Personal Reflections On Obama's Speech

Y'all don't read this blog for my personal reflections on political developments, so I tend to refrain from writing about them.

I do think that Obama's speech was a marvel of contemporary political rhetoric. Politically, analytically and emotively, it hit many high notes. His acknowledgment of white working class resentments (busing) and about the perception that there's been no racial progress, his willingness to stick by his friends, his grasp of history, his sense that our views of race are cramped and caricatured... all of that is something that even those who disagree with the substance of his speech, can, I think, appreciate.

Comments

It was a stunning speech.
I do hope those that condemned the man can now see that he is far more than just a run of mill pol.
That he is an amazing person.

Posted by vwcat | March 18, 2008 11:48 AM

Interesting that your first reaction and many I read all over the Internet is that the elites LOVE the speech but just wonder if it is too brilliant to be efficient.

I guess Obama is making the bet Americans are smarter than pundits assume they are. We will see.

PS: You are actually wrong. Many of us would love to hear more of your personal opinion if you clearly seperate it from news items

Posted by Benjamin | March 18, 2008 11:50 AM

Well put, Marc.

Is America ready for someone like this? I don't know, but I hope Americans give it a try.

Posted by Jack | March 18, 2008 11:51 AM

Thank you for your sincerity. I agree that this is a change in the framing of the debate going forward. For that, I think we can all be thankful.

Posted by Chris | March 18, 2008 11:53 AM

What gives Barack Obama the right to lecture us on racism and hatred? Obama chose to join an Afro-Centric Church where his own mother would feel unwelcome.

And Obama put his blinders on and said nothing about Jeremiah Wright's evils until ABC News and Fox got their hands on the videotapes!

See No Evil should be Obama's new campaign slogan.

Posted by Mitch | March 18, 2008 11:54 AM

Thanks Marc. Now will you run as many words on this scandal as you did on Wright:

The Clinton campaign has disavowed Mehmet Celebi, a Turkish American who has raised more than $100,000 for the campaign. Why? Because he 'financed a film that depicted an American Jew trading in Iraqi body parts.'

You broke that story, but then sat on it. Why?

To the best of my knowledge, Clinton has NOT returned the more than $100K Celebi gave to her campaign.

Isn't the content of this film much more disgusting and shocking than anything Wright has said? At least Wright's comments were based on his real experience. Celebi's film of Jews trading and selling Arab body parts was a hate fantasy.

Clinton took tens of thousands of dollars from this anti-Semite while never once explaining her connection with this creep or if she would return the money. Nice job, Hillary -- and Marc!

Posted by Luther | March 18, 2008 11:55 AM

I'm having trouble figuring out if this is post-racial, or multi-racial, or what. Many people will still not budge from their sedentary thinking, but I hope we can catch up to this man, because he's way out front of most of us. I too share memories of cringing when my grandmother made "racially insensitive" (to be nice) comments.

Love how he acknowledges so readily the arguments against him, and his humility in his own inperfections--his "imperfect candidacy". Eyes wide open and very honest. Very very very honest. Wow.

Posted by Beth in VA | March 18, 2008 11:56 AM

Echoing Benjamin and Jack: It's refreshing to have a candidate who treats voters as grown-ups who can understand context and nuance. With the economic storm and foreign policy morass a new president will be handed, someone who talks about shared sacrifice with adults would be most effective.

And I'm happy to have personal reflections when split off from news.

Posted by Deborah | March 18, 2008 12:02 PM

The question is no longer whether Barack Obama deserves the presidency, but whether the presidency deserves Barack Obama.

Posted by alex | March 18, 2008 12:04 PM

I'm re-posting a bit from your earlier thread, since this is the more appropriate place to say this. For me, hearing this speech is one of those moments I'll cherish to my grave. I sat in my car in a parking lot on the edge of Lake Michigan. The weather is foggy.

