Ever heard of the Obamorons? These are the morons who will cheer anything that Barack Obama says. Right now the Obamorons are wildly enthusiastic about their man's race speech, and are trying to persuade the rest of us to stop talking about the Reverend Jeremiah Wright and move on to talking about how Obama is the next best thing since Jesus Christ.
Obama does have some very good qualities, but it's clear he also has a dark side that is only now beginning to surface. Consider his bizarre analogies aimed at vindicating the Reverend Wright. Many of us, he argues, "disagree" with things that our pastors and family members have said. True, but how many of us have pastors who say stuff like the Reverend Wright? It's one thing to sit quietly while my pastor says things I don't agree with about evolution or the Rapture, quite another for Obama to sit quietly while his pastor says that America deserved to be attacked on 9/11 and that the U.S. government deliberately injected AIDS into the country. My guess is that even in the black church "God damn America!" is not exactly standard rhetoric. Certainly the Reverend Martin Luther King didn't talk like that.
Especially bizarre was Obama's analogy between the Reverend Wright and his white grandmother. According to Obama, grandma too was given to racial "stereotypes" and at one point confessed to her fear of black men. First of all Obama didn't cite what stereotypes his grandmother held. A stereotype is merely a generalization: it may be true or false, harmful or benign. As the sociological literature on the subject shows, most stereotypes contain at least a grain of truth, because stereotypes develop out of popular experience.
As I document in my book The End of Racism, fears of black men are rationally explained as the consequence of the fact that black men have the highest violent crime conviction rate of any group in our society. One out of four young black men are at any given time in prison, on probation, or on parole. Some years ago Jesse Jackson admitted that if he heard footsteps in the dark and turned back to find out that the person was white, he would feel relieved. The point here is that Obama's grandmother's views, as relayed by Obama, seem rooted in empirical facts and bear no comparison with the Reverend Wright's maniacal ravings.
Besides, she's his grandmother! We choose our pastors and mentors but we don't choose our grandparents. When Obama calls the Reverend Wright "family," this is because he selected him as a friend and teacher. At any point during the past two decades, Obama could have walked away from the pew. Wright is not "family" in the involuntary sense that Grandma is family. In addition, Obama's grandmother made her remarks in private, within the sanctity of the household. The Reverend Wright has been shouting his doctrine from the pulpit for decades. Private prejudice is much less harmful than public hate speech.
Obama is smart enough to know all this. So what is the explanation for the bizarre moral equivalence that he seeks to create between his pastor and his grandmother? It cannot be that she treated him badly, since Obama himself says she loved him more than anything in the world. The only other explanation is that Obama is that Obama is more attached to the radicalism of the Reverend Wright than he is to his kind old grandmother. He is quite willing to protect Wright, and his own presidential prospects, by throwing grandma under the bus. Hell of a guy, right Obamorons?
Reader Comments ( Page 7 of 40)
91. "if you want respect.
brian at 12:22PM on Mar 24th 2008"
I desire none from you.
brandon at 12:33PM on Mar 24th 2008
92. Moke...
I'm sorry to disappoint you but I am far from angry. In fact, right now I am cleaning out my garage with some really great music playing in the background...yes, black artists included...and I decided to take a break.
But even if I were angry, Obama says that it's okay to be angry. So, you can ask the black people in this country if they enjoy being angry too. After all, they seem to sit around barber shops, gas stations, churches, and kitchen tables expressing their "anger" at every opportunity.
And why is it that whenever white people challenge a black person on their expressed bigotry (as in Obama's MPU speech) the white person magically becomes the angry bigot? Why is it that the black community just insists on denying their racism at every turn? Hell, Obama couldn't even bring himself to pen the phrase "black racism" in his MPU speech but he didn't mind slinging "white racism" around like he had a cat by the tail!
Paul at 12:36PM on Mar 24th 2008
93. 59. ... my guess is you dis-like the moral constraints a holy God requires and that is at the heart of your rejection. how far will what others do get you in the judgement? you going to tell God that johnny did this or that therefore i trashed any need of you? really is that not rather thin?
brian at 11:22AM on Mar 24th 2008
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I'm sorry - Johnny who? I have no idea where you're going with this. Next!
