"Black and More Than Black": Obama's Daring and Unique Speech on Race
| Tue Mar. 18, 2008 10:42 AM PDT
With racial sentiments swirling in the 2008 campaign—notably, Geraldine Ferraro's claim that Barack Obama is not much more than an affirmative action case and the controversy over his former pastor's over-the-top remarks—Senator Obama on Tuesday morning responded to these recent fusses with a speech unlike any delivered by a major political figure in modern American history. While explaining—not excusing—Reverend Jeremiah Wright's remarks (which Obama had already criticized), he called on all Americans to recognize that even though the United States has experienced progress on the racial reconciliation front in recent decades (Exhibit A: Barack Obama), racial anger exists among both whites and blacks, and he said that this anger and its causes must be fully acknowledged before further progress can be achieved. Obama did this without displaying a trace of anger himself.
Speaking in Philadelphia, Obama celebrated his own racial heritage but also demonstrated his ability to view the black community with a measure of objectivity and, when necessary, criticism—caring criticism. But this was no Sister Souljah moment. He did not sacrifice Wright for political ends. He hailed the good deeds of his former minister, noting that Wright's claim that America continues to be a racist society is rooted in Wright's generational experiences. And Obama identified the sources of racial resentment held by whites without being judgmental. With this address, Obama was trying to show the nation a pathway to a society free of racial gridlock and denial. Moreover, he declared that bridging the very real racial divide of today is essential to forging the popular coalition necessary to transform America into a society with a universal and effective health care system, an education system that serves poor and rich children, and an economy that yields a decent-paying jobs for all. Obama was not playing the race card. He was shooting the moon.
Obama delivered his speech in a stiff manner. The melodious lilt and cascading tones that typically characterize his campaign addresses were not present. This was a speech in which the words—not the delivery—counted. He began with a predictable notion: slavery was the original sin of the glorious American project. Removing that stain has been the nation's burden ever since, and he tied his campaign to that long-running endeavor: "This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign—to continue the long march of those who came before us, a march for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America." And he proclaimed that due to his own personal story—"I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas"—he both recognizes the need to heal this divide and possesses an "unyielding faith in the decency and generosity of the American people." Unlike the black leaders of recent years, Obama identified with both the winners and losers of America: "I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible." He is E Pluribus Unum.
Continues Below
Continued From Above
Without being coy about it, Obama declared that race has been an issue in the campaign. "Some commentators have deemed me either 'too black' or 'not black enough,'" he said. "We saw racial tensions bubble to the surface during the week before the South Carolina primary. The press has scoured every exit poll for the latest evidence of racial polarization, not just in terms of white and black, but black and brown as well. And yet, it has only been in the last couple of weeks that the discussion of race in this campaign has taken a particularly divisive turn."
He was referring to the remarks of Ferraro and Wright. About his onetime pastor, Obama said, "For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in the church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely—just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed." Yet Obama did not leave it at that. He didn't dismiss Wright as another pissed-off black person stuck in racial conflict:
The truth is, that isn't all that I know of the man. The man I met more than twenty years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor. He is a man who served his country as a United States Marine; who has studied and lectured at some of the finest universities and seminaries in the country, and who for over thirty years led a church that serves the community by doing God's work here on Earth—by housing the homeless, ministering to the needy, providing day care services and scholarships and prison ministries, and reaching out to those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Obama went on to explain what moves Wright and those in the pews who cheered his now-controversial remarks:
Like other predominantly black churches across the country, Trinity Church embodies the black community in its entirety—the doctor and the welfare mom, the model student and the former gang-banger....The church contains in full the kindness and cruelty, the fierce intelligence and the shocking ignorance, the struggles and successes, the love and, yes, the bitterness and bias that make up the black experience in America.
And this helps explain, perhaps, my relationship with Reverend Wright. As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect. He contains within him the contradictions—the good and the bad—of the community that he has served diligently for so many years.
Obama added that he could "no more disown" Wright "than I can disown the black community" or "my white grandmother—a woman who helped raise me...and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe. These people are a part of me. And they are a part of America, this country that I love."
As Obama noted, he was not taking the "politically safe" route of denouncing Wright and moving on, hoping the controversy would fade. He embraced the Wright matter to address uncomfortable truths about race: In fact, in assessing America's ills and needs, Obama declared, references to race are unavoidable. "We do not need to recite here the history of racial injustice in this country," he said. "But we do need to remind ourselves that so many of the disparities that exist between the African-American community and the larger American community today can be directly traced to inequalities passed on from an earlier generation that suffered under the brutal legacy of slavery and Jim Crow." Obama recited the list of past grievances: segregated schools, legalized discrimination, the exclusion of blacks from unions, obstacles to black homeownership, etc. Not ducking a point that does peeve some whites, Obama noted that all this history "helps explain" the present wealth and income gap between blacks and whites:
A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one's family, contributed to the erosion of black families—a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened. And the lack of basic services in so many urban black neighborhoods—parks for kids to play in, police walking the beat, regular garbage pick-up and building code enforcement—all helped create a cycle of violence, blight and neglect that continues to haunt us.
Obama noted, that "this is the reality in which Reverend Wright and other African-Americans of his generation grew up." Consequently, for Wright and his peers, "questions of race, and racism, continue to define their worldview in fundamental ways." As if he was taking White America on a guided tour of Black America, Obama was saying very gently, this is how it works over there:
For the men and women of Reverend Wright's generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years. That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. But it does find voice in the barbershop or the beauty shop or around the kitchen table. At times, that anger is exploited by politicians, to gin up votes along racial lines, or to make up for a politician's own failings. And occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews.
Not that this makes it right. Obama did not let Wright and others off the hook: "That anger is not always productive; indeed, all too often it distracts attention from solving real problems; it keeps us from squarely facing our own complicity in our condition, and prevents the African-American community from forging the alliances it needs to bring about real change. But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races."
