Thank you for that.

Most interesting.

the muted AKA Smith who has only written, cryptically, that "the real discussion on race is happening elsewhere, for people who aren't afraid of the truth" (WTF does any of that mean?)

I am hardly muted. My first post asks a series of questions that only weeping actually engaged with. My reference to the real conversation about race being elsewhere specifically mentions the Opus thread. A conversation about Rev. Wright and attacks on Joan Walsh do not amount to a conversation about race. Hutman needs to learn that only the exact wording should be put in quotation marks. When you paraphrase, you need to do so without quotation marks lest you be accused of misrepresenting another's point of view -- which Hutman routinely does, making him the most consistently dishonest letter writer in Salon political threads.

Imagine a world in which the words and actions of everyone with whom you ever associated somehow became attributed to you. In this world, Hillary Clinton would not only be a woman that endured the pain and humiliation of infidelity, she too would be regarded as having had extramarital affairs, at worst, or tacitly approving of such behavior, at best.

Of course, we do not live in such a world and most (key word most)are intelligent enough to recognize that the words and actions of our associates do not necessarily reflect our own words and actions. Unfortunately, in attempts to destroy the presidential aspirations of Barack Obama, individuals have not only made several controversial words of Wright's Obama's own words and views, they have taken to the next completely illogical step stating that anyone that even supports Obama is, by extension, voicing the opinions of Wright.

Sadly, Ms. Walsh has jumped in on this bandwagon, at the very least trying to tie Wright's words to Obama. My question, then, is she really this stupid or just a blatant partisan hack with obvious double standards?

By the way, Joan, here is what Wright actually said and no amount of semantical somersaults on your part will change this:

...the government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three strikes law, and then wants us to sing God Bless America, no, no, no; not God Bless America, God damn America, ...for killing innocent people, God damn America for treating its citizens as less than human...God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.

Your really ought to be ashamed of yourself, Joan.

Having read transcripts of the Press Club speech, I now think the guy is a lunatic. Obama needs to do severe damage control, or give it up to Clinton. Sorry, but this guy seemed reasonable, if misunderstood, now he just seems like a nut job.

Once againce your insight on the Wright polemic is invaluable. In the middle of the hysteric obamanians, your views are enlightening, deep and totally true. Just think if Jeremiah Wright, who had a very comfortable life in America, had conducted himself with the dignity of a Nelson Mandela instead of wooing churchgoers with that black liberation philosophy. He did well as he was given a $1,600,000 house and an equity of 10 million for a retirement gift. Spewing hatred does pay. America is not, after all, so terrible. He is trying now to excuse the inexcusable. Of course, Obama supporters will not change their mind because Obama listened for 20 years to those hateful sermons without any reaction. There is no worst deaf thant the one that doesn't want to hear. I hate to see someone in the White House who is ambivalent about his love for this country, it is, in fact, an oxymoron.

Simply because no one will ever let go. It is my firm belief that White Americans cannot understand why they aren't loved (universally: here and abroad) and seem to be genuinely shocked when someone has the temerity to actually dislike them. Is what Reverend Wright said off putting to a lot of people? Certainly. Is he a Racist? I don't think so, but many White people do. As far as his relationship with Senator Obama, I find the frenzy laughable. I'm sure Ronald Reagan knew and had more friends who were racist than Obama does. Bill Clinton interned for Senator William J. Fulbright. I think that most White Americans, if they answer honestly, would admit that they have many friends - good friends - who are that way. As a White friend of Debra Dickerson told her :.. you don't know what we say about you when you walk away..".

It's taking me 50+ years to realize that the quest for survival can produce some strange bedfellows sometimes. I think Farrakhan is a nut. But the Nation of Islam has served the Inner City in ways that no other organization has. Perhaps it's says more about the other groups failings. When I go to my old neighborhood there are two groups of young men: those headed for jail (you know the ones - with the 'Rats Don't Snitch' t-shirts) and those well-mannered ones in suits selling Farrakhan's nonsense. It's not a hard decision for a father to prefer the latter for his boy.

Reverend Wright has some accurate statements:

The Tuskegee Experiments (Need I say more!).

The US sales of Chemical Weapons and Nuclear Technology to Iraq in the 1980's (hello, Don Rumsfeld!).

The absolute abscence of WMD's and the abscence accurate military intelligence proving WMD's.

Cheney's statements in the early 1990's which unequivocally stated the morass Iraq would be if we went in and deposed Saddam.

His position is that our government is corrupt and capable of anything. The fact is that he is right. What an idiot like Maureed Dowd carps in, nobody really gives a shit.

That pastor is from Clinton, NY -- no relation to the Clintons -- and is not Hillary's pastor. Hillary's pastor resides in Arkansas and Hillary apparently rarely goes to church. Get over yourself Vanco and stop lying.

At least have the courtesy to put out the words, that you find so offensive.

I know you catholics like to hang Jesus's followers to the cross. It's in your blood. But so is this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romulus_and_Remus

The roman's as sons and dauthers to a she-wolf. And teh god of war. :)

you want broud caharterzations? Let's talk about worshipping war, and a she-wolf as mother, then killing Christianity's God, THEN pretending to speak for said God.

You want broad charcterzations and gossip gop/cahtolics? We can do brouad charterizations, assumptions and false narratives.

Teh differance between you anzi fascsits and obmama/wright is. At least they have the courage to say what they really mean. If you fascsits and catholics did that all your "power" would be stripped. As you are not chrstiains. you just play them on tv.

We can do false narratives and broad charterzations all day long. Just divides us.

If your going to label obama wright. If your going to bad mouth wright endlessly for months on end for his religous beliefs. At least have the courage and common decency to say what it is you find so offensive. Rather than following rush and hannity down the fascsit propgoandists for profit rabbit hole. Then blaming true patriotic americans for your selling out of yoru country.

What do you find so offensive joan? did you read the speech or are you just doing as your told by yoyr king/pope.

Put the mans words out there. Then hate blame and attack. But wrights words out there, THEN say he speaks for obama for months or years or however long it takes fo ryour canddiate to win the nomination. As that is all that matters.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/us/politics/28text-wright.html?_r=1&oref=slogin