BLT (Black Liberation Theology) in Action

UPDATE: I expanded the 'BLT' acronym because at least one reader didn't understand how the title and subject of this post and those of the subsequent one are related. However, at least one did.

During an interview with PBS’s Bill Moyers, retired Trinity United Church of Christ Pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright—Black Liberation Theologian and Senator Barack Obama’s pastor and mentor for two decades—says that his words were twisted when he asserted that God should damn America for its crimes; crimes both real and perceived.

“I felt it was unfair,” Mr. Wright said, according to excerpts of the interview released Thursday. “I felt it was unjust. I felt it was untrue. I felt for those who were doing that, were doing it for some very devious reasons.”

In Mr. Wright’s sermons, he suggested that Americans bore some responsibility for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, saying “America’s chickens are coming home to roost.” He also blamed the government for the spread of AIDS among African-Americans, characterized the United States government as corrupt and referred to the “U.S. of K.K.K. A.”

He did not apologize or back away from his remarks in the interview, instead saying that people wanted to paint him as “some sort of fanatic.”

“It’s to paint me as something — ‘Something’s wrong with me. There’s nothing wrong with this country … for its policies. We’re perfect. Our hands are free. Our hands have no blood on them,’” he said. “That’s not a failure to communicate. The message that is being communicated by the sound bites is exactly what those pushing those sound bites want to communicate.”

When asked what the people who aired the clips “wanted to communicate,” Mr. Wright said, “I think they wanted to communicate that I am unpatriotic, that I am un-American, that I am filled with hate speech, that I have a cult at Trinity United Church of Christ. And by the way, guess who goes to his church, hint, hint, hint? That’s what they wanted to communicate.”

Megalomaniacs—a special species of narcissist--want the right to say and do anything they wish, but will deem any criticism of what they say and do as “unfair” (or "evil," if they have some power over the critic). The criticism is never an honest difference of opinion or a mistake. And of course it is utterly impossible that the words, deeds and/or judgment of the narcissist are ever wrong. EVER. So it must be that those who oppose the narcissists words/deeds/judgment are willfully wrong and, therefore being unfair and unjust.

It is “unfair,” you see, to have a different opinion than Reverend Wright because, in his mind, any idea of his, especially one springing from his religion—a religion specially made for the self-indulgent--falls automatically in the realm of Good. Conversely, any opposing idea--specifically, opposing the idea that America is a whole-scale Oppressor, a Devil according to BLT--falls automatically under the rubric of the Enemy and will be judged as “unfair." (This is also how Left Orthodoxy determines Good and Evil which makes sense, since all Liberation Theologies are born of Marxism. Don't forget, both BLT and the Left are all about earthly justice. But don’t take my word for it.)

Mr. Wright, who has acted as Mr. Obama’s spiritual mentor and retired in February as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, said that he has never heard Mr. Obama repeat any of his controversial statements.

“Absolutely not,” Mr. Wright said. “I don’t talk to him about politics. And so he had a political event, he goes out as a politician and says what he has to say as a politician. I continue to be a pastor who speaks to the people of God about the things of God.”

Mr. Obama publicly denounced Mr. Wright’s remarks, a reaction Mr. Wright said “went down very simply.”

“He’s a politician, I’m a pastor,” he said. “We speak to two different audiences. And he says what he has to say as a politician. I say what I have to say as a pastor. But they’re two different worlds.”

He added, “I do what I do. He does what politicians do. So that what happened in Philadelphia where he had to respond to the sound bytes, he responded as a politician.”

Did the reverend just admit that he and his former acolyte were performing the “good-cop, bad-cop” routine--one seeming to represent a "post-racial" America while the other asserts the inherent evil of same? I think he did.

These two are trying to run a game on the white-guilt prone part of the Electorate and the Crazy “Uncle” spills the beans! I would say that the jig is up (RIP, Cleavon*), but the reality is…not enough of the Electorate is paying attention. Here's Hoping that will Change.

Fear not.

(Thanks to LGF)

*Faulty reference to Blazing Saddles. The 'jig' gag is from History of the World, Part I.

Comments

[Phelps]

I think it was Gregory Hines in History of the World: Part I, not Mr. Little.

[baldilocks]

You know? I think you're right.

[T-Steel]

I'm one of those folks who got inspired by Senator Obama's "Yes We Can" speech but knew that he was a politician. So the whole Obamessiah theme is lost on me. Nevertheless, it didn't matter what Rev. Wright said, it will be used against Senator Obama. The cat's out the bad. If Rev. Wright would have said his views and words were wrong, many people would be saying that he was "lying" and just "trying to get heat off Obama". If he would have amped up his original comments, Obama would have to quit his campaign. So Rev. Wright tries to play the middle and guess what, not going to fly. In BIG politics, you get as many turns as outrage dictates. In our everyday lives, you forgive and forget many times.

So what does this mean for Senator Obama? Game over. And I want him to quit because I can see some in the media and blogosphere using Rev. Wright to attack the black population as a whole. And I really can't stomach "entire population guilt by association". I can see the three words "Black Liberation Theology" being used to describe black folks as a whole and why so many are supporting Obama for President. Voter nullification will be tossed around. O.J. Simpson references. Just too damn much!

As Kenny Rogers said so famously:

You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em...
Know when to walk away, know when to run...

Better walk away now Obama or you'll be running later.

[DarkStar]

The Black church has already taken unwarranted heat for Wright.

I've seen more than just the clip that was looped forever, and I think Wright has a point. Especially since for part of it, he was quoting something a white ambassador had stated.

[karrde]

Note to self...Black Liberation Theology is not a BLT sandwich...

Anyways, Baldilocks, I heard this on the news radio this morning.

The radio announcers didn't take the time to distinguish between "angry statements" and the overall view of Black Liberation Theology.

This is a view that I've seen criticized quite well since last May...and I wonder why it took until this year for Rev. Wright to enter the public eye.

[Rick]

Updated link needs a'fixin'...

:)

[brotherbrown]

So what does this mean for Senator Obama? Game over. And I want him to quit because I can see some in the media and blogosphere using Rev. Wright to attack the black population as a whole. And I really can't stomach "entire population guilt by association". I can see the three words "Black Liberation Theology" being used to describe black folks as a whole and why so many are supporting Obama for President. Voter nullification will be tossed around. O.J. Simpson references. Just too damn much!

The Okey-doke ate you for dinner.

All black people being blamed for the actions of a few (or one) is an everyday thing. Individual black people can own the burden or not, but as a sport, it predates baseball as an american pasttime.

[TQL]

I'm not a regular reader, but I came here wanting to see the opinion of a Black conservative who has actually seen the the interview.

It would be interesting to see your take on the interview based on having seen the whole thing in it's entirety, not merely on soundbites and snippets. If you still disagree with Wright fine. But, I think the interview and puts the looped soundbites in that we've all seen ad nauseum in context.

[baldilocks]

Fair enough, TQL. I'll see if the whole thing is available.

[baldilocks]

...and it is at the source.

Look for a review tomorrow.

[TQL]

Thanks!

[Phelps]

I couldn't figure out which thread to mention this in, but don't you think that if people had been starting rumors that a candidate was a cryptomuslim, that his pastor would be tactful enough to not have the Nation of Islam provide his security?