This is as sophisticated a discussion of race as any American politician has sought to present to the public. And Obama was not done. He turned to whites:
A similar anger exists within segments of the white community. Most working- and middle-class white Americans don't feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race. Their experience is the immigrant experience—as far as they're concerned, no one's handed them anything, they've built it from scratch. They've worked hard all their lives, many times only to see their jobs shipped overseas or their pension dumped after a lifetime of labor. They are anxious about their futures, and feel their dreams slipping away; in an era of stagnant wages and global competition, opportunity comes to be seen as a zero sum game, in which your dreams come at my expense. So when they are told to bus their children to a school across town; when they hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed; when they're told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time.
Like the anger within the black community, these resentments aren't always expressed in polite company. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation. Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition. Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends. Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism.
Obama was not condemning anyone. His key to post-racial transformation? End the blame game. In the end, he argued, black-and-white matters less—or should matter less—than issues of class and economic power:
And just as black anger often proved counterproductive, so have these white resentments distracted attention from the real culprits of the middle class squeeze—a corporate culture rife with inside dealing, questionable accounting practices, and short-term greed; a Washington dominated by lobbyists and special interests; economic policies that favor the few over the many. And yet, to wish away the resentments of white Americans, to label them as misguided or even racist, without recognizing they are grounded in legitimate concerns—this too widens the racial divide, and blocks the path to understanding.
His bottom line: "This is where we are right now. It's a racial stalemate we've been stuck in for years." How to climb out of this hole? Obama offered no ten-point plans or facile answers. Heavy lifting has to happen on both sides. African Americans must embrace "the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. It means continuing to insist on a full measure of justice in every aspect of American life. But it also means binding our particular grievances—for better health care, and better schools, and better jobs—to the larger aspirations of all Americans: the white woman struggling to break the glass ceiling, the white man whose been laid off, the immigrant trying to feed his family. And it means taking full responsibility for our own lives—by demanding more from our fathers, and spending more time with our children, and reading to them, and teaching them that while they may face challenges and discrimination in their own lives, they must never succumb to despair or cynicism; they must always believe that they can write their own destiny."
As for the white community, he added, "the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination—and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past—are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds—by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations. It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper."
Obama ended up at an obvious point: can't we all just get along and "do unto others as we would have them do unto us." But the path he took was not without some courage. He dared to explain—and somewhat justify—black anger that can lead to comments that upset whites, while calling for blacks to move past such anger. And he did not dump Wright. He also dared to understand white resentment, but he chided whites (without castigating them) for dismissing or ignoring black anger. Events beyond Obama's control pushed him to make this speech. And, no doubt, political foes and conservative antagonists will continue their crusade to tar Obama with Wright's words. But with this address, Obama presented a candid approach to race. Still, there's no telling if this will help him in his fierce battle with Hillary Clinton—let alone in a general election, should he secure the Democratic presidential nomination.
While discussing his years of worship at the Trinity Church, Obama noted that by attending services there and imagining "the stories of ordinary black people merging with the stories of David and Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh, the Christians in the lion's den, Ezekiel's field of dry bones," he came to realize that "our trials and triumphs became at once unique and universal, black and more than black." With this speech—and throughout his campaign—as he merges his own story with the story of race in America, he is presenting himself also as "black and more than black." And that is a story with no ending yet.
Full speech here:
Comments
I listened to the message delivered by Barack Obama this morning, hoping he would say more. Instead, he offered to excuse and explain away the comments by Reverend Wright through the use of the history of America and by exploiting the plight of African Americans to justify Wrights Characterizations. As an African American male, I think there is no justification for Wright's comments. I grew up in a black Church in Atlanta, and I have never in my life heard such rhetoric in the pulpit.
Obama speaks abut Wright's words in these terms:
"But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial. They weren't simply a religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country ? a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam. "
But Wright's words were more than just anger, they were both racist and anti-American, and they and he should be rejected by Obama. It one thing to talk about issues facing African Americans, but his comments were not limited to that. He talked about rich White people and condemned them. He condemned America and asked God to Damn America. He also insinuated that the US created AIDS to kill people.
These comments do not speak to the African American experience in any way, and I do not see how Barack Obama can justify or explain these comments in any way by trying to use the plight of African-Americans. I have not heard comment about America like that from the Hispanic community who is in many ways in a parallel to the Black community on many fronts. Also, I have never heard such language from Native Americans, who have more rights to make such statements that anyone.
Further Obama described the church he knows when he said, "People began to shout, to rise from their seats and clap and cry out, a forceful wind carrying the reverend's voice up into the rafters?" However, that is the same thing the congregation did as Wright made his comments. So were they condoning the comments?
The most disappointing moments in the speech was when he answered the questions that have been engrained in everyone's mind, did he know about these types of comments during his time in the church.
"I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely ? just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed. "
He simply answered yes. I was so hurt by the fact that he admitted that he had known about these types of comments, but also said he would continue to surround himself by reverend Wright. This means that he lied to America when he said he had never heard any of these comments, and that he saw them for the first time on TV with us. I believed he had the judgment to lead America, but he has clearly failed in that judgment.
While there were many truths about racism tied into the speech, they do not excuse Wright's comments, place them in an acceptable context, and do not excuse Barack's judgment and decision to surround himself, and continue to surround himself, with Wright. Obama has proven to be a masterful orator, and disguises the truth within powerful oratory, but that does not hide the truth. It only disguises the truth.
Jonathan Mayhew (October 8, 1720 ? July 9, 1766) was a noted American clergyman and minister at Old West Church, Boston, Massachusetts. He is credited with coining the phrase "no taxation without representation."
"A people, really oppressed to a great degree by their sovereign, cannot well be insensible when they are so oppressed. And such a people (if I may allude to an ancient fable) have, like the hesperian fruit, a DRAGON for their protector and guardian: Nor would they have any reason to mourn, if some HERCULES should appear to dispatch him--For a nation thus abused to arise unanimously, and to resist their prince, even to the dethroning him, is not criminal; but a reasonable way of indicating their liberties and just rights; it is making use of the means, and the only means, which God has put into their power, for mutual and self-defense. And it would be highly criminal in them, not to make use of this means. It would be stupid tameness, and unaccountable folly, for whole nations to suffer one unreasonable, ambitious and cruel man, to wanton and riot in their misery. And in such a case it would, of the two, be more rational to suppose, that they that did NOT resist, than that they who did, would receive to themselves damnation."
