Stephanie Robinson, president and CEO of The Jamestown Project and Eddie Glaude, Jr., associate professor at Princeton University and Gladys Mitchell, doctoral candidate in political science at the University of Chicago and a member of Trinity United Church of Christ, talk about the controversy surrounding Barack Obama's pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Has Barak Obama ever been called n*****? Yes, he has. Has Hillary Clinton ever been called a n*****. No, she has not. Can Hillary Clinton know how it feels to be called a n*****? No, she can not. So, what Pastor Wright said was true. Why do people not want to hear this truth about quotidian
African existence in the great USA?
Why aren't we we talking about Barack Obama's imam? I thought he was a Muslim? So now he's a Christian and being whacked over the head for things the pastor said when he was now even in the church? Well, I see the invisible hands of Hilbilly manipulating the media and jerking around the people with this story and I resent it deeply. That didn't get traction with the African clothes photograph so now they try this. They will try ANYTHING to undermine Obama's message of unity with the aim of scaring whites into changing their minds about voting for him. It's despicable in the extreme! That woman will NEVER get my vote! Barack Obama has run a decent, positive, clean campaign full of ideas for change with hope and optimism. Obama-Edwards. That's the ticket!
With all due respect and sympathy, poster #1, the controversy over Reverend J. Wright isn't around Hillary defending herself against racism.
It's solely focused on Obama not making a place for racism in his policies by having an openly racist adviser.
I am a strong Obama supporter who welcomes a presidential candidate's distancing himself from hate and revenge -- even when that candidate is black.
I admire McCain for his bravery and have deep sympathy for him regarding his horrible experience as a prisoner of war. But based on his behavior -- probably the result of his time as a POW, I believe he is unfit to lead the country -- don't trust him as a future prez because of the possibility of high levels of hate and possible sense of revenge governing his actions.
Are you placing Obama in that same category -- Shouldn't he, alone, make that decision? If he said what you have then the voters could decide if they, like you, feel yours is the ideal mindset for a US president. But so far Obama has said the exact opposite of what you have with regard to Rev. Wright.
This issue truly does not bother me. Other religious figures(Hagee, Robertson, Falwell) who have come out in support of candidates in the past have said equally inflammatory things as compared to rev. wright, and their comments hardly get any traction in the media(at least insofar as their affect on the candidates they support).
Based on viewing Obama as a candidate it is very obvious to me that he would not endorse these specific comments by rev. wright. Do people(those in the media gobbling this up) believe that Obama will somehow change as president and adopt a "god damn america" policy? I mean COME ON! This is sooo overblown.
But I fear it could end him =[
finally we can talk about it, but is it to late to make a difference in the primary?
some knew it would be an issue in the general.
we'll see how it's handled by B'Ob
It is really sad to watch all this. Spitzer (D-NY) , drummed out of office on a prostitute; Vitter (R-LA), same transgression passes without a blip. McCain surrounded by haters, welcoming their endorsement (Hagee etc.); passes without a blip; Obama, must answer for every utterance of his church's pastor.
Normally I don't see much bias for (or against) either wing of the corporate party, but I believe I have been seeing a lot lately.
I dont understand this fully:
Billy Graham was a transformational figure in Bill Clinton's life, and resposnsable for his baptisim (Re-birth?) Graham has made contriversial and anti-semetic comments, regarding jewish control fo the media, but where is his (Clinton's) culpability? I dont see any.
Are followers of Pat Robertson culpable for his comments about New Yorker's responsability for 9/11 or his statements about the anti-christ being a jewish male living now?
Is this a doubble standard for Sen. Obama or is this situation unique in some respect?
I don't understand what's so wrong in what he said. If you don't agree with what Mr. Wright says then refute it ( the same with Mrs.
Ferraro's comments). If you feel offended by it then you might need to do a little introspection. Is this what our Democracy has come to. Actually I am just tired of this crap.Ralph Nader in 08.
Obama is in the headlights not because of his racial background, etc etc but b/c he is the frontrunner and embodies a hero in the context of modern education. His opponents are seeking reasons NOT to vote for him -- unlike McCain.
Everything the pastor said was true.
The white American Devil has put African Americans in prison and generally held them down. keeping them drunk and drugged.
Also making the African American fight the white man's wars like Viet Nam.
God Damn America and God Damn the White Devil.
Just some context, if anyone's interested:
http://tinyurl.com/ytcayq
[cut and paste link]
Brian is pro Hillary but he wont admit it. So he puts this discussion out as analysis...it it nothing but a farce.
