DETROIT (AP) - The former pastor of Barack Obama whose words have rallied many but offended others told an audience of 10,000 that his critics get it wrong when they call him divisive and polarizing.
"I describe the conditions in this country," the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. said during the NAACP's 53rd annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner.
"I'm not here for political reasons. I'm not a politician. I know that fact will surprise many of you because many in the corporate-owned media made it seem like I am running for the Oval Office," Wright said. "I am not running for the Oval Office. I've been running for Jesus a long, long time and I'm not tired yet."
Receiving a lengthy and loud standing ovation, Wright followed in the footsteps of Obama, President Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton in his speech at the event, a $150-a-plate fundraiser billed as the largest sit-down dinner in America.
Obama, who is vying with Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, distanced himself from Wright after publicity over the minister's sharp criticism of America's racial history and government policies.
The Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, stirred the crowd with an animated introduction to Wright. He let the audience know, among other things, that Wright speaks five languages and is an Egyptologist, writer, author, family man and "innovator and sustainer of the word of God."
Anthony said at a press conference before the dinner that he was excited to invite the "hottest brother in America right now — outside of Barack Obama."
Wright, who is retiring as pastor of the 8,000-member Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, followed the dinner's theme, "A Change is Gonna Come."
He drew numerous contrasts between racial and ethnic groups in language, music and other aspects of American culture. He danced, beat-boxed and even sang an aria from the podium to make his points in the massive exhibition hall, which served as an impromptu pulpit.
"In the past, we were taught to see others who are different as somehow being deficient," Wright said. "I believe that a change is going to come because many of us are committed to changing how we see other people who are different."
He also responded to Republican Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who had called Wright "divisive" during an April 18 forum.
"I am not one of the most divisive" black spiritual leaders, he said. "Tell him the word is `descriptive.'"
Wright became an issue in the presidential race in March after the circulation of videos of old sermons in which he accused the U.S. government of racism and accused it of flooding black neighborhoods with drugs.
In a sermon days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Wright said "America's chickens are coming home to roost" after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Japan and "supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans."
The videos, circulated widely on television and the Internet, knocked Obama's presidential campaign off-stride. The Illinois Democrat distanced himself from the comments of Wright, whom he has known for 20 years.
In an interview aired Friday on PBS, Wright said publicizing portions of old sermons was unfair and "made me the target of hatred."
Wright was scheduled to speak Monday at the National Press Club in Washington.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Comments
Wright's rantings are anti-Christian. His church is outside the realm of Bible-based teachings. But this should come as no surprise given the fact that he had an openly-gay choir director -Donlad Young - for more than a decade. However, Young was murdered in December 2007.
see http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc3=&id=54130&pf=1
he is full of the devil
Rev. Wright's remarks are not so much an example of black liberation theology as it is liberal theology which has America as the source of all that is wrong in the world. According to liberal theology, we are incurably racist, raping the resources of the rest of the world, the cause of all wars and famines ,etc. I have heard a lot of similar remarks in white liberal churches. Usually these preachers preach to the choir and are not used to having their comments meet anything but uncritical acceptance and applause. Wright is really playing dumb when he claims he is just a preacher and not political. He is and always has been highly political. What he is not used to is having his highly charged political comments challenged. Now he retreats back behind his church doors and claims it is simply an example of black prophetic theology rather than the highly charged political rhetoric it is. This is the tradition of his denomination.
You know, it looks to me like Clinton was loosing and could find nothing on the Oboma and so her people found a lively character in his pastor, so attacked Obama through his pastor.
Some of the things his pastor has said are not cool. I fail to see how they help people grow to become more like Christ. But even though *I* could never sit under a man as corrosive as Mr. Write seems to be, Obama is not his pastor.
Even so, I think this plays well into Billary's hands...
It aint cool to be white in this country. Its less cool to be white, conservative, Christian. Its even less cool if you are a white, conservative, Christian, homeschooling, stay-at-home mom.
We need to encourage people to look forward and rise above the iniquity of the past, not condemn for mistakes of people's predecessors or ancerstors.
Believe it or not, I'm not responsible for you. I'm not responsible for my prents, nor their parents, nor their parents, ad infinitum. I AM responsible for me. We must look to Christ and let Christ change us - not believe we are perfect and never be content to be less than what God wants for us and from us.
obama wright and clinton need to give it up. i know they aren't, but i just wanted to say that. how has america gotten to this place? satan's kin fighting for the whitehouse.....
