Letters to the Editor
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How right
The article is absolutely right. The hypocrite reaction from the american public also reflected in the polls soon after, shows the fundamental problem of USA today: The current USA is not capable of introspection and self-critic. Both prerequisites for learning and for the survival of a society. A capability, which made america the important and leading country it is now.
I personally - a european, who was born in america and lived there quite some time there - taught that Obama's public statement to the "race issue" in the aftermath, was one the most constructive and wisest statements made in our recent history to that regard.
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@ netche
Agreed regarding the speech.
I'm curious, I've spent some time in Europe and my sense is that the violence of the twentieth century affected Europe very differently than it did the US.
Europe seems, in general, justly chastened and suspicious of nationalism and militarism, probably because the European people saw the destruction first-hand.
Maybe this is just romanticising, I don't know, but it certainly feels to me that the US has only become more and more triumphalist while Europe more and more...what...cautious? Sober? Peaceful, even?
Hard to generalize about a continent, of course, but do you see any differences, based on your experience?
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@nfamous -- Oh, my, you poor, poor victim.
When I first came out of college in the late seventies, I went on my first job interview at WPIX in New York. After a very pleasant half-hour chat, the interviewer finally shrugged and told me, "I'm going to be honest with you -- we're really looking for a black person."
So keep on playing the victim, my friend. Keep on talking about slavery and how the white man puts you down. That's really productive. That's how you get ahead.
Maybe you just need a nice long chat with Bill Cosby. Or maybe you should read some of his books. Or perhaps some of Thomas Sowell's writings will do the trick. Oh wait, I misspoke -- I'm sure you already consider them both traitors to your race.
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Absurdity Reigns Supreme.
I was pleased to read that one respondent referred to an experiment that was conducted on black males, a memory track discarded in the way-back machine that many would choose to forget.
I don't know if I agree with Mr. Kamiya's analysis about American patriotism. I do heartily agree that a whole lot of Americans respond to situations with a knee-jerk reaction that somehow affords them a sense of security. I believe that many whites were offended by the Rewv. Wright's statement about black anger because many whites do fear black people as a consequence of media and how media prefers to portray blacks; pimps, drug addicts and/or pushers, uneducated, prison bound lay-abouts.
It's also amazing to me that no one wants to look at American foreign policies that might have led to 9/11 and no one ever mentions our own home-grown terrorist who successfully bombed the Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Why are all of these people so very angry and why isn't anyone looking for a way to disfuse this anger rather than trying to, once again, sweep the disturbing facts under the carpet once again?
The facts are all round us and yet we choose, actively choose to ignore the facts. If black people, meaning black Americans, feel angry and disenfranchised I can't even begin to grasp what Iraq citizens feel after having their country destroyed and occupied. A Nightline special shared a clip of GWB discusiing with Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell before our invasion that Iraq was like a fragile piece of crystal. He went on to elaborate that the crystal would be shattered and that it would take decades to piece it back together. To think that this statement was made prior to the invasion is more than sobering.
How can you be a flag waver, an unquestioning patriot if you don't understand that the rules were changed by the top guys without regard for human life or honor? We stand on the edge of an abyss for as long as we trust without question.
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Rev.Wright no Rev.Wrong
Of course he was right about our country's contempt for Black people..Of course he was right about Israel's racist arms sales to South Africa(a haven for nazi's after WW11)..of course he was right about our country's twisted global policies.. and yet he was correct about 911..
Rev. Wright ..Right on the $$$$$
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ann1960
You should see how so called christians treat their women? ALL institutionalized religions relegate women to second class citizenship. The hierarchy in the christian lexicon is god, jesus, man, woman, children. Spare the rod and spoil the child has given divine dispensation to parents to abuse children. Wives are commanded to be subservient to their husbands, albeit without a veil.
Women, around the world and in this country as well, are subjected to brutal treatment by men who hide behind the Bible, Koran and the Pope, not to mention any number of cult leaders to extol their followers to regain control of their families from femi-Nazis.
I think it is specious to suggest that Wright should confront Islam when christianity too espouses anti-women practices.
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madamfauntleroy
Yes, the Pope roundly supports the stoning of women for talking to unrelated males...
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So what?
I get why people are concerned that McCain jokes about bombing Iran or that people are concerned that McCain's advisor's recently said that McCains recent misstatements were the result of a "senior moment." These raise concerns about his ability to do the job.
But, I just can't get my head around why Rev. Wright's comments are important. We now know that Obama has friends that say things that some find offensive. So what? What does this mean about his ability as a president? What, exactly, are people afraid of? How would this reflect on his ability to do the job? Help me out. I am baffled.
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El Popo
also would rather save the life of the baby than the mother who will die in childbirth. Metaphorically not very different than stoning the woman to death. Both sickening anti-women practices
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madamfauntleroy
Ya, not much different other than rocks crushing skulls and the stomping of faces and sometimes rape of the women prior...All in all, very similar...