This guilt by association is unreal. Brian just said that Obama must be about racial recrimination and not reconciliation if he is around that kind of talk. That is outrageous. I know it was a question, but it is erasing everything Obama has said and done in his whole life, his whole career, and replacing it with the statements of his pastor.
Welcome to America, where political campaigns are nothing more than popularity contests and slugfests! Obama is not the only politician that has had to endure it! The general election will be far worse!
Context (12)? Not interested, would rather rant meaninglessly on this web page.
{8}--Here's the difference. J Wright is the pastor of Obama'S personal church. The other clergy are not the personal pastors.
Jesus was a Marxist. Or Marx was a Jesus-ist.
i thought obama was very close to Wright. he married him and mentored him etc.
anyone ever listen to wbai. this is common.
black people have reason to be angry
At the "Values Voters" Republican candidates' debate in Ft. Lauderdale, the event was kicked off with a chorus singing "Why should god bless America, she's forgotten he exixts."
Where was the outrage?
I'm sick of these apologists. This guy is a racist and these guest of yours are sickening. They are actually defending that monster. If Oboma gets the nomination, I have 2 words: President McCain, and media such as yours, who are too afraid to ask real questions, will be to blame.
The left has teased out silly comments from right-wing pastors for decades. Now the right (or Hillary) is using the same tactic.
Please! Does everyone agree with everything their pastor says? My pastor (in the days I actually used to go to church) was an idiot most of the time! The nonsense he used to say was embarrassing, but all the timid white people in his congregation politely said nothing (except behind his back in the kitchen, if at all).
Nobody has to take responsibility for everything his or her pastor says. They're just expressing themselves, and nine times out of ten it's just boring. If they say something remarkable and inspiring once in their lives, they've done their job.
I think now is the time to examine the sermons of all the candidates' pastors over the last 20 years. This is a new game we have. Candidates are now responsible for all the utterances of their pastor. Welcome to the meaningless democracy of the United States. God damn America.
the pastor should be allowed to speak his mind. What is unfortunate is if this was from the Hillary camp, it would have been much bigger news and the focus wouldn't be on her pastor, but Hillary herself.
did he say "God DAMN, America!" or "God! damn America!" or "Goddam America!"
Let's get sillier and sillier, since this is not really worth wasting a whole segment on. Bla bla bla bla bla. That's what I think of this segment.
Isn't Al Sharpton well educated and well informed too? I'm just sayin'...
One of the he news clips I saw about this preacher had him simulating "riding" Monica in the White House. Now is that ANY way for ANY clerygyman to act - at any time - especially from the pulpit - in front of children?
Oh please...
Oprah quit this church in the early 90's because she didn't like the tone of the preacher...
Obama just wanted/needed black credibility to get into State politics in the first place..
Setting the many above ludicrous hysterical comments ("white American devil," e.g.) aside, let's cut to the chase: Obama is clearly lying when he says that he did't know much about Wright's "political" opinions. I have supported Obama (and even volunteered) since last summer, and I am clearly not a Clinton supporter, but now I feel a bit disgusted with him.
There is a lot in this election to blame HIllary Clinton for, but none of this is her fault. Wright is a crazy showboat screamer, and Obama made a choice a long time ago to associate with him. Very troubling - and I say that with great regret.
Btw, attacking Brian as Hillary supporter, and thus biased against Obama, is childish and unfair. This segment is on the air because of Obama's actions.
I believe Obama when he denounces Wright's inflammatory comments. What I can't understand is why Obama remained a member of Wright's church. Imagine if you were a member of a church whose pastor preached peace and harmony most of the time, but once in a while made racist or anti-Semitic comments. Would you remain a member of that church?
The narrative at work is that Obama succeeded by not being branded “black,” with all of the associated stereotypes of anger and victimization; and now that the public has seen video of his long time pastor displaying those very stereotypes, Obama is doomed. His campaign can’t be a transcendent embrace of Americans across color, because he is now associated with cries for racial justice; he can’t preach the “audacity of hope” when his minister, who coined the phrase, preaches the gospel of racial despair.
Reverend Wright’s sermon, and the public’s encounter with it, is therefore exemplary of my claim that “race is the radical negative in America.”
...read on at www.radicalnegative.blogspot.com
I think "Howard from Brooklyn" makes an excellent point.
It would be great if we could hear from more people like him. Intelligent and thoughtful!
BRAVO!
My support for Obama will continue, but I believe this speech will be the end of his campaign. Regardless of his comments, many Americans will attribute this issue as a religious issue. And Americans do not have a history of supporting religion in government.
