Alas, I cannot give a more considered response right now as I have to get on the road. But I do want to say that this searing, nuanced, gut-wrenching, loyal, and deeply, deeply Christian speech is the most honest speech on race in America in my adult lifetime. It is a speech we have all been waiting for for a generation. Its ability to embrace both the legitimate fears and resentments of whites and the understandable anger and dashed hopes of many blacks was, in my view, unique in recent American history.
And it was a reflection of faith - deep, hopeful, transcending faith in the promises of the Gospels. And it was about America - its unique promise, its historic purpose, and our duty to take up the burden to perfect this union - today, in our time, in our way.
I have never felt more convinced that this man's candidacy - not this man, his candidacy - and what he can bring us to achieve - is an historic opportunity. This was a testing; and he did not merely pass it by uttering safe bromides. He addressed the intimate, painful love he has for an imperfect and sometimes embittered man. And how that love enables him to see that man's faults and pain as well as his promise. This is what my faith is about. It is what the Gospels are about. This is a candidate who does not merely speak as a Christian. He acts like a Christian.
Bill Clinton once said that everything bad in America can be rectified by what is good in America. He was right - and Obama takes that to a new level. And does it with the deepest darkest wound in this country's history.
I love this country. I don't remember loving it or hoping more from it than today.
Original article posted here.
3 comments:
The right wingnut radio mouths like Limburger and Little Boy Hannity have dug up endless streams of Reverend Wright's diatribes. They are playing the streams, laughing heartily, and superimposing Barack's statement, "Words mean something!" all over it.
I agree with everything Reverend Wright says. His words vibrate deep in my soul. His words echo the race tragedy that got us here. "For every Colin Powell there are 10 million black people who can't read or write." Or the chilling, "Hillary has never been called a n_____." I love listening to this man.
Barack's speech was delivered this morning and shall live in eternity alongside The Gettysburg Address and I Have A Dream.
Reverend Wright caused it to happen.
I like Reverend Wright. Anyone who can not understand him must be dull witted. I'm afraid most people purposely will themselves NOT to understand.
Just a note, Soc. I don't believe you need to edit your words. I believe that if a words can be spoken behind closed doors then they should be able to be spoken in people's faces. I believe that it is a massive fraud perpetrated upon black people that they should allow themselves to feel traumatized when somebody uses the word "nigger", but they take no offense when another black person says it. What a fucking charade, imbuing white people with this magic word that is supposed to have black people barking and howling simply because of the skin color of the one who says it.
You may agree with Rev. Wright, but this is where you and I disagree.
"Hillary has never been called a nigger!" So fucking what?
I have. I've been called an asshole, a fucking dickhead, an arrogant prick, a shithead, a bastard, and a whole lot else.
Big fucking deal.
Most of the time, when I've smiled back with that shit eating grin of superiority, my name caller has searched for more words and gets even more enraged.
I would never let any pathetic moron who could use a six letter word have any power over me like that.
It is a fraud perpetrated on black people, and when they are unafraid of people using this word because of confidence in themselves, their history, their culture and their status, the word will become completely defanged.
Do you think that calling someone a Kike, Chink or Jap is a fighting word now?
Doubt it.
In short, when white people can use the word nigger as freely as black people can, and black people take the same level of offense or lack thereof when a white person uses the word as with a black person, the nation will be that much less racist.
weazl doesn't be believe that you can have two different standards for who can use a word and who can't and still think that you respect anything that looks like equality.
NAACP be damned.
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