"K do you not agree that 95% of all blacks vote for obama because in some measure he is black. and in some measure because he goes to rev.wrights church?
brian at 11:26AM on Mar 24th 2008"
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Sorry, brian. I have no place to project my baseless opinions on an entire race of people that I can never really relate to. That would be ignorant and insulting. I don't stand for that. Sorry. Next!
"80. Kat,
Your ignorance is amazing. First of all, the number of people "persecuted" by Christians does not even compare to the number of people persecuted and murdered by pagan, atheistic, Nazis and Communists! You need to study history. Second, unless you walk everywhere you need to stop complaining about oil consumption. I haven't seen any environmentalists boating to Europe or walking cross country when they need a flight; nor have they all built solar or wind powered homes. Frankly, I get sick of the hypocrisy. As far as Christ’s return, it will happen. Christians don’t need evidence. We have faith through the merciful grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Since you hate Christianity so much feel free to move to the Middle East and see how much you a Westerner and product of the Christian west is embraced!
janesophie1 at 12:22PM on Mar 24th 2008"
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LOL. Satire is clearly lost on you. I never mentioned anything about persecution specifically, but what I did mention IS history. Let's see... Crusades? Check. Really happened. Witch hunts, torture, and killings? Check. Really happened. Where was I wrong here?
You know why I don't want to move to the Middle East? Their government IS religion. It is a shining example of why it's BAD to inject religion into government. It's a great argument for seperation of church and state. Tell you what... since you want religion in government, why don't you move to Iran and let us know how it works out?
K at 12:42PM on Mar 24th 2008
94. "I have no place to project my baseless opinions on an entire race of people..." --K
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Yeah...you just can't go around saying things like, "My grandmother was a racist...a typical white person" because that would just be wrong.
Paul at 12:45PM on Mar 24th 2008
95. "the number of people "persecuted" by Christians does not even compare to the number of people persecuted and murdered by pagan, atheistic, Nazis and Communists" js
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Are you shitting me? Who murdered the millions and millions of jews in europe starting about 200 AD?
Catholics and then christians. And the Nazis were overwhelmingly christian, Hitler was a catholic.
Your ignorance is unbelievable.
Telling people they can "just move away" is the same kind of crap I heard during the Vietnam War protests. I see the kind of thinking you do.
Linda at 12:46PM on Mar 24th 2008
96. Dinesh,
You claim,
Besides, she's his grandmother! We choose our pastors and mentors but we don't choose our grandparents. When Obama calls the Reverend Wright "family," this is because he selected him as a friend and teacher. At any point during the past two decades, Obama could have walked away from the pew.
I've heard this comment in right wing articles since last week. Please come up with original material.
Rahul.
Rahul at 12:51PM on Mar 24th 2008
97. Why is Obama deemed the only acceptable African-American candidate for president? As I recall, Alan Keyes a highly intelligent and articulate man ran for president a few years ago. I met Alan Keyes and he would be a much more effective leader than Obama. The African-American community is not monolithic. Personally, I resent liberals assuming that all blacks think a like. There is not one member of the Congressional Black Caucus that represents my views as a Christian conservative. I am sick of being placed in a box. We are individuals and as such our representatives should reflect that diversity. A perfect example is assuming that we are all seething with anger toward America or that there is a "black church" experience. I grew up in a predominately African-American and never heard sermons like Reverend Wrights'
janesophie1 at 1:00PM on Mar 24th 2008
98. By the way, Madelyn Dunham, Barack's grandmother, is very much alive and living in Hawaii. Her health is poor, which is why she does not make public appearances. Her last interview was in 2004, after Obama's speech at the Democratic Convention.
His grandfather died in 1992.
Linda at 1:00PM on Mar 24th 2008
99. "the number of people "persecuted" by Christians does not even compare to the number of people persecuted and murdered by pagan, atheistic, Nazis and Communists" js
That's like saying "The number of people injured by firearms does not even compare to the number of people killed or somehow sickened by the common cold, spontaneous human combustion, and eneuresis combined." I still wouldn't recommend getting shot by firearms.
