obama

As easy as it is for those of us who are white to look back and say, "That's a terrible statement," I grew up in a very segregated South, and I think that you have to cut some slack. And I'm going to be probably the only conservative in America who's going to say something like this, but I'm just telling you: We've got to cut some slack to people who grew up being called names, being told, "You have to sit in the balcony when you go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And you can't sit out there with everyone else. There's a separate waiting room in the doctor's office. Here's where you sit on the bus." And you know what? Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had ... more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.

- Mike Huckabee, offering his perspective on the preaching of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. (Source: MSNBC)

I greatly appreciate what the Reverend Governor Huckabee has to say about the recent furor over Senator Obama and, more specifically, what his former pastor Reverend Wright has said in the past. Too often the sling and arrows have come from those who most probably should hold their tongues because they cannot possibly understand the context from which Rev. Wright speaks.

Sermon: Easter Sunday Year A 2008
The Community Church of Wilmette
March 23, 2008

Ps. 118:1-2, 14-24
Acts 10:34-43
Mt. 28:1-10

Indeed, No Partiality

The theological is in the news once again. If we are going to have to see it in the news, I want you all to know a little something about what theology is behind all of the hubub. Today is Easter Sunday. Today we make the most profound theological statement available to us as Christians.

Alleluia! The Lord is Risen!
The Lord is Risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Once again the theological is in the news.
Jeremiah Wright, the now retired pastor of Trinity UCC in Chicago, preached a sermon following the horrific attacks on September 11, 2001 that has come back to haunt him and the presidential candidate he loves so well, Senator Obama.

Have you all heard this news?
Do you know the words from the sermon?
Take a listen.

“The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no. God damn America – that's in the Bible – for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”

This week, Barack Obama has come under fire because of belief by association. Sermons by his long-time pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, have come to light that include vitriolic statements that attack the American status quo. There are two issues to consider, the beliefs and the association.

If we allow the mainstream media's appetite for controversy to set the agenda for political discussion we will continue to find the suggestion that each candidate is responsible for all the beliefs of each person making an endorsement. It is not fair to assume, or for that matter even to accuse, that since Dr. Wright has apparently praised Louis Farrakhan that Obama somehow supports Farrakhan. Likewise, Rev. John Hagee's endorsement of John McCain does not lead to the conclusion that McCain shares Haggee's disdain for Catholicism. One could argue that Obama's connection to Wright is markedly different since as his pastor, Wright has influenced Obama's faith formation for a couple of decades. Certainly there is an important relationship here that Obama has stated numerous times. But to suggest that one is showing poor judgment by remaining a member of a church where the pastor makes a few controversial statements is to sorely misunderstand this church and its denominational tradition.

For those who don't regularily check out the Tikkun website, check this link

http://www.tikkun.org/magazine/tik0803/frontpage/phenom

then go to youtube, and watch this short video from 40 years ago. The speech with video editing speaks powerfully to the same subject as Rabbi Lerner's article. While Rabbi Lerner is careful not to endorse Obama, his personal evaluation of the appeal of his political message is important to progressive voters no matter who we support.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e51JnJPPY0E

I'm not a programer, and am new to this process, so you might have to copy and past the links into a window in your browser to make them work. There is opportunity at both sites to share your comments or send friends a copy of the article or video. If you read and watch, I would also be interested in a copy of your comments.

I find myself supporting my second choice for President -- but recognize that the situation today is critical and the choice we make will greatly impact future generations. This is the time to carefully and passionately work for a new direction in American politics that sets a priority on people, health care, and foreign policy based on justice and compassion for the worlds poor rather than agressive pursuit of their natural resources and cheap labor. America once again needs a vision and dream to draw us forward.

Why is Obama ashamed of wearing the liberal badge of honor? Why does he run away from the very label that FDR, Harry Truman, JFK and LBJ all honestly embraced? But most of all, why does Obama choose to distance himself from many the vast majority of his own supporters who proudly embrace liberalism?

I’m not the only one who noticed this disturbing occurence. Eric Alterman as well as the Boston Globe have also taken notice. Here’s how the Boston Globe reported it:

AUSTIN, Texas - In his radio and TV ads that are blanketing Texas, Barack Obama claims a chief executive can make more money "in 10 minutes" than an ordinary worker makes in a year. Obama wants to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, enact a national health plan, offer a $4,000-a-year tuition reimbursement in exchange for national service, and have the government intervene to prevent home foreclosures.
But he doesn't want anyone to call him a liberal.

Where have I been lately? Time flies and I didn't even realize it had been more than a week since my hide and hair had been seen here...

The Obama national campaign has done descended on Texas and I have been amazed. See, the county I live in isn't just red in a red state, Collin County would show up on that blue state red state map as scarlet. Richest little county in Texas. Where Democrats go to learn how it really feels to be disenfranchised. How do I describe this?

Oh! A story. I love stories and this one is true. I love true stories best of all. See, it was like this. My husband and I went in to vote early for one of the national primaries, not that it really counted, I'm thinking that was when I voted for Bill Bradley even though he'd already dropped out and all. But nonetheless, we went to vote, you have to vote in a primary to participate in the election night precinct convention. Two-tiered primary, we call it the Texas Two-Step and national campaign workers call it a nightmare.

http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/jan/30/democrat-edwards-ends-pr...

I didn't expect to hear this today. It seems to me likely that this news plays in Barack's favor. What do you all think?

Criticism Denies Historical and Current Role of Black Church as Central to the Spiritual, Political, and Social Life of the Community

Washington DC January 21, 2008 On this Martin Luther King Day observance, the Institute for Progressive Christianity (IPC) rejects the recent media attacks against the black church, specifically Trinity United Church of Christ, where Barack Obama attends.

Investors Business Daily's January 15th editorial decried Trinity Church for its "'unashamedly black' church that preaches the politics of black nationalism. And its dashiki-wearing preacher - who married Obama and his wife and now acts as his personal spiritual adviser - is militantly Afrocentric."

I've been in between Obama, Edwards and Biden throughout the last year. I'm happy that the candidate is not Hillary Clinton. I think her inability to admit a mistake on her vote for the war is inexcusable. She is the establishment candidate in a year where Americans are yearning for substantial change.

Folks are energized by Obama and Edwards for different reasons....Obama a message of hope, Edwards a message of fighting corporate power...both anti-establishment and messages of change from different vantage points.

On the other side, also of particular interest to us progressive Christians the Republican winner, a conservative fundamentalist Christian. Looking forward to challenging him.