My Commentary on the Obama Pastor Controversy
This Obama Pastor controversy disappoints me because I thought Barack Obama was politically smarter. I also hoped that we would talk less about race.
Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update has a segment called “Really?”. I imagine the next “Really?” will begin like this:
Senator Obama, you didn’t realize that having a close relationship with an angry black-separatist preacher would be controversial? Really? Really!!!??
Barack Obama should have severed ties with Rev. Jeremiah Wright much earlier. Obama believes in his own message of inclusion and hope. Obama profoundly disagrees with Wright on many levels. It is totally unfair to suggest that Obama shares any of Wright’s controversial views.
I’m reasonably open-minded. It doesn’t surprise me that Obama would attend a very popular church in the district he represented as Illinois State Senator. It doesn’t shock me that a church in a predominantly black neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side would feature a pastor giving fiery sermons, including some with a militant racial message. Obama’s decision to officially include Rev. Wright in his campaign was poor judgment.
Over the years, I’ve heard many inflammatory rantings from many sources: Pat Robertson, Louis Farrakhan, Bill Cunningham, Strom Thurmond, Ann Coulter, Jerry Falwell. Obama’s relationship with Wright doesn’t bother me excessively. As I learn more about any politician, there’s always something that bothers me. Politicians have many relationships. It’s inevitable that some relationships will be controversial.
I don’t know if Obama is the best choice to be the next president, but I hope this controversy does not ruin Obama’s chances. This election has been too important and inspiring to come down to this.
Some people are not as open-minded as I am. Senator Obama, you didn’t know that? Really?
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Comment by maria
Posted on March 16, 2008 at 4:04 pm
You’re dead-on here. Obama has to show that he can weather a controversy like this one if he is to survive the general election. Not only was it bad judgement to include Wright in his campaign, it was worse given the fact has not taken the stronger stand of severing ties with the man. I’ve heard many things in my church growing up that I disagreed with, but I left that church. Obama needs to seriously answer questions why he didn’t leave his.
Comment by Nathaniel Cerf
Posted on March 18, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Perhaps we all need to step back here and look at the greater picture.
The Bush administration has catered to the rights-denying Religious Right for the past 8 years and tried to shove their hypocritical morality down our throats since 2000.
Why is that not getting a fire storm of attention?
Hasn’t anyone else been paying attention to the absurd list of fiery, hate-filled preachers who have President Bush’s ear?
Hmmm. On one hand we have a black preacher in a black church who is upset with the nation for its suppression of blacks.
On the other hand we have a sitting president actively promoting the evangelical movement in public schools, denying equal rights to gays, working to deny women the right to choose what’s best for their own bodies and lives, denying medical care to the third world nations that refuse to make abortions illegal and miriade other violations of universal ethics and human descency.
Why are we even concerned with an adult, free-thinking intellectual occasionally being exposed to rash commentary by an angry activist who is tired of being beaten down?
Obama has nothing to prove, given his potential predecessor’s track record.
Comment by Nancy
Posted on March 19, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Nathaniel, He’s not just some adult, free thinking intellectual who is “occasionally being exposed etc — He is a powerful candidate for president of the U.S. who sits in this man’s church and listens to his harangue for years. This is his PASTOR, Nathaniel, not just some guy.
Also doesn’t he purport to be “better” than the Bush-wacked gang. Sorry, doesn’t cut it for me. How does that old saying go - “show me who your friends are …..” again, this is his PASTOR. He chose that pastor.
Comment by john
Posted on May 14, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I agree with Nancy. You sound like a real moron!