#8
I totally agree. It's interesting how the MCM did not condemn Reagan, and does not condemn Clinton or McCain for the "religious" leaders they have been connected to for years who have said just as immflamatory statements. Isn't that interesting...hello racist double-standard, proof that institutionalized racism is alive,well and kicking and equal domain of the right-wing as well as the supposed liberal left.
And why is it that we are all expected to acknowlwedge the horrors of slavery, segragation (apartheid) and institutionalized discrimination-- but if an African-American should dare express any anger toward america over these shameful parts of it's history and current state of affairs suddenly the right and the alleged liberal left all have a hissy fit? PUH-lease! "Yes, yes it's horrible what this country has done to people of color but how dare you criticize this country for it."
How hypocritical.
I am a white Presbyterian minister who lived 12 years in Chicago. Jeremiah Wright was and is highly regarded for building a church and speaking pointedly to social issues. Most Americans have no idea what the Bible is about. In fact it is highly political. The prophets and Jesus often "damned" the political establishment for being lousy shepherds of the people, for injustice, for oppressing the poor. I spoke for Wright and against government doing wrong, and no one walked out. I warned my parishioners that if they listen to me, someday someone will accuse them of terrible things. What Wright says is no different in substance than King's talk of the "check" that America has written but which Black people have yet to be able to cash. This country is so racist and biblically illiterate that I fear that Obama cannot be elected.
why would a 1/2 Kenyan 1/2 white guy who grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii know any more about the black experience in American than I do (white guy from south Jersey living in NYC) I mean I bet I knew more blacks growing up than he did.
Completely disingenuous and absurd to take a 15-second clip, pretend that this characterizes everything that ever has come out of Jeremiah Wright's mouth for the 20 years that Obama has known Wright; then use this utter fallacy to smear Obama as a hypocrite.
Instead of questioning the language used in the speech the context and causes behind the speech being giving should be what is furthered explored. By overly simplifying the question to "Well isn't saying God damn America inflammatory" is simpleminded and just a way of stoking the embers of a fire that should be allowed to die. When is the question "Is saying God bless America inflammatory" asked? It isn't, though is supposes a preferential place for 5% of the inhabitants of the planet over all others.
This goes to show that all matters of faith and religion should be private and, if a politician cannot divorce their faith from their service to this country, they have no place in politics.
Re: Michael Winslow:
Sure, the white man is responsible for everything bad in African-American's lives. White men are pouring alcohol and blowing crack smoke into the lungs of African Americans. If you keep thinking like that you will always fail an never be man enough to take responsibility for your own actions. Get real. Why is it that African Americans can make it as doctors, attorneys, politicians and in every other segment of society? You are a racist and as bad as any racist of any type.
After going for a long walk Sunday morning rather than endure every talk show’s regurgitation of the remarks made by a certain candidate’s pastor, I find you doing the same thing today. As someone who trained as a historian in his youth, I was occasionally perplexed that at times this nation’s voting turned on irrelevant issues while crises were occurring. Here were are, however, entering the sixth year of war, while our economy tanks and major financial institutions are sold for nothing, and most discussions of the Democratic race have centered on the two Senators’ ethnicity, religion, or gender. Isn’t it time for someone to update James Carville’s famous advise and remind the candidates, pundits, columnists and voters: “It’s the economy (and the war), stupid.”
Brain I think the only reason you are doing this is because you support Hillary. There are so many church's here in the south that the same message is given on any given Sunday. You guys take small clips of a sermon and play it over and over again. You people act as if black people where always treated equally when in fact where treated like animals by White America. For hundreds of years we where told where we could go and could not go by White America. Those words did not come from his mouth! Lets get back to the campagne. Brain are you going to have a discussion about the Racist ministers that are supporting McCain? I think not! Simple!
new york:
Hillary has been called plenty of other abasing things and disliked for her "unfeminine" ambition.
i don't care what kind of filter anybody is going to put on this rhetoric - maybe fine for one community but unacceptable for the country as a whole
Ok talk about the issues - do not stand there like hitler attacking hillary! not at the presidential level!
Let's see what Barack says about it all.
Would you pls ask your guest, who is a member of the Church if Rev. Wright's sermons are always like the ones on YouTube?
Thanks.
The America of today is a very different America than the one responsible for slavery, Jim Crow, and the Tuskegee Experiment.
I take offense at the professor's comments which negated all of the positive changes which have occurred in America. I do not feel IN ANY WAY guilty of or for slavery, Jim Crow, nor the Tuskegee Experiment.
