Vote for Bush if you think Wright is Wrong.

and that's why Obama is going to lose.

Here's the thing: We get blasted with the message that America is great, perfect blah blah blah, while this Administration is simultaneously waging a horrible misbegotten war and other lies, high crimes and misdemeanors. If anyone tries to go against that, resist the deification of this country, or, God forbid! forget to balance their criticism with praise for Good Things America Has Done (which we all have heard about endlessly. The opposite of the most under reported story of the year, Ok?) then they are seen as some fringe element. Radical, dangerous, delusional. But Joan, it's actually people like you who are out there. Wright doesn't have to be correct about everything (hell, you're not) to be listened to. That interview was wonderful. A breath of fresh air after 7 years of lies and fear mongering.

Spot on. That's the rhino in the room no one wants to talk about.

Dear Hardcore Libs:

The 60's are over, the Columbia Student Protests didn't accomplish anything.

Sincerely,

2008

Joan must have been watching a different interview than I did. I found Rev. Wright to be charming, articulate, captivating, and very firmly grounded in the Bible. I suspect Ms. Walsh, not being versed in the language of religion, doesn't realize that Rev. Wright's knowledge of the Bible and his tremendous ability to draw parallels between the current leaders of our government and the arrogant behavior of our nation, and those same things in ancient Israel will be quite convincing for all those who value the Bible above American Civil Religion ("my country right or wrong, the noise machine folks at Faux News, etc...).

Those folks are not and never have believed in living out the Gospel of Christ. They would never have voted for Obama anyway, but to watch Rev. Wright calmly, gently, convincingly explain his perspective was useful, helpful and made it clear that, although, many, including Senator Obama, disagree with him in some areas, he is theologically solid, knows the Bible better than Jerry Falwell ever did, certainly better than Pat Robertson or Jim Dobson, and is, in no way any kind of crackpot or wacko.

Furthermore, the church he leads is one of the most socially active in the Chicago area. Again, I don't know what Joan was watching, but if she expected Rev. Wright to violate his own faith and give up his own integrity for political expediency, she obviously hasn't been watching the United Church of Christ in recent years. They seem to believe in bearing witness to the Gospel as God calls them to, no matter what the cost in terms of the agreement or support of the wider society. (Much like the Christ whom they seek to follow). They seem happy to leave the easy, pop-religion stuff to those of lesser courage and lesser faith.

I've not reached the end of your essay yet, but I have to ask about this:

And I'm on the left. I know huge chunks of it are true. But Wright casts his critique in such an extreme way that the possibility of redemption, the evidence that America can and has and will change for the better, is never considered. Wright preaches a deadly kind of "blame America" politics that many on the left have tried to move away from since the 70s. And it could be especially deadly for Obama

See, Joan, this is what I mean about your violating the sacred trust of your position.

Why do you not use this opportunity to point out that, in fact, Obama's central critique of Wright's sermon lay in precisely this failure to recognize that America can change?

Obama said the chief error was Wright's implication that America is static.

So when you say, "it could be especially deadly for Obama," one has to wonder why you don't practice journalism here by adding something like, "But it really shouldn't be, because this is precisely the part of Wright's argument that Obama explicitly rejected."

This would be responsible, honest writing.

As it is, you validate this specious argument by failing to point out that you and Obama actually agree here.

It may be true that Wright never considers the possibility that America can change, but Obama has addressed this already! Why, then, do you encourage the misperception that Obama is somehow endorsing this "static view" of America?

Really, why?

Most anti-liberals believe that War is Peace, Slavery is Freedom and Ignorance is Strength.

No, they are not conservatives, they are not moderates, they are fascists.

The 60's are over, the Columbia Student Protests didn't accomplish anything.

Yup, absolutely true. And thousands of people are being killed in consequence.

You are like most Americans. You think that your country is the best, even though you know its history and you know that Wright's words are accurate. If it too much for your tender ears to hear, too bad. America is as bad as Wright says it is, whether you want to know it or not.

The 9/11 killers are no worse than Bush, Cheney, Rice, et. al. who planned and carried out the killing of thousands of Iraqis. That is why many people on earth don't care if you or I get killed by al qaeda. There is no difference between the killings that took place on 9/11 and the killings that have come about because of numerous American interventions around the world. We are as disposable as people elsewhere in the world and we need to hear people like Wright remind us of that fact.

I don't really care if Wright hurts Obama. Obama used Wright when he thought it would be helpful. He based the title of his latest book on one of Wright's sermons. Yet when Wright was attacked he dumped him like a bad habit and compared him to crazy old uncle. Tough luck Barack.

Remember Wright's words when the next 9/11 attack takes place. It is inevitable that people who hate our government hate us too. It doesn't matter if you don't want to hear about it. The chickens will keep coming home to roost as long as Americans don't want to acknowledge that they even exist.