Seems to me like a little mayhem from the pulpit is part of our great American tradition.
Question:
How many Black American Senators in the 210 years of the United States Senate?
For you to look up.
Then ponder if that number equals Jonathan Mayhew's concept of representation.
I may be the only one, but I actually hope that Barrack Obama heard the anger and rage expressed from pulpits and homes in his Chicago district. Hearing his voice of reconciliation and hope now is even more meaningful knowing that he has had to transcend the rage of many in the inner city, and rise above it, to articulate a gospel of hope rather than hate. There are plenty of politicians who merely mimic the anger of their constituents, who build their careers on appealing to our worst instincts. Obama is that rare politician who appeals to our best. The Geraldine Farraros of the world could never represent a classic angry "archie bunker" district without hearing tirades of racism and victimization. No one representing the inner city portion of Obama's state senate district could escape and avoid the expressions of anger and rage found in the inner cities of America. What matters most is not what one hears, it is what one preaches. Jesus himself didn't walk away from the crowd calling for the stoning of a woman. He listened and heard what they said and then spoke the most memorable words, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." What saddens me about Ferraro is not what she heard from her constituents, but how she continues to mimic their pain with their rhetoric and their fear. What inspires me about Obama is not what he heard from his angry constituents, but how he transcends that in an appeal for genuine tolerance, understanding, and hope that can help heal the pain and traumas of the past. It is far more than a fairy tale. It is the knowledge that one "good Samaritan" can do far more than help one injured stranger. He can change the way we think about Samaritans. Most of us have forgotten that Samaritans were a hated minority. When Jesus spoke of him, he sought not only to redirect our actions toward the injured stranger, but to recast our thinking about the Samaritan.
All of this brings me to thoughts about experience?about how it shapes us, empowers us, and traps us. Obama, Clinton, and McCain all bring a great deal of experience to this race. What we have to examine is not, "who has had 'experience' and who hasn't", but rather how has their personal experience shaped their lives, their decision making process, and their sense of the possible. I remember my experience as a freshman member of the Oklahoma legislature in 1980 sponsoring and winning a major fight for nursing home reform. After we won, I remember a senior member turning to me and saying, "You could never have done that if you had been here for a long time, because you would have known that it was impossible." Too often, we respond to our experience by learning what cannot be done rather than learning how to do it. All three of the remaining candidates have lived fascinating and challenging lives. They have all experienced losses and pain. I would not want to have a leader who had lived such a protected life that he or she had never suffered?now there would be someone who would be truly dangerous. The more important question for each of these three is how have they responded to their experience. I suppose what I think our country needs is someone who is strong and yet calm and thoughtful. We certainly don't need any frantic bullies. I especially think we desperately need a leader with enough humility to seek out and listen to others with intelligence and experience and not have the hubris to believe that one person can contain within themselves all the experience and knowledge necessary to respond to the incredibly complex and challenging realities in today's world. We need someone whose knees don't jerk in any direction. The real problem with McCain and Clinton is that they want us to feel comfortable that they have all the answers. They don't. No one does. Somehow I feel really glad that John Kennedy answered the phone in the Cuban missile crisis rather than those two.
I listened to the message delivered by Barack Obama this morning, hoping he would say more. Instead, he offered to excuse and explain away the comments by Reverend Wright through the use of the history of America and by exploiting the plight of African Americans to justify Wrights Characterizations. As an African American male, I think there is no justification for Wright's comments. I grew up in a black Church in Atlanta, and I have never in my life heard such rhetoric in the pulpit.
Obama speaks abut Wright's words in these terms:
"But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial. They weren't simply a religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country ? a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam. "
But Wright's words were more than just anger, they were both racist and anti-American, and they and he should be rejected by Obama. It one thing to talk about issues facing African Americans, but his comments were not limited to that. He talked about rich White people and condemned them. He condemned America and asked God to Damn America. He also insinuated that the US created AIDS to kill people.
These comments do not speak to the African American experience in any way, and I do not see how Barack Obama can justify or explain these comments in any way by trying to use the plight of African-Americans. I have not heard comment about America like that from the Hispanic community who is in many ways in a parallel to the Black community on many fronts. Also, I have never heard such language from Native Americans, who have more rights to make such statements that anyone.
Further Obama described the church he knows when he said, "People began to shout, to rise from their seats and clap and cry out, a forceful wind carrying the reverend's voice up into the rafters?" However, that is the same thing the congregation did as Wright made his comments. So were they condoning the comments?
The most disappointing moments in the speech was when he answered the questions that have been engrained in everyone's mind, did he know about these types of comments during his time in the church.
"I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely ? just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed. "
He simply answered yes. I was so hurt by the fact that he admitted that he had known about these types of comments, but also said he would continue to surround himself by reverend Wright. This means that he lied to America when he said he had never heard any of these comments, and that he saw them for the first time on TV with us. I believed he had the judgment to lead America, but he has clearly failed in that judgment.
While there were many truths about racism tied into the speech, they do not excuse Wright's comments, place them in an acceptable context, and do not excuse Barack's judgment and decision to surround himself, and continue to surround himself, with Wright. Obama has proven to be a masterful orator, and disguises the truth within powerful oratory, but that does not hide the truth. It only disguises the truth.
Obama has delivered a speech about race and his history with Rev. Wright that was one of the most important and powerful speeches to come from this entire campaign. In fact, I would say it was history-making in every respect. As an African-American, (I too am bi-racial, White/Black) I can't help but feel joy and pride to witness this defining moment his speech represents.
