ADL's Foxman: Obama may have "an obligation to leave" church

[bidenista]

The Anti-Defamation League's Abe Foxman has leapt on the issues raised by the Cohen WashPo piece about Obama's church:

ADL Chief To Obama: ‘Confront Your Pastor’ On Minister Farrakhan
by Larry Cohler-Esses
Editor At Large

The leader of the Anti-Defamation League called presidential candidate Barack Obama’s spiritual mentor and pastor a "black racist" Tuesday and called upon the Illinois Democrat to "confront his minister" on his embrace of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

ADL National Director Abraham Foxman issued his call after an ADL press release put out earlier the same day "welcomed" an Obama statement unambiguously condemning "anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan." The Obama statement distanced the senator from a decision by his church’s magazine to honor Farrakhan with an award named for his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.

{On Wednesday morning, as The Jewish Week went to press, Foxman left a voice mail message amending his remarks, saying, Rev. Wright "embraces, awards and celebrates a black racist. I think racist is going a little bit too far."}

In the November/December issue of the Trinity United Church of Christ’s Trumpet Magazine, published just prior to the award ceremony, Rev. Wright — who Obama credits with bringing him to Christianity, presiding over his wedding ceremony, baptizing his daughter and dedicating his Chicago home — states: "When Minister Farrakhan speaks, Black America listens. Everybody may not agree with him, but they listen. ... His depth on analysis when it comes to the racial ills of this nation is astounding and eye opening. He brings a perspective that is helpful and honest.

"Minister Farrakhan will be remembered as one of the 20th and 21st century giants of the African American religious experience," Rev. Wright declares.

According to ADL, as recently as Nov. 7, in a speech at his Chicago mosque one month prior to the Chicago church’s awards ceremony, Minister Farrakhan sermonized, "Do you know some of these satanic Jews have taken over BET ? ... Everything that we built, they have. The mind of Satan now is running the record industry, movie industry and television. And they make us look like we’re the murders; we look like we’re the gangsters, but we’re punk stuff."

On Tuesday, Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen wrote about the award given by the magazine, which is published and edited by Rev. Wright’s daughters. "It’s important to state right off that nothing in Obama’s record suggests he harbors anti-Semitic views or agrees with Wright when it comes to Farrakhan," Cohen stressed. He noted that Obama’s top campaign strategist, David Axelrod, had told him this was one of any number of cases in which he and his minister "disagree."

"Fine," wrote Cohen. " the Obama camp takes the view that its candidate, now that he has been told about the award, is under no obligation to speak out on the Farrakhan matter. ... He could be the next American president. Where is his sense of outrage?"

Cohen’s column came one day after Newsmax.com, a right-wing Web site, published a detailed story on the issue by Ronald Kessler, a former Washington Post investigative reporter.

Obama’s statement, released Tuesday afternoon, declared, "I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan. I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree."

The ADL’s press release, put out soon after, welcomed Obama’s "condemnation of the anti-Semitic rhetoric of Louis Farrakhan, and his making clear that he did not agree with his church’s decision. ... Issues of racism and anti-Semitism must be beyond the bounds of politics. When someone close to a political figure shows sympathy and support for an individual who makes his name espousing bigotry, that political figure needs to distance himself from that decision. Senator Obama has done just that."

But in an interview with The Jewish Week, Foxman said this must be just a first step. "He’s distanced himself from his pastor’s decision to honor Farrakhan. He has not distanced himself from his pastor. I think that’s the next step. One can now expect from Sen. Obama that he confront his minister."

Ultimately, said Foxman, if Obama is unable to influence Wright to alter his stands, "I think he has an obligation to leave."

More: http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c37_a2220/News/National.html

[rockymountaindem]

1. Ordinarily I hate the popcorn guy, but in this case I feel compelled to deploy him:

:popcorn:

[IndianaJones]

2. completely ridiculous. nt.

[Adelante]

3. Oy nt