Obama Damn-A-Rama

Just about everything that can be said about Sen. Barack Obama and his (now retired?) preacher/spiritual advisor seems to have been said. Maybe the good Senator is learning how “It’s not the crime, it’s the cover up!” In this case, Obama first tried to pretend this problem existed, then denied ever hearing any of Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s offensive sermons, then had to admit that he did. And he was a member of this church for over 17 years and didn’t know? Okaaaaaaaaay!

A few interesting things do come to my mind:

1) Rev. Wright sure had an interesting way of expressing his anger at America. At the same time, this particular congregation has been very successful, with thousands of members, correct? Now if the United States were so oppressive, would this church be so successful and be able to carry on all the charitable programs to which Wright and Obama have both alluded?
2) Wright’s views on the Middle East are very telling. Despite Obama’s protestations, the mindset of Jeremiah Wright is clearly evident in Obama’s foreign policy team. Senator Obama has clearly surrounded himself with people who do not value our allies (such as Israel) and would undo the economic growth that has come about via free trade deals on this side of the world. It really is no wonder that Obama had Wright on his campaign team at the beginning. Obama’s belated distancing at this point doesn’t pass the smell test.
3) Think back to the civil rights movement, and particularly to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now we know from his famous words that he sought justice through a more color-blind society, and his vision was much more harmonious. Now Barack Obama kept making excuses for Jeremiah Wright, saying that his angry words were a result of past discrimination. Well, Martin Luther King experienced lots of discrimination, and I’m sure it was at least as bad as what Wright has experienced. Now I looked up the famous “I Have a Dream” speech of August 28, 1963, and the conclusion is quite relevant here:

“Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring - when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Real faith brings hope and optimism, not feelings of hatred and victimization.

See? I could have saved Obama more than $20,000 that he spent on this church (and a lot of embarrassment) with my free advice!