Guilty by Association?

You had to know that I was going to post this!

Now I am not going to spend a lot of time trying to tie this guy to Barak Obama or insinuate that he thinks this way as well. There are enough pundits out there doing this. But I will raise the question about whether one should question his judgment when it comes to following a man who would preach such hate.

And before you get started….By any objective standard, this is hate speech. If you doubt it, ask yourself this question, “If a white pastor were saying the same thing about black people, would you consider it hate speech?” Barak Obama himself has worked to distance himself from his pastor’s comments by comparing his former “Man of God” to a crazy uncle with whom he does not always agree.

Well maybe you can’t choose your family. But you can chose with whom you chose to associate. And you most certainly can choose your pastor. Clearly, Mr. Obama chose this man to be his pastor; the man who married him to his wife, dedicated his children and was his spiritual teacher 20 years. One has to wonder how much his views line up with his pastor’s views and whether someone with that mindset should be president.

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I was similarly concerned with the words of Pastor Wright. However, I wanted to wait until Sen. Obama delivered his "Race Speech" to see what his further explanation was going to be regarding this mess. I believe that Obama did a good job explaining - or at least placing into context - his relationship with the man, and his beliefs regarding the role and impact of race in America.

Now Craig, you know me. I am probably the most politically-incorrect person you know and I am not as sensitive as most on this issue. I think in many ways we are all too sensitive to what people say and not what they mean. Regarding the words of Pastor Wright, I've heard worse coming from pulpits right here in Sacramento - against liberalism, homosexuality and other such issues that do not play well on the Political Right. I have heard worse spewed against Republicans and so-called conservatives in some quarters around here as well.... :)

Do I agree with the pastor's choice words? Of course not!!! That said, I do understand the anger and pessimism that is behind the meaning of the words uttered by Pastor Wright. Those words are incendiary, but the ideas behind them are at the foundation of the challenge facing our nation that, as Sen. Obama has pointed out, if left unaddressed we stand to continue losing ground as a nation.

I don't know if Pastor Wright is racist, but I believe his remarks to be offensive to many Americans. But I also believe that someone can sit in that man's church, listen to those ideas (not from the Word but from the pastor's opinion) and go out and believe and support ideas which are directly opposite to those preached in the pulpit. I've done it. And I believe that Sen. Obama, given his background, experience and personal history is also someone who's able to do it. Sen. Obama has made clear where he stands regarding the words of his pastor, and on the challenge of overcoming the racial divide in this country. I do not believe there is anyone in position to question his commitment to that cause. Guilty by Association - I think not!

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“I've heard worse coming from pulpits right here in Sacramento - against liberalism, homosexuality and other such issues that do not play well on the Political Right."

David, I demand that you defend this statement! Who have you heard? What did they say? Was it consistent with the Word?

I am willing to bet that you cannot come up with anything because, like most liberals, you just assumed it to have happened.

And as far as Wright being racist, let me ask you this… What would you say of a white man who pastored a church who’s statement of faith included the following:

“We are a congregation which is Unashamedly White and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the White religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an European people, and remain "true to our native land," … We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a White worship service and ministries which address the White Community.”

You, Jessie Jackson, Al Shaprton the rest of the NAACP leadership would not stop until the doors of this racist church were shut for good. Not only would you call the pastor a racist, you would also declare anyone who attended the church to be racist as well.

TELL ME I'M WRONG?