Times change. America is different.
Why are none of the guests a representative of the Parent Church organization? One of the guests (Mr Glaude) mentioned that United Trinity is a member church in an organization which is predominately white. I am interested to know what the parent church thinks about Rev Wright's rhetoric. After all they must have known the style of this pastor long before Sen. Obama. My point is if they thought that he was out of line, he would have been kicked out long ago. The media is not being thorough in its coverage.
Anyway nobody is talking about the issues taht need talking about and if this puts the issues on the table then it's a good thing to get this on the table
Hi "A Woman" from manhattan (#26). How intelligent of you. You know if you don't like the episode, change the channel. How democratic and patriotic!
As one of your speakers just said...people are complicated. So, are the issues and scars which surround our history. As whites we expects blacks to just get over things like racism, while we whine away at just having to wait too long at the line at the bank. Kids selling a small amount of drugs are thrown away for life while 'White collar' crimes are forgiven and helped out with liquidity hand outs. Of course they are angry and use strong terms. What should they use? No-one wants to pay attention to them otherwise! Great show...as always... Love and peace!
Swiftboating much?
#37
HJS...you say a lot of dumb narrow-minded ignorant statements but that one takes the cake.
If you think that someone who is a person of color from ANYWHERE who then lives in this country does not experience or cannot relate to being discriminated against then you really need to get out of your ivory tower once in a while. What a shamefully ignorant post.
It's amazing how we have all come to spin what everyone else says. And on another note why HASN'T McCain been held up as much to the spewing of that Rev Hage idiotic fool made. McCain made one statement and finito! Why is this discussion here and not the similar McCain/Hage situtaion here too!?
Is there a difference between Obama having a "personal" pastor and just a plain old "pastor?" Are you implying that his pastor is much more than other people's pastors, and is more of an "advisor" to Obama regarding his philosophy, ethics and point of view? If you're not, you shouldn't use the word "personal" to describe Obama's pastor. As you know, words are weapons and you could be killing Obama's chances for election.
No Obama is just very smooth and suave - I don't trust his honesty - after all he is a very skilled politician.
Do you think women have an unqualified acceptance of their status in this country?
I think your 2 guests make excellent points... can we Americans look at our history w/o whitewashing, w/o the requisite sanitizing that the Right seems to insist on, the 'my-country-right-or-wrong' attitude which characterizes and demonizes those who disagree with them as liberals or 'blasme-America-firsters'.
Ed Murrow - Dissent is not disloyalty
Brian is jewish and is pro Israel, and wants to bring down Obama!
What I find scary is that white america links God, the United states and being white together.
Jeremiad blames the country for certain people's problems, rather than their inability to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
This whole thing is just so confusing to me.
Bri--You've red-baited during this segment. And, some of your questions and remarks border on race-baiting.
Is Wright a racist or not? I don't get it.
#45
yes...racism has been completey eradicated...which is why we are so hung up on race and are constantly discussing it during the course of this campaign
This country has changed...but this segment and the dwelling on this issue proves it hasn't changed enough!
Regarding the clip of Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Latching onto the phrase "God damn America" in this clip obscures the ringing indictment of the ongoing policy of America towards its black citizens.
Please address the real content of the message.
dayton
What does this have to do with policy Brian? I thought it was all about polict. Oh, that's right, If Ferraro makes a racist statement it's just noise and nothing to do with policy. If Obama's preacher makes statements that Obama disavows, it's a big policy question.
Isn't it time we got over the fairy-tale of religion having ANY bearing on the Presidential Candidate?
I'm sorry, Brian is my hero. He is a fine Jewish American.
The distinction is not about race, but Barak's past credit to Dr. Wright as his "spiritual mentor". I don't agree with everything that my minister says, but I also don't credit him as a special mentor. Barak has a lot to explain.
For your guests: What are the different traditions in the black church that produced Dr. King and Rev. Wright? Why are they so different in tone and rhetoric?
[This comment - and a few others by this poster - have been removed for violating the WNYC posting policy. Please refrain from name-calling and stay on topic to the discussion on the air. Thanks.]
One must have been living in a cave the last 20 years to assert that conservative politicians have not been condemned in the media for their association with extremist preachers. They have (although I would like it if they were condemned more), and it is not some ridiculous "conspiracy" or "racist double standard."
I hasten to add that in my view, all "preachers" (priests, ministers, imams, etc.) should be ignored all the time - period. But that's another matter.
