How in the world do you reduce someone’s entire life’s work down to a sound bite for the privilege of passing judgement? This whole Rev. Jerimiah Wright thing has gotten completely out of hand. Everybody needs to calm down. It is so not that serious. I must admit, I haven’t actually heard the original sound bites from his supposed “G.D. America” speech that’s got everybody all up in arms and ready to bust a cap. And I must also admit that I’m glad I haven’t. I wish I would go on YouTube and listen to a single, solitary word of it. This is just another example of the jump-on-the-bandwagon, mob-mentality we tend to adopt at the slightest provocation.
This man gives a sermon like a million years ago and now because Obama is running for the democratic candidate for president, this sermon is trodded out and trodded upon. I said it in my book and I’ll say it again (and quote my man 2pac!), though it seems heaven-sent, America ain’t ready to have a black president. And some people will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen.
The media has rope-a-doped Rev. Wright into a corner and now he’s come out swinging. He is literally anywhere and everywhere he can defending himself and his church. Political analysts are warning that Rev. Wright’s new comments will have an extremely negative affect on Obama’s candidacy. I have no doubt in my mind that they will. But is anyone willing to admit that this shouldn’t actually be the case? Tell me, why do Rev. Wright’s comments mean anything to the Obama candidacy? Obama didn’t say these things. Judge Obama on what HE says and does and nothing more. If the good reverend wants to go on a verbal tirade because some media hounds pissed him off, let him. What’s interesting to me is that representatives of the media asked in the very recent past why Rev. Wright didn’t speak out. Now that he is, they’re against him coming out and defending himself this way in so many venues. Now he’s self-serving and grand-standing. But they keep covering his speeches. And not just covering them…analyzing them for days after each speech. Give me a break! Talk about having your cake and eating it, too.
And why in the world are we still talking about it anyway?! This all started over a snip-it of some sermon preached twenty years ago!! I don’t know about you but this whole situation is getting on my nerves. Talk to me about the wildfires or about the great white shark on California beaches. (Or about how in the world Miley Cyrus is making $1 million a week on tour! J) If this isn’t a way to distract people from the real issues of the presidential nominations, I don’t know what is. While we’re so busy focusing on Rev. Wright, if we’re not careful, we’re going to look up one day and have a new president and wonder how he got there.
This may come as a surprise to many non-black people but Rev. Wright’s comments are not as far off from the mainstream of thought for black folks as the media would have us believe. I know I wasn’t shocked by his comments at all. In fact, my pastor gave a sermon recently titled “Rev. Wright Wasn’t Wrong.” Every speech I’ve heard him give recently has been met with thunderous applause and standing ovations. Is anyone wondering why that is? Honestly, because he’s not saying anything that blacks haven’t been thinking and discussing for decades. He’s just the first non-Nation of Islam brother to say them and get national attention.
If America got a glimpse of the truth of how many black people, some white people and most of the rest of the world really sees it, it might really shake its holier-than-thou opinion of itself. People are glad to be living here but that doesn’t mean they don’t know the truth about what “here” really is. If you’re that bent out of shape about these comments, or if they are a huge shock to you, you’re probably either feeling guilty (what’s the saying, thou dost protest too much?) or you actually were born last night, not just at night.
Anyway, I’m bored with all this nonsense. If I never see Fox News or CNN report another Rev. Wright story again, it’ll be too soon. (I’m sure I will though) This could have been a one day, five minute media event. Now it’s a media circus. As usual. So, how do you reduce someone’s entire life’s work down to a sound bite for the privilege of passing judgement? I guess that’s what you do when you’re bored…
Tell me what you think. ‘Til next time…the topic? Meat. (and if you’re wondering how I can spend five or ten minutes discussing meat, just wait and see!) J
