Rev. Wright, Palin and a narrow definition of Americanism
Those clips of Reverend Wright has never really bothered me. It think it is because I spent my teenage years attending a white church with a preacher who truly believed that his role in this world was to be a jeremiad about the state of America. Even though I share very few beliefs in common with him anymore, I can still admire someone who sincerely, honestly and stridently exhorts his congregation. As such, I understand why Obama continued to attend church that was a bit excessive in its plantifs about America. There is a power in religion and religious services that can have a long emotional grasp even if / when you don't totally agree with the words (or anger) of the guy at the pulpit. Sitting there does not mean total assent to all the words coming out of the preachers mouth.
More than the guilt by association issue, I have a problem in how the Republicans have tried to marginalize these expressions of anger in Black churches. Black Christianity from its modest forms to its flashier mega-churches are products of the American culture and history. These expressions are American exclamations of who we are in this country, even when it excessively condemns the evils that have been perpetuated by commission or omission in this nation. Election year political correctness has created an extremely narrow and vanilla definition of patriotism which ignore the diversity and dissent that is part of our American democracy.
More than the guilt by association issue, I have a problem in how the Republicans have tried to marginalize these expressions of anger in Black churches. Black Christianity from its modest forms to its flashier mega-churches are products of the American culture and history. These expressions are American exclamations of who we are in this country, even when it excessively condemns the evils that have been perpetuated by commission or omission in this nation. Election year political correctness has created an extremely narrow and vanilla definition of patriotism which ignore the diversity and dissent that is part of our American democracy.
I know Democrats are the kings of PC, but I think Palin's insinuations of Obama as non-American are a much more insidious (and insulting) form of election year Americanism. Theoretically, she and McCain have significant, substantive policy stances but instead of fighting about policy differences, explaining why the hell we should believe they are "better" Republicans. Instead they have resorted to just hinting that Obama isn't like us -- banking on the meme gaining traction because of his skin color (I had a similar problem with Hillary's arguments that "hard working white Americans" would vote only for her).
In the end, it seems that the "Obama as Foreign Anti-American scary radical" argument has not been very successful so far. For one thing, a crapload of American folks in the Democratic party thought he was plenty American enough to nominate. Furthermore, no one has been able to explain why I should care that his vision of America doesn't perfectly align with the vision of white non-[recent] immigrants -- especially since I get the feeling that McCain's "lemme ask my staff how many houses I got" view of America is almost certainly just as out of touch.
In the end, it seems that the "Obama as Foreign Anti-American scary radical" argument has not been very successful so far. For one thing, a crapload of American folks in the Democratic party thought he was plenty American enough to nominate. Furthermore, no one has been able to explain why I should care that his vision of America doesn't perfectly align with the vision of white non-[recent] immigrants -- especially since I get the feeling that McCain's "lemme ask my staff how many houses I got" view of America is almost certainly just as out of touch.