I'm an atheist, and I have no special fondness for religion. Frankly, I've long considered it a poison in the mind and body politic. But last night, I found myself wishing I beleived in God so I could pray for Obama. Today, I see that was unnecessary. This speech was a perfect statement of principles I think our nation needs to follow.

Whether he gets the nomination or presidency, he has laid down a critical marker in American political discourse.

Maybe choristers like me don't need preaching to. But I disagree. There are those few who need to be the salt, the leaven. To use a militaristic analogy that's dissonant with Obama's rhetoric, to be the tip of the spear. The Wright affair had the possibility to take the fight out of us. Not this time.

Also, recall that this is shifting to a superdelegate fight. Polls be damned, Obama beats Clinton in pledged delegates. You can be sure that the party elders heard this speech, and see a man who can rise from a firestorm that would engulf any other candidate.

Posted by Tungsten | March 18, 2008 12:04 PM

Thanks for the personal reflection, Marc; it's rarity makes it all the more appreciative.

One of the amazing things about Obama is how he embodies his values and rhetoric. The "elites" patronizingly think that Americans as a whole, who live this stuff every day, may not get it. By contrast, Obama's trusting the people, and choosing hope over fear.

As to just how people will get it, despite mainstream media coverage that doesn't reflect the nuance (CNN's current headline: "Obama: Constitution stained by 'sin of slavery'"), here's where an aspect of the Obama campaign that I think many are overlooking will really help. Obama's intensely-networked and highly-diverse supporters are rooted in communities across the US, and can express this message in terms that will best resonate with the people they already know.

Pundits and the press have consistently underestimated the value of this diversity -- both in the cognitive diversity sense Scott Page discusses in the difference, and the traditional dimensions of race, gender, religion, age, ethnicity ... I know that divisiveness and tension are more dramatic, but it seems to me that they're missing the real story.

Posted by jon | March 18, 2008 12:05 PM

A fine speech for another man, another day ... but it does anything but come to grips with the campaign Obama has run this year.

The central mechanism of that camaign has been character assasination, and the central theme of that character assassination has been race-baiting.

Obama let his minions play with fire, and we all get burned, and he has nothing to say?

Posted by RonK, Seattle | March 18, 2008 12:09 PM

As a writer, psychologist, and professor, I have a different take on many of your posts, Marc: They often include transparent personal reflections. Several of your posts on the Obama speech are clear examples of this, and your blog is full of them. While you often attempt even-handedness, your Obama-related rapture is often fairly obvious. So your post saying you tend not to share personal reflections is more than a bit ironic.

If you were able to look underneath the emotions here, you'd find that Obama didn't say many of the things he needed to in order to reach beyond his basic constituency of white liberals, young people, and African Americans. Critical thinking skills seem to be in short supply here, based on your very emotion-focused reaction to Obama's speech.

Posted by ezr | March 18, 2008 12:19 PM

I agree it was a great speech.

But I'm missing a point, isnt this supposed to address why he worships at a church where people can say crazy things from the pulpit?

This might be good enough to get him the nomination however.

Posted by Kim | March 18, 2008 12:20 PM

The central mechanism of that camaign has been character assasination, and the central theme of that character assassination has been race-baiting.

Yeah, right, Obama got all those votes through character assassination and race-baiting. Meanwhile, those of us in the non-embittered world know that the "central mechanism" of his campaign is an appeal to our better nature, to move on from the politics that both Bush and Clinton represent.

Posted by lifelong democrat | March 18, 2008 12:27 PM

ezr,

as a writer, psychologist, and professor please use your critical thinking skills and enlighten me as to what it is exactly that Obama should have said to reach past his core constituency?

thanks

Posted by K, Austin, Tx | March 18, 2008 12:32 PM

I think it was a magnificant speech as well. In my opinion, women have broken the "glass ceiling" but those of color have not. While our faith and personal life should stay just that, personal, his has been in the media, more so for the past two weeks. Judge the man who speaks rather than his pastor. My pastor said my ex-husband must be gay since he decided to leave the church. People say and believe a lot of things. Not necessarily my view.