It may well be that by September of this year, after the conventions, America will finally face the complex issues of race as never before. Rev. Wright has stepped down, but his words still resonate with truth as they have for many decades.
We have only to review the entire PBS series, "Eyes on the Prize" to realize the vast lack of understanding that still plagues and torments the soul of our country. Yes, there have been many strides in bridging the divides between Blacks and Whites. Yet we continue relentlessly forward, failing to address the deeper context that Blacks in America are still haunted by a legacy from their forefathers, who were forced to lay down their freedoms and their very lives to establish the foundation on which commerce could grow and democracy be defined. (I have relatives who still live under the thundercloud of slavery's reign, which exists even today?in little shack houses, with no electricity or plumbing?still living the terror-based custom of never making eye contact when addressing a White person for fear of harm, or even death.)
Barack and Michelle Obama are modern day heroes. People from all walks of life realize this. And for all our past failings to understand and respond to the times, they represent a new breed of "We the People".
With a clarion call to unite, neighbor to neighbor, we face a new opportunity standing squarely before us, the American people--an opportunity ready to embrace us with arms of acceptance and forgiveness, knowing we will do better, that we will be better, together. "Yes we can!"
Ellison Horne
Obama is a very eloquent speaker. No doubt he can understand racism from a unique perspective. No doubt that his oratory has captivated my attention and I could only wish that he was a professor of mine. But.
Can he win in November?
As to his ministers' comments, I've heard them from many in many situations throughout my life, so they don't scare me. I can also appreciate his understanding and defending a friend and a mentor.
What threw me was his description of what Ferraro had said and how he was unable to understand that she was just expressing her comparative experience of being a choice because of her gender. If the media hadn't made so much hay of that comment I wouldn't have noticed it. Of course Obama is being elevated by his unique racial makeup and to deny it is just hogwash.
America is in a very vulnerable position and a ground swell of racial strife on top of the problems we now face is going to be the real challenge. I suspect that if Obama is not nominated that that will be the final straw a never ceasing wave of Black exploitation.
I suspect there are Think Tanks pondering the level of unrest that could ensue, as they have been looking at the issue of Blacks not participating in the Iraqi conflict. A Black man expressing love for America, selling hope and opportunity is just the right formula to build a new army. Maybe not directly but though new government volunteer programs. Once you in you can't get out, like the National Guard.
For all those people who are so thrilled with America, please stand up!!
So what if someone, anyone says this country has failed, is wrong, is unjust, is aggressive, is murderous, is manipulative, is ruthless?isn't it? America Kills people, bombs them from the sky, innocent and combative alike. Not just in Iraq but everywhere we go to extract resources or manipulate politics.
There is nothing that Rev. Wright has said that has not been said before. He serves his community and speaks out against the injustice that he sees all around him. He's far better than a Catholic Priest preying on children. Where's the outrage when Catholics continue to go to their churches? Where's the outrage when Protestants continue to patronize their churches after they supported Bush and his disassembling of America?
Yes Obama is Black, and yes he is in part angry, and he should be. He has lived in a world of discrimination just like anyone else in this country. Discrimination and abuse doesn't make you smile. Just because he speaks well doesn't change the fact that he's Black, angry, and seeking justice. Yes he says justice for all but he really means justice for Blacks and the rest of the disenfranchised.
Of course he will favor Blacks when he president and of course there will be constant conflict over his choices, and the populations perspective of his discriminatory selections and practices. Every time white guy descents he'll be call a racist.
Unemployment, the cost of living and crime will continue to rise. Would that be a good time to release nonviolent prisoners? Would that be a good time to raise the quota levels because we of past injustices that only he can define? Will all his appointment speak as well as he or will we need to learn a new language to understand what our government representatives are trying to communicate?
I will vote for a democrat no matter which one wins, I'm just a little curious though?
Jonathan Mayhew (October 8, 1720 ? July 9, 1766) was a noted American clergyman and minister at Old West Church, Boston, Massachusetts. He is credited with coining the phrase "no taxation without representation."
"A people, really oppressed to a great degree by their sovereign, cannot well be insensible when they are so oppressed. And such a people (if I may allude to an ancient fable) have, like the hesperian fruit, a DRAGON for their protector and guardian: Nor would they have any reason to mourn, if some HERCULES should appear to dispatch him--For a nation thus abused to arise unanimously, and to resist their prince, even to the dethroning him, is not criminal; but a reasonable way of indicating their liberties and just rights; it is making use of the means, and the only means, which God has put into their power, for mutual and self-defense. And it would be highly criminal in them, not to make use of this means. It would be stupid tameness, and unaccountable folly, for whole nations to suffer one unreasonable, ambitious and cruel man, to wanton and riot in their misery. And in such a case it would, of the two, be more rational to suppose, that they that did NOT resist, than that they who did, would receive to themselves damnation."
Seems to me like a little mayhem from the pulpit is part of our great American tradition.
Question:
How many Black American Senators in the 210 years of the United States Senate?
For you to look up.
Then ponder if that number equals Jonathan Mayhew's concept of representation.
Submitted by TheUrbanRevolution (not verified) on Wed Mar. 19, 2008 8:20 AM PDT.
When Clinton said that MLK did some good stuff but it took LBJ to get it done, she knew full well what the implications of that statement were. She knew that she was "throwing most of her black constituents under the bus". She knew if there was one person in American history that his near and dear to African American hearts it is MLK. Period. She's an intelligent woman and she made a calculated move, and it cost her. Then her husband compared Barack Obama's campaign to the civil rights campaign of Jesse (didn't have a chance in hell to win) Jackson. He too, is intelligent and knew what he was doing. Of all of the Dems who have won S.C. but lost the nomination why Jesse? No, no, no my friend, it was they who injected race in to the campaign, not Obama. And perhaps the media. Racism, by the way means, "a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others." So even if Obama falsely accused the Clintons it WAS NOT RACISM. People on these posts throw this word around and don't even know what the H E ! ! it means.
"Those who make peaceful evolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable."
? John F. Kennedy
"Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it."