#52
yes I wonder why we haven't discussed Hage?
I've read that Jeremiah Wright's 'God Damn America' was meant to be an antithetical riff on the words of the song 'God Bless America', in order to highlight the stark differences between what the song says about America and the lives of many black people.
Oh stop judging Obama based on what his stupid pastor said in a 15-second clip on YOUTUBE. Do we judge all Catholics based on what Benedict spews over in Rome? This is absurd.
This debate is very reminiscent of the debates that took place over the quilt or innocence of O.J. Simpson. It clearly shows the racial divide in America when interpreting events.
Brian,
Michelle Obama was talking about being proud of the POLITICAL CULTURE of America.
Think about it. She said "for the first time in my adult life." She's 43. Walk it back. We were at the end of Reagan, when Michelle Obama was 21 in 1986. Since then, it's been Bush I, Bill Clinton, and Bush II.
In the context of Barack Obama's own critique of political culture -- that's it's not just a Republican problem, it's a problem with the way the Washington game is played -- Michelle's comment is perfectly reasonable.
A. You can learn from and agree with most things your pastor says, without blindly swallowing every single word or attitude. Congregations are not mindless zombies.
B. I LOVE my country and I agree with one of the guests: True patriots love their country enough to want to make it better and better and better. True patriots are not so weak and scared as to ignore our faults. We must be brave and strong enough to strive to improve it.
C. Lapel pins do not prove patriotism. North Koreans MUST wear pins of their leader's father or face severe consequences. Why do Republicans want us to be like that? Especially after they twisted the flag pin into meaning support for this war.
et i agree with you. I think he is so gleaming and charming that we don't look at his ambition and its expression and what it wants to hide from us. Hillary can't go outdise without criticism by the press.
We need a continued movement. This is going to be like guns and gays fears in the last election. We dropped our national efforts at resolution of our iniquities.
I think Barack is just as full of baloney as teh rest of them and so he needs to win on the basis of his merit.
MLK was disliked by an elite not by America. He is our Ghandi if you ask me.
ab
you make me sad :(
#70
In fantasy land they have. I don't remember Reagan or Clinton or McCain having to make a speech about the controversial leaders they were connected to.
Is McCain being held up to same standard now?
Wake up, you appear to be the one in a cave.
Michelle Obama said ... and it is repeatdly ignored, that this is "the first time in her ADULT LIFE". This is very important. If Michelle Obama is around Barak's age which is 47, then she is talkig about having pride in the USA in the past 20 odd years.
Not the ENTIRE history of the USA. Just her ADULT LIFE.
I AGREE WITH HER. Looking back at what the USA has done in the past 20 odd years I cant think of anything that is as notable as Barak's rise myself.
Whites are all too eager to play a game of "gotcha" here, they all too eagerly are looking for something to pin Blacks with. Black "racism" is reactionary and done in self defense, white racisim is aggressive and a proven, historical evil.
Jeremy, 65: the evil stepmother in the fairy-tale of American government/politics IS religion. Do you think this country would ever elect an atheist?
why can't we hear more about John McCain and his connections to Rev. John Agee (who says america deserved 9/11, among other things)? dear white people (and I am one of you), doth protest too much. so much of what Wright says is absolutely true, which is why we don't want to hear it.
As a haitian-american in the U.S., there are things that make me angry and even disgusted with racial injustice in america.
As someone also married to a white person in the U.S. my anger has not kept me from loving my spouse, his family, and countless friends that we have in common.
My anger does not keep me from understanding that the source of the hatred that often erruppts between races, is more a result of fear, and not taking the time to really understand other people rather than assume you know what they are about.
I read an understanding of that fear into obama's msg and I have hope it will allow people of all types to understand each others frustrations - we have much more in common than our prejudices often allow us to realize.
No Bob it is not reminiscent of OJ whatsoever. I reject that completely and find it to be an outrageous comparison.
ab,
Once again, we find ourselves on opposing sides of an issue. With respect to what you have written and with an effort to be sensitive to your feelings, please allow me to offer a different perspective.
I don't ignore the horrible things that the power holders of America perpetuated against the underclass. Members of the underclass have included blacks, native Americans, Irish, Italians, Poles--the poor. In the South and other parts of America, racism became institutionalized. When schools were integrated in the South, private schools opened everywhere, and "white flight" took place.
Racism still exists. America has made progress. Many of those private schools in the South have long since closed. Bi-racial couples can go out in public without fear of lynching. The Office of Civil Rights continually checks public and private institutions for signs of discrimination.
