16. Let me first say that I am light skinned-black, Christian, 40 year old female. I was raised in a middle class predominantly white, jewish neighborhood. I have experienced racism and sexism during my life. I have had "doors" opened because I am black with suntanned skin and green eyes. I have been in situations where I am the only black person and felt totally comfortable, I have been in situations where I am the only light skinned black person and been totally uncomfortable. I can understand Rev. Wright's opinions taken in context of what his life experiences have been.Are his experience mine? No. I was born at the end of the civil rights movement. My struggles were not the same as his(Wright) or the previous generations with government imposed racial segregation. Many things in life you can sympathize or empathize with but until you "walk a mile in my shoes" you can not know my pains, anger, or frustrations. Thus I say, unless you lived what Wright has lived you can not understand him fully. Personally I do not believe in politics from the pulpit. I attend church to recieve God's word and fellowship with other Christians, not to hear the pastor's politcal beliefs. However, my Mother, age 60, has informed me that since churches have historically been and continue to be racial segregated, the have been used as a safe gathering place to discuss and inform the black community. I attend a diverse church, I am married to a white German man, and judge people based on how they live and treat people.
Obama should have been prepared for this. When in politics, everything that can be dug up from your past will be, and because he is the first viable black presidential candidate he should have been prepared for this. Everything negative that can be connected to him will be. I just want a democrat in office again. Whether it is Clinton or Obama this election makes history. My 9 year old has been following the campaign and is excited to be a part of history. We have been to both Hillary and Barrack rallies. Wright's opinion is Wright's opinion not any one elses. Attack Obama on things that Obama did or didn't do.

Koako at 9:18AM on Apr 30th 2008

17. Lets just hope the majority of Americans are smart enough to see through the bullshit that bozos like Okane and Messinger vomit from their mouths everyday. Then again... we did vote for Bush... TWICE. Oh well. Looks like more money for the war machine... oops I mean the fight against terrorism. Looks like more money at the top and everyone else is screwed. Looks like more conservative Supreme Court Justices who will mold the country into their own view by misinterpreting the Constitution. Looks like more tax cuts fore the rich while regular folks struggle to put gas in their tanks.

WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!

Tampa Tony at 9:16AM on Apr 30th 2008

18. About three-in-ten Americans (31%) say their opinion of Hillary Clinton has grown less favorable in recent days, including 28% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, while 24% of Americans -- and only 13% of Democrats and Democratic leaners -- report less favorable views of Barack Obama. By comparison, in a recent Pew survey, 11% overall, and 15% of Democrats and Democratic-leaners, say their view of Clinton has improved in recent days, while 18% and 28%, respectively, report more favorable feelings toward Obama.

Novice at 9:18AM on Apr 30th 2008

19. Why do I waste my time with the dribble coming out of your mouth. If you cannot see the relevence of Obama's poor judgement and associations with hate-mongers and terrorists, then it just proves how stupid you are. Wright just set the race relations of this country back 50 years - and you are too stupid to see it.

Steven at 9:22AM on Apr 30th 2008

20. Thanks Stank-you've just summed up why Obama is doomed. The fact that you (and assuming like-minded supporters) would say "so what", makes it sadly clear that you have yet to learn that character and values matter. Wright was behind the creation and ongoing shaping of the Obama family spirtuality over decades. Nothing gets closer and gives insight into one's core character than that. Beyond the blind supporters like you, this issue is critical and speaks volumes about Obama.

Keep up the good work...

BirdmanJones at 9:23AM on Apr 30th 2008

21. Since the Reverend Wright claims to be a student of Christianity, he should be familiar with Judas Iscariot. Wright is bolstering the sales of his book and his appearance & speech fee at Obama's expense. By calling Obama a liar and making arrogant comparisons between America's most sterling Icons and those things detested by Americans, Wright has doomed Obama's campaign. He has turned a sincere political debate into a racial issue, which can only hurt Obama. TOO bad.

Vhamlin at 9:26AM on Apr 30th 2008

22. Well APPARENTLY MO, Obama disagrees with you and as of yesterday is saying WTF NOT SO WHAT!

nancy frisch at 9:39AM on Apr 30th 2008

23.
#16 Tampa Tony:

I don't see how calling Reverend Wright's claims outrageous makes me a "bozo". Do you actually believe what this guy is preaching?

It sounds as if you're suggesting that anyone who condemns Reverend Wright's comments is some kind of paranoid right-winger. And while it's obvious that some paranoid right-wingers use Wright to push a political agenda, there are plenty of rational people, including Mr. Obama, who have condemned him.

Tony Messinger at 9:45AM on Apr 30th 2008

24. If endorsements work for candidates, then associations with people like Rev Wright can work in the opposite way. I think Obama wanted "street cred" with blacks so he joined a hip, black church. Maybe pushed by Michelle Obama? Yes I think so. But he went too far, got blacks to like him but now whites are thinking 'This guy ain't Oprah!"
Haven't seen much of Ted Kennedy lately...laying low from the controversy?
And it looks like Obama lost himself a speech writer too. And as someone pointed out ,Wright is looking out for himself and his future book sales. It's arough world sometimes. Ask Hillary.
........Go Hillary.

thinkin' at 10:04AM on Apr 30th 2008

25. Hey there Big Guy,

I agree, so who cares. Jeremiah Wright is just another racist making a living (and a good one at that) off racism in a racist country.

The same racist country that gave Jeremiah Wright access to 2 Ph.D's, a $1.6 million house and a $10 million bank account.

