Rev. Wright Fights Back

Obama's Ex-Pastor Defends Controversial Statements, Says Criticism Over Sermons Is Attack On Black Church

(CBS/AP) 
Receiving a lengthy and loud standing ovation, Wright followed in the footsteps of Obama, President Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton in his speech at the event, a $150-a-plate fundraiser billed as the largest sit-down dinner in America.

Obama, who is vying with Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, distanced himself from Wright after publicity over the minister's sharp criticism of America's racial history and government policies.

The Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, stirred the crowd with an animated introduction to Wright. He let the audience know, among other things, that Wright speaks five languages and is an Egyptologist, writer, author, family man and "innovator and sustainer of the word of God."

"No this ain't about Barack Obama. This ain't about Hillary Rodham Clinton. This ain't about John McCain. It's bigger than all of them," Anthony said.

"This is about the African-American church. This is about our people. This is about our right to speak truth to power."

Anthony said at a press conference before the dinner that he was excited to invite the "hottest brother in America right now - outside of Barack Obama."

Wright, who is retiring as pastor of the 8,000-member Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, followed the dinner's theme of "A Change is Gonna Come."

He drew numerous contrasts between racial and ethnic groups in language, music and other aspects of American culture. He danced, beat-boxed and even sang an aria from the podium in the massive exhibition hall that served as an impromptu pulpit to make his points.

"In the past, we were taught to see others who are different as somehow being deficient," Wright said.

But he also responded to Republican Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who called Wright "divisive" during an April 18 forum attended by the leaders of Detroit and Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties.

"I am not one of the most divisive" black spiritual leaders, he said. "Tell him the word is `descriptive."'

Wright also called out Detroit political consultant Sam Riddle, who told The Associated Press last week that Wright's presence in Detroit would be "polarizing."

"I'm not here to address an analyst's opinion or a county executive's point of view. I'm here to address your 2008 theme," Wright said, without calling Patterson or Riddle by name.

"I believe that a change is going to come because many of us are committed to changing how we see other people who are different."

Wright became an issue in the presidential race in March after the circulation of videos of old sermons in which he accused the U.S. government of racism and accused it of flooding black neighborhoods with drugs.

In a sermon days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Wright said "America's chickens are coming home to roost" after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Japan and "supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans."

The videos, circulated widely on television and the Internet, knocked Obama's presidential campaign off-stride. The Illinois Democrat distanced himself from the comments of Wright, whom he has known for 20 years.

In an interview aired Friday on PBS, Wright said publicizing portions of old sermons was unfair and "made me the target of hatred."

Gwendolyn Powell, 62, a retired Detroit teacher, said she is a lifetime member of the NAACP and a supporter of Wright and his teachings. She endorsed his message of tolerance but said the criticism he has faced was regrettable.

"It's the American way, if you want," she said. "There's a need to make him deficient rather than different."

Sunday's event drew local and national clergy members and dignitaries, including Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and several members of the state's congressional delegation. Hollywood actors attending the dinner - Vivica A. Fox, Anthony Anderson, Hill Harper and Morris Chestnut - were loudly applauded when they were introduced.

Anthony said the local NAACP reached out to Wright to allow him a fair hearing acknowledging his 40-plus years in the ministry.

"I'm a clergyman. I'm a pastor," Anthony said. "It's about speaking truth to power. We must not allow anyone to dictate what can come from the pulpit of the African-American church - any church."

[kailumego1]

Listened to Rev. Wright''s speech in its entirety and a lot of what he stated is correct.

What makes him predictable like a lot other unyielding Afrocentric individuals is that his philosophy is parallel or tandem to arrogant Eurocentric individuals.

In that both Afrocentric and Eurocentric individuals are narrow-minded, egoistical, ethocentristic when it comes to introspection, or looking within the bowels of themselves and members of their own group, while overzealous to criticize members of other groups.

Like those Eurocentric individuals that vociferously castigate people of color, Africans, Arabs, Hispanics, African Americans, etc., and those Afrocentric individuals that harp on racism and colonialism.

Throughout the world there has been and continues to be patriarchal hegemonic rulers, leaders, etc. that has forsaken the people, of which they reside over, for their own self-aggrandizement.

Evil is personified throughout every ethnicity, culture, race, etc., examine what''s been occurring in the Congo DRC for the last 10 years. The vile barbarianism of Tutsis rebels and the Mai Mai against women and children, not a product of colonialism.

[frankbowers]

QuiZniGAS why do republicans like you write such stupid remarks?
I would like the rev. there is but one race and we are all that the human race they happen to be a lot of nationalities. I think when one is stupid, like him, he never learned such.
Frank Bowers of austin, tx

[middleman8]

The most embarrassing part of the Reverends speeches is the fact that a lot of what he says is the truth.

[niecyd1]

This is ridiculous just something to keep focus off the real issues which should be addressed as apposed to who or what Obama''s reverend is saying. This is why he is not a Candidate. Wright is hurting Obama''s campaign and needs not to say another word. Obama could be the best thing to happen not just for the democratic party but for americans. He cant do any worse than we''ve already had.

[blkpresident]

Jane Fonda, Patty Hearst and Hillary Clinton.

