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Reverend Wright Strikes Again
Maybe this is old news that I haven't seen, but I just saw on CNN a discussion between Mort Zuckeman (Publisher of NY Daily News and US News and World Report) and someone else, about the discovery of some of Wright's old sermons printed in the church newsletter that were described as anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim, anti-Italian, anti etc. etc. Should I assume that Obama's great speech of last week covers these as well and continues the entire subject as off limits?
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Comments (15)
Or maybe you should try thinking for yourself instead of swallowing how other people are describing Wright. Listen to Wright's sermons in their entirety if you're so determined to criticize them. Don't argue from ignorance—it's rarely a winning strategy.
What's really funny is that whole "anti-Muslim" thing since he's also been attacked for being "pro-Muslim" (see also: Farrakhan).
March 27, 2008 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, if the word 'Muslim' is at all involved it's simply got to be derogatory, right?
March 27, 2008 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
No the Wright problem is going to continue.
The problem I see right now is how the Wright issue just keeps proliferating. Which says to me that this is not an anti-American nor a racism issue.
Rather today it becomes very clear with the pushing of Wrights Pastor sermon pamphlets on msnbc that the issue is really about Israel. They are even pushing Wright as 'anti-Italian' based on his comments that are unsupportive of the ROMANS. The pamphlets also include remarks from a man who is a member of Hamas.
What I do not understand however is why any Americans beleive America's foreign policy should be held captive to the politics of Israel.
Supporting Israel as an ally is one thing but when it comes to Israel foreign policy being a criteria for selecting the US President based on what his pastor's political views are that is ludicrous.
Wright obviously sees the Palestinian side of the issue much moreso than those who are pushing pro-Israel policies, such as the neocons have for the past 8 years.
So the Rev Wright comments are still in the news.
Whatever Wrights political views are does not mean they are Obama's views.
Obama has not at anytime voiced political views consistent with Wrights and I believe it is wrong to smear him by association even if he was a member of the church for over 20 years.
Being a member of a church based on spiritual faith does not mean you thereby agree with the pastors political views. It is evident to me that the numerous community outreach programming of Trinity is a lot bigger than the ministers political views. It is understandable to me that Obama would be there based on how the church helped and ministered to the poor, unemployed and those in need of food and shelter.
Anyone who takes time to listen to Wrights sermons on Youtube also knows that the minister railed against social injustice and economic inequality. Those were the core messages whether he was talking about America's domestic or foreign policy. None of which makes him a radical kook.
It is becoming clearer and clearer now why the Clintons are hooking up with the rightwing neocon faction...AIPAC owns Hillary.
Are we going to allow AIPAC to determine who our next President is.
Hopefully it should be apparenat based on Walt and Mearshem that it is because our foreign policy is seriously unbalanced with regard to Israel that we as Americans are bearing the reperecussions as backlash from the Middle East.
Why is Hamas an enemy terrorist organization to the US of A?
It's because of their views on Israel, right?
March 27, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whatever Wrights political views are does not mean they are Obama's views.
As Hillary put it so succinctly and without equivocation: "I know Obama. He does not share those views."
Ooops, sorry, that was McCain who said that. I get those two confused all the time.
Hillary's the one who keeps trying to inflame the issue again because the polls are showing that it's not hurting Obama enough to help her get the super-dels to overrule the caucus and primary voters.
March 27, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
The way Zuckerman was yammering on about this it is the Jewish community that is having problems with Wrights views about Israel, Muslims and Palestinians.
Hillary is nothing but a surrogate for AIPAC.
March 27, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I read a great diary at DailyKos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/27/135828/334/641/485479
In essence, Obama needs to say he's not threatened to listen to people who don't agree with him. Read the whole diary. It's good.
And look at OBAMA's words, not every utterance of his pastor. What Obama believes is in what he has said.
If anyone thinks this didn't come from the Clinton campaign, I have a bridge to sell you: aimed right at the Italians in Philly.
March 27, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks 57 for that link. I agree with the dairy author. I would likely have more concern if he had been raised in the church. Given that he wasn't and he has denounced the political views of Wright. I am not concerned about Wright being his pastor nor his having been a member there for 20 years.
