Rev. Jeremiah Wright speaks out

Wright said that the sound bytes being played in the media were just snippets of his overall message. Unfortunately for him, a microphone was available while he was standing near it at the National Press Club. He proved to us all that the sound bytes weren't taking him out of context. In actuality, his words were confirmation of the sound bytes.

What an idiot.

Well said Bret

That's strange. 117 views and only 2 comments. Why is that? I picked up this site by looking at the most viewed list & was shocked to only see these 2 comments.
Anyway ... I agree Bret and Don. He seemed so blind to what he was communicating. He seemed to be having such a good time. Blew my mind.

I listened to the full podcast last night and frankly don't understand what the fuss is about. Rev. Wright may not express himself in a style I might prefer, but his observations about American history and American government and what passes for morality in this country are absolutely unassailable.

I listened to the Parker Posey podcast earlier in the evening and from that perspective we need to listen to Wright, respect his point of view, and have a real discussion about these issues rather than a lot of bloviating about the political implications for the speech on the Obama campaign. While we may not agree with his world view, we can and should attempt to understand it and understand why many people share it.

I heard Rev. Wright's speech on MPR Word for Word last night and am glad he brought up some old issues that need to be addressed. On the origin of the HIV AIDS virus, Rev. Wright asked if the questioner had read Leonard Horowitz works on this subject.
I read his first book a long time ago, but though I am a 70 year old retiree I haven't kept up with the response. My remembrance is that Horowitz admitted to having no proof of the origin of AIDS. The credibility of Horowitz himself should not be the issue, but some of his documentation should be examined before Reverend Wright is condemned.

At hearings of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 91st Congress First Session (1969-1970):
"Within the next 5 to 10 years. it would probably be possible to make a new infective microorganism which could differ in certain important aspects from any known disease-causing organisms. Most important of these is that it might be refractory to the immunological and therapeutic processes upon which we depend to maintain our relative freedom from infectious disease." Isn't this similar to the virus that causes AIDS? Whatever happened to the $10 million appropriation to create this virus? Does anyone have more recent information on this?

I hope every person who denigrates and criticizes Dr. Wright will take the time to actually read what he says and to do their own research on the issues he raises. This extremely well educated man is, in my opinion, a prophet in our time. A David standing firm against the Corporate Goliath. An articulate and courageous man who stands for the common person here in this country and around the world.

Perhaps consider these words of caution:
For those who stubbornly seek freedom, there can be no more urgent task than to come to understand the mechanisms and practices of indoctrination. These are easy to perceive in the totalitarian societies, much less so in the system of 'brainwashing under freedom' to which we are subjected and in which all too often we serve as unwilling instruments.
- - Noam Chomsky

I'm amazed that someone would refer to Rev. Wright as "an idiot." What speech did you hear that prompted such an evaluation? Whether or not you agree with his views, his intelligence and knowledge of history is obvious. I am a white woman in my 50's and a supporter of Obama for president, and I find nothing shocking in Wright's speeches. God, whatever you conceive him/her to be, is not a politician; rather, people USE God for political purposes and have been doing so since the first religion was established. There is a gap between the races, cultures and creeds of citizens in this country and the rest of the world that can't be denied. If Rev. Wright's words can move people to action that transforms and reconciles any of these differences, more power to him.

I am very grateful that "Word for Word" played the whole speech and Q and A. It is rare that you can hear a broadcast that is long enough for substantial thoughts and viewpoints to be fully expressed. I was shocked at how unoffensive I found Rev. Wrights words to be. I heard him talking about appreciating people's differences. I heard him give thoughtful answers to very narrow questions. I heard him bringing up issues that are usually overlooked (like accepting the full scope of our country's history, the good and the bad).
I want more conversation like that in my life. I want to express my views even if other people don't agree. I want people to take the time to listen respectfully to what I am saying. When conversation like that happens I feel like something really worthwhile just happened.
I know that discussions about race can be very uncomfortable and are much easier avoided. But I also know that if people speak honestly about their fears related to people of other races that we will start to move beyond the stuck place we seem to be in. Are we ready for that conversation?

Rev. Wright preaches a timely message and you are to be applauded for posting the full text of his comments before the National Press Club.

I heard on MPR that Barak Obama and his family are no longer members of the church where Rev. Wright used to preach. Though we need politicians, we also need prophets to call to repentence. After reading some of the Biblical prophets, Rev. Wright seems rather mild to me. As a nation, I believe there is a need for repentence. If there is interest I can be more specific.

I listened to Dr. Wright's speech on MPR as it aired, and here are my two cents (more like a buck-fifty in pennies):

I do empathize with the struggles of the black community, and I think Dr. Wright spoke elegantly in regard to this. I believe his controversial comments must be taken in context of this unresolved struggle.

He is passionate and is rightly frustrated by where we are in race relations today. Much progress has been made since Jim Crow, but there is still a long way to go for both the black community and for the rest of us.

Dr. Wright really lost me, however, in his comments about AIDS and Louis Farrakhan. But once again I come back to the context previously mentioned, and refuse to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Dr. Wright said this controversy wasn't about him, but I think it was. It's unfortunate that this occurred when it did. Wright could of held off until after the election, but he was pissed at Obama and needed to vent off some steam.

One of my disappointments with Obama was his repudiation of Dr. Wright. Even so, I will still cast my vote for him, understanding as Dr. Wright did, that politicians do what politicians do. Dr. Wright compelled Obama to take this action. We all did, really.

Until everyone's pain and struggle becomes a shared concern, you can expect the black community to find strength and solace among themselves.

In the meantime, all patriots should be marching together toward this one ultimate destination: E Pluribus Unum.

We've got a long way to go.