Obama to address Ebenezer Baptist Church - MLK's church - today

[rox63]

~snip~

But wait.....down in Atlanta, Georgia on January 20th, Barack Obama will address the congregation of the Ebenezer Baptist Church -- the church where Dr. Martin Luther King was baptized as a child, where he became an ordained minister at the age of 18 (Wait a minute, did he have enough experience?!), where he became co-pastor in 1960 -- the post he held until his death in 1968, and where his funeral was held the same year.

It would seem that Barack Obama has been given a powerful pulpit from which to speak, the pulpit from which many of today's ministers, including Mr. Butts have drawn their inspiration, but unlike Hillary, whose appearance at Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church is mired in the inner city politics of New York, Barack Obama will come to the pulpit with nothing but his message of hope, and his vision of a new dream for America. I am sure it will be a powerful, moving and memorable moment in presidential campaign history whether or not he wins the nomination of his party. If nothing else, perhaps that moment will inspire others to strive to preserve their personal integrity rather than lowering themselves to the point where the end justifies the means, at all costs.

And as for those who think Mr. Butt's endorsement will move the African American electorate in South Carolina, think again. For South Carolina voters, it is the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Dr. King's home state of Atlanta, Georgia that is not only closer to home but closer to the hearts of South Carolina's African American electorate.

~snip~

Read the whole thing here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/20/1289/40318/487/439876

[ursi]

1. Kick and Rank!

[jefferson_dem]

2. Beautiful.

That place is a cathedral.

Interesting...the last time I was at Ebenezer was in 2000, when Bill was doing his farewell tour. Coretta, Andrew Young, etc were also there. Time for the new guard now...

[progressoid]

3. Yea! Lets bring politics and religion closer together!

That always works out so well.

[aaronbees]

5. Huh?

Are you aware what day Monday is?

[Darth_Kitten]

7. And it has more to do with Obama than anybody else?

Yes, I'm sure they are aware of what day it is.

[aaronbees]

9. No ....

but I don't see any reason to complain that Obama is speaking here the day before Martin Luther King, Jr., is celebrated.

[progressoid]

11. Sooo...

why isn't he speaking tomorrow? Why address a Sunday Church service?

Is he Celebrating Dr. King? Celebrating Jesus? Running for president? After reading his speech, it looks like he did all three. Yea!

Gosh, remember when we liberals would admonish RW politicians for pandering to fundies? Or decry RW religious leaders for poking their noses into politics? Why is it suddenly OK for us to do the same? I guess it's OK if we do it because we understand the Bible and Jesus better than them or something.

[aaronbees]

12. Maybe you should contact his campaign...

and tell them about the finer points of scheduling. I mean, I have no idea why Obama would speak on Sunday when people are at the church. But, I'm sure in your infinite wisdom you've got the upper hand here.

Now that you're done chewing on that sarcasm, I'd like to know why you conflate speaking at Ebenezer Baptist Church with RW politicians pandering to fundies. Me, I'm tired of this indiscriminate, reactionary attititude to anything religious or spiritual. I'm pretty damn agnostic, but I have no problem with the kind of Biblical interpretation Obama espouses here and the inspiration he finds: "In the struggle for peace and justice, we cannot walk alone."

[progressoid]

14. You brought up the date issue.

In fact, the date doesn't matter. Obama and other Democrats have spoken in churches often, MLK Day notwithstanding.

You ask, "I'd like to know why you conflate speaking at Ebenezer Baptist Church with RW politicians pandering to fundies".
I'm not conflating - I'm comparing. Perhaps the sarcasm overshadowed the point of my comparison: Hypocrisy.
When Republicans invoke God, we cringe and gripe about bringing religion into politics. Yet when Democrats do it, we celebrate their faith and spirituality. Apparently, when we mix politics and religion, it's OK, but when conservatives do it, it's bad. Hypocrisy.

The next time President Bush talks about his faith giving him strength, will you rush to defend his inspiration?
Will you be outraged when we attack Huckabee's literal belief in Genesis over evolution?
In the next debate, if Chris Mathews asks the candidates how the Bible influences them, will you praise him for his insightful query into their spirituality?

