Obama Just Threw on His Du-Rag! For Black Americans, This is the Moment of Truth

Obama being the popular candidate is living proof that race isn't the issue it once was. Everyone has it hard in this country, poor exploited people come in ever shade. Obama comes across as a strong leader and much needed change in this country, who the fuck cares what color he is. Most of my family were in the Clinton Camp and ended up voting for Obama.

Ringleader

www.nicejewishgirlsgonebad.com

www.myspace.com/nicejewishgirlsgonebad

Good grief. How realistic would Joe Lieberman's candidacy as Vice President have been had he regularly attended services for 20 years, had his children bar mitzvahed and been married in a synagogue led by Rabbi Meir Kahane? What if Lieberman had chosen Kahane to deliver the invocation at the announcement of his vice-presidential candidacy? What if Lieberman had written a book whose title came from one of Kahane's sermons?

Holy crap! His candidacy would be a non-starter. He would have absolutely no chances of a national political career, and Jews would be at the forefront of those criticizing him.

People make choices in life and they have to take responsibility and be held accountable for those choices. I found Obama's speech unconvincing, even annoying. But whatever. I'm Canadian and I live in Jerusalem. All I know is that the Republicans are laughing their asses off. 

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I blog at Jewlicious.com

i think the previous two responses greatly illustrate your points t.a.n.

 it's just so nice to equate all of our problems "black, jewish, blind, gay - who cares? we all suffer".  yeah, sure. it's all the same.

a gunshot doesn't feel the same as a cut, pains though they both may be. 

Who in their right mind would let the goof-ball, extremist, wackadoo uncle babysit, let alone be  a "spiritual adviser"/campaign insider when running for president?   Impeccable judgment?  Think again. 

What on earth are you talking about "Anonymous?" Nothing I said had anything to do with race and everything to do with accepting personal responsibility for the decisions one makes in life. When Obama in his speech refused to disown his pastor, he made such a decision. The consequences ought to flow therefrom.

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I blog at Jewlicious.com

This is one of the worst analogies I've heard in a while. Kahane advocated violence, was a virulent racist, etc. But more importantly, Kahane was not airing the grievances of a broader community. Even if Wright has taken the grievances of black America and embellished them with florid and sometimes offensive rhetoric, at the root of his oratory is a daily existence colored by flagrant discrimination. The Jewish experience in America in Kahane's day, while undeniably imperfect, was day to African Americans' night. That is Obama's point, and a wise one: Wright may be wrong, but you have to listen because you have to understand what has gotten him so riled up and what has gotten a large congregation to be so willing to listen. Jews have grievances about race too - and he's not ignoring them - but they don't rise to the level of daily denigration that drove at least one African American leader to say some very foolish and offensive things.

You're not going to listen to me at all, let alone Obama. That's been a lesson of talking to Jews who buy into the most nonsensical of anti-Obama rhetoric (he's anti-Israeli, he's Muslim, etc). As sad as that makes me as a general matter, it means you wouldn't have voted for Obama in the first place, so I've stopped worrying. He can win without you.

- Dan

Dan,

I am someone who has always considered voting for Obama, and yet, am also concerened specifically with the Wright connection. In many ways, yes, his speech was a stroke of brilliance. And yet on the other hand, in the same way I expected Hillary to cut the cord with Geraldine Ferraro because of her offensive comments, I expected the same from Obama. Even accepting your rationalization of Wright, and accepting (as I do) that he does not speak for Obama, you must understand precisely why the connection is problematic. And while the Kahane parallel is, of course, imperfect at best, it does touch on the right idea. If I was sitting in a synagogue and a rabbi went on an Islamophobic rant, you had better believe that I would no longer be affiliated with that synagogue, and I would do all I could to expose that rabbi as a hatemonger. And somehow I expect--and I realie this is maybe asking too much--as much from my leaders. The rest of his speech was brilliant, and I agree with most of his points. Yet I hoped for more. I hoped for a statement that said no matter what, there isn't ever an excuse for the anger and vitriole and hatred of someone like Wright. Ultimately this does not, of course, shape my opinion of the man, or even my vote. But I don't think it is at all faulty in having a hesitation, or at least considering the implications. For someone who speaks so much for hope and change, I expected more.

