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A good friend emailed the following article to me this morning as part of an email broadcast to her friends,originally posted by Cenk Uygur in the Huffington Post on March 19,2008.The above photo is my own addition to this subject matter as a means of provoking thought and was not at all a part of the blog featured below.
While I should have weighed in on this subject much sooner,I think now is as good a time as any to express disdain for the manner in which the Rev. Wright controversy has been handled over the last few months by not only the media, but the pundits, the candidates and political strategists as well.
I believe that both Senator Obama and Dr. Jeremiah Wright were done a disservice by being backed into corners and run over by "trains of thought" fixed and headed down the tracks to an unavoidable end.An end in many ways choreographed by petty bigotries,ignorance and racial fears, and subtle,if not blatant psychological manipulation. Yes. I believe some used the incident as a convenient weapon against Obama to withdraw or encourage others to withdraw their support.Put another way,most who were left reeling and alarmed by Rev.Jeremiah Wright's remarks(sound byte) and the fact that Senator Obama could have been a member of such a pastor's flock,were predisposed to reach that opinion anyway,but perhaps for different reasons.The Rev.Wright incident was a stroke of luck,used tactically--potentially strategically-- as a convenient excuse and as a a blueprint for misguided character assassination. On the other hand,I am not so sure denunciation and distancing from a pastor of over twenty(20) years, undoubtedly a source of inspiration and guidance for a phenomenal career, was the most effective route to take on the matter.
Uygur's article echoes some of my thoughts and sentiments on the matter.Stay tuned for more from me on this issue as part of an upcoming blog and related podcast in the near future.
Here's Cenk's take on the matter:
Different Standards for Black and White Preachers
Posted March 19, 2008 | 11:50 AM (EST)
Read More: 2008 Election, 2008 Election And Religion, Barack Obama, Barack Obama Race Speech, Black Preachers, Catholic Church, Jeremiah Wright, Jerry Falwell, John Hagee, John McCain, Media Coverage Of Religion, Mitt Romney, Obama Race Speech, Obama's Race Speech, Rod Parsley, Rudy Giuliani, White Preachers, Breaking Politics News
and covering up the molestation of others. Giuliani would not disavow him on the campaign trail and still works with him.
Mitt Romney was part of a church that did not view black Americans as equals and actively discriminated against them. He stayed with that church all the way into his early thirties, until they were finally forced to change their policies to come into compliance with civil rights legislation. Romney never disavowed his church back then or now. He said he was proud of the faith of his fathers.
Jerry Falwell said America had 9/11 coming because we tolerated gays, feminists and liberals. It was our fault. Our chickens had come home to roost, if you will. John McCain proudly received his support and even spoke at his university's commencement.
Reverend John Hagee has called the Catholic Church the "Great Whore." He has said that the Anti-Christ will rise out of the European Union (of course, the Anti-Christ will also be Jewish). He has said all Muslims are trained to kill and will be part of the devil's army when Armageddon comes (which he hopes is soon). John McCain continues to say he is proud of Reverend Hagee's endorsement.
Reverend Rod Parsley believes America was founded to destroy Islam. Since this is such an outlandish claim, I have to add for the record, that he is not kidding. Reverend Parsley says Islam is an "anti-Christ religion" brought down from a "demon spirit." Of course, we are in a war against all Muslims, including presumably Muslim-Americans. Buts since Parsley believes this is a Christian nation and that it should be run as a theocracy, he is not very concerned what Muslim-Americans think.
John McCain says Reverend Rod Parsley is his "spiritual guide."
What separates all of these outrageous preachers from Barack Obama's? You guessed it. They're white and Reverend Jeremiah Wright is not. If it's not racism that's causing the disparity in media treatment of these preachers, then what is it?
I'm willing to listen to other possible explanations. And I am inclined to believe that the people these preachers go after are more important than the race of the preacher. It's one thing to go after gays, liberals and Muslims -- that seems to be perfectly acceptable in America -- it's another to accuse white folks of not living up to their ideals.
I think there is another factor at play as well. The media is deathly afraid of calling out preachers of any stripe for insane propaganda from the pulpits for fear that they will be labeled as anti-Christian. But criticism of Rev. Wright falls into their comfort zone. It's easy to blame him for being anti-American because he criticizes American foreign and domestic policy.
If Rev. Wright had preached about discriminating against gay Americans or Muslims, there probably would not have been any outcry at all. That falls into the category of "respect their hateful opinions because they cloak themselves in the church."
But one thing is indisputable -- the enormous disparity in how the media has covered these white preachers as opposed to Rev. Wright. Have you ever even heard of Rod Parsley? As you can see from what I listed above, all of these white preachers have said and done the most outlandish and offensive things you can imagine -- and hardly a peep.
If the disparity in coverage isn't racist, then what is it?
_______________________________________________
I wonder if the same problem with disparity and honesty in coverage will continue to be an issue as the media covers Obama's predicted victory as the first African American in the history of this country to win the Democratic presidential nomination.
Mitt Romney was part of a church that did not view black Americans as equals and actively discriminated against them. He stayed with that church all the way into his early thirties, until they were finally forced to change their policies to come into compliance with civil rights legislation. Romney never disavowed his church back then or now. He said he was proud of the faith of his fathers.
Jerry Falwell said America had 9/11 coming because we tolerated gays, feminists and liberals. It was our fault. Our chickens had come home to roost, if you will. John McCain proudly received his support and even spoke at his university's commencement.
Reverend Rod Parsley believes America was founded to destroy Islam. Since this is such an outlandish claim, I have to add for the record, that he is not kidding. Reverend Parsley says Islam is an "anti-Christ religion" brought down from a "demon spirit." Of course, we are in a war against all Muslims, including presumably Muslim-Americans. Buts since Parsley believes this is a Christian nation and that it should be run as a theocracy, he is not very concerned what Muslim-Americans think.
John McCain says Reverend Rod Parsley is his "spiritual guide."
What separates all of these outrageous preachers from Barack Obama's? You guessed it. They're white and Reverend Jeremiah Wright is not. If it's not racism that's causing the disparity in media treatment of these preachers, then what is it?
I'm willing to listen to other possible explanations. And I am inclined to believe that the people these preachers go after are more important than the race of the preacher. It's one thing to go after gays, liberals and Muslims -- that seems to be perfectly acceptable in America -- it's another to accuse white folks of not living up to their ideals.
I think there is another factor at play as well. The media is deathly afraid of calling out preachers of any stripe for insane propaganda from the pulpits for fear that they will be labeled as anti-Christian. But criticism of Rev. Wright falls into their comfort zone. It's easy to blame him for being anti-American because he criticizes American foreign and domestic policy.
If Rev. Wright had preached about discriminating against gay Americans or Muslims, there probably would not have been any outcry at all. That falls into the category of "respect their hateful opinions because they cloak themselves in the church."
But one thing is indisputable -- the enormous disparity in how the media has covered these white preachers as opposed to Rev. Wright. Have you ever even heard of Rod Parsley? As you can see from what I listed above, all of these white preachers have said and done the most outlandish and offensive things you can imagine -- and hardly a peep.
If the disparity in coverage isn't racist, then what is it?
_______________________________________________
I wonder if the same problem with disparity and honesty in coverage will continue to be an issue as the media covers Obama's predicted victory as the first African American in the history of this country to win the Democratic presidential nomination.
