BlackPerspective.net
Discussing the Diaspora as seen through an internal Black lens
Reacting to White Reaction to Obamas Speech On Race
March 20th, 2008
Yesterday Barack Obama delivered a remarkable speech on race, elevating the public dialog on the subject by tackling it with an honesty and a forthrightness almost never seen by politicians, and seldom seen from even writers or activist in the greater public realm.
Though a political speech, visa via having to address his Jeremiah Wright problem (sort of speak) it was a wonderful social speech where he acknowledge concerns of all communities in general, including those racial concerns of the group that has perpetrated the racial oppression in this country; being quite conciliatory and even generous towards those who’ve racially slighted him; such as contributing Geraldine Ferraro’s campaign of gender-baiting and race diminishing to being just a “gaff”.
And what did much of white America do with this speech, no not some hooded rednecks representing a minute portion of the population, but NPR listeners and Television pundits; they continue to devolve the conversation into “gotch ya” political point scoring, and continued racial acrimony.
Joe Scarborough of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program says he doesn’t “buy it”. And he, and the say nothings on Fox and Friends, and the youtube posters claim that Wright spewed “hate against white people”.
That’s simply a damn lie! He did no such thing. He condemned white racism; and the question has to be asked, why are white people offended by that? The reality is that this whole episode shows white people actually defending white racism, and defending the status quo of race privilege which Wright rightly condemned.
I disagree with some of Barack’s capitulating characterizations of Wright’s words as I pointed out in yesterday’s piece “Barack Obama’s Speech on Race, Church and Former Pastor”; but I was willing to go with Obama on this, pull back from the acrimony and give more mutual understanding a shot as he’d laid such a nice framework for us all to do so.
But confirming what I already knew, which is why I take the stance that I do, and probably why Dr. Wright takes the stance that he does (and it’s not generational, I’m less than half Wright’s age); rather than take this opportunity to elevate the dialog on race, a great many white people instead are taking it as an opportunity to re-enforce propaganda, including pushing fake patriotic blind worship of the red, white and blue that has Americans claiming to honor the troops with their lips, but their hearts are far from it; as they refuse to put forth a dollar more of taxes to actually safeguard the troops in the field nor honor their service with adequate health and life services when they come back home. Instead, they stick a flag on their house on the 4th of July, and act like that means something. And secondly, instead of elevating the dialog, they’re trying to brow beat the Black conscious into submission behind white superiority and their demand of how we should feel and think.
I let things go for the past few days to let Obama handle it politically, he did, and we get this crap as a response. So now I’m tired of it!
The fact of the matter is Wright didn’t do nothing but tell the TRUTH. In five days I can’t get one person to point out one inaccuracy of fact that he stated, until finally today, one finally mentioned the thing that has barely been a source at all of the condemnation that’s led to all this, the AIDS claim which I will treat in a piece tomorrow. Not even on a youtube video entitled “Obama’s Rev is Wrong”, could the author point out to me even 1 factual inaccuracy. All they talk about is their feelings, their mis-characterizations of what he said; and spew obfuscations so that they don’t have to deal with the issues he raised.
What they mean to say is, “how dare you not be a skinnin’ and grinnin’ happy go lucky Negro, who soft peddles race for white folks (and their capitulators) comfort. Get your Black ass back in line.” Then they slander and demonize the brother in order that the truth dies with his slain reputation.
Also, as I pointed out yesterday, they did the exact same thing even to Martin Luther King. The fake revisionist history we get on t.v. every January and February conveniently leaves this part of the story out; but when MLK spoke strongly against American aggression (as Wright did); despite all the love we KNOW him to have continuously preached, he was still demonized in order that he be marginalized and that the truth he spoke be marginalized with him.
We, Black people, have every RIGHT to our viewpoint from our perspective, born of our experience. An experience America could well learn from if she were willing to listen; but again a great swath of the majority race has refused. Instead, they plug their ears, look for the evil devil blackie racist to demonize, and try to control and DICTATE to us how we should feel and see things - not reconcile our various racial points of views together; but dictate that we bow in ideological submission to their point of view.