[popstom1]

what TRICK Rev.william procanick has nothing to do
Hillary Clinton the He''s is from Clinton Ny.
Try again that was stupid

[davthewav1]

It''s fair to say that Rev. Jeremiah Wright''s new found national celebrity has done some damage to Barack Obama''s campaign. Obama has slipped around three poll points in Indiana, North Carolina, nationally, and in a match up against John McCain in the last few days. But I have watched a couple of interveiws with Rev. Wright recently, with most of the sermons in question included, and it is clear that the quotes that are causing all the controversy were taken way out of context. It seems that it is easier for some to jump on the racist and unpatriotic passages of Rev. Wright''s message without understanding the deeper meaning of what he was saying. He was simply preaching the way that many black pastors preach and what he says is really not all that out of line if people would take the time to do a little research and listen to the entire sermons and not just a couple of politically motivated edits of Wright''s discourses. (Continued below)

[davthewav1]

It''s fair to say that Rev. Jeremiah Wright''s new found national celebrity has done some damage to Barack Obama''s campaign. Obama has slipped around three poll points in Indiana, North Carolina, nationally, and in a match up against John McCain in the last few days. But I have watched a couple of interveiws with Rev. Wright recently, with most of the sermons in question included, and it is clear that the quotes that are causing all the controversy were taken way out of context. It seems that it is easier for some to jump on the racist and unpatriotic passages of Rev. Wright''s message without understanding the deeper meaning of what he was saying. He was simply preaching the way that many black pastors preach and what he says is really not all that out of line if people would take the time to do a little research and listen to the entire sermons and not just a couple of politically motivated edits of Wright''s discourses. (Continued below)

[davthewav1]

From another point of view, it''s true that Wright seems to be enjoying the spotlight and continues to make coarse statements to his own advantage, (book deal maybe?), at Obama''s expense, but that only demonstrates the dissociation between the two. They have completely different agendas. Rev. Wright says that he has to defend himself and his church from all the negative media he''s received lately. Rev. Wright may also be angry at Obama for condeming his most controversial remarks and so he feels no loyalty to his former parishioner. He has also declared that he will come after Obama if he is elected. If Wright''s persisted disputation cost Obama the nomination he may not feel any compunction about it and in his mind he may think that Obama deserves to lose for his disloyalty to Wright''s church.

Obama is taking on a three front assault from McCain and his republican political machine, Clinton, and now Wright. If he can survive to win the presidency he will likely be a tougher and wiser man for it.

[ouiznigas]

I IS,
U IS,
DEY IS,
WE ALL IS ******!!

PAID FOR BY HILLARY AND BILL CLINTON REPUBLICAN
ARKANSAS HARDBALL POLITICS ORGANIZATION.

[ouiznigas]

I IS,
U IS,
DEY IS,
WE ALL IS ******!!

PAID FOR BY HILLARY AND BILL CLINTON REPUBLICAN
ARKANSAS HARDBALL POLITICS ORGANIZATION.

[ouiznigas]

I IS,
U IS,
DEY IS,
WE ALL IS ******!!

PAID FOR BY HILLARY AND BILL CLINTON REPUBLICAN
ARKANSAS HARDBALL POLITICS ORGANIZATION.

[ouiznigas]

I IS,
U IS,
DEY IS,
WE ALL IS ******!!

PAID FOR BY HILLARY AND BILL CLINTON REPUBLICAN
ARKANSAS HARDBALL POLITICS ORGANIZATION.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by vmcneal2 at 09:04 AM : Apr 29, 2008

Dang straight! I''ll vote for anybody that can keep this lying shill Obama and his gas bag mentor away from the White House!

Timothy McVeigh served in the US Military and his ideology about America was about the same as the old wind bag Wright''s!

[vmcneal2]

Anti-Obama people will continue to be Anti-Obama. Rev Wright has nothing to do with it. Educated people see this whole Rev Wright issue as just a smear campaign and will continue to support Obama.

Rush Limbaugh..no military service
Bill O''Reilly...no military service
Sean Hannity..no military service
Lou Dobbs..no military service
Pat Buchanan..no military service

These are some of Rev Wright''s biggest critics. They talk alot but when it came time to step up they showed that they are just a bunch of pu*sys

[rowdytexan2]

Mr. Obama lies AGAIN!

He sits in Rev. Wright''''''''s church for 20 years, tell us that Rev. Wright is his spiritual MENTOR, writes about Rev. Wright''''''''s teachings in his book and markets it, cannot possibly separate himself from Rev. Wright and his church...

BUT NOW, Rev. Wright''''''''s values cannot possibly reflect HIS!

Good God, Mr. Obama, you''''''''ve just passed up Bush/Cheney''''''''s 935 lies!

STOP LYING! How can you expect people to believe you!

[libh8er]

Thanks in large part to the right Rev Wright, Barry Obama is toast. I think we owe a large ''thank you'' to Mr. Wright for pulling back the curtain on racist/marxist ''black liberation theology'' as well as Obama''s embracing of same!

[abbe91]

"Not sure where you can find it , might be on fox.
Posted by Obama8years at 05:05 PM : Apr 28, 2008"

On Fox ? That would be a real surprise.

[abbe91]

"Compared to the evil and conniving Hillary and the "more of the same" McCain, Obama would be a breath of fresh air in Washington.
Posted by tibu987 at 10:25 PM : Apr 28, 2008"

Indeed.

[nottellin1]

.......without question. and we''''re so spread thin that if we ever had defend our own country wouldn''''t be able to do it. We''''re to busy being the world police as if our nation is in order.


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Posted by endtimes72 at 03:43 PM : Apr 28, 2008

Had to mention that this is one of the primary reasons for our constitutional right to bear arms. As long as there are armed loyal Americans here, we are able to defend ourselves. Yee Ha.