Salon Must Read: Rev. Wright Isn't the Problem

[flpoljunkie]

Rev. Jeremiah Wright isn't the problem

The hysteria over Obama's former pastor's attacks on America shows we're still in thrall to knee-jerk patriotism.

By Gary Kamiya

Mar. 25, 2008 | Maybe we really are doomed to elect John McCain, remain in Iraq forever and nuke Iran. Nations that forget history may not be doomed to repeat it, but those that never even recognize reality in the first place definitely are. Last week's ridiculous uproar over Rev. Jeremiah Wright's sermons proves yet again that America has still not come to terms with the most rudimentary facts about race, 9/11 -- or itself.

The great shock so many people claim to be feeling over Wright's sermons is preposterous. Anyone who is surprised and horrified that some black people feel anger at white people, and America, is living in a racial never-never land. Wright has called the U.S. "the United States of White America," talks about the "oppression" of black people and says, "White America got their wake-up call after 9/11." Gosh, who could have dreamed that angry racial grievances and left-wing political views are sometimes expressed in black churches?

It's not surprising that the right is using Wright to paint Barack Obama as a closet Farrakhan, trying to let the air out of his trans-racial balloon by insinuating that he's a dogmatic race man. But beyond the fake shock and the all-too-familiar racial politics, what the whole episode reveals is how narrow the range of acceptable discourse remains in this country. This is especially true of anything having to do with patriotism or 9/11 -- which have become virtually interchangeable. Wright's unforgivable sin was that he violated our rigid code of national etiquette. Instead of the requisite "God bless America," he said "God damn America." He said 9/11 was a case of chickens coming home to roost. Now we must all furrow our brows and agree that such dreadful words are anathema and that no presidential candidate can ever have been within earshot of them.

This is absurd. We're worrying about someone in Row 245 who refuses to stand up for "The Star Spangled Banner," while the people who are singing loudest and waving the biggest flags are the ones who got us into the mess we're in today.

Wright isn't the problem. Stupid patriotism is the problem.

-- By Gary Kamiya

more...

http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/2008/03/25/rev_jeremiah_wright/print.html

[Bensthename]

1. That is Exactly right. Rec

[flpoljunkie]

5. Thanks, Bensthename.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. It's important, re: The Wright non-issue, to not confuse phony manufactured outrage

with the real thing.

I don't believe that vast numbers of Americans are all of a sudden "outraged" over this. I think people who were looking for an excuse to get outraged (Right wingers, Hillary supporters) have jumped on this and milked it for as much attention as it's going to get. I don't genuinely believe most Americans give half a shit.

[madaboutharry]

3. Gary Kamiya has written some

brilliant articles over the years. This one is one of the best. The problem is us. I sometimes can not comprehend how juvenile we are as a nation.

[patrice]

4. "This is absurd." Exactly. People are mistaking words for the reality that words only imperfectly

refer to.

"God damn America" is g, o, d, d, a, m, n, a, m, e, r, i, c, a, which represent sounds that we form with our vocal apparatus and have agreed, through conventional use, refer to something in the phenomenal multi-verse that we call "God", doing something that we call "damn"-ing, to something we call "America". The whole system is something that we made up and it is NOT identical with the phenomena to which it refers. There are no logically NECESSARY relationships between these arbitrary symbols and whatever REALITY is. Making too much fuss about this, or other vocal phenomena like the fabled "F-bomb", is NOTHING BUT A POWER STRUGGLE supported by those who assert their "right" to control others "for their own good".

[JoFerret]

6. "Stupid patriotism is the problem."

I concur. And if we add religion to the mix I would concur completely.

However, we are not even close to resolving either of them. Maybe by 2012 or 2016 we will be a little more mature.

[unblock]

7. i'd agree, but only in part. people also have a hangup about black anger.

obama is a popular as he is because he keeps his cool.
even hillary loses points when she gets angry because people also have a hangup about female anger.

anger is the privilege of the white male, doncha know?

[Eric J in MN]

9. Bill Clinton was criticized for getting angry when Chris Wallace...

...asked him if he should have done more to catch UBL, even though Bill Clinton wasn't shouting.

[unblock]

10. good point. maybe it's only a white male republican privilege....

[george_maniakes]

15. I dont know how anyone can sit across from chris wallace....

and not beat the living shit out of him. He'd make a great vegas card dealer, those guys who throw off the best card players because there so damn smarmy.

[mirrera]

8. For the right wingers out there... Obama was not the guy in row 245 not standing! It was an example!

[JoFerret]

11. Not the problem

I agree. But crude and ludicrous nonetheless. And that gloating tone? sound familiar to any DU reader?

<<This isn't a brief for Wright. I'm not a fan of Sharpton-style black demagoguery, with its knee-jerk grievance and identity politics. I don't know Wright's political philosophy or racial views well enough to place him on the vast spectrum of black leaders. Based on the few clips I've seen and the excerpts I've read, Wright certainly has his shortcomings. His preaching can be over-the-top, crude and ludicrous. His assertion that the U.S. government spread AIDS in the black population is a caricature of paranoid black demagoguery. In his "chickens coming home to roost" sermon, when he thundered that America's sins were being revisited upon us, he failed to make the essential distinction between saying U.S. actions were partly responsible for the attacks and saying that we deserved the attacks. At times his aggressive, almost gloating tone and delivery made it seem like that's exactly what he was saying.

[Bolo Boffin]

12. Jeremiah Wright extended that sentence once in his speech.

"God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

People condemning Wright for this statement haven't been reading the same Bible I've been reading.

[ShortnFiery]

13. Right after 9/11 ...

My husband noticed that everyone either had An American Flag in their window or was displaying their flag from their home in that flag-pole holder thingies that you can purchased from WalMart.

He asked me, "Don't you think we should display a flag?" I flat out said, "Hell NO! You are a retired Marine and I served my country for four years on Active Duty in the Army. No couple loves their country more than you or I."

Still, my beloved husband who is a true diplomat, bought one of those flag pole holder thingies (from Lowes) and displayed The American Flag so that our family would not be ostracized within our neighborhood.

Yes, FALSE (demonstrative) Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

[flpoljunkie]

14. Hillary's pastor speaks about Rev. Jeremiah Wright-calls him a profound voice for justice, inclusion

Quote For The Day

26 Mar 2008 07:27 am

"The Reverend Jeremiah Wright is an outstanding church leader whom I have heard speak a number of times. He has served for decades as a profound voice for justice and inclusion in our society. He has been a vocal critic of the racism, sexism and homophobia which still tarnish the American dream. To evaluate his dynamic ministry on the basis of two or three sound bites does a grave injustice to Dr. Wright, the members of his congregation, and the African-American church which has been the spiritual refuge of a people that has suffered from discrimination, disadvantage, and violence. Dr. Wright, a member of an integrated denomination, has been an agent of racial reconciliation while proclaiming perceptions and truths uncomfortable for some white people to hear. Those of us who are white Americans would do well to listen carefully to Dr. Wright rather than to use a few of his quotes to polarize. This is a critical time in America's history as we seek to repent of our racism. No matter which candidates prevail, let us use this time to listen again to one another and not to distort one another's truth," - Dean J. Snyder, Foundry United Methodist Church, March 19, 2008. Snyder is Hillary Clinton's pastor, although I'm not sure how often she attends his church.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/03/quote-for-th-33.html