Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil

Truth really is a weapon. It’s the best way to explain the discomfort some people feel when faced with reality. Truth is the presidential primary season has gone on too long. The candidates are weary, the delegates anxious and the voters annoyed. Only the media is galvanized by this madness.

Since becoming a candidate, Barack Obama has withstood a barrage of criticism – from reasonable to ridiculous. Initially, his lack of experience on Capitol Hill was cited every other hour. It was excessive, but somewhat reasonable. Perhaps the junior senator from Illinois hasn’t been involved in Washington politics as long as his opponent, but is that an altogether bad thing? Maybe it’s better he hasn’t had the time to lose his values or align himself with the usual suspects. On the ridiculous side, he was criticized for sermonic remarks made by his (and my) former pastor, Jeremiah A. Wright.

Jeremiah Wright is a biblical scholar. An extremely articulate and audacious interpreter of the Gospel, he’s studied at some of the greatest institutions in the country. During my time in Chicago, Sunday service was like going to your favorite class... the one with the really cool professor. I knew if Rev was preaching, I would hear an intelligent, insightful, engaging lecture, receive a timely lesson, a charge to be a better Christian, and encouragement to get through another week. I quickly learned that each lecture included a finger pointed at injustice, most often some foul thing GW or Cheney had done.

One of his most impassioned lectures occurred in the days following September 11, 2001. Stunned by the terrorist attacks and, tremendous loss of life, we wanted to know how such atrocities could happen. We needed to understand why. Many of us went to church for answers or comfort. At some churches congregants were told that God moves in a mysterious way and, as his own interpreter, he will make it plain. At Trinity United Church of Christ our message was different. We were led to consider that perhaps God’s ways were being revealed and, as Malcolm X predicted, “America’s chickens were coming home to roost.” Maybe after having terrorized and brutalized so many others, we were being held accountable. A line from the sermon: “God bless America? No. God damn America!”

Our cunning and irresponsible television news media, trusting the ignorance of its viewers, took that line, clipped and packaged it to look like a glowing endorsement of terrorism, and set out to portray Jeremiah Wright as a demagogue. In the process, our church was made to look like a breeding ground for angry, Black, terrorist sympathizers. This was not done to unmask a dangerous cult or terrible plot to destroy America, though it was implied. The purpose was simply to connect Obama to an organization that would make him a less attractive candidate.

Before launching his campaign, Barack and Michelle Obama appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show, identifying Trinity as their church and Rev as their pastor and spiritual advisor. He even borrowed his book’s title, The Audacity of Hope, from a Jeremiah Wright sermon. It was no secret that Rev prayed with Obama and his family moments before announcing his candidacy for the democratic nomination. With a relationship firmly established, the church came under scrutiny. Its liberation theology and motto, “unashamedly Black and unapologetically Christian” was thought to be separatist. Appearing on several news programs, Rev articulately and intelligently answered and refuted those claims. Recognizing that, by all accounts, Trinity couldn’t be painted the organization they hoped to portray, Obama’s detractors turned their attention to the man of God.

Jeremiah Wright’s reputation is widely known, not only on the Black church circuit, but also in academic and political arenas. Aside from being a dynamic revivalist sought by churches, his lectures are heavily attended at conferences and institutions of higher learning around the globe. With perhaps the largest congregation on the south side, Trinity is a featured stop for candidates seeking Black support in the city of Chicago. Former President Clinton visited and even sought spiritual counsel. Rev is recognized for his candor and commitment to justice, equality and truth, themes that show up in his sermons. He is vehemently critical of administrative policies that operate outside the best interest of the people. It is no secret, especially to the members of Trinity.

When confronted with the sermonic sound bytes during a debate, Obama appeared flustered and claimed to have not heard them previously, which is entirely possible. With his schedule he must miss more Sundays than he makes. A few days later he made his now famous race speech, in which he attempted to share his experience in the Black church and describe the feelings and conditions that shaped Rev’s comments. This was after saying the remarks “expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country” and that they were "divisive and racially charged." I didn’t get all that, but I received the remarks in their intended spirit and context. Perhaps after two decades, Obama is still getting acclimated to the Black church. Despite what I didn’t like about the speech, I’m glad he was able to speak intelligently and fondly on his relationship with the pastor. Still, I needed more. I wanted my pastor vindicated. Barack Obama was in no political position to do that.

I waited, not so patiently, for a word from the pastor, which came toward the end of April, first with a nationally televised interview on PBS, followed by a speech to the National Press Club three days later, broadcast live on C-SPAN. In each he is able to tell our story, explain our faith, put those sound bytes in the proper context and defend it all with the Bible. My favorite is the Press Club speech because it’s live, unfiltered and animated, replete with the cocky arrogance of a smart Negro and of someone who knows God’s got their back. Initially, my eurosense thought it coonery, but after shaking off oppression’s yoke, I appreciate his performance for what it meant to him and to people of faith across denominations and political affiliations.

Certainly from the beginning, Rev was considered a potential threat to Obama’s campaign, which is why the surfacing of the sermonic remarks should have come as no great shock. Dr. Spin should have written a prescription way in advance of that malady. Perhaps disowning the remarks and not the man was the best he could do. When asked if he was disappointed that Barack distanced himself, Rev stated, “He did what politicians do.” That statement touched off a whole new firestorm, causing Obama to denounce the man he credited with helping to introduce him to his Christian faith.

“I don’t think that he showed much concern for me. More importantly, I don’t think he showed much concern for what we are trying to do in this campaign and what we’re trying to do for the American people and with the American people.”

Why… because he told the truth? Are we to believe that Barack Obama is the only person in a race for the presidency who is not a politician? His actions are certainly indicative of one thus far and that’s a good thing if he’s to be competitive. I understand that he doesn’t want to appear insincere to voters, but he really should have considered that before throwing his pastor under a bus. Most people don’t do that. Then again, most people don’t have their church and its leader examined and attacked so vigorously. If that were the case, perhaps we could have been rid of Pat Robertson years ago.

Rev. Wright is besieged with threats on his life. Some idiots believe he is the only thing standing between Barack and the oval office. They’re not only idiots, they are delusional. If it weren’t Jeremiah Wright it would be someone or something else. There is an engine running, solely dedicated to preventing Obama’s advance, but with an inadequate fuel supply, it’s pulling from anywhere. What if the Obama’s attended a nice, quiet Lutheran church? We would have seen something even more ridiculous like; “Obama Gardener Illegal!” Perhaps not, an illegal probably trims Hilary’s bush too.

Pastor Disaster is winding down to make way for Wife Strife, as Michelle Obama is, once again, labeled unpatriotic for a remark made months ago. Jeremiah Wright will be fine. He has a whole heap of folk who respect and love him, angels encamped all around and a God to glorify. Obama will be fine too, whatever the primary and election outcomes. Twenty years at Trinity has provided him a good Christian foundation, which increases in value with time. If they haven’t already, I’m sure that he and Rev will reconcile.

He will need everyone’s prayers.