~Barack Obama
'Conservative Moles'! Great analogy. I would be more inclined to use words such as 'Right Wing Radical Republicans' to describe the perpetual hate-mongers of this blog. It seems so non-sensible that some of your so called intelligent readers cannot see past the pastor's comments and see the true vision that this future President has. He had the internal fortitude and audacity to stand up and address the issue race in America that no other politician has done or dared to do in decades. And did it in the city of Philadelphia where our constitution was designed. Well let me tell you this?I know the truth. You know the truth also. Americans just cringe at the sound of the word slavery. It is the albatross around our necks and monkey on America's back. It is our dark past that everyone wants to turn a blind eye to. And guess what ? it's not going away! So open your eyes to it and maybe we can start to heal. President Barack Obama will help heal this nation. He is IN FACT the perfect person for the job. No more old Anglo Saxon males - PLEASE! They cannot unite this country! They have succeeded in only dividing the country as evident by the record of "every single president in history". Enough is enough. This country is presently in a recession and it's getting worse. The Bush White House and those rich, single minded, right wing republicans who continue to pay for an unnecessary war with BILLIONS of our tax dollars is what is driving this recession. The next time you pump gas, think about the true state of this nation?not a pretty picture is it? For those right-wing republican radicals, racist's conservatives, blacks who don't know what color they are and other idiots, you will never have the intestinal fortitude to address the truths of the savage and brutal history of your own country's past. You will continue to white-wash it and pass it on to the next generation and the next and the anger and resentment will continue to build. So for all of you who want to hold a perpetual grudge against a presidential candidate with African American blood, continue to do so. But let it be known that you are the true minorities of this country. Barack Obama has made history and will be historic. It is past time to change the face of America and have someone that truly represents this melting pot?"mark my words".
I may be the only one, but I actually hope that Barrack Obama heard the anger and rage expressed from pulpits and homes in his Chicago district. Hearing his voice of reconciliation and hope now is even more meaningful knowing that he has had to transcend the rage of many in the inner city, and rise above it, to articulate a gospel of hope rather than hate. There are plenty of politicians who merely mimic the anger of their constituents, who build their careers on appealing to our worst instincts. Obama is that rare politician who appeals to our best. The Geraldine Farraros of the world could never represent a classic angry "archie bunker" district without hearing tirades of racism and victimization. No one representing the inner city portion of Obama's state senate district could escape and avoid the expressions of anger and rage found in the inner cities of America. What matters most is not what one hears, it is what one preaches. Jesus himself didn't walk away from the crowd calling for the stoning of a woman. He listened and heard what they said and then spoke the most memorable words, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." What saddens me about Ferraro is not what she heard from her constituents, but how she continues to mimic their pain with their rhetoric and their fear. What inspires me about Obama is not what he heard from his angry constituents, but how he transcends that in an appeal for genuine tolerance, understanding, and hope that can help heal the pain and traumas of the past. It is far more than a fairy tale. It is the knowledge that one "good Samaritan" can do far more than help one injured stranger. He can change the way we think about Samaritans. Most of us have forgotten that Samaritans were a hated minority. When Jesus spoke of him, he sought not only to redirect our actions toward the injured stranger, but to recast our thinking about the Samaritan.
All of this brings me to thoughts about experience?about how it shapes us, empowers us, and traps us. Obama, Clinton, and McCain all bring a great deal of experience to this race. What we have to examine is not, "who has had 'experience' and who hasn't", but rather how has their personal experience shaped their lives, their decision making process, and their sense of the possible. I remember my experience as a freshman member of the Oklahoma legislature in 1980 sponsoring and winning a major fight for nursing home reform. After we won, I remember a senior member turning to me and saying, "You could never have done that if you had been here for a long time, because you would have known that it was impossible." Too often, we respond to our experience by learning what cannot be done rather than learning how to do it. All three of the remaining candidates have lived fascinating and challenging lives. They have all experienced losses and pain. I would not want to have a leader who had lived such a protected life that he or she had never suffered?now there would be someone who would be truly dangerous. The more important question for each of these three is how have they responded to their experience. I suppose what I think our country needs is someone who is strong and yet calm and thoughtful. We certainly don't need any frantic bullies. I especially think we desperately need a leader with enough humility to seek out and listen to others with intelligence and experience and not have the hubris to believe that one person can contain within themselves all the experience and knowledge necessary to respond to the incredibly complex and challenging realities in today's world. We need someone whose knees don't jerk in any direction. The real problem with McCain and Clinton is that they want us to feel comfortable that they have all the answers. They don't. No one does. Somehow I feel really glad that John Kennedy answered the phone in the Cuban missile crisis rather than those two.
Obama has delivered a speech about race and his history with Rev. Wright that was one of the most important and powerful speeches to come from this entire campaign. In fact, I would say it was history-making in every respect. As an African-American, (I too am bi-racial, White/Black) I can't help but feel joy and pride to witness this defining moment his speech represents.
It may well be that by September of this year, after the conventions, America will finally face the complex issues of race as never before. Rev. Wright has stepped down, but his words still resonate with truth as they have for many decades.
We have only to review the entire PBS series, "Eyes on the Prize" to realize the vast lack of understanding that still plagues and torments the soul of our country. Yes, there have been many strides in bridging the divides between Blacks and Whites. Yet we continue relentlessly forward, failing to address the deeper context that Blacks in America are still haunted by a legacy from their forefathers, who were forced to lay down their freedoms and their very lives to establish the foundation on which commerce could grow and democracy be defined. (I have relatives who still live under the thundercloud of slavery's reign, which exists even today?in little shack houses, with no electricity or plumbing?still living the terror-based custom of never making eye contact when addressing a White person for fear of harm, or even death.)
Barack and Michelle Obama are modern day heroes. People from all walks of life realize this. And for all our past failings to understand and respond to the times, they represent a new breed of "We the People".
