RussSpencer's Blog

Obama's platform is "Change". Yet, he has never elaborated as to what kind of change he was going to make. So now I am worried what kind of "change" is he really looking for?
Yes, it should matter.
I want to hear the truth. I want to hear him say that he has know about the Rev's teaching's and blasphemous sermons at the pulpit.

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, 66, retired last month as pastor of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ, whose motto is "unashamedly black and unapologetically Christian."

He is a beloved figure in African-American Christian circles and a frequent guest in pulpits around the country. After arriving at Trinity in 1972, he built a 6,000-member congregation. His preaching melds detailed scriptural analysis, black power, Afrocentrism and an emphasis on social justice.

Wright's most powerful influence, said several ministers and scholars who have followed his career, is black liberation theology, which interprets the Bible as a guide to combating oppression of African Americans.

He attracts audiences because of, not in spite of, his outspoken critiques of racism and inequality, Dwight Hopkins, a professor at University of Chicago Divinity School, said last year.

Wright's defenders said the statements that have been playing this week are taken out of context, and he is not anti-white.

The United Church of Christ, the denomination of the Chicago church, is overwhelmingly white. And Wright is an equal-opportunity critic, often delivering scorching lectures about black society, telling audiences to improve their educations and work ethic.

"I can remember Jeremiah saying in probably half his sermons: Everyone who's your color ain't your kind," Richard Sewell, a church member, said last year.

On Friday, the United Church of Christ (UCC) issued a 1,400-word statement defending Wright and his "flagship" congregation. It lauded Wright's church for its community servi

Thanks for that thoughtful input. Do you think Obama will get into that kind of explanation tomorrow? Should he?

Because of 9/11 and this War, no one can speak against the injustices of them both and why these happened and/or who is responsible. Free Speech is no longer a right anymore. If one speaks freely, it is considered a "pathetic" unpatriotic. Obama is an idealist and a liberal democrat. He believes in diplomacy before stricking. He believes American's should attempt tolerance instead of being the bullies of the world. He believes in creating dialogue with people that do not share our views. He is very knowledgable of the Muslim and Jewish Culture that will assist him in dealing with our current situation in IRAQ. He has created CHANGE in ethics reform, Created a Searchable Database that WE can view to search the status of legislature, and just recently HE along with others has passed a bill to CHANGE the amount of time VETERANS are diagnosed and cared for when they come back with mental illness from the war. He creating CHANGE NOW. To view all the other changes he would like to implement for our country visit www.barackobama.com

Mr. Wright helped organize the 1995 Million Man March on Washington and along with other United Church of Christ ministers was one of the first black religious leaders to protest apartheid and welcome gay and lesbian worshippers.

Do hate mongers welcome gay and lesbian worshippers?

I beleive who you associate youself with, tells alot about the kind of person you are. I beleive that when you are in a position of enfluence that you have to be even more aware of what you do and who you associate yourseld with. So yes it should affect Obama!! Bill Clinton was put in the spot light over his sex life. So why shouldn't Obama when it comes to this.I think its far to say that we all want a president that is going to put the people first. I don't get where racism is denied! I think people cant quit dwelling on it. I think Rev. Wright is a racist to a point. Why would you say the things he said. Let a white person scream white power and see what happens. Yes racism is alive but its not like what people try to say it is. If it was a white preacher he would have been put under the church. IF you don't want racism then we should all be held to the same standard no matter what race we are. I've got white black spanish & gay friends and all feel the same way. What an example the generation above us is setting for us. Way to go! WE all get along.

Tuttiefruity, did you not read the article above. He has a large White following. He is not a racist. What the news network didn't show you when he was yelling "Black America" and "Black People." Don't let the media manipulate you. Obama's grandfather was a white man and a WWII VET who largely influenced his life. Obama believes in idealism, civil rights, and unification. Don't let the media sway you to think otherwise. Obama is a good man.

I agree that the cumulative effect of cable news coverage of this story -- or anything other, for that matter -- runs the risk of blowing it out of proportion. Let's see what kind of coverage the speech gets.

I don't agree with most of the things I've heard in the Reverend's video clips. Obama doesn't either, he says.

I think America is ready to elect a Black man as President. But probably not an angry Black man. I think Obama has to convince the country -- White, Black, and otherwise -- that he is the smart, inclusive person he appears to be. It won't be easy, but he's an exceptional person or he wouldn't be in this position in the first place.

Russ, u r correct. I don't agree with everything anybody says. But in church if i agree with you spiritually then i can live with the rest.

As for the other, i don't think anything he does here will hurt him the the African American community. I've been to white churches, African American churches and mixed churches. What people don't understand is that African American churches tend to be much more political then other churches. They also tend to be much more militant and distrusting of government in general. African Americans, with good reason, can easily believe that the government is capable of anything, including 9/11 and Aids. Think about it, is Aids really that far removed from Syphilis? If the government sanctioned that up until 1972 (and only gave it up when they got caught) why not Aids 8 years later?

Obama has a white mother who traveled and embraced the world, and an African Muslim father. He may be the only one who can truly change and grow America. We have serious race issues in this country that no White president has dared to address and up until now I didn't think Obama would address it. Now i feel he has to. And he's uniquely positioned to heal this country.

I don't know Wright, and I refuse to judge his life based on 60 seconds of controversial sound bites. He's had a 40 year career, I bet folks could find soundbites out of my life that would convince folks that I'm anything from a gay man that hates black people (not even close) to well, u get the idea. Certain Americans feel that these things should never be said regardless of th