My Plea . . .

[EffieBlack]

Last week during the Ferraro dustup, I made several efforts to explain to DUers why Ferraro's comments were so offensive to so many African Americans. Although I was critical of her and her mindset, I tried not to personally attack Ferraro, I did not call her a racist and did not claim that she was anti-American, anti-black or a bad person. I had hoped that by offering some insight and context, I could help others - especially whites - come to a better understanding of this issue.

I am very troubled that now, in the wake of the Wright controversy, I am not seeing the same efforts made by those who were offended by his comments. I recognize that his comments were offensive to many white people and, while I have tried to explain why many people in our community feel the way he does, I know that the offense is real. But it saddens me that, instead of offering any constructive analysis or insight into why his comments are offensive to some white people, we are being deluged with attacks and name-calling of Wright, Obama, black ministers, and the black community. We are being lectured about what black ministers are and should be saying and doing, usually by people who have never set foot in a black church or spent any time in the black community.

I say again, I understand why so many white people are upset about Wright's remarks. But it would be much more helpful if, instead of expressing that upset by attacking Wright and calling everyone who ISN'T upset racist, you would offer some insights into what it is about the remarks cause you pain from a perspective that perhaps some of us do not have. Why are white Americans unhappy that Rev. Wright has spoken against the American government and taken some of the positions that he has?

This type of dialogue would be much more instructive, constructive and meaningful than the "Jeremiah Wright is a racist, how DARE he say 'God damn America'" diatribes I've been seeing.

I'm really interested in hearing your perspectives. But I'm not interested in reading attacks on my community, my church and my people. Please let's raise the degree of discussion here so that we can ALL learn something from each other.

[elleng]

1. Thanks, Effie,

I hope that reading this, from David Gergen, might help us all.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5091981

[Ninga]

2. I join your prayer for reason and perspective. But until people self educate themselves, take

the time to LEARN, and grow to UNDERSTAND, then I fear the prayers fall of deaf ears.

Anything taken out of context, can be argued to death with moral indignation. People are not interested in history, culture or context....they are only interested in the sound of their own voices.

So it goes here, at DU.

[Fresh_Start]

3. I don't claim to speak for anyone but myself

it is completely outside my personal experience for a preacher to damn anyone
its probably blasphemy
I go to church in order to become a better person
not to see my religious leader tear others down
my church tells me not to hate, not to curse others
I couldn't imagine myself going to a church that curses 90% of the people around me

[Texas Hill Country]

4. i understand what he said and why he said it. The prob is that it is controversial and will...

go over like a fart in an elevator in the General Election.

**Is that a bad thing? No.

I think that race is definitely something that needs to have large public discourse again. It's about time.

**Do I think winning the Presidency is more important in the immediate sense? Yes.

Race issues will persist for another generation or more, no matter how much talking we do. Right now, we must win the WH or this country might not make it a generation to see the racial divide dissolve.

**Do Wright's comments make it more than extremely difficult for Obama to win the GE? Yes.

Unfortunately, the reality is that in today's America there is a gut reaction to the types of things that Wright is saying. People freak out because a politician refuses to or doesnt wear a lapel pin... what the hell do you think their reaction to a guy whose preacher, close friend and personal mentor is screaming "God Damn America" and says that we deserved 9/11? And before you start spouting off about Robertson, etc... There was a huge backlash against Robertson, who later had to come out and retract the statement. You think Wright is going to do that? I would bet he would rather eat shit.

[Tatiana]

5. This is a reasoned response. I appreciate it. n/t

[C_U_L8R]

6. As someone born white...

I also say God damn America.
And god damn Hillary and god damn DU too. Just look around.
God damn everyone who parlays bigotry and fear into power.
God damn the Clintonian inferences, the hushed whisperings of strawdogged innuendos
God damn those who stomp on hope and piss on the little guy.
It's all hate. It's all insidous and shameful... yes its racism and more.
God damn us. God damn all of us for letting this bullshit happen here.

[cali]

7. I have no problem with Wright's condemnation of America

for its treatment of minorities. I'm not hurt by any of his comments, but I do find that his remarks about Bill and HIllary Clinton and Natalie Hollowell were crass and even dishonest. Had Wright wanted to criticize Clinton for his policies and how they impacted African Americans in some cogent way, I would have been right there with him. But he chose to say that Bill screwed AAs the way he screwed Monica. Sorry, that doesn't cut it. It's just gratuitous. He said that Hillary doesn't know what it's like to be called n***er, but omitted that she has been exposed to equally damaging and offensive name calling. I'll wager Obama has never been called c**t. And more or less saying that Hollowell was asking for it? Just ugh.

Oh, and according to polls, it's hardly just white people who are offended by some of Wright's comments.

[goldcanyonaz]

8. In the wake of 9/11 G-D Damn, America doesn't sit well with middle America.

This, unfortunately will not go away, and that's the reality we're facing.

[C_U_L8R]

9. Middle America is yelling God Damn the loudest

they've been shat on for 16 years by the Bushes and the Clintons