Letters to the Editor
Qpublic
Published Letters: 25
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Did you even listen to Wright's speeches?
[Read the article: Was Obama's speech enough?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Joan,
I am so puzzled by your column. You describe Wright's speeches as if you hadn't actually watched any of the snippets. For if you had seen them, you would know absolutely that what he is saying is a reality for Blacks in our country. The fact that Whites are "shocked" or "offended" by his anger [and others' in the Black community] only means that they are not paying attention to that which is laid bare every day for all to see...for those who *want* to see. There were no tough questions unanswered - he perhaps simply didn't answer them how you wanted him to...?
You seem to want Obama to "reject and denounce" Wright, yet wouldn't that have been the politically expedient thing to do - expedient, but utterly cynical and devoid of character. And the body of good works Rev Wright and his parish have done clearly outweighs any occasionally angry comments he might make. Isn't his extensive work for the poor and dispossessed FAR more important than some [true] words he has spoken. Why would Obama reject that?
And I will declare this: everyone who has devoted their life to peace and justice, to the poor and alienated and dispossessed has uttered words AT LEAST as angry as Rev Wright. IF YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION, HOW COULD YOU NOT?
And why do we want Obama - or anyone! - to only have people in his life who are all in complete agreement all the time?? We've already had that for the last 7 years with the Bush Administration and that behavior drove our country into a ditch. We want a Democratic version of Limbaugh ditto heads? It has only served to radically polarize our country on every level, and hasn't Obama been speaking out against this polarization since at least the 04 Dem Convention? Jeezus, aren't we all sick of the demonization and polarization???
Shouldn't we all have people in our lives who we can disagree with, even vehemently at times. It challenges us to see the world from another perspective. Maybe think a little differently. We might actually learn something. Maybe about ourselves. We might actually strengthen our own resolve by juxtaposing ourselves against the arguments of the other. As Socrates once said, "it is better to debate a question without solving it than to solve a question without debating it."
And as Thomas Jefferson [I think it was TJ] once said,"I may vehemently disagree with what you are saying but will defend to the death your right to say it."
The outrage is just too ridiculous and it's clearly being fanned by those with a political agenda to bring Obama down. Joan, how could you - how could *you* - participate in such a deeply cynical and divisive endeavor? I'm realizing just now that I am more shocked by your column than anything that I heard from Rev Wright...and disappointed.
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Elevate the discussion
[Read the article: Moving beyond Obama and race]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The man, Barack Obama that is, is trying to elevate the discussion. He has spoken more bravely and eloquently on race than almost anyone, and you, Joan, continue to drag the discussion down to its basest level and pick out one thing completely out of context. When you resemble Fox Channel at its worst you really need to question yourself. You continue to disappoint.
Weeping for Brunnhilde and many others on this thread are FAR more eloquent than you, Joan, and do their best to elevate the conversation back to where Obama started it, so no need for me to do anything other than thank them all for their efforts.
Joan, my goodness, stop trying to defend something so off-base.
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Whew! Good dialog and I'm late, dammit!
[Read the article: Rev. Jeremiah Wright isn't the problem]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Where to begin, because there is so much to add and respond to....
1 - The article is very good for what it highlights about patriotism being a bludgeon...but I would like to point out that it is mostly the hyperventilating media and people with different agendas but all of them with a desire to bring Obama down. If you are following the polls...and I am....an overwhelming majority of Americans have seen Wright's comments, have watched Obama's speech in its entirety, and overwhelming majority think that Obama handled it extremely well, he's back up in most of the polls, and he's now killing HRC in NC by 21 points [pollster.com, gallup, etc]. In other words, *Americans* have indeed moved beyond the bloviating having been presented with cogent reasoning. Would that Kerry had stood up for himself in '04...I would argue that Americans were ready for change then but the jackass they knew was slightly better than the jackass they didn't.
2 - So all the blind predictions that Obama is through or can't get elected are just so much bloviating. Because - and here's the point of the appeal for Obama - the man decided to talk to Americans like they were adults [- jon stewart]. It's not the "controversy"; it's how he handles it and he clearly handled it magnificently.
3 - jimmysanborn, I get that your thoughts are deeply held but in reading what you wrote I simply don't believe that you investigated any further what Wright said if you think that they were so hate-filled. Angry is different from hate. And I don't believe you watched/read Obama's speech. I just don't believe you could come away with that impression if you did...
4 - To the poster who asked for proof of Christian support for abuse of women and children, please check out the web site: christiandomesticdiscipline.com for what some apparently feel is Bible-sanctioned wife- beating.
5 - And to Madam Fauntleroy [sp?] - you keep at it and know that there are lurkers [and sometime posters] who are supporting you. Some of the folks on this thread are clearly trying to provoke and not actually engage in true dialog.
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R-e-s-p-e-c-t Find out what it means to me
[Read the article: Choose one: Sex or respect]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Interestingly, I find when I respect myself other people respect me.