I think this will help him in the long run.

Posted by Cindy | March 18, 2008 12:33 PM

I think it was a magnificant speech as well. In my opinion, women have broken the "glass ceiling" but those of color have not. While our faith and personal life should stay just that, personal, his has been in the media, more so for the past two weeks. Judge the man who speaks rather than his pastor. My pastor said my ex-husband must be gay since he decided to leave the church. People say and believe a lot of things. Not necessarily my view.

I think this will help him in the long run.

Posted by Cindy | March 18, 2008 12:33 PM

ezr,

you may be a writer, psychologist and professor (and you have time to post on here?), but the vast majority of people who comment on here have felt that Marc has been more Pro Clinton by a long way.

So his Pro-Obama rapture is obvious mainly to yourself, I'm afraid.

and probably Tim K. You should try analysing him; obviously a closet Obama supporter.

Posted by James | March 18, 2008 12:38 PM

I was disappointed. I looked forward to his speech to get an explanation. He has been running as a "post racial divide" candidate. A unity candidate. I wanted to know why he chose a church that is the exact opposite and how he squares that with his candidacy. What I heard were defenses of Wright.
At any rate, this speech raises more questions than it answers.

Posted by linda | March 18, 2008 12:40 PM

Mitch, RonK, ezr, Kim:

You may now remove your fingers from your ears, Satan from your hearts, and stop the loud keening.

You have succeeded at not hearing one of the most important speeches in U.S. history.

Congratulations ! May the better Angels of your Nature now begin their healing work.

-- stanley hussein is a beautiful name krute

Posted by Stanley Krute | March 18, 2008 12:42 PM

"His willingness to stick by his friends" did not include NOT throwing his white grandmother (family) under the bus, while praising his racist pastor (NOT family).

And apparently you missed the part where he admitted HE LIED about never being in the church for offensive rehetoric. That would also be the part where he DOESN'T ask us to forgive him for LYING to us.

I will agree with you that it was a pretty speech. Pity it came from the lips of an arrogant, lying demagogue.

Posted by vanessa | March 18, 2008 1:53 PM

For one thing, I found this speech to be the biggest step backwards in racial relations in a long time. Apparently one of Wright's (Cone's / Black Liberation Theology's) foundational principles is indelibly ingrained into Obama:
In Obama's world we're not Americans, he has us pigeonholed by racial, socioeconomic class, and gender.

Obama's 'viewpoint' is politically convenient, because when one splits the public into groups one can pander to their grievances (real or perceived) and make vague promises ("hope") to fix to each group's problems (often at the expense of some other group). We all should know from the past that the promises of politicians to the various groups are usually conflicting, and rarely carried out, but typically a well-articulated promise is believed long enough to pull in the votes. A savvy politician can always find someone to blame later when the voters begin to notice that the fine speeches were just hot air.

The thing that saddened me most was how Obama threw his grandmother under the bus. It came across to me as really, really cold to compare his grandmother to a "preacher" who has made a career of whipping up emotional crowds a race-hate, hate-America speeches.

Finally, I accept the explanation that Wright was formed by his experiences in the 50's and 60's... BUT I know of many good persons who rose above their past. Too bad Wright, as a "spiritual leader", couldn't rise above his past, but instead used his pulpit to pull down another generation.

From a Christian standpoint Obama's excuse was pathetic on two levels - that a "preacher" of the gospel of Christ was bound up by his grudge-filled past and not transformed by Christ, and that Obama would accept that one's past is more powerful than the transforming power of Christ. But hate is a powerful emotion, and one bound up in hate will never fully love. Clearly, the preaching about forgiveness by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount was lost on both Wright and Obama.