With a clarion call to unite, neighbor to neighbor, we face a new opportunity standing squarely before us, the American people--an opportunity ready to embrace us with arms of acceptance and forgiveness, knowing we will do better, that we will be better, together. "Yes we can!"
Ellison Horne
Obama is a very eloquent speaker. No doubt he can understand racism from a unique perspective. No doubt that his oratory has captivated my attention and I could only wish that he was a professor of mine. But.
Can he win in November?
As to his ministers' comments, I've heard them from many in many situations throughout my life, so they don't scare me. I can also appreciate his understanding and defending a friend and a mentor.
What threw me was his description of what Ferraro had said and how he was unable to understand that she was just expressing her comparative experience of being a choice because of her gender. If the media hadn't made so much hay of that comment I wouldn't have noticed it. Of course Obama is being elevated by his unique racial makeup and to deny it is just hogwash.
America is in a very vulnerable position and a ground swell of racial strife on top of the problems we now face is going to be the real challenge. I suspect that if Obama is not nominated that that will be the final straw a never ceasing wave of Black exploitation.
I suspect there are Think Tanks pondering the level of unrest that could ensue, as they have been looking at the issue of Blacks not participating in the Iraqi conflict. A Black man expressing love for America, selling hope and opportunity is just the right formula to build a new army. Maybe not directly but though new government volunteer programs. Once you in you can't get out, like the National Guard.
For all those people who are so thrilled with America, please stand up!!
So what if someone, anyone says this country has failed, is wrong, is unjust, is aggressive, is murderous, is manipulative, is ruthless?isn't it? America Kills people, bombs them from the sky, innocent and combative alike. Not just in Iraq but everywhere we go to extract resources or manipulate politics.
There is nothing that Rev. Wright has said that has not been said before. He serves his community and speaks out against the injustice that he sees all around him. He's far better than a Catholic Priest preying on children. Where's the outrage when Catholics continue to go to their churches? Where's the outrage when Protestants continue to patronize their churches after they supported Bush and his disassembling of America?
Yes Obama is Black, and yes he is in part angry, and he should be. He has lived in a world of discrimination just like anyone else in this country. Discrimination and abuse doesn't make you smile. Just because he speaks well doesn't change the fact that he's Black, angry, and seeking justice. Yes he says justice for all but he really means justice for Blacks and the rest of the disenfranchised.
Of course he will favor Blacks when he president and of course there will be constant conflict over his choices, and the populations perspective of his discriminatory selections and practices. Every time white guy descents he'll be call a racist.
Unemployment, the cost of living and crime will continue to rise. Would that be a good time to release nonviolent prisoners? Would that be a good time to raise the quota levels because we of past injustices that only he can define? Will all his appointment speak as well as he or will we need to learn a new language to understand what our government representatives are trying to communicate?
I will vote for a democrat no matter which one wins, I'm just a little curious though?
Submitted by TheUrbanRevolution (not verified) on Wed Mar. 19, 2008 8:20 AM PDT.
When Clinton said that MLK did some good stuff but it took LBJ to get it done, she knew full well what the implications of that statement were. She knew that she was "throwing most of her black constituents under the bus". She knew if there was one person in American history that his near and dear to African American hearts it is MLK. Period. She's an intelligent woman and she made a calculated move, and it cost her. Then her husband compared Barack Obama's campaign to the civil rights campaign of Jesse (didn't have a chance in hell to win) Jackson. He too, is intelligent and knew what he was doing. Of all of the Dems who have won S.C. but lost the nomination why Jesse? No, no, no my friend, it was they who injected race in to the campaign, not Obama. And perhaps the media. Racism, by the way means, "a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others." So even if Obama falsely accused the Clintons it WAS NOT RACISM. People on these posts throw this word around and don't even know what the H E ! ! it means.
"Those who make peaceful evolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable."
? John F. Kennedy
"Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it."
~Barack Obama
'Conservative Moles'! Great analogy. I would be more inclined to use words such as 'Right Wing Radical Republicans' to describe the perpetual hate-mongers of this blog. It seems so non-sensible that some of your so called intelligent readers cannot see past the pastor's comments and see the true vision that this future President has. He had the internal fortitude and audacity to stand up and address the issue race in America that no other politician has done or dared to do in decades. And did it in the city of Philadelphia where our constitution was designed. Well let me tell you this?I know the truth. You know the truth also. Americans just cringe at the sound of the word slavery. It is the albatross around our necks and monkey on America's back. It is our dark past that everyone wants to turn a blind eye to. And guess what ? it's not going away! So open your eyes to it and maybe we can start to heal. President Barack Obama will help heal this nation. He is IN FACT the perfect person for the job. No more old Anglo Saxon males - PLEASE! They cannot unite this country! They have succeeded in only dividing the country as evident by the record of "every single president in history". Enough is enough. This country is presently in a recession and it's getting worse. The Bush White House and those rich, single minded, right wing republicans who continue to pay for an unnecessary war with BILLIONS of our tax dollars is what is driving this recession. The next time you pump gas, think about the true state of this nation?not a pretty picture is it? For those right-wing republican radicals, racist's conservatives, blacks who don't know what color they are and other idiots, you will never have the intestinal fortitude to address the truths of the savage and brutal history of your own country's past. You will continue to white-wash it and pass it on to the next generation and the next and the anger and resentment will continue to build. So for all of you who want to hold a perpetual grudge against a presidential candidate with African American blood, continue to do so. But let it be known that you are the true minorities of this country. Barack Obama has made history and will be historic. It is past time to change the face of America and have someone that truly represents this melting pot?"mark my words".
If this man wants to have some political ambitions and wants to represent every one in the country he has to keep better company. It is too late for him in my book. I will not vote for some one with such poor judgment something he say of Hillary for voting for the war - She is a New Yorker in the middle of the Twin Tower collapse - he pursues her relentlessly - he is not honest - he has a standard for himself and another for others. Ferroro did not say anything about affirmative action - the press created this. I condemn him for his lack of judgment. I will vote McCain if he is the nominee.
