[jinnzaman]

I'm sure most of you have read up on the Reverend Write Controversy. He was Obama's pastor for 20 odd years and made a series of "controversial" statements:

“The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, not God bless America, God damn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people. ... God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human.”

After 9/11: "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards."

'Fact number one: We've got more black men in prison than there are in college,' he intones. 'Fact number two: Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run!'

We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns and the training of professional KILLERS. ... We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God. ... We conducted radiation experiments on our own people. ... We care nothing about human life if the ends justify the means! 'And. And. And! GAWD! Has GOT! To be SICK! OF THIS S***!'"

In 2001, Wright said the September 11 attacks were "chickens coming home to roost" for US "terrorism" abroad.

"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," he said.

YouTube - Jeremiah Wright - Hillary Clinton ain't never been called...

Clive Crook (March 15, 2008) - Jeremiah Wright

Thoughts?

[bravotwozero]

Maybe he should run for president....

[Jamroll]

Based on what you've posted (the excerpts and the video) I don't see anything that controversial with what he's saying. The establishment is dominated by rich white men. Blacks do have to work twice as hard to get accepted in the "club". Oh, I see, the controversial thing is that he told the truth?

[raatkirani2005]

Maybe I'm jaded, but his words haven't offended me in the least. He makes plenty of valid points and, BTW isn't this America? Isn't this black man allowed freedom of speech? His views are no different than the ones many, many people expressed when I was in college.

[FMROMMEL]

Originally Posted by raatkirani2005

Maybe I'm jaded, but his words haven't offended me in the least. He makes plenty of valid points and, BTW isn't this America? Isn't this black man allowed freedom of speech? His views are no different than the ones many, many people expressed when I was in college.

He can say whatever he wants. Free speech, right! If people don't like it and think Obama agrees with it they won't vote for him. Its not like people are going to run around burning buildings, having riots n stuff ...........

[jinnzaman]

The reason why they are controversial is because they are being portrayed as un-American.

Statements like "God damn America" don't sit well with most people.

The argument being made is that yes people are entitled to free speech, but the president of the US should be intensely patriotic.

My questions are:

1. Why does patriotism matter?

2. Who defines what patriotism is?

3. How does one prevent patriotism from becoming subservient to an oppressive hegemonic regime?

[Jamroll]

Originally Posted by jinnzaman

The reason why they are controversial is because they are being portrayed as un-American.

Statements like "God damn America" don't sit well with most people.

Yes, but isn't he using the phrase rhetorically?

Originally Posted by jinnzaman

The argument being made is that yes people are entitled to free speech, but the president of the US should be intensely patriotic.

My questions are:

1. Why does patriotism matter?

2. Who defines what patriotism is?

3. How does one prevent patriotism from becoming subservient to an oppressive hegemonic regime?

The leader of any country has to, in theory, be (heavily) patriotic, so that he (or she) can act in the best interests of his (or her) nation. If they're not patriotic they're always going to be selling out. On the other hand, cynically, patriotism is used as a smokescreen for selling out. Doh.

[Haramoobobi]

"Controversy" my haramoobobi.

[YOUSUFofSD]

well if he was Obama's pastor for 20 years and he talks like this...
hopefully some of it rubbed off on Obama...
and we won't see it unless he wins...

[AmroodWaala]

Originally Posted by jinnzaman

1. Why does patriotism matter?

2. Who defines what patriotism is?

3. How does one prevent patriotism from becoming subservient to an oppressive hegemonic regime?

In a way, it brings people together. For Muslims, our common faith may unite us but for the diverse group with various faiths and backgrounds, patriotism serves to unify. Beside, the slogans are simpler, emotional, and easily comprehended by the mass instead of debating ideologies and finding common ground.

I think it's the state that defines and the media obeys