Posted by JonDoe | March 18, 2008 2:08 PM

Marc, sorry I used the rude and baseless line about a lack of critical thinking skills. It's inaccurate and stemmed largely from wrestling with work and a sick toddler on only a couple of hours sleep. I enjoy your blog and generally find you to be quite impartial and fair. Where others see Clinton boosting, I see logic; in this case I was just noting a more emotional tone re: Obama than you usually take. I am accustomed to Mr. Sullivan's over-the-falls view of Obama and I transferred that to you. My apologies.

Posted by ezr | March 18, 2008 2:21 PM

JonDoe, well aren't you the perfect demagogue. Apparently, in your "Christian" arrogance, you see yourself as above the gospel. I refer you to the last line of your rant with one editorial change: the preaching about forgiveness by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount was lost on YOU!

Posted by kamenwati | March 18, 2008 2:24 PM

Another eloquent speech and some media is still under his spell! I am so discussed! It is a speech that is at least 14 months late if not 20 years late! I am an immigrant and not white, I still don't condone this type of anti-American and hate-filled condemnation of America.

As an immigrant, I understand the pride of maintaining our unique values and romanticize our love for the original country. However, I also love this new country where it has given many opportunities. Of course, we always find something to complain about a country, but there is line that one does not cross. Obama and his paster cross it!

Obama deeply believes in Wright's teaching as evidenced by him subjecting his children to Wright's teaching from their entire life so far. Obama together with Wright perpetuates this teaching of anti-white, anti-american to the next generation of his own family. So, all this talk of being a uniter is just hypocrisy!

I still want the media to demand Obama's resignation from the senate and withdrawal from the race. There is no place for a public offical who plays the race card to justify and support an anti-american at this extreme level.

Posted by vote4thebest, Morgan Hill/USA | March 18, 2008 2:55 PM

ezr,

Please share what it is you think Obama should have said to reach past his core constituency?

thanks

Posted by Larry Miami, FL | March 18, 2008 2:59 PM

Benjamin(11:50am)has probably written the most accurate post in these comments, and it is very disturbing.
Did we end up with George Bush because more people could comprehend his thinking??

Posted by JDS | March 18, 2008 3:03 PM

Amazingly enough, Obama told the truth but I doubt that most white people really "get it":

The dark undercurrent of anger that (usually) lies beneath the surface of the 21st Century Black experience is not the result of events long past. It is the result of social forces, injustices and events that are well within living memory of many of us, and still occur today, albeit in an attenuated form (usually). Yet scars remain...and sometimes those scars on our collective psyche tear open...

I'm afraid that many white people labor under the illusion that the darker aspects of the racial divide are dusty historical relics in all cases. Such is not the case. Or perhaps it still makes too many of them just too damn uncomfortable.

The run for the Democratic nomination and the Presidency almost fade into irrelevancy because he spoke centuries of truth, placing his life and political troubles of the moment into a larger context--much larger.

As a result of laying it on the line in such a manner, he may just lose the support of a significant number of voters. So be it. Whatever happens next, history will look on this speech and the man who made it favorably.

Rather than engaging in petty speculation about Obama's connection to Rev. Wright and the meaning of that, we should seize on this moment as an opportunity for deep dialogue, catharsis and healing.

Posted by Arlan Dean | March 18, 2008 3:03 PM

Who prepared the speech for him? He admired the pastor for twenty years, which represents his true self.

Posted by Independent | March 18, 2008 3:27 PM

Beware of "spammers" who're posting anti-Obama "ruminations" on every blog possible. I'm reading the same comments all over the place. "Throwing gramma under the bus" is a popular point, as is that Obama LIED! about hearing his pastor get ugly at times. Sheesh....I am again reminded WHY Bush managed to get 2 terms in office.

Posted by Julie in VT | March 18, 2008 3:31 PM

A famous line from one of the songs of my adolescence was "one pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small." Obama's speech touched larger themes and made me feel larger, able to see "democratic vistas." The more cynical and carping blog responses above make me feel small, and they certainly seem as though they are written by folks who my own grandmother would have called "pills."