By emphasizing black nationalism, Obama will continue to alienate the Latino and Asian voters.  Ha ha ha, way to go dividing the Democratic voters along racial lines. 

You know how much a latino or an asian care about black grievances?  none, zero, nada!!  You cannot win the vote of minorities by only pandering to one specific minority group.

Adam,

I understand and empathize with your concern. So here's a better parallel for you. I consider myself a supporter of Israel, but I also believe that blind support for the Likud position is not the only way to be a "Pro-Israel" American Jew. Nevertheless, I'd imagine in nearly any conservative synagogue in America, I would hear the same sort of denunciations of "The Palestinians" (writ large) that I heard in my synagogue growing up. It's a creepy form of borderline racism that makes me grind my teeth for the rest of the sermon. But I certainly know that in Detroit - where I grew up - there just wasn't an option for a synagogue with a vibrant community within my particular movement where I could hear sermons with which I always agreed. Nor would I want to leave behind my community to wallow alone in the ignorance of its leaders. I would rather stay by the people who mean so much to me and engage them, confront them, educate them. By denouncing Wright's rhetoric but not removing himself from the man, Obama has made the same choice.

Wright may be wrong, but you have to listen because you have to understand what has gotten him so riled up and what has gotten a large congregation to be so willing to listen...

Hitler may be wrong, but you have to listen because you have to understand what has gotten him so riled up and what has gotten a large congregation to be so willing to listen...

Osama may be wrong, but you have to listen because you have to understand what has gotten him so riled up and what has gotten a large congregation to be so willing to listen...

Statements like the above demonstrate that you guys are so stupid, and the voting age should be raised to 40. The Founding Fathers did not anticipate voters who received an education the didnt include history. Democracy is not for morons 

Dan, I do agree--though I would say that there is a big leap from Likud positions (that I distance myself from and find objectionable) to the type of conspiracy theory-driven stuff that Wright spews. Most of all, I think it does little for the Afr.-American community (guess I'm just a Booker T. Washington guy?).  Anyway, to your point, I can say yes, unequivocably there are plenty of Conservative shuls that take a far more nuanced view on the oft-muddled issues regarding Israel/Palestine--though of course I can't speak to what is/was going on in Detroit. And trust me, that there definitely is not a lack of southside black churches for Obama to have joined or attended. Clearly the connection to this church (for its size, clout and yes for the good it has done) was a political move in the purest of senses of the way local politics operate here in the City O' Wind.

There is also a question beyond just being part of a community, as Wright was a personal advisor and such. I am glad he no longer is connected to the campaign, and like I said there was much of the speech that was spot on. And I think it is just as ridiculous (and entirely uncovered by the press and such) of McCain's courting of John Hagee. But to essentially compare Wright to everyone's crazy, racist uncle who we tolerate because we love...I don't know, it just didn't do it for me.

Umm the Founders also didn't want anyone voting but property holding white men so...perhaps it isn't so wise to base your arguments on the all-encompassing wisdom of that group.

oh, and there is nothing an average latino or asian disdain more than a gold chain wearing thug who "keeps it real" and go "YO! bidges!".

I don't go to my Rabbi for advice on how to shoot a jump shot, that's what the basketball coach is for.

the political implications of so-called "spiritual advisors" you may want to take a look at the Rev. Billy Graham's influence on every president from Nixon forward...

First, I think you really need to listen to the Wright speeches that have been making the rounds on YouTube, etc.  If you listen to what actually says, it's clear he's a radical, a conspiracy theorist, an anti-Zionist, and a nut.   But as I've said in other threads, I don't think it's clear that he's a racist, a hatemonger, or a supporter of terror.  Wright represents many things I disagree with.  But he is not so evil that I would withhold my support from anyone who associate with him.  

Second: If Obama had continued to ignore his connection with Wright I would have my suspicions about whether Obama would implement Wright's radical policy when in office.  But Obama has agreed that Wright "use[s] incendiary language to express views that have the potential not
only to widen the racial divide, but views that denigrate both the
greatness and the goodness of our nation; that rightly offend white and
black alike."  He has "condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy."

Adam, you wish Obama would add that "no matter what, there isn't ever an excuse for the anger and vitriole and hatred of someone like Wright."  Frankly, I don't see how your wished-for statement is any different in meaning than what Obama has already said.  If you don't believe Obama disagrees with Wright's controversial remarks, I don't think Obama will become any more believable if he repeats his disagreement in 14,000 different ways.  

