had said, which was [portrayed as] anti-American. … He did, as I said, what politicians do.*”

*emphasis mine

This really encourages me. Is Wright TRYING to destroy Obama's chances in the campaign, or is he obtuse enough to think noone will notice...
This will become a Republican ad in the General Election, to be sure...

reply to post by jsobecky


Hi Jsobecky,

Great response, but I have to say that I am not trying to 'defend' Wrights comments. However, you are correct there are no countries with spotless records. This does not make America any less guilty. Let me use an example if you neighbor phyiscally abuses his wife, it doesn't make it okay or any less wrong for you or anyone else to then go and abuse their wife just for the simple fact that others did it first or since. And it isn't a reason to excuse someone from beating their wife because the person that's pointed out the beating isn't somone you like or completely agree with. (please know I am in no way suggesting you or anyone you know beats their wife I'm just using that as an example of sin, violence, etc.)

I don't agree with everything Rev. Wright says and I certainly have never been to his church, but I and simply discussing what he was saying today and Friday. I am interested in is a real discussion with people about why America never likes to hear about the wrongs its done. Can the USA really be so arrogant and narsasistic as a country to pretend it is blameless historicly.

I think America and the media has done what they usually do in this situation, the are so focused on God **** America, that they aren't listening to anything else being said. Not so much what just Wright has to say but the American people. I wonder what the world would be like if we took three of everybodies worse words ever spoken and tattooed them on the foreheads and forever defined them by those words forever.

Also, you are correct race issues are social issues. And I gave you a star because while I might not agree with your view point, I can always give credit when someone has made there point well.

NOTE: TO THE TROLLS, WHAT ME AND JSOBECKY ARE HAVING IS CALLED A REAL DISCUSSION. PLEASE NOTE WE ARE NOT CALLING EACH OTHER NAMES AND WE ARE NOT TAKING THINGS PERSONAL.







[edit on 28-4-2008 by whoreallyknows]

[edit on 28-4-2008 by whoreallyknows]

reply to post by whoreallyknows



Hi whoreallyknows,

I probably jumped the gun when I suggested you were defending Wright. My apologies.

The media does make things worse by taking one sound bite and running it over and over and over, until they make it stick. I like it where you said:

I wonder what the world would be like if we took three of everybodies worse words ever spoken and tattooed them on the foreheads and forever defined them by those words forever.

None of us would be without sin!

jso

I watched both his speeches last night, and I can't believe this man is for real. If I were black I'd be offended by his behavior. Here's a man with supposedly two Masters degrees and a doctorate:

• talking about playing the dozens
  
• Mocking the moderator behind her back like an adolescent
  
• and doing lame impressions of what I assume are supposed to be pompous white people who have criticized him
  
  He gives all black people a bad name with his antics.
  
  If Barak doesn't have the good sense to denounce this man publicly, he deserves to lose the democratic nomination.

Mr Wright
makes the point that our forefathers saw coming
or where trying to escape..............

Politics
DOES NOT BELONG IN THE PULPIT

as much as
RELIGION DOES NOT NEED TO RUN OUR GOVERNMENT