Posted by mr. small | March 18, 2008 3:40 PM

Obama, as usual said alot, but said nothing. He misses the point. He is running for PRESIDENT of the United States, yet chooses to associate with an organization that obviously HATES the same country hs is trying to lead.

Unless he is influenced or agrees with the teaching...why stay?

Posted by lilvinnyb | March 18, 2008 3:42 PM

Obama, as usual said alot, but said nothing. He misses the point. He is running for PRESIDENT of the United States, yet chooses to associate with an organization that obviously HATES the same country he is trying to lead.

Unless he is influenced or agrees with the teaching...why stay?

Posted by lilvinnyb | March 18, 2008 3:42 PM

JohnDoe, you COMPLETELY missed the central point of the speech:

He acknowledged the REALITY of racism/racial resentment, but specifically at the end of the speech asked us to move beyond that, because he said, as you did, that politicians have exploited racial issues in order to enrich themselves or their friends. Um, did you actually see/read the speech? If so, how can you have missed that?

His point of "throwing his grandmother under the bus" is to illustrate that none of us are completely "beyond race," and that a woman who raised and loves her black grandchild can still harbor racial resentment, just like his pastor can be a caring, loving, generous person who is not above spouting divisive invective.

I take the point that others have raised her to say this as a failing of Obama's speech: he didn't spend enough time addressing whether this sort of attitude in his church was consistent/predominant.

Lastly, whether you agree with Obama on this issue or not, I think it's quite true that this is a seminal speech, and is likely to out-live him.

Posted by Dirk Gently | March 18, 2008 3:52 PM

Well - this was the best speech I have ever heard. It was great because it was not a speech. It was a personal testimony. Barrack wrote the speech alone and delivered a completely uncalculated and courageous statement of his actual and true opinions about America. I couldnt believe it. After so many years of being lied to and politicians repeating well focus grouped talking points, a man stood up and told us what he really thought.

I see the talking point spewing folks are out spinning as hard as they can against him. No, against us. Against America and what it stands for. I have never really believed in Evil before, but these obviously intelligent people hacking at was is best in all of us - against their own best interests and common sense - makes me wonder. At long last, have you no decencey?

Posted by seth | March 18, 2008 3:54 PM

It's not like I needed any additional evidence that Obama is the most remarkable candidate for president in the past 40 years, perhaps in my entire lifetime, but this provides it.

The more power to him for not talking down to or underestimating the intelligence of the American people. The more power to him for speaking in nuance and shades of grey, rather than stark black and white (pardon the poor metaphor). The more power to him for being honest. The more power to him for not playing into the media's sound-bite, short-attention span culture.

If that's not good enough to win election, then, in my view, America's not a good enough country to deserve a extraordinary leader like him. But I certainly intend to do everything I can over the next eight months to see that our nation is led by someone as great as I'd like to believe our nation is.

Posted by Moose49 | March 18, 2008 3:55 PM

In Obama's world we're not Americans, he has us pigeonholed by racial, socioeconomic class, and gender.

That's projection. Utter projection.

Don't say post-racial. Say 'post-Boomer'. I know that the definition of Boomer is blurry, making Obama closer to Coupland's original definition of Gen-X than the modern delineation, but Obama is looking back at Boomer politics without being wrapped up in its visceral divisions.

(Have the trolls blown in from Limbaugh's place, or something?)

Posted by pseudonymous in nc | March 18, 2008 3:57 PM

I think to many people Obama’s race does not matter to me. What matters to them is his honesty. Obama has been caught in many little lies lately. First there was no meeting in Canada, then there was. First Rezko raised a little money, then a lot. First he never heard any controversial comments from Rev Wright, then he did. Obama’s affiliation controversial figures is divisive, not his race….

Posted by Cindji | March 18, 2008 4:28 PM

Cindji, you may be right about those perceptions, but not everything you say there is factually correct (although that goes toward explaining people's perceptions, ironically).