 Third: You need to consider the political implications of what Obama is saying.  Personally, I believe Obama when he says he doesn't agree with Wright's more incendiary remarks.  But even if you think Obama still harbors a secret belief that the government invented AIDS and that Israel is evil, do you think he could actually act on such beliefs as president?  He's gone on the record saying he supports Israel's right to exist and doesn't believe in Wright's conspiratorial nonsense.  Do you think he would turn around and start supporting Hamas once he becomes president?  Will he start government investigations to find out who "invented" the AIDS virus?  To me, this sounds preposterous.

--Z

Z,

Sorry if I misrepresented myself. I don't have concerns in the sense that Obama thinks any of those things. In fact, I think he has been quite a wonderful supporter of Israel, and I think think he is too smart and rational to believe the AIDS conspiracy theories and such. And certainly he wouldn't be trying to become head of a country that did such things if he believed it. Is more about judgement, and who one surrounds him/herself with. And I realize perhaps I am asking for too much, that there are unfortunately always these creepy types of alliances when it comes to American politics. I guess I am saying, however, that with all of the bluster for change, Obama is no different; he's a politician. And he does what is most politically expedient. This doesn't make him evil or wrong even...just no different than anyone else running.

Here's the thing...

Obama can't help what his ex Pastor said. It would be the American
Political way to throw the man under the bus and say "He's crazy,
insane and stupid, I have no clue whats going on with that guy". It
would have been the easy way out. But Obama did something that
different. He said "I don't agree with him, but lets not pretend he's
speaking from right field."

If you some how take offense at his explanation of his association
with Wright then you have a problem. He couldn't have been clearer in
his displeasure with what was said. But for the first time that I've
noticed, he really took hold of things in a way that I, as a Black Man,
appreciated. Own it. This idea of going beyond color is absurd. Its
saying "We normally couldn't deal with a black guy, but you know what?
We're going BEYOND color, so now you qualify."

I'm glad to see T.A.N. come over to the dark side, literally speaking ;)

"If you some how take offense at his explanation of his association
with Wright then you have a problem."

Elon,

Here's my point, I don't think it is my problem per se as much as it is probelmatic for his campaign. I think that ultimately there are a lot of people who looked towards him as being different, and particularly different from the old mud slinging and tired faux-liberalism of the Clintons. This whole thing to me has shown (which I have always thought) that he really is no different. That he is a politician, and as such has to walk these really murky waters sometimes. Again, that is fine, it doesn't make him bad or inherently wrong. Just part of the same system. And that isn't real change in my mind.

I believe a regular old politician would have cut and run on his associate of 20 years. I think he would have quickly thrown out a bunch of denouncements and did something particularly fake to counter act his old friends actions. Like when someone says something bad against black people, or a black person, next thing you know they're talking to Al Sharpton or some one else black that they can hopefully cleanse themselves by association.

 I see where this could hurt Obama, only because now people are like "Oh, he knows he's black huh?" But yeah, he's friends with someone who said dumb stuff. He said "Yeah he's dumb. But lets not pretend this is based in nothing." That took a lot of balls and for that I respect him.

 QUOTE
"The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that
have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race
in this country that we've never really worked through - a part of our
union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we
simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to
come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or
the need to find good jobs for every American." - Sen. Obama

"the political implications of so-called "spiritual advisors" you may
want to take a look at the Rev. Billy Graham's influence on every
president from Nixon forward..."

Or the lack of such influence. 

Elon,

I do agree, in part, with you. And I think that the crux of his speech really did take balls, and approached race in a way that politicians usually are afraid of--in fear of offending everybody and everyone. And again, this isn't the sort of thing that would decide whether or not I would vote for the man. And maybe I'm just generally a cynic, but I wonder about the total glorification that surrounds Obama and what it all means. Again, that doesn't mean that I don't think he may be the person I want as president, it is all just interesting I suppose. And am interested to see  how this all plays out. You may be right, that the people against him were/are going to be against him no matter what he said. And these are the people who precisely would never vote for a black man for President. I suppose I just wonder where the fence sitters will go, or react to this speech?