The core messages in Wrights sermon tend to center around social injustice and economic inequality whether he is discussing American domestic or foreign policy so I really don't see how any rational person could disagree with a lot of what he says. Even if they did Wright has the right to dissent and it is the highest form of patriotism to dissent in a democracy.
Thanks again for the great link.
March 27, 2008 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Geesh! Did you see the actual report on that Fox Greta show? Nobody had a copy of the thing they were claiming to "report" on. None of the people reporting had seen a copy. The guest reporter who was specializing on it hadn't seen a copy. They based that whole story on word of mouth by somebody who wasn't even a reporter, i.e. Hey, my name is Wolfson and you wouldn't believe what I saw. OMG, it's so awful!!! and it's all Obama's fault!
March 27, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
karela,
I did not see Greta's show, so it is really unclear based on your Post what you are attempting to communicate.
March 27, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
What, on Fox? Where "Some people say..." passes for sourcing? Shocking.
March 27, 2008 4:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK Karela,
Cris Matthews just played snippets of the Greta and Hill fest.
It is incredible how Hill said whatever with no challenge from Greta whatsoever.
I want to know why these interviewers are unaware that the MI State Legislature struck down the proposal to have the Sec of State provide lists of the voters who voted in the GOP nomination, and that those voters were to be disenfranchised under Hill's plan.
She keeps touting that she wants voters votes to count while at the same time her plan disenfranchises significant numbers of voters.
What hog wash. Obama did not oppose the plan. Obama saw that their was nothing but a slew of legal problems that would arise and he asked to have them worked out before moving forward.
He repeatedly has said he will follow what the DNC rules as he has done all along unlike Hillary who is now threatening a convention floor credentials committee power play.
I am sick of this whinning loser. She broke the rules and just keeps kvetching and keeping up ruckus.
That interview was horrendous.
March 27, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
It makes one wonder just who in the DNC continues to push this issue. Perhaps it's one of the Pelosi Letter Cabal? Haim Saban, the billionaire DNC donor who claims "I'm a one issue guy and my issue is Israel"? Perhaps Saban is concerned about anyone with a connection to a minister who takes a pro-Palestinian stance?
From Wikipedia:
"Haim Saban (Hebrew: חיים סבן; born 15 October 1944 in Alexandria, Egypt) is a television and media proprietor. With an estimated current net worth of around $3.4 billion, he is ranked by Forbes as the 102nd richest person in America.
Saban summarized his politics in a 2004 New York Times interview with the statement, "I'm a one-issue guy and my issue is Israel."
Saban has donated to the US Democratic Party and the Israeli Labor Party, he has also donated to Republicans including George W. Bush, and has business affiliations with Rupert Murdoch. In the 2001-2002 election cycle, his Saban Capital group donated over $10 million to the Democratic National Committee[3], the largest donation from a single source up to that time."
March 27, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I haven't seen anything about this on CNN, just quick mentions of Wright. Everybody knows that Wright has said some crazy things. Barack doesn't agree but he won't abandon him. He likes to agree to disagree. And that's good!
March 27, 2008 6:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess that makes me not part of 'Everybody', because I don't "know that Wright has said some crazy things".
Maybe he has, maybe he hasn't but of the COMPLETE sermons I've seen, I've not seen anything 'crazy'. The HIV conspiracy thing comes closest, but I'd call that 'not supported by known evidence', not 'crazy'.
As for this latest stuff, at this point, who knows what he said for real, in its entirety.
March 27, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
People:
Concerning Wright, Obama -
When anyone becomes a national figure, or has pretensions of becoming one, it is just and proper
that any and all actions and remarks, published or spoken, of that person and/or any associates they
have, be deeply scrutinized and questioned.
One or two items categorized as inflammatory "soundbites" of Reverend Wright, are certainly
enough evidence to call into question Obama's
philosophy, given the circumstances.
Rarely has any statement ever been made that is more truthful than this:
Your past is prologue.
March 28, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
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