Well, my answer is a resounding NO! It was NO yesterday, and it will still be NO tomorrow. I will be dealt with as the equal that I am, not some petulant little thing who just doesn’t quite have the moral constitution to understand why I should simply accept as sacrosanct white paradigmatic ways of thinking. You do not get to set preconditions to the dialog on race as if we’re a bunch of petty dictators of a tiny nation who you can deal with on terms as you will. You do not get to unilateral decide what views are valuable.
Barack Obama yesterday laid out a bridge, offered a grand olive branch, and much of White America swatted it away. Many more accepted it barely; but in away where they feel they are just generously giving the benefit of the doubt, as if blackdome really owes them an apology; but they’re going to let it slide.
In 1965 Malcolm X said “If the white people realize what the alternative is, perhaps they will be more willing to hear Dr. King.”
Maybe white America might want to reconsider dealing with the racial dialog program laid out by Barack Obama; Malcolm X’s disciples are the alternative.
See also Shawn Williams piece that also appears in todays Dallas Morning News: “Black pastors speak truth to power”
posted in Cultural, Racial Injustice, Social Commentary | | | View blog reactions |
17 Responses to “Reacting to White Reaction to Obamas Speech On Race”
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Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.
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The problem wasn’t with what he said about racism, it’s more about where he said it, on the pulpit, that people feel should be used to bring people together and to talk about Christ. In the black church, however, social issues and politics are interwoven because that was the only safe place we had to meet during the mid century.
The second issue people have a problem with is the “GD America” statement, which I take offense to as well. It’s not in the bible, and no where in the bible is America mentioned. Some people can interpret it that way, but Revelations was written in apocalyptic language which was often times used to disquise criticism of the Roman government and avoid persecution as a Christians. Many people believe it’s about more and that’s fine, but all these theories about the beast is just nonsense. No one knows and it’s not meant for them to know. Jeremiah Wright said it on pulpit as if it was matter of fact, and I was taught to not damn anyone, or wish damnation on anything, unless you want to be judge with those standards. My problem is hearing GD America. Like I said before that statement includes all of us.
Even if it’s true, there is a less radical way to get the message out about racism, without sounding like the racist. How can you convince whites that it’s wrong when we employ the same methods. Whites are not going to hear the message for the messenger. To use another cliche they can’t see the forest for the trees.
I heard Jeremiah Wright speak at my old church Friendship West, and I thought he was great, and funny. I didn’t hear any of these statements and that doesn’t make me dislike him. I understand his views, and he is still honorable in my book.
Me personally, I just like to keep my spiritual life separate from my political life, because man is fallible and God is not.
God damned nations in the Bible, many times, I’ve read it from cover to cover. Damned in it’s most literal meaning being a synonym for cursed.
One can choose not to hear politics from the pulpit, but that’s their choice and they don’t get to dictate it to the rest of us.
And if politics from the pulpit had been rejected 60 years ago, you and I would still be riding on the back of the bus, drinking from colored water fountains, and bowing our heads to whites; calling them sir and ma’am.
Further, politics from the pulpit is not just a Black thing. Jerry Faldwell, John Haggee, and many other white preachers always preach their politics from the pulpit. This is not something that someone else has to tell me, I’ve watched them do it on national television, daily.
Holding Black people to a completely different standard is endemic of the discrimination Dr. Wright was highlighting.
Every message is not for white people. Church is a place that you go for healing, and part of healing is venting. You can’t even deal with issues that you don’t voice. Everyone doesn’t have to like Wrights style of delivering the message, that’s why there are other churches. It doesn’t make Dr. Wright wrong though.
If all the radical white preachers who do this had been condemned, rather than invited on to Fox news, and presidential candidates such as Bush and McCain appearing at their churches and on the campaign trail with them; then I would believe that this is anything less than racism. But that’s not the case, so I know that it is racism.
The Clinton clan is trying to use this far-fetched, remotely related incident to gain votes that Senator Clinton’s weak policy positions have cost her.
The remarks by Rev Wright should only offend someone who is racist. He never singled any person out.So why are so many people offended. If the shoe fits then wear it. As the old folks at home would say.
I just wonder where were these same critics when Robert Byrd, a supposed former Klan leader was running the Senate for decades.
People coming out of Slavery did not have counseling to attend they had the church,their Pastors .