Jeremiah Wright is no "Jeremiah" or even a prophet!!! The NAACP should be ashamed for inviting what they mistakenly call the "hottest brother" in the country today. He is, IN FACT, divisive, and I don't know about running with Jesus, but all you have to do is look to the fact that he espouses Black Liberation Theology, and that says it all. And also that Obama has signed on with him.
He is a wolf in sheep's clothing and the NAACP cheered, applauded, and laughed the whole time through. The NAACP's days are over if they embrace this hate speech and racially divisive individual with the name of Reverend. He is no more to be revered than Obama!!!
REPENT, JEREMIAH WRIGHT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!!!!
This one needs to jump ship........
I've had foot-in-mouth disease before but not a severe case like Rev. Wright has. The best remedy is to be humble and quite, but he does not seem to be able to do either even though Obama says this is hurting his campaign. He appears extremely selfish trying to defend his remarks.
Hope Page: itsallaboutjesusnotme.blogspot.com
Unfortunately, for all his schooling in the Word, the Rev has totally missed the point. He is falling into the same trap as all preachers (the Robertsons, Falwells and Hagees included) who want to grind political axes from the pulpit. They fail to understand some basics:
1. We don't have racial problems in this world, we have a spiritual problem. Racism is just a manifestation of the hate and fear in the heart of the lost. Take race out of the equation and people quickly find another reason the hate and kill. It cannot be fixed except by the love of God and the salvation of Christ. Besides, look around the world.
2. You can't fix politics by political means. That's why Jesus didn't talk politics. He understood that you get the people right and the politics take care of themselves. Sadly, many churches bang the political drum for change and leave the salvation to last.
I just hope we can learn from Christ instead of using Him to our own ends.
The best thing that can happen with this Rev Wright issue is to have the African American community to step forward and above the comments Wright is makiking. Wright continues to drag the past into the present and refuses to go beyond that point. We are overcoming the issues of the past and continuing to drag the past into the present that creates a division is not the answer. Sure racism needs to be dealt with but there is no solution in condemnation. If Wright wants to live in the past that is his choice but we have come a long way since then and he needs to be left in the past. When the African American community steps up and denounces his comments is a sign that we are leaving the past behind and reaching forward to those things that are ahead.
Wright, stop whining and grow up.
I believe Reverend Wright was buddy buddy and endorsed a Muslim who called Jews blood suckers and many other things.
Also, I agree that some people have a wrong view of the Bible, but using God's name is not a right view of the Bible, ever. Also damning a Nation is pretty bleak and I cannot find much support for it in the Bible. Imagine if Rev. Wright had said the same thing about a person, that is disgusting, but he said it to a whole nation.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ. First of all holito8, Rev. Wright never called Jews blood suckers. Secondly, I am simply challenging all Christians to attempt to use their hermeneutical skills to see the Bible through the eyes of many Black people in America. If you have attended black churches all your life you have a different understanding of Rev. Wrights comments.
We cannot say we all view scripture in the same context. For example, the same Bible slave owners used to oppress people is the same Bible slaves and abolitionist viewed to see freedom. Please do not misinterpret what I am saying the truth of salvation and redemption through Christ are universal but we do view passages differently according to our contexts.
I am always amazed at the double standards in our society. Black people can say whatever they want about whites. They can use derogatory names. Anything goes. But if a white person does that, well you get fired, tarred and feathered and run out on a rail!
For instance, Obama saying his grandmother was "a typical white person". What does that mean exactly. If I'm white and my grandfather is black can I say he's a "typical black person" without drawing a hailstorm of protest? I don't think so.
Rev Wright is a scholar??? Brother, many of your black brethren have enough common sense to criticize a heretic when they see one.
He's descriptive and not divisive? Who determines that, Wright himself, or the people who claim that he's being decisive? Wright doesn't have the luxury of redefining the English language. Sounds Clintonesque..."Uh, I did not have sexual relations with that woman...Uh what do you mean by sex?"
Wright's ignorance is more obtuse than I thought. So when whites speak racists comments, are they justified in claiming "We're just descriptive, not divisive"? Of course not, and they shouldn't be either.
Wright would do himself justice by speaking the truth and quit being the Jerry Falwell of the black community.