I'm inclined to think Barack's involvement with Rezko was not necessarily unethical, but it certainly smacks of poor judgement. Barack's owned up to that, but still...

As for the Canadian embassy thing: it was true that he didn't know the particulars of who contacted who or said what. What appears to have happened is that the conservative party in government contacted both the Clinton and Obama campaigns. The Clinton campaign is completely hypocritical in making an issue out of this.

He never said he didn't hear controversial comments from Wright: he said he wasn't in church the day that Wright made the specific comments that we've seen clips of, which is true (he was in Florida). Also, what is he supposed to do: "Hey everybody, this guy sometimes says crazy and outrageous things!" I concur that if this was the endemic attitude of the church, it raises serious concerns--Obama insisted otherwise in the speech. At this point we don't know.

If we're going to play the game of whose preacher is more outrageous than whose, take a look at McCain's advisors: Parsley, who wants to destroy Islam, and Hagee who called the Catholic church "the great whore":
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html
http://www.drudge.com/news/104850/mccain-backer-called-catholic-church-great

Posted by Dirk Gently | March 18, 2008 5:14 PM

I believe that Obama & advisors fear that the Wright situation could cost Obama several million white votes in the general election. He gave the speech as damage control. But the situation will not go away, because his political rivals will try hard to keep it in front of the voters. We will eventually see if Wright is the kiss of death for Obama, or if he can overcome it.

Posted by Miltiades | March 18, 2008 5:58 PM

He calls a white-hating racist a "close friend for 20 years," and tells us that good judgment is what is needed for the presidency. Hum. It sounds to me Obama has disqualified himself. Incidentally, after the Republicans run the pastor's comments in a continuous loop, both on TV and the radio 24/7, Obama's chances of winning in November will be zero. Let's face it, Democrats, our only chance now is Hillary.

Posted by denny keane | March 18, 2008 6:57 PM

Miltiades, you're right. The Obama speech was in fact damage control, but of the most eloquent kind.

What we heard and saw today will go down in history as the most significant speech on the state of race relations in early 21st Century America.

Admittedly the speech was risky and may very well translate to the loss of millions of white votes. But the truth of his words stand outside of Time, thereby rendering election cycle political expediency irrelevant on the larger canvas of history (yes, hard to see that given the high stakes).

No matter what happens in politics, this was a defining moment not just for Obama but for the United States (for all those who dare to look deeper).

Having made his position clear, I hope he can navigate through those who would now attach a purely racial meaning to his candidacy or engage in small-minded debates on what they narrowly perceive to be the meaning and measure of Obama's connection to Rev Wright.

He addressed the controversy of the moment with a grand picture of what's possible and he emphasized how that picture is related to the whole of his candidacy and vision.

Posted by Arlan Dean | March 18, 2008 6:57 PM

A truly historic speech. What a delight to have a presidential candidate who feels comfortable explaining what he thinks without resorting to safe-speak, and who can articulate difficult issues in ways that are both intelligent and fair. I just pray that we're smart enough to realize what we've got.

Posted by Dave Jackson | March 18, 2008 8:14 PM

Obama's Checkers speech. This speech is getting compared to historical speeches of great stature like MLK's march on Washington. These are clearly not comparable. MLK is inspiring and his goal was civil disobedience to change public policy. Obama's was much less soaring with an extremely important, though pedestrian, goal: to save his political future. The historical comparison is actually Richard Nixon in 1952, giving his Checkers speech when he was facing a major scandal and about to be obliterated politically. Nixon waxed on about family, espeically his daughter...Obama waxed on about his family, his grandmother, etc. Obama probably doesn't want this comparison, but the goals of Nixon and Obama were the same. And the delivery (looking straight at the camera, trying to appear genuine) were nearly identical as well. March 19, 2008: The Obama 'Checkers' speech. It was fairly effective.

