Discussing the statements of Rev. Wright and how they might reflect on Obama’s own viewpoints has been a very eye-opening experience. I have read comments that make up the best and worst of what makes up the blogosphere.
There is a commenter on a thread over at Music City Bloggers named Lisa who, to me, has had the most level-headed take on the whole thing (that I have come across). Thank God for her. Here are excerpts of her comments:
As an Obama supporter, I do not think the Wright controversy is put to rest. It will likely dog the rest of Obama’s political career, because Wright’s sermon excerpts are so very incendiary.
But I do think that this controversy is slash-and-burn politics disguised as principled objection to Wright’s statements. Why? Because there is nothing about Obama’s personal life or political actions and words that remotely suggests he shares any of these views with Wright. Quite the opposite: Obama openly opposes this type of stupid, fury-ridden, racially charged propaganda. That is what matters to me.
I am not surprised at Obama’s membership at Trinity United. The church represents a lot more than Wright’s ugly side. When I imagine him as a young man in his twenties, far from his grandparents (his mother and father were gone by the late 90s), striking out on his own, it makes sense that he gravitated toward such an emotionally embracing congregration. Yeah, Wright’s ugly moments are grotesque, but by all accounts, this was not the dominant message of this church or its activities in the community.
Obama may lose this race, but he earned my complete respect yesterday. He didn’t disown Wright, but he quite clearly repudiated Wright’s angry rhetoric. To challenge a mentor, and continue to work to change hearts and minds, rather than to walk away self-righteously, with condemnation on the tongue–that to me is a true sign of leadership.
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I’m neither an apologist nor intellectually dishonest. I deplore Wright’s comments: Forget just offensive, they’re stupid and they feed ignorance, which to me is far worse than just offensive. But Obama shows no sign of being infected by Wright’s anger at the Powers That Be. Moreover, Obama has, in front of African American congregations, spoken out against the homophobia and anti-Semitism that has crept into some elements of African American culture. What matters isn’t what Obama has heard, but what he himself believes, how he himself acts, and the policies he himself supports.
I will still be examining and evaluating for months to come until the day I push that button in the voting booth. I will read what my friends think and what commenters who I don’t even know say, and then make my own decisions.
I believe that in this issue, I am coming to a conclusion that I can live with. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn, evaluate, decide, and move on…
Filed under: Cultural Matters, Current Events, Politics, Spirituality | Tagged: Barack Obama, church, Jeremiah Wright, racism, Rev. Wright, spiritual leader, Wright
Interesting post. For other observations and opinion on Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, politics, election 2008, and the road to the White House, visit http://bolsonon.wordpress.com
I think you should read Obama’s books. While it is clear that he is not like Wright it is also clear that he had to struggle with his racial identity. What is clear from his books is that he had to decide to be authentically black and that is why he joined the kind of Church that he did. Obama is not post racial. Obama often just reflects what his followers want to believe about him but that is not his position in his books. He will have trouble overcoming his relationship with Wright because it reveals a flaw in his judgment–he could not disown a racist preacher because he needed him for his own political career.
Ginger, thank you for such supportive feedback on my comments. It’s nice to meet you.