Dan Friedman wrote: You're not going to listen to me at all, let alone Obama. That's been a
lesson of talking to Jews who buy into the most nonsensical of
anti-Obama rhetoric (he's anti-Israeli, he's Muslim, etc). As sad as
that makes me as a general matter, it means you wouldn't have voted for
Obama in the first place, so I've stopped worrying. He can win without
you.

Uhm, first I take offense with being lumped together with those who spout nonsensical anti-Obama rhetoric. If I agreed with his platform and felt confident in his candidacy I'd support him regardless of his religion. And he's gonna have to win without me - I'm Israeli and do not have US citizenship. But that's besides the point.  I've lived in the US and am all too familiar with the systemic racial discrimination that goes on there every day. But what you're suggesting is a dick measuring contest, not based on dick size but based on who has suffered more.

Yes, African Americans have suffered tremendously as a result of racism, but so have the Jews. A long history of being oppressed ought not give us a pass to be douchebags, nor should it give Reverend Wright a pass to spew the venom and the unadulterated hatred that he has. Obama for his part was not just a passive member of Wright's congregation. Wright married him, baptised his children, inspired the title of his book and invited Wright to deliver the invocation at the announcement of his presidential candidacy last year until advised against it by more politically astute advisors. This isn't some bullshit about Obama being a Manchurian candidate or an agent of Al Quaeda. This is the public record. These are decisions that Obama made and continues to stand by.

Every step of the way over the course of 20 friggin years, he had every opportunity to create some distance. He could have attended Wright's Church but not have him officiate at his family's life cycle events; He could have had him officiate at his family's life cycle events but not based his book's title on one of his sermons; He could have based his book's title on one of his sermons but not chosen him to deliver the invocation at the announcement of his presidential candidacy; He could have chosen him to deliver the invocation at the announcement of his presidential candidacy but disowned him in his speech. Dayenu!

He did none of these. He had no problem outing his beloved grandmother as a racist though. Nice. Ok, fine. I respect that. But there are consequences to such actions.

---------------------------------

I blog at Jewlicious.com

Adam says, "I suppose I just wonder [how]...the fence sitters will...react to this speech?"

Yep, that's the big unanswered question here.

What surprised me about Obama's speech was that I thought it was fantastic. He said things that I thought were true, right, and brave. Another way of putting that: Obama said all kinds of shit that I already agree with, and that I want people in power to say.

But that could be a bit of a problem. The day before the speech, some of the Jewcers discussed how we should cover it. One thing we felt certain of: Obama wasn't looking to give a speech that would be a smash among young, cosmopolitan white Jews who either think that a Presidential candidate's blackness is irrelevant, or that at this point in history it ought to fall on the positive side of the ledger when we're deciding who to vote for.

We thought he was going after, for example, the rural whites in Iowa who blew the world away by deciding en masse, "fuck it, what do I care that he's black? He'd be a great president." And also the ones who thought about making that decision, but didn't.

No one can really know how to reassure those people that it's not a big deal that a black Presidential candidate has a spiritual advisor who really, really doesn't like them. We don't know because we've never before had a black Presidential candidate with a genuine shot at winning. So I expected the most interesting thing about the speech would be the chance to see what Obama really thinks about how those voters think.

But I don't believe the speech he delivered was directed at them; or if it was, then it wasn't intended to help Obama win the presidential election.

But he *is* a politician, and he didn't get where he is by deciding, "I'm just going to speak the truth, end of story." So maybe the speech was a move in service of his longer-term vision of social change in the country. Or, who knows, maybe he was just writing for the history books.

He's in good shape there, because the people who write the history books are going to like the speech a lot, and they won't care much what rural white Iowan fence-sitters thought. But Obama, if he's going to be President, really needs to.

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pride where he is Yoo Tae, the RabbinerKahane by the liberaal is
dishonorable, "is Yoo Tae whom it fills and" it hates. "The pussyman"
that time is the Feiglinge sees. The Heulsusemacht is possible and it
is it is and equal and real Yoo Tae. The mother "it is Yoo Tae" to the
shiksa there is here majority and it is a fraud. The RabbinerKahane in
Yoo Tae person was real Yoo Tae inside here antagonism anti-semitic
imitation and it was a real man.

[Please note our comments policy. This is Babelfish gutting. In this case, English to German to French to Dutch to English to Korean to English. The title is English to Russian to English.] 

