The American Saga of Senator Barack Obama & the Reverend Jeremiah Wright (4)

by RLee Cook

“...The press has scoured every exit poll for the latest evidence of racial polarization, not just in terms of white and black, but black and brown as well.” “And yet, it has only been in the last couple of weeks that the discussion of race in this campaign has taken a particularly divisive turn.”

“...we’ve heard my former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, use incendiary language to express views that have the potential not only to widen the racial divide, but views that denigrate both the greatness and the goodness of our nation; that rightly offend white and black alike.”

“I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely – just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.”

“...the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren’t simply controversial....” Senator Obama emphasized, “instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country – a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America...”

“... Reverend Wright’s comments were not only wrong but divisive, divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems – two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all.”

“Given my background, my politics, and my professed values and ideals, there will no doubt be those for whom my statements of condemnation are not enough. Why associate myself with Reverend Wright in the first place, they may ask? Why not join another church? And...if all that I knew of Reverend Wright were the snippets of those sermons that have run on television and You Tube..., there is no doubt that I would react in much the same way” “But the truth is, that isn’t all that I know of the man.” he firmly declared.

"...Reverend Wright. As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect...”

“I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother – a woman who helped raise me,... a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman ...who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.”

“These people are a part of me. And they are a part of America, this country that I love.”

“...I suppose the politically safe thing would be to move on from this episode and just hope that it fades into the woodwork...”

“But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made...to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality.”

“The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we’ve never really worked through – a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.”, as we have been doing for the last several decades he soberly reminded us.