Any one is free to criticize this nation and its transgressions; however, you have said before and continue to maintain that for a black person to hold racist views towards whites is excusable. That is where we differ. If racism is wrong, it is wrong. Period.
To hold any other position is to make the same error of those supporting capital punishment: let's kill someone who killed someone to show that killing is wrong.
Peace
I have a hard time understanding people's "outrage" over what this pastor said, primarily because our current president is linked with evangelical christianity, which has been linked with rampant homophobia/keeping women in their place/white supremacy and other totally unamerican sentiments. For some unfathomable reason, these sorts of horrid veiwpoints get people elected, but express anger or disappointment at America and risk being labled unpatiotic and anti-american.
Ugh.
Barack Obama for president!!
A lot of the secret racism of "liberal" white WNYC New Yorkers is rearing it's ugly head. It's refreshing to see. They really aren't alot different than the Bob Grant listeners they so distain.
The Pope makes statements regarding America and other issues and people are not expected to leave the Catholic Church. Same can be said about white member of the Southern Baptist Church. Its not unusual to admire someone for the positives but strong condemn their flaws.
All these objections are pointless, as long as the President gets to contiue saying "God bless America" and as long as those words get printed on coins why should I care if a candidate's preacher speaks from his experience and it comes out as "God damn America." If Obama is so hot for change, which has been brow beaten into every dead horse in the nation, why shouldn't he find problems with it, and sympathize with those who do as well?
[This comment removed for not adhering to the WNYC posting policy. Please stay civil and on-topic to the discussion on the air. If you would like to comment on the BL - or any other WNYC show - in general, please contact listener services at 212-669-3333. Thanks.]
#78
Well, I've known a lot of people who weren't born here, people of color who came here as teens or adults.....they may not have grown up here but they have ALL experienced discrimination. Sorry....that statement just makes no sense at all and is divorced from reality.
One more thing: Why has noone called John McCain to task for his eager acceptance of Pat Robertson's endorsement? Remember what Pat Robertson stands for???
People, wake up. On the one hand you are acknowledging you have no idea, really no clue about Wright or Trinity, except for the chosen clips being played in heavy rotation. No context. No understanding. No general review of a 30-year career and a major church in Chicago and all the good work it has done. Just words? No, just clips. Then you are altogether judging Wright, the church and Senator Obama himself for what was said -- as if Obama said those things himself.
Nobody denies that black people have reason to be angry - get this out on the table. And get Obama's political calculations out too and let him be seen as an ordinary mortal.
Dedric, rest assured those "positives" will never be summarized in a 15-second youtube clip and be touted on the airwaves. We only go for the jugular here.
By the way, didn't the pastor endorsing McCain say (I'm paraphrasing) that Katrina hit New Orleans the day a huge gay-pride parade was planned and this was a good thing and deserved?
I can't believe you quoted Bill Kristol, Brian. He uses quotes from false statements and basically sends out all kinds of false bits. How can you even give him notice, really!
Why are you been drawn into the vortex of the ignorant opened by the people who make the noise between the commercials on am talk radio?
You are dancing with the wingnuts
#85
Excuse me, I NEVER once said it is "excusable" or acceptable for blacjk people to be racist toward white people. That is idiotic considering that
1) I am HALF WHITE. My father is white
2) I am PROUD of being bi-racial
Not once have I ever said it was ok or excusable for a black to be racist against a white. It is unacceptable for ANYONE to be racist for another and if you knew me you would know that i am VERY vocal about that towards anyone I feel is being racist.
So next time, I would suggest (as I have told you before) READ MY POSTS CAREFULLY. Because obviously you have not. The point I am making is that it is NOT racist to criticize America for it's racism! I reject that as idiotic and a way for the mcm and the right to silence people of color. It's hypocritical to say we have done and continue to have racial issues but expect people of color to be silent about it. That, I feel, is racist.
ab, #99, Not today, but in earlier posts you HAVE excused black racism against whites. You have couched it in terminology of "anger" at the "instituionalized racism."
When Non whites voice the anger as expressed in Wright's speeches they voice 300 years of anger, hurt, fear and frustration with our fellow human beings that are lacking melanin and come from Europe... these are words that we all have been waiting and hoping to say and could ONLY say since 1965. Anyone that chooses not to understand that has an agenda, or is ignorant. There is no need for non whites to subvert their pain because it makes whites uncomfortable. They tolerated and still tolerate the conditions that sustain this anger, frustration and fear.
Search current and archival WNYC broadcasts. More