Submitted by capt - Hussein (not verified) on Tue Mar. 18, 2008 11:08 AM PDT.
DC,
Excellent piece, the best in a while.
Thanks
I have for a long time been torn about which democratic candidate is the best for this country.
I have not yet choosen not because I am uninformed but rather I choose to see who can accompish the most during their tenure as Commander and Chief.
After this speech, I will cast my vote for Senator Obama.
I think that only general policy he and Senator Clinton have similar goals, but I think that only Obama has the courage and background to address the underlying issues which face our nation.
Yes we must find solutions for education, climate change, and our job market. However, it is equally important that we tackle the underbelly of race relations, and economic disparity in this country if we are to succeed in the long run.
For example, if a young black many from the rough side of rough robs a home owned by a hard-working suburban family; this is a lose-lose.
If we can change the underlying issues that created a situtaion where this young man didn't have the resources or the community support to do something other than risk hislife and the lives of others for a quick buck, then he can have another way to live and the we don't have to worry about him coming into our house the next night.
Acknowledging this issue, and have the audacity to talk about it in plain term, and inspire us to strive for better is why Senator Obama has earned my vote.
Oh and it would be nice if we could get past simplistic and unhelpful constructions like 'anti-american' when we're discussing complex issues. Sometimes reading comments on these sites I wonder where Obama gets the patience. I really do.
He did not throw his grandma under the bus. If she said bigoted things should he have disowned her. Does he represent her bigoted views because he is her grandson. This is the false premise of ascribing everything that a third party says to the candidate. It is especially true in this case because the clips we are watching are the only parts we see of a 40 year career. Is there no context to be given? There are many things that America does that make people angry and there are many things that make people proud. Only acting as if these things are mutually exclusive means that you are not thinking - regardless of whether you are angry or proud. This country is not perfect and will never be perfect. It is better than many and Rev. Wright has not left even with the arguments he made. Obama has spoken to a fundamental issue that will determine whether this country will ever move beyond race. I believe that the stakes in this contest just went WAY up.
Direct url to Obama speech: http://msnbc.vo.llnwd.net/e1/video/flash/n_politics_obama_080318.flv
Trying to make Wright=Ferraro was, I think, a little disingenuous. Apples and Oranges.
I don't disagree with most of what Obama said, but as his campaign has been painting every criticism against him by the Clinton camp as somehow sinister and racist (and long before two weeks ago,) I think he has made his own bed. Time to lie in it.
I am sure the majority of Democrats will nod their heads and accept Obama's explanation of the Rev. Wright issue, and consider it settled.
In fact, I think most liberal Democrats agree with the basic message contained in Wright's sermons that America is a racist, uneducated, evil society that is not worthy of its place in the world. They will agree that Obama should condemn the harsher edges of the language used, but not its ani-american message because they agree with it.
It will be interesting to see if the rest of the country agrees with this view in November.
god, i was hoping obama would do something like this. rather than back down and betray the interests and experiences of his community he showed some balls. all the "change" rhetoric was beginning to get a little tired, but this is indeed an important moment. are we, as a nation, going to discuss this, or just blow it off as "unamerican," like we do everything else that makes us uncomfortable?
um... they're connected. that's a rather critical part of the takeaway. and scathing criticism of hypocrisy, destruction, and unfulfilled promise is not the same as being 'anti-american.' rev. wright believes things should, and can, be different, that america and americans deserve better.
Has any other politician in memory had the intelligence or the courage to make a speech like this? I am surprized most at the personal evaluation this speech has caused in me--No other politician I know of has suggested the golden rule when interacting with others--This was a courageous speech, a call to action for thinking Americans, and the best of Chrisitianity rolled into one.
There are lots of great amercians who are black who would be great president. Obama is not one of them.
I was not there...I understand he said some things but I was not there...I was there but he did not say...I was there and I heard but this is who we are..
Which is it? Another lying politician.
A good piece. Thanks. For me, Sen. Obama's campaign has been a test of faith in my fellow citizens. Time and again I have thought "he cannot say these things and succeed. He cannot play by these rules without being destroyed." Time and again the rest of the country has proved me wrong. I remain open, tentative, and hopeful that outside of the shrill and unrepresentative blogosphere everyone is listening and thinking.
I thought it was a brave speech and historic. Let's see if Americans can add valor to the moment by embracing the message and rewarding that level of candor with respect and the votes he'll need to be our leader. I have been behind Obama for a while now; today it gelled. It's disheartening to read some of the negative posts and see how greedy people are for simplistic spin and to polarize issues by making it a 'Obama was mean to granny' thing when in fact it was a complex, well-reasoned and frank discussion about our shared and divided American experience. You can't make dullards bright, but you can keep reaching out to those who will put down the boxing gloves long enough to listen, Mr. Obama. We are out there and we will vote.
"Rev. Wright believes things should, and can, be different, that America and Americans deserve better."
Hmm. So for "God damn America" we should read, "America can be better"? Interesting interpretation. I generally think of damning something as consigning it to hell for all eternity - as something beyond and/or not worthy of redemption. It should be interesting to see if the majority of Americans consider being damned as you do.
BHO can say anything in a speech. Make all the DVDs you want and analyze it however you like, you are trying to discern him through the image of speech he wants you to hear.
Choices of association and community are largely based on a symbiosis of differing yet likeminded connection; one relates to those one chooses to associate with.
BHO has congratulated Wright and Farrakhan and his actions back that up through association with a community which also admires these men ... for better than 20 years.
There is no racial judgment in pointing this out. It just gives us helpful indication of where his values truly are.
Sometimes labels are ok, they keep you from drinking poison.
the people in that church support the absurd fallacious hate speech and expose their children to it. Obama lacks either the awareness or the courage to keep his children and the children of his church from exposure to that hate every sunday. He has failed.
It was a good speech, but I think it failed in its central purpose, which was presumably to quell this controversy among mainstream and middle America. I think Obama was once again preaching to the choir of African American and progressive liberal America. While it may be a brilliant piece of oratory, and while it may make some wish that he were president, I don't think he gets it - in politics, sometimes you have to acknowledge that you have made mistakes in your (supposedly superior) judgement.
