Better Wright than wrong, again.

Alas, while I hope Senator Obama doesn't lose the nomination because of this, I have doubts. The divides in this country run too deep. For example, I can't expect say a white Presbyterian to feel comfortable with attending the majority of black churches in America. Just as they might not feel at home at an historically black college. Not because blacks would ostracize them, but because they would be exposed to acts of racial/cultural pride that they might be offended by. The Black community has, through its institutions - of which the church has been preeminent - continually attempted to reverse the psychic and social damage of slavery and poverty. Some of this has involved Afro centrism, which focuses on having pride in your cultural heritage, and not feeling ashamed of it. It does not promote hatred of whites. It promotes loving one's self.

It seems to me that blacks are most acceptable when they are docile. Sorry to burst your bubble, but most blacks deal with the dichotomy of being patriotic members of our society and at times vocal dissenters every day. America is great, but she is not perfect. America deserves our loyalty and service, but not serf-like docility. Black leaders since the 50's have sought to harness this dynamic in productive ways, but not to quench it. Rev. Wright's approach to sermonizing is aimed at harnessing the productive energy (faith -> action) of his constituency. His hyperbole may not suit some, but guess what? He is not talking to you. He is talking to a membership composed of people from Chicago's south side. Do you think you can motivate his 10,000 members to good works? Do you have the tools to serve as a bulwark in such an impoverished community? The whining I often see reminds me of the unrealistic attitudes civilians sometimes have towards the military and war. They want soldiers to be Boy Scouts when circumstances require them to be warriors, sometimes at great psychic cost.

Many of the things that Rev. Wright says have been said by other evangelical ministers, both black and white. Maybe not as colorfully, but they have been said. When he says God Damn America, he is echoing a chorus of religious commentators who have reflected on whether God would continue to shed his grace (unmerited favor) on this nation. In the kindler, gentler delivery of a Pat Robertson, it usually comes across as an appeal based on 2nd Chronicles 2:14 (KJV), which reads, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." What usually follows is a diatribe that warns what could happen if we don't follow this admonition, i.e., war, disease, poverty, cultural decay, etc. Many times this imagery is capped off with "evidence" by citing that when the historical nation of Israel sinned, God would punish them. Again, if you are not an evangelical, maybe you have not heard these kinds of sermons before. No excuses, just facts.

Better Wright than wrong

It is unfortunate that Wright's sermons have come to hurt Senator Obama. For those who are not evangelical Christians, they may not be familiar with preaching and the way it is viewed by many, if not most evangelicals. A sermon is not a written speech, nor does it carry the weight of doctrine. It is often filled with allegory, analogy, emotion, etc. Further still, sermonizing in a Black church takes on additional dynamics, rooted in the Black experience in America.

Many may be surprised, but these sermons are not always flag-waving, zombie-like promotion of the American status quo. Rather, they are usually challenging on a personal level. Challenging to complacency, and more often than not, aimed at people who may lack the erudition to wrestle with issues of faith solely through impassioned self study. Again, some may not know this, but Reverend Wright is not atypical in the Black religious community. I have sat and listened to my fair share over the years, and the sermon clips that are played (out of context) are not particularly unique.

The Next First Lady?

After reading many blog comments about Mrs. Obama, I was struck by what appears to be the lack of cultural familiarity with the Michelle Obama's of the world. As a Black man, Michelle, as profiled in both The New Republic and the New Yorker, is familiar to me. Very familiar. To attempt to connect with her approach to motherhood, feminism, and marriage without acknowledging that many of her attitudes are rooted in African-American cultural traditions would be flawed. I have no farther to look than my mother, aunts, former girlfriends, my wife, and now my daughter to see similar examples of assertive, achieving, yet traditionally rooted women. Many of these women have struggled with trying to find balance between career success, and the call to remain relevant within the Black community. They have been at once desirous of the prestigious job and nice home, and ongoing acceptance at their grandmother's church, with all that entails. They want their men to achieve, but they don't want them to sacrifice their identity. They want greatness, but not at any cost. It might appear to be an easy calculation to onlookers, but I assure you that Mrs. Obama would not be the first to struggle with it. Comparing Mrs. Obama's journey directly to Ms. Clinton's without wrestling with these cultural parameters risks credulity