This isn't an indiscriminate, reactionary attitude to anything religious or spiritual. It's a discriminate reaction against interjecting religion into politics. It shouldn't be done...period.

BTW, it's a great speech (really! no sarcasm here). I can see how people could be in tears. And while I've only read the transcript, I'm sure Barack's delivery was impeccable as usual. But a well written and delivered speech doesn't deny the inconsistent attitude we have about religion and politics. We condone it on our side and condemn it on their side.

[aaronbees]

15. It's unavoidable ... period

I see no reason to expect politicians to completely avoid the pulpit. They never have. Should they be there every day? No, not at all. But there are large constituencies for whom the church is a powerful presence in their lives. That's fact and they're people to reach, and at least Obama has the guts to bring a liberal message of understanding, unity and social justice to people in the church. Obama understands their interests are best served with the Democratic Party. I think that's a smart move and a powerful one, even if I don't necessarily share his faith-based underpinnings. I may not like every way he's approached this issue (the asinine and cynical, mixed-message stupidity on his campaign's handling of McClurkin, for example), but I'm glad he's attempting to reach over to the church and I do believe his heart's in the right place. For so long, the media and Repubs have said "God and country" is the sole province of the Repubs. Well, I think that's preeminent bull when considering what it really means to defend the country and abide by being our brother and sister's keeper in this world. Will Obama see me in a church listening to him? Probably not, but I know there are many people who will get to hear him there on their home territory, and that's half the battle in a campaign.

As for your examples of Bush and Huckabee, well they'd certainly have the right to do so ... but the problem is in the message: One of malevolence in Bush and ignorance in Huckabee. It's not hypocrisy; that's being discriminating in what messages are useful and what message are used to tear people apart. Is it dangerous for them to take it to the church? Absolutely, but it's nothing they wouldn't be doing elsewhere in the campaign anyway. I'd rather have it out in the open that they're ignorant and malevolent buffoons. And as for Chris Mathews, I'd just assume it's another piss poor interview from him with is finger in the air to catch the prevailing winds. I guess it boils down to this: faith and spirituality, to me, are only as good as the actions they inspire.

And we'll agree on Obama's speech ... it was mighty fantastic. :toast: In any case, thanks for elaborating on your thoughts.

[EffieBlack]

13. Maybe that's when the church INVITED him to speak.

Jeez!

[noiretextatique]

4. as long he doesn't mention reagan

i look forward to hearing his address.

[Darth_Kitten]

6. Will he be talking about the excesses of the 60's?

;)

[peoli]

8. cant wait to see this speech

the next great speech by barack

[beachmom]

10. Here is the speech:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/20/115840/058/343/440020

It begins:

The Scripture tells us that when Joshua and the Israelites arrived at the gates of Jericho, they could not enter. The walls of the city were too steep for any one person to climb; too strong to be taken down with brute force. And so they sat for days, unable to pass on through.

But God had a plan for his people. He told them to stand together and march together around the city, and on the seventh day he told them that when they heard the sound of the ram’s horn, they should speak with one voice. And at the chosen hour, when the horn sounded and a chorus of voices cried out together, the mighty walls of Jericho came tumbling down.

There are many lessons to take from this passage, just as there are many lessons to take from this day, just as there are many memories that fill the space of this church. As I was thinking about which ones we need to remember at this hour, my mind went back to the very beginning of the modern Civil Rights Era.

Because before Memphis and the mountaintop; before the bridge in Selma and the march on Washington; before Birmingham and the beatings; the fire hoses and the loss of those four little girls; before there was King the icon and his magnificent dream, there was King the young preacher and a people who found themselves suffering under the yolk of oppression.

And on the eve of the bus boycotts in Montgomery, at a time when many were still doubtful about the possibilities of change, a time when those in the black community mistrusted themselves, and at times mistrusted each other, King inspired with words not of anger, but of an urgency that still speaks to us today:

"Unity is the great need of the hour" is what King said. Unity is how we shall overcome.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

16. It really was quite an incredible speech

one of the best I've ever heard! The ideal ticket for the Dems in 2008 would have Edwards and Obama teaming up. An unbeatable team!

[Hope And Change]

17. I posted a video of Obama`s full speech..

here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x86516