The Rev. Jeremiah Wright's former church sharply criticized the media Sunday for recent coverage of his past controversial sermons, saying in a statement that Wright's "character is being assassinated in the public sphere."Very weird, since the big media has up til now all but ignored most of the spittle-flecked rantings of the man they've portrayed as a mentor who led the candidate to Jesus. Or rather, black Jesus.
Getting defensive is OK--after all Mike Huckabee lived it up til the end, accusing fellow conservatives and secular media figures of holding him to a different standard due to his background as a pastor. And Mitt Romney had so much defensiveness he devoted an entire speech to defending his religion. But is there more in play?
On Friday Obama was wounded like a heavyweight. On Saturday he came out speaking about the forces of division raising their ugly heads, which seemed like a veiled insinuation against someone for dividing something by pointing out the political leanings of the people he admires. Now his church seems to be saying that exposing those sermons amounts to character assassination, as if taking the Lord's name in vein to describe a country that allowed Michelle Obama to become a lawyer or laying the Ward Churchill analogy on 9/11 amounts to pleasant Sunday puffery. But wait, since Obama himself strongly disavowed the sermons does that mean he's part of the assassination team? Confusing.
It's possible we're seeing a sort of pre-emptive strike against the weak and trembly media, 'til now afraid to tiptoe very far into the valley of the shadow of death but who might now entertain the idea of further investigation into whether Obama's cognitive abilities sporadically zoned out during the last 20 years, especially after seeing the overnight ratings they got from reporting on Wright.
Whatever, in an interest in not losing the moment here's an attempt to recap: Obama is now fighting hard to heal the wounds produced by his own former pastor, whom he never payed much attention to anyway, therefore any further attention to the matter represents the ugly forces of division raising their ugly head(s). Or in the Catholic tradition, say a few "O-bom-A's" and sin no more.
Oh, and if anyone is offended by the above opinion they might be guilty of character assassination.
2 comments:
"Those who are most critical of a Eurocentric view of the world ... are most Eurocentric when it comes to the evils and failings of the human race." ~~Thomas Sowell
If we are racist to point to racist statements, then there can be no final solution to this problem. If Obama is a real leader, and I'm not suggesting anything of the sort, then he will standup to the microphone and tell us the truth. He might as well, because we already know the truth. This is a test, and we're waiting to see if Obama measures up.
As painful as this is, it is long past time for Americans to confront the issue of black racism. Denouncing it, as we should with examples of white racism, is long overdue. I do not believe Obama is honest enough to admit the truth and it is typical that Otis (et alia) will attempt to shift blame to white society. The real question is whether this will make a difference to the Obama campaign.
It should. It should make a difference in anyone's campaign. Otherwise, there are no core American values.
If Obama is a real leader, and I'm not suggesting anything of the sort, then he will standup to the microphone and tell us the truth. He might as well, because we already know the truth. This is a test, and we're waiting to see if Obama measures up.
I share that view. I really think his speech Tues is make or break for his entire political career, perhaps.
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