When I lived in France, I saw a documentary about the beginning of the AIDS virus in Africa that followed the virus to its source - European scientists experimenting with monkeys in Africa back in the 1950’s. They even interviews some of the Black people who had worked at the laboratory.
Then they went to the European scientist directly and asked him to deny his involvement, but he refused to discuss it at all, even though many documents and much testimony showed that he was leading the experimentation in Africa at the time.
I saw this documentary on French commercial television, so it was no fringe documentary.
The last thing they showed in the documentary was the connection between European scientists working on the program who suddenly began working with the US Government, continuing the same monkey research under US auspices.
I agree with you that, instead of rejecting Pastor Wright’s assertions out of hand, some of his critics should do a point-by-point analysis and prove that he is wrong.
Basically, they are saying that he is wrong NOT because his assertions are wrong, but because he is very angry at the United States.
1)The key word in your response was God damned, and in it’s basic meaning you don’t “curse” anyone. I don’t believe God “damned” America any more than I believe that God “damned” New Orleans and the Katrina victims. It’s the same type of rhetoric. One is just on the Left and the other is on the Right. That’s why I hate Fox News because they claim to be fair and balance, but everything they do is just opposite of mainstream media.
2)I didn’t dictate it to anyone, I said that is people’s right, but for ME, personally, I don’t want to mix the two. I have in the past, but if it’s not right when other do it, I can’t continue to justify it when my pastor does it, even if I agree with his statements.
3)I believe I made that point about politics been necessary to black church during the mid-century in the opening paragraph. I also made that point in an earlier post on the blog regarding the same sermon, and said that I understood Wright’s position.
4)I know it’s not just a black thing, but it’s hypocritical of me to not like Faldwell doing it, but except my preacher doing. The only difference is that I agree mostly with what my preacher says because it was to the benefit of blacks. Whites and consercatives believe Faldwell because it’s to the benefit of them. Just because white people do it don’t make it right. That argument negates your point and not help it. So don’t use Faldwell to justify Wright, because I think Faldwell is a radical and very wrong.
5) The bible is very specific for the what the church is for. That’s all I’ll say about that. We will just have to agree to disagree on this one.
6) I like Wright’s style I heard him speak twice, and he was very direct. I believe I defended him in saying that. These speeches are not the norm for him, and I measure him by all his works.
7) I know that it’s racism, too. That’s the point, if you don’t like white people doing it and you call them racist, then you shouldn’t appreciate black people doing the same thing. I believe in freedom of speech, and if people want to listen to it, they can, that’s they’re right, but I’m not going to justify as right when I know aspects of it are wrong.
The difference between you and I is that I can see how people perceived it as wrong, and I can see how people perceive it as right. Your argument can only see it as absolute truth and you haven’t raised one question are argument of how it could be at the very least indifferent. I haven’t seen one objective argument from you on this matter except maybe the HIV/AIDS, and it’s for me to believe that Jeremiah wright in your eyes did nothing wrong at all, and sorry I can’t go that far to agree with you. I know some of things he said was true, and I know some of the things he said was shocking and over the line.
writeonbro, only a hit dog hollers. That tells you all you need to know about this faux anger. If your toes didn’t get stepped on, you don’t start screaming our over facts being stated.
As far as Senator Byrd he was in the Klan about 60 years ago, and has long since reformed. I don’t approve of the hit job being perpitrated against him as of the last couple of days.
Wright was telling the truth. I’ve seen people drag Obama hither and yon over this thing and, to me, it was a speech that was a long time coming. This kind of stuff is why I could never be president. My speech in Obama’s place would have been, “The man is telling the truth. This country is one big hypocritical mess and someone needed to tell it about itself. Elect me so I can tear the mf down”.
That’s right OG. They say the church is a hospital for the sick in need of healing.
When I go to the hospital I don’t want my doctor to tell me what other people want to hear, and what’s soothing to their ears; I want him to tell me what I need to hear. I want some unfettered truth, not some politically correct mumble.
Nobody, neither me nor Dr. Wright said that Bible said that God Damned America, so I don’t know why you keep arguing against a point that no one made. The Bible neither says that God Blessed America either yet you don’t take issue with that.