Posted by Jeremy | March 18, 2008 9:45 PM

As an African-American, I was moved by Barack Obama and after the speech I was hopeful that the racial rhetoric would stop, But nevertheless reading these blogs, I've realize that white America will always look at the word "equality" as a dirty word. I just recently got back from Iraq,I served 18 months and decided to leave the military and pursue another career. I look back at my service, and instead of feeling proud,I feel used and disgusted. And I asked myself why did I fight for a country full of hypocrites, For example where was the outrage from white America about Pat Robertson,when he supported apartheid in South Africa, where was the outrage from white America about the Jena six issue and where was the outrage from white America about Katrina. The biggest hypocrisy, of them all Billy Graham's anti-Semitic remarks with Nixon tape in the whitehouse.
http://www.rense.com/general20/billy.htm
I am so tired trying to appease a race of people who have a false ideology of ethnocentrism, who only looks at America as a place where they're the only ones who should be in charge, so in conclusion I would,like to thank you white America for opening my eyes that the idea of separatism is not a bad thing.

Posted by whydowetry? | March 19, 2008 12:28 AM

As an African-American, I was moved by Barack Obama and after the speech I was hopeful that the racial rhetoric would stop, But nevertheless reading these blogs, I've realize that white America will always look at the word "equality" as a dirty word. I just recently got back from Iraq,I served 18 months and decided to leave the military and pursue another career. I look back at my service, and instead of feeling proud,I feel used and disgusted. And I asked myself why did I fight for a country full of hypocrites, For example where was the outrage from white America about Pat Robertson,when he supported apartheid in South Africa, where was the outrage from white America about the Jena six issue and where was the outrage from white America about Katrina. The biggest hypocrisy, of them all Billy Graham's anti-Semitic remarks with Nixon tape in the whitehouse.
http://www.rense.com/general20/billy.htm
I am so tired trying to appease a race of people who have a false ideology of ethnocentrism, who only looks at America as a place where they're the only ones who should be in charge, so in conclusion I would,like to thank you white America for opening my eyes that the idea of separatism is not a bad thing.

Posted by whydowetry? | March 19, 2008 12:29 AM

As an African-American, I was moved by Barack Obama and after the speech I was hopeful that the racial rhetoric would stop, But nevertheless reading these blogs, I've realize that white America will always look at the word "equality" as a dirty word. I just recently got back from Iraq,I served 18 months and decided to leave the military and pursue another career. I look back at my service, and instead of feeling proud,I feel used and disgusted. And I asked myself why did I fight for a country full of hypocrites, For example where was the outrage from white America about Pat Robertson,when he supported apartheid in South Africa, where was the outrage from white America about the Jena six issue and where was the outrage from white America about Katrina. The biggest hypocrisy, of them all Billy Graham's anti-Semitic remarks with Nixon tape in the whitehouse.
http://www.rense.com/general20/billy.htm
I am so tired trying to appease a race of people who have a false ideology of ethnocentrism, who only looks at America as a place where they're the only ones who should be in charge, so in conclusion I would,like to thank you white America for opening my eyes that the idea of separatism is not a bad thing.

Posted by whydowetry? | March 19, 2008 12:29 AM

"What gives Barack Obama the right to lecture us on racism and hatred?"

What gives a racist hater the right to criticize Obama?

"Obama chose to join an Afro-Centric Church where his own mother would feel unwelcome."

No, she wouldn't.

Posted by truth machine | March 19, 2008 9:44 PM

And apparently you missed the part where he admitted HE LIED about never being in the church for offensive rehetoric.

No, you and everyone else who makes this charge are liars and seem to think that others are as stupid as yourselfs and can't see through it. Obama's two statements, that he hadn't been present for the sermons from which quotemined sound bites have broadcast ad nauseam, and that he has heard controversial statements, are both true and entirely consistent.

Posted by truth machine | March 19, 2008 9:53 PM

As an African-American, I was moved by Barack Obama and after the speech I was hopeful that the racial rhetoric would stop, But nevertheless reading these blogs, I've realize that white America will always look at the word "equality" as a dirty word.