Clinton has acknowledged that her support of the Iraq war was a failure of judgement, and would take back her vote. When has Obama ever said he made a mistake? Wasn't this the perfect time to do so?
Obama is a great writer and orator. But, in this instance, he did not clearly address and resolve the fundamental issue that many parts of the broader American population who are having issues with his relationship with his incendiary pastor. If my church leader made such illogical, irrational statements, I would walk out...no matter how "buddy, buddy" I was with him/her. Obama lets Wright off the hook. He essentially argues that Wright is a victom of Black history and racial injustice--that is why he has those distorted views. Obama was unsuccessful today with the reality of the situation he is in--no matter how many folks buy into his fluffy rhetoric.
Let's see. Wright is an extremist using religion and God to spread hate. Obama then says we have racial problems in the US, therefore we should accept Wright because sort of 2 wrongs make a right.
Then he blames Clinton for bringing rave into the primaries but subtly implies that voting for him is a way to heal the wounds made to African Americans.
Wow! What Ferraro said was lame relative to Wright yet she had to be repudiated and treated as a racist, even though she moderated her statement. Wright clearly issues overt racist statements and that is OK?
Wow the media is toast!!!
I listened to the message delivered by Barack Obama this morning, hoping he would say more. Instead, he offered to excuse and explain away the comments by Reverend Wright through the use of the history of America and by exploiting the plight of African Americans to justify Wrights Characterizations. As an African American male, I think there is no justification for Wright's comments. I grew up in a black Church in Atlanta, and I have never in my life heard such rhetoric in the pulpit.
Obama speaks abut Wright's words in these terms:
"But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial. They weren't simply a religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam. "
But Wright's words were more than just anger, they were both racist and anti-American, and they and he should be rejected by Obama. It one thing to talk about issues facing African Americans, but his comments were not limited to that. He talked about rich White people and condemned them. He condemned America and asked God to Damn America. He also insinuated that the US created AIDS to kill people.
These comments do not speak to the African American experience in any way, and I do not see how Barack Obama can justify or explain these comments in any way by trying to use the plight of African-Americans. I have not heard comment about America like that from the Hispanic community who is in many ways in a parallel to the Black community on many fronts. Also, I have never heard such language from Native Americans, who have more rights to make such statements that anyone.
Further Obama described the church he knows when he said, "People began to shout, to rise from their seats and clap and cry out, a forceful wind carrying the reverend's voice up into the rafters " However, that is the same thing the congregation did as Wright made his comments. So were they condoning the comments?
The most disappointing moments in the speech was when he answered the questions that have been engrained in everyone's mind, did he know about these types of comments during his time in the church.
"I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed. "
He simply answered yes. I was so hurt by the fact that he admitted that he had known about these types of comments, but also said he would continue to surround himself by reverend Wright. This means that he lied to America when he said he had never heard any of these comments, and that he saw them for the first time on TV with us. I believed he had the judgment to lead America, but he has clearly failed in that judgment.
While there were many truths about racism tied into the speech, they do not excuse Wright's comments, place them in an acceptable context, and do not excuse Barack's judgment and decision to surround himself, and continue to surround himself, with Wright. Obama has proven to be a masterful orator, and disguises the truth within powerful oratory, but that does not hide the truth. It only disguises the truth.
I actually think Obama's message was fairly clear:
"That rule I made early in the campaign. The rule that said you could take anything a supporter said out of context and use it to cast an opposing candidate as racist. That rule was only for Sen. Clinton. Not for me. Now shut up."
Jonathan Mayhew (October 8, 1720 July 9, 1766) was a noted American clergyman and minister at Old West Church, Boston, Massachusetts. He is credited with coining the phrase "no taxation without representation."
"A people, really oppressed to a great degree by their sovereign, cannot well be insensible when they are so oppressed. And such a people (if I may allude to an ancient fable) have, like the hesperian fruit, a DRAGON for their protector and guardian: Nor would they have any reason to mourn, if some HERCULES should appear to dispatch him--For a nation thus abused to arise unanimously, and to resist their prince, even to the dethroning him, is not criminal; but a reasonable way of indicating their liberties and just rights; it is making use of the means, and the only means, which God has put into their power, for mutual and self-defense. And it would be highly criminal in them, not to make use of this means. It would be stupid tameness, and unaccountable folly, for whole nations to suffer one unreasonable, ambitious and cruel man, to wanton and riot in their misery. And in such a case it would, of the two, be more rational to suppose, that they that did NOT resist, than that they who did, would receive to themselves damnation."
Seems to me like a little mayhem from the pulpit is part of our great American tradition.
Question:
How many Black American Senators in the 210 years of the United States Senate?
For you to look up.
Then ponder if that number equals Jonathan Mayhew's concept of representation.
A very thoughtful commentary on an important and revealing speech. Obama handled with tact and honesty the very difficult and complex issue of race and America. People who try and simply dismiss his speech as just mere words, didn't read or listen to the speech in its entirety, simply because they don't want to. To do so would require them to to lessen their death grip on their sense of self righteousness. Thank you Senator Obama for addressing this difficult subject of American history with grace and candor, qualities that are truly presidential.
I read the speech Obama delivered today. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. It is very obvious that this man has thought about and struggled with the issue of race in the US for a very long time. As a Canadian looking at what is going on in the US I think that Obama represents such a break from the past and so much potential it would be a shame if he were not your next President. If he does become President there is no way in the world that he will be able to meet the expectations of him -- but if he makes even a modest contribution to the political discourse along the lines of his articulated beliefs and values the US wins. He might even be able to restore some of the squandered international goodwill.
Submitted by capt - Hussein (not verified) on Tue Mar. 18, 2008 12:34 PM PDT.
"Was the speech too intelligent and too nuanced for most Bush or ex-Bosh voters?"
Interesting observation - likely spot on.