What would millions of people throughout the world give for just a teeny tiny smidgen of Wright's life style.

Willet at 10:12AM on Apr 30th 2008

26. God you are a stupid douchebag, chuck. These race hucksters like Wright are more responsible for the deplorable conditions of the Black community than the Klan, Slavery, and Jim crowe laws rolled into one. This promotion of black victimhood, entitlement...the notion that the govmt started aids to kill blacks...is disgusting and harmful to blacks who trail in every social measurement....Chuck...youre a freakin' idiot, whoever you are.

Who is Chuck Enger at 10:34AM on Apr 30th 2008

27. I find myself mystified by so much of what I see regarding Rev Wright. The truth is 9/11 didn't happen in a vacumm. Most American's are blithly unaware of the history of the State of Israel. Its America's blind support of Israel that got us to where we are now.

Let me say that I am not anti-jewish. But like in America some of Israels policies have not been to put it benignly impartial. I'm not saying that they dont' have reason for what they do. The whole world stood by and basically let the holocaust happen. America included. There were ships of jewish refugees who came to America's shores and the ships were put back to sea and those people later died. I'm not proud of America for that.

I'm not proud of America for what we did to People of Japanese descent who were put in concentration camps during world war II. Those people were americans and deserved to be treated as such. We've since apologized as a nation and given restitution. I dont' think its far fetched to say that African American.
Yesterday on the news I heard a spokesman for the gasoline industry bemoan the fact that the govenment has not let the industry touch some reserves of oil. The fact is those reserves are for the most part on Indian lands which by treaty and negotiations the state holds which to this day American Indians have not recieved payment for. Montana Cattlemen graze on Government land, land actually held for the benefit of American Indians but not compensated as treaties indicated they would be. America has been a land of opportunity for many people but like many western nations it is also a land of exploitation and for that reason it is not always a country I have been proud of. Only the most naive of people will say that America has always lived up to the shining ideals upon which it was founded and that is Rev. Wrights point. It doesnt' mean he doesn't love america. He served this country when GW was gone missing and Bill Clinton was getting deferrments. He served in both the Marines and the Navy. He has the right to point out where the substance of America doesn't live up to the ideals of America. It seems to me any truely patriotic american would do the same and make sure that the substance of america matches the ideals of america.

Ric Tate at 10:33AM on Apr 30th 2008

28. He's not a crazy as people make him out to be.

Well Grounded Fears
In the 1960s, many African Americans around the country deeply distrusted the motivations behind government funded birth control clinics, fearing it was an attempt to limit black population growth and stunt black political power. Their fears were well grounded in past experiences. In the South, black fertility had a long history of being controlled by whites. Under slavery, African American women were encouraged to have children to increase a plantation owner's wealth. After the Civil War, when African Americans were no longer valuable property, the view among white supremacists abruptly shifted. It became desirable to decrease the African American population in the South. Sterilization abuse of African American women by the white medical establishment reached its height in the 1950s and 1960s. Women who went into the hospital to deliver children often came out unable to have more.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill/peopleevents/e_genocide.html



The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, cited as "arguably the most infamous biomedical research study in U.S. history",[3] led to the 1979 Belmont Report, the establishment of the National Human Investigation Board, and the requirement for establishment of Institutional Review Boards.



From Stewart E. Tolnay and E.M. Beck, A Festival of Violence: An Analysis of Southern Lynchings, 1882-1930.

Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1992.

There are "2805 [documented] victims of lynch mobs killed between 1882 and 1930 in ten southern states. Although mobs murdered almost 300 white men and women, the vast majorityóalmost 2,500óof lynch victims were African-American. Of these black victims, 94 percent died in the hands of white lynch mobs. The scale of this carnage means that, on the average, a black man, woman, or child was murdered nearly once a week, every week, between 1882 and 1930 by a hate-driven white mob" (ix).

AMERICA LOVES IT'S NEGROES



United States special forces and the CIA also had an interest in biological warfare, and a series of special munitions was created for their operations.[citation needed] The covert weapons developed for the military (M1, M2, M4, M5, and M32 - or Big Five Weapons) were destroyed in accordance with Nixon's executive order to end the offensive program. The CIA maintained its collection of biologicals well into 1975 when it became the subject of the senate Church Committee.

and it didn't stop then

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=ROS20070107&articleId=4360

I'm not saying he's right, but evidence and history prove it's not entirely out of the question

But who cares about facts, right?

Big Poppa at 10:41AM on Apr 30th 2008

29. Well young turd, it is likely that we will not be turned over to France. We are in danger of becoming their mirror image (if you and your kind have their way). You say Wright had no influence over Obama. I guess you didn't read the book that Wright inspired Obama to write. And by the way...the non issue that you speak of, lack of judgement seems to be very important. Look at the numbers idiot. "WE THE PEOPLE" care. Stop wrighting this off as media hype.

eric at 10:47AM on Apr 30th 2008

30. You couldn't be more wrong about this.

This discussion is larger than this election. What keeps us divided is the perceptions and suspicions we have about each other. It has to happen if we will ever have an opportunity to move forward as a nation.

And, just as Obama claimed at the onset of his campaign, I think we will discover that we are more similar than different. The only way to get there is to expose the pervasive undercurrents and discussions that have long been held in secret amongst our respective people groupings.

And so whether or not he wins the white House, America is already winning and if anyone takes the time to find the history channel's biography on Obama, they will begin to see how important it is to him that we begin to understand each other and get along as ONE nation.

vision_quest at 10:52AM on Apr 30th 2008