Jewlicious,  I have a great rebuttal for your point of view (and I'm taking this from "The View" because I agree w/ it). 

On The View, one of the ladies was pointing out the following:  Should the Catholics stop being Catholics and stop going to their churches b/c of 
the pedophilia?  When we go to churches/synagogues we do it because of Faith and God, not because of the preacher.  Are there some people who do go to certain places b/c of the preachers, but most because of their faith in God.  

And why are we so hard on Obama, McCain did the same thing?  (Remember, his preacher friend kept saying "Obama Hussein..")  McCain said, he doesn't share the same view point as his preacher friend, but he will still remain his friend.

Obama spoke the truth, and he had the guts to do it!  I applaud him for it! 

Umm just for the record...the Barack Hussein Obama guy was not a preacher, but a blowhard talk show host who McCain condemned right away. That same day even. Now that is precisely what he should have done (granted there is the hypocrisy of McCain snuggling up to John Hagee...or perhaps even worse Joe Lieberman snuggling up to him). But really...if you are relying on The View for political insight, I would dare say that doesn't help your argument.

Wow , of all the things  that could end his run.... Race is  his downfall... Let  that be a lesson to all you Negro's that want  to be called African American.... America still sees you as a negro!!!

Uncle Ruckus 

All Catholics should stop going  to church because of  the pope's refusal to deal with pedophiles! They are just enablers... Not just passive members! Or how about those  catholics  that are pro choice????  All the Episcopals should leave  there church because of  homosexual priest, and same sex marriages in their flock!!  Or Those damn reformist Jews.... They are not real Jews! Or female Rabbi... Come on .. Pick your religion and I will show you double standard!!

Jewlicious: If you're going to try to engage with what I wrote, have the decency of reading my name.  The folks at Ellis Island did an better job of anglicizing my name than they did with most Jews. 

Now to the meat: I'm just asking you to see a little depth in the situation.  You're sticking with the superficiality of a few clips that eager O'Reilly staffers found by parsing through decades of videotape.  And your gripe about the troubles of Jews in America (not nothing, but I maintain nearly nothing compared to blacks' troubles) betrays your inability to understand the root cause driving Wright and his congregation.  Obama asked you to walk a mile in their shoes.  You've failed here.  Not him.

Sorry Dan Freeman. Sometimes all these names, they all look the same to me. Plus I wrote that comment at some ridiculous hour. My actual name is David Abitbol. You can imagine the butchery it's been subject to over the years, so I feel your pain man. I really do.

My "gripe" as it were didn't limit itself to the troubles of Jews in America by the way. The long history I alluded to stretches from our slavery in Egypt all the way to the present. We have a long ass history of oppression. But I didn't want to go there, I'm not seeking to compare our histories. I was just saying that it ought not give us a pass to be douchebags.

As far as empathy goes, I grew up in a predominantly African American neighborhood. People of color were my friends and neighbors. Later they were my colleagues and classmates as well. In talking about issues related to race and bigotry, many successfully allowed me to walk in their shoes without resorting invective, divisiveness or hatred. Just as Obama had alternatives, so too did Reverend Wright and a history of oppression does not excuse the choices made.

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I blog at Jewlicious.com

I live in New york City.  I have two sons, 15 and 20.

They believe there are no people modre racist than blacks.

We live near an integrated high school.

I understand why they feel this way after seeing the behavior of the black kids.

Let's have a little honesty!!!! 

You dreamers are missing one important oint.

Wright is not a supporter or an "associate."  He is an ADVISOR!!

Big difference.

Dan Freeman:  you are a psuedo-intellectual idiot.  Period.

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semitic non- Jew nearby many geezer of Judean 'ilter roughness. Grasps
is the work grows the even more pretty cover in facist! Honest guv!

[Please see our comments policy. This is babelfish gutting + the dialectizer.] 

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VHOLE HEBREEER of SETTINGS With DIED of END! Bleemey! GOoIDELINE "OoF
JEVCY" (NEZIN)! Qooeete-a!

[Please see our comments policy--ed.]

VE foock Heetler!

[Please see our comments policy.] 

"Obama being the popular candidate is living proof that race isn't the issue it once was."

Sure, that's why 91% of blacks are 'bloc voting' for him.