You can believe that America is beyond reproach and could never be damned nor cursed if you want, that’s your belief. Your belief doesn’t make Dr. Wright wrong.
It’s not that I don’t see why some people think Wright was wrong; it’s that I DON’T AGREE with them! And I don’t think the acrimony is valid, especially when I challenge them on the finer points and they have nothing but emotion about how America is above reproach, and LIES about how he spewed hatred against whites, which he did not do.
Objectivity is not claiming that everybody is right. Objectivity is looking at facts and calling right, right and wrong, wrong. You’re not being objective when you fail to acknowledge the obvious racism born out by the double standard that I demonstrated in my last comment to you.
People are mad at him for saying “America’s chickens have come home to roost”; but my Bible says “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. Did he lie about what America sowed, nope; so it’s a completely legitimate refrain? Not wanting to hear it doesn’t give one the right to falsely assassinate his character.
Dr. Wright has enough critics, I’m defending him. Pastor Wright gets to have his say just like Sean Hannity and John Hagee get to have theirs.
Since Martin Luther King was treated the same way, please tell me, what did he say that was so bad that makes these attacks valid?
Did you not read what I wrote or did you ignore the things we agree on. When did I say Wright wasn’t speaking the truth. I said the issue most people have was the statement GD America, and where it was made. The only people spinning is Fox News, who has now called Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright a racist and anti-semitic.
When did I say racism didn’t exist. You said you can’t see where people take offense, and I pointed that out to you. There are so many white people rallying behind Barack, and the only people crying foul is Fox News and their alliance of “ist”.
Objectivity is seeking oppositions, I didn’t say everyone was right, nice try, but you know that’s not going to fly with me.
I do have issue with God Bless America, just like Chris Rock says, that implies that God shouldn’t bless anyone else, but you and I both know that Wright did not say God bless America in his speech.
I have defended Wright, and I have heard him speak. I know him to be matter of fact, and a wise man, but I’m not going to say that he was so right about everything he said.
We already had the discussion about MLK in the Afrospear, so I’m not going to rehash it.
I do have a question for you: If Jeremiah Wright was amongst a group of white people do you think he would have delivered the same speech in the same manner. Not Fox News white people because I want to cuss them out everyday. I swear we should bring a class action lawsuit against them for defamation of character and for this fair and balance bull crap. There is nothing fair and balance about that network.
Since it’s your blog, I will let you have the last word, though.
fox news busted by huffington
The real inspiration behind Rev. Wright\’s 9/11 sermon was a white man who is a former US Ambassador to Iraq!!! Read the post and tell mainstream media and Fox News - who has known this all the time - to back off! You can see 9 minutes of the sermon which puts everything into context on my site at htttp://sojournersplace.blogspot.com. Please help spread the word!
SjP
http://sojournersplace.blogspot.com
Two white reactions to Obama’s race speech are interesting. Rev. Wright’s boss in the UCC church laid out his support for the retired pastor. On the other hand, Pat Buchanan took the sheet off his head to share his gut-level reaction to Black people … he wants us on our knees giving gratitude to him and other white people for all that they’ve done for us (Black folks).
Amazing…
peace, Villager
What the right understands is that fear is the driving motivation for all too many Americans. They’re trying to use that fearfulness to drive people away from Obama, and Rev. Wright’s wise and thoughtful sermons were edited to create that effect.
They know too little and fear too easily. The more they come to know, the less they will come to fear. In this case, letting them know what Rev. Wright actually said is very important, intrinsically and in response to the distortions. The right would stampede the herd. Our task is to break people of the frightened herd mentality.
Sojourner, I took a look at that, and it looks interesting. I’m going to get into it some more as soon as I get a chance.
“They know too little and fear too easily.”
Absolutley. Americans wilfull ignorance runneth over though.
I finally heard a television network play more than a snippet of the “God Damn America” sermon, and right after the point where everybody cuts the snippet, Wright says “if” and lays down very Biblical conditions for which God would indeed Damn a nation.
The notion that your nation is beyond reproach no matter what it does; is juvenile, it’s nationalistic worship and any real Chrsitian knows that he can not have two master;, and is born out of frat boy style superioristic chest beating, as opposed to anything thughtful and justice.