What *is* so great about America actually? From the beginning Americans killed Indians and stole their land and then kidnapped and enslaved Africans to work it. Then a small percentage of them set up a government for and by propertied white males. Then the new country went to war with every one of its rivals: Britain, France (Quasi-War), Spain and Mexico to secure its ill-gotten gains. That's all ancient history you say? How about recent history then. The way evil dictators were set up all around the world post WWII from Cuba to Guatemala to Chile to Iraq to the Philippines. Meanwhile racism continues and now we're ruining the entire world and its economy by what we're doing in Iraq. And what I've mentioned is just the iceberg's tip. Really, pull your head out and up, take *yourself* out of the equation and take a good hard look at America. Are you really, truly proud of what you see?

As your column went on, and on, and on, I had the feeling that there's no one there at Salon that edits the editor. Was this just a stream of consciousness thing?

I also wondered whether we were watching the same interview. Wright's September 16, 2001 speech was a variation on what Malcolm X said when JFK was assassinated: America's chickens have come home to roost.

Was it improvident to say it then? Yes. Was it grim? Absolutely. But was it false? NO. America's history of imperialism, empire building, slavery, internment of Japanese Americans, use of nukes, and Vietnam is not only grim, it's despicable and hypocritical. And he said so. So what?

Wright's not running for President, Obama is. And Obama's already addressed this, in perhaps one of the best speeches I've heard in my lifetime.

I've not seen much of anything made of the patently outrageous statements made by the nutcases that endorse McCain, Hagee, Parsley, and Robertson, endorsements McCain's actively sought and nurtured.

And I've not seen squat said or made of Hillary's connection to the right wingnuts who run those "prayer breakfasts," a group that calls themselves "The Family." Don Corleone would be so proud.

Does Wright think that Japan was peacefully minding its own business when we sadistically dropped the A-bomb on them?

Do you think the U.S. was peacefully minding its own business when al-qaida sadistically crashed 2 planes into the WTC?

I find it interesting that everyone wants to condemn not only Wright's comments, but also the timing - TOO SOON! Has he no respect for the dead!?!? How can he possibly stir up our emotions at a time like that, when the only allowable form of public discourse was flag-waving and feigned ignorance to the possibility that we very well may have brought it on ourselves.

I applaud Wright for having the foresight and the courage to consider that 9/11 was not a result of people who hate our freedom.

If only more people were causing Americans to think after 9/11 instead of knee-jerkingly blaming every arab and muslim on earth for attacking poor little innocent America. Maybe there may have been some public resistance to Iraq? Maybe we would have thought twice before declaring war on the muslim world and creating a whole new generation of terrorists? Maybe we could have engendered world cooperation instead of world resentment?

Wright never said this country is beyond redemption. And I don't get what is so extreme about what he says. Have you read an internet chat board before? Have you read THIS chat board? That is some pretty extreme stuff. Wright believes this country can achieve greatness, but he isn't afraid to rail against its sins. Sorry if you are that uncomfortable about your patriotism that you can't honestly critique your own country.

"He linked the killing of American civilians on 9/11 to Americans killing civilians from the Indians to Hiroshima to Bill Clinton's bombing of Sudan to retaliate against al-Qaida in 1998. I deplore all of those civilian killings as well, but 9/11 was indefensible."

i see no contradiction here. He was saying all mass killings of civilians is deplorable. What's weird is that Walsh would assume any comparison was meant as a defense of the 9-11 attacks.

Thank you for the correction, Joan. It's much appreciated, sincerely.

Nevertheless, I'll just go on the record as saying that, having finished the essay, I find it exasperating, basically for the various reasons effectively articulated by a bunch (most?) of the other commenters here.

I so appreciate your setting the record straight regarding Obama's critique of Wright's premise. That counts for something.

Joan Walsh is clearly part of the vast leftwing feminist conspiracy to put the Witch Hillary in the White House. They have no scruples about using racist appeals and giving the GOP material for November. However they are on the wrong path. As they make it impossible for Obama to win, they make it equally impossible for Hillary since she will lose the black vote big time. McCain will be able to pretend he is a racial liberal and even pick up black votes, those who don't want to stay home if Hillary is on the ballot. Every pained expression I have seen on Joan's face on tv conveys the pain of pushy women outraged that their chance for power might be lost. Joan is also Catholic -- remember how Catholics voted in Pennsylvania. A vast feminist-Catholic conspiracy?

You are now one of the trolls.

How did an asshole like you get to be in the position to turn Salon into a Clinton campaign headquarters?

Don't feed the trolls.

Walsh relegates racism to irrelevance..sexism is the big problem, and to her is paramount.

If Wright is a fossil of 60's black liberation theory, is

Walsh a fossil of feminist liberation theory?

I don't the answer to that enigma, but will dinosaurs inherit the earth?

Does a witchhunt about what every word a pastor uttered have more weight than what an individual named Barack Obama has to say for himself?

I mean I don't wanna bring up color because it's obviously an uncomfortable area for Walsh, but could she paint things any more stalkly simplistic and blatantly black and white?

The Witchfinder General's job is never done, until the witch is convicted, then strung up, and hung...