Remember that Obama said the mistake is to think that America is static. The racist haters you see here, while vocal, are a minority that ever grows smaller. Look at how many youth of all colors are coming out to support Obama.

Posted by truth machine | March 19, 2008 10:04 PM

Although he tried, and I like Obama on the Dem. side, It won't be enough. On the racial issue, Most Americans don't relize that the Black and white thing is not what they grew up thinking. Do you know there were more white Irish Catholic slaves in Barbados at one time during days of slavery in this country. Do you know there were over 60,000, WHITE Irish Catholic slaves on plantations from Penn. to Goergia, and Millions sent to Austrailia by the same people. It is as much of a white Irish Catholic issue as it is a black issue. The same people who wrote the history books and left out Afro-American History, left out the fact that their Slave Company sent as many White Irish into slavery in the Americas as well as Austrailia, AND NOT as indentured servents, but as a cheaper comodity then Black slaves. They were hung and had thier hands and feet burned as punnishment, and where whipped right along side our Afro American slave brothers. Yes the Irish Catholics have the same history, both in the US, and Ireland, as do Afro Americans. No one has ever said they were sorry. Obama could easily bring up this truth, and show the US people that he has a real handle on the issues, and is more educated on them then most. I don't know, Just a thought. He would show he was a lot smarter then the others, and that he knows more about truth and race then they thought.

Posted by Dr. Phil Murphy | March 20, 2008 10:26 AM

Although he tried, and I like Obama on the Dem. side, It won't be enough. On the racial issue, Most Americans don't relize that the Black and white thing is not what they grew up thinking. Do you know there were more white Irish Catholic slaves in Barbados at one time during days of slavery in this country. Do you know there were over 60,000, WHITE Irish Catholic slaves on plantations from Penn. to Goergia, and Millions sent to Austrailia by the same people. It is as much of a white Irish Catholic issue as it is a black issue. The same people who wrote the history books and left out Afro-American History, left out the fact that their Slave Company sent as many White Irish into slavery in the Americas as well as Austrailia, AND NOT as indentured servents, but as a cheaper comodity then Black slaves. They were hung and had thier hands and feet burned as punnishment, and where whipped right along side our Afro American slave brothers. Yes the Irish Catholics have the same history, both in the US, and Ireland, as do Afro Americans. No one has ever said they were sorry. Obama could easily bring up this truth, and show the US people that he has a real handle on the issues, and is more educated on them then most. I don't know, Just a thought. He would show he was a lot smarter then the others, and that he knows more about truth and race then they thought.

Posted by Dr. Phil Murphy | March 20, 2008 10:27 AM

Obama has always heard strong, vibrant speak from people he loves. As a child, imagine how he felt when grandma came home and said, "Those n-----, walking down the street scared me to death!" So when he heard Rev. Wright speak it was not a big deal to him. He had been listening to that type of talk on the other side of the coin since he was a baby! It made him thick-skinned, able to dismiss such talk as just a human being venting. It rolls off his back like so much dirty water. He has strength. Exactly what we need in a president. Finally. Why he didn't just admit this when he was challenged on the subject I don't know. I live in Philadelphia, the city and state where he made all of his memorable statements. There are areas here where no African-American would walk down the street alone, day or night. The Far Northeast, parts of South Philly, parts of Kensington. Caucasian people "own" those neighborhoods. At least they act as though they do! Am I a typical black? You better believe it! We all know not to go into those neighborhoods alone. So, America, don't act like you don't understand from where Obama is coming. There are places where you live that are like that also. No? Well, you are truly blessed. Then don't move to Philadelphia, PA. We are the epitomy of what Obama was saying. As for Hillary, I love her. If Obama was not running I would vote for her. But how will she be able to "satisfy" a whole country when she obviously could not "satisfy" Bill?

Posted by Redphlly | March 21, 2008 9:11 AM