Mokele-Mobembe at 1:05PM on Mar 24th 2008
100. why are the Rev. Wright's comment only now coming to the forefront of our campaign discussions? He has talked his talk for years, yet it seems that only now, when Mr. Obama seems certain to win the nomination and perhaps the Presidency, that we get to visit this issue in depth. I'm wondering about the timing of this "revelation"....
abbot at 1:07PM on Mar 24th 2008
101. "I am sick of being placed in a box. We are individuals and as such our representatives should reflect that diversity. A perfect example is assuming that we are all seething with anger toward America or that there is a "black church" experience. I grew up in a predominately African-American and never heard sermons like Reverend Wrights'" --janesophie
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BRAVO! Now THAT is the comprehensive, intelligent, frank discussion of race relations that Obama SHOULD have called for!
NOBODY in this country is "typical"! Not janesophie. Not Bill Richardson. Not Dinesh D'Souza. Not Jordin Sparks. Not Mel Gibson. Not me. Not you. And not ANYBODY!
To speak in the unfair generalities that Obama used was an insult to his family, his constituency, and to the entire American public.
We are all unique. We all have something to offer. We all have our problems. We don't have to go around pointing at black racism, white racism, Latino racism, gay racism, canine racism, or ANY brand of ignorance just to highlight what should be obvious to everyone of us.
It is time for us to move forward as a nation. Barack Obama, however, has clearly demonstrated that he does not know the way forward.
Draft Bill Cosby for president!
[PS...I really don't care if Obama's grandmother is alive or not. He spoke of her in the past tense as if she were dead. That's just more obfuscation on his part.]
Paul at 1:09PM on Mar 24th 2008
102. "as for botts, you need to realize he is a wolf in sheeps clothing. you like him because he does not challenge your belief system with the truth" brian
brian,
I'm going to be polite with you from now on. I've realized, that you are what you are, and you aren't willing to see things differently.
There isn't one person on here that I won't challenge if it's something I feel strongly about.
Now, you can call me what you want, but when you actually listen and read, I don't believe there is anything that I say that you can dispute.
Ateists are not our enemies. Scientists are not our enemies.
Liberals are not our enemies.
I highly suggest that you go back and read the Bible. It is clear who the enemies are.
We are. We're the enemies. Versions of Chritianity are the enemies to the True Christian Word.
Start with the Catholics. They're the biggest. Then go from there. Evangelicals are extremely dangerous.
I see it clear. I see with it open eyes and an open mind.
These people are not Christians. And if there is a Hell after we die, I know where they are going. Jesus clearly warned us of false doctrine. In latter time, it was warned about false teachings making up the majority of Christianity.
Look where we are today.
Catholics
Baptists
Mormons
Evangelicals
Methodists
These are man made. Following Christ is personal worship. Church is meant for worship. Not religion.
I'm not going to argue with you about it, because I know you will not listen. I've said this many times.
If me preaching Love and Peace is being a Wolf, then okay, I'm a wolf. And we'll leave it at that.
Botts at 1:10PM on Mar 24th 2008
103. I listened to Wright's sermon and as a middle aged white man I have a to agree with most of what he says. The HIV comment was out of line and truely false however his 9/11 comment has some merit. We, the American government has been putting our collective noses in places it doesn't belong for many decades. That old saying "What goes around comes around" that Wright used is true. Americans are hated all over the world because of our governments foreign policies. By the way, I feel the same way as Grandma did. I wasn't born with this fear, I have this fear from my own personal experiences.
Bill at 1:11PM on Mar 24th 2008
104. Kat,
The small number of people that committed atrocities in the name of Christianity is far exceeded by the atheistic and agnostic people and their crimes.
janesophie1 at 1:12PM on Mar 24th 2008
105. @76 Paul, you are talking out your ass. Go listen to Obama's speech. He did not say his grandmother is racist. He said that even his own loving grandmother, who he KNOWS is NOT a racist, could could nonetheless have a brief impulsive racist reaction to something. Like almost anyone who has grown up in a country like the USA where race has been a problem for centuries. His whole discourse is about how to go beyond that.
"Obama is a bigot." Right, and you're the Queen of England.
Joe Bob at 1:14PM on Mar 24th 2008