Since this latest round of Obama/Wright mania on the part of the mainstream media was sparked by Rev. Wright’s appearance on Bill Moyers Journal (followed by his speech in front of the National Press Club), it is perhaps not surprising to hear Moyers add his perspective on the media circus.
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Wright’s offensive opinions and inflammatory appearances are judged differently (than John Hagee, Pat Robertson and Billy Graham). He doesn’t fire a shot in anger, put a noose around anyone’s neck, call for insurrection, or plant a bomb in a church with children in Sunday school. What he does is to speak his mind in a language and style that unsettle some people, and says some things so outlandish and ill-advised that he finally leaves Obama no choice but to end their friendship. We are often exposed us to the corroding acid of the politics of personal destruction, but I’ve never seen anything like this–this wrenching break between pastor and parishioner–before our very eyes. Both men no doubt will carry the grief to their graves. All the rest of us should hang our heads in shame for letting it come to this in America, where the gluttony of the non-stop media grinder consumes us all and prevents an honest conversation on race. It is the price we are paying for failing to heed the great historian Jacob Burckhardt, who said “beware the terrible simplifiers”.
Filed Under: Barack Obama, Bill Moyers, Election 08, Racism/Bigotry
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The Moyers the better!
Religion, whether of the Left or Right variety, has no place in politics under Article IV and Amendment I. No place. After Massachuttsetts Bay, we don’t need a new Puritanism to revive witch trials and genocidal actions. Once was plenty.
I wish Wright would go away. I have no respect for any adult who makes a living telling stories about their imaginary friend. The stakes are too high this time to allow this old fool (and the media) to pave the way for a disastrous Grampa Simpson presidency.
I have to say that I do not include myself in this. The Republicans are the evil take no prisoners assholes that make the rest of us have to defend ourselves and out morals.
History will record that this entire issue was trumped up by the Clinton dirty tricksters and carried on for weeks by the do nothing media. It is another wedge issue to distract the voters from the real issues like Hillary wanting to bomb the hell out of Iran and McSame wanting more wars. It is to avoid addressing the issue of Hillary voting for the illegal and immoral war in Iraq and being non-repentent for six years afterwards. It is a play to the stupid people who vote about hate and prejudice because the media doesn’t inform them.
Bill Moyers: You are a breath of fresh air.
Why the Hell is this relevant? There should be no organized religious politics in this country! The last time that happened it was one of the (somewhat minor) causes of the Civil War!
Uhhh, Moyers doesn’t make any sense to me. Friendships fray all of the time over conflicting stances, etc. I’d say the break is over conflicting ambitions. Let Obama and Wright deal with this like the two men of power they are. No one needs to hang their heads in shame. The rest of us had nothing to do with this.
I’m not religious but, Amen Bill. Beware the terrible simpletons I’d like to say.
Cover this racket Bill.
Kentucky Derby. Eight Belles, in second place. broke both ankles and was immediately euthanized on the track.
Drugs (for the horses) and gambling (for the fans) keep this whole merry-go-round spinning.
I long for rational thought such as this.
this crap will continue until talk radio is demonopolized or until Americans begin picketing and boycotting their local talk radio stations. it is the only medium that allows the kind of uncontested repetition all over the country 24/7 that can make so may molehills into mountains. TV and print can make stories disappear by not reporting them but only talk radio can turn patriots into traitors and blowhard chickenhawks into commanders in chiefs and authorities on war.
What did Wright say that was so wrong?
Based on a WMD lie, a install democracy lie, a stop Al Qaeda lie -
1 Million Iraqi civilians slaughtered
4 million Iraqi’s turned into internal or external refugees
4030+ US confirmed in-country KIA’s
120/kw US military suicides (6400+ per year)
$3 Trillion in war-related spending
3 million Vietnamese slaughtered based upon a US lie in the Gulf of Tonkin
58,000 US servicemen killed, 10s of thousands injured, maimed, mentally unstable, homeless
10’s of thousands of US troops/airmen exposed to Agent Orange
Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese exposed to Agent Orange
Lies upon lies, upon lies by this government. And more to come.
America’s government should be Damned by God.
This is great and it should be shown in all cable news. Specially CNN and Fox. Start a petition to have them show it in the next few weeks.
Agreed, that this whole process is absurd that there should be a special place in hell for the media that has kept this issue burning. Reverend Wright’s rhetoric is no different, no less inflammatory and no more hateful than plenty of other preachers, who have enjoyed the confidence and support of our leadership over the years, and who, like Billy Graham, remain beloved figures in our society. The only difference between Wright and these others (Hagee, Falwell and Robertson, Graham) is that the latter are white and Wright is black. I guess we have a little more ways to go to deal with the racism in our society.
Moyers tossed him soft balls but the National Press Club did not.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....cwYjsDW7oF
General_Rennenkampf @ 6:
“Should be” is an ideal.
Organized religious politics have always played a part in the US, to varying degrees. The pulpit has always been used to influence voters and policies.
The temperance movement, the rise of the Christian right since Reagan, etc., etc., belie that ideal.
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Kuparuk @ 16:
Yeah, and Prohibition worked so well when those religious nuts got the chance to try it. The “Christian Right” is an extremist definitely protofascist, if not fully fascist by now movement that needs a good spanking. The Christian Left, in all fairness deserves the same treatment.
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[Deleted. Off topic. Take it to an open thread, please. Site Monitor]
Bill Moyers a proud member of the ‘Clueless Generation’. WTF has this been all about?
If Barry the Clown had stood up when this first started and said,
He would have been the leader, the statesman his deluded cult followers believe him to be. He did not do this so….
He gets to live with being an appeaser, a liar and eventually a loser.
Can’t say I’m sorry for the guy as I have no more use for him than a empty can of beans.
The longer this goes on the clearer the divide between those who do have faith, deluded though they may be, and the scheming scum who would manipulate them into the shock troops of a much longed for Theocracy.
A Theocracy which most of the folks who comment here would be bound to the stake for burning. Something to think about the next time some FOOL starts raving about ‘reaching out…’ and ‘religious values are Democratic values…’ as Barry the Fool did in that long ago published Time article…remember that do you?
No they are not. The two forms of thought do not mix well.
I take it you’re a McCain via Clinton supporter?
A.Citizen @ 20:
In this I agree. Before the Enlightenment secularization, one only needs to look at things like the 30 Years War, the Albigensian Crusade, the infinite examples of religious autocracy in places ranging as far as South America to Japan and Spain and even the Roman and Han empires to look at what a religious government, no matter the Creed produces. Religious politics is a powderkeg for any Elightenment-based civilization…
Peter @ 3:
then spend less time worrying about wright and more time plotting how you’ll decimate hagee.
“says some things so outlandish and ill-advised”
According to who? Some republican? America is stupid for letting assholes determine what is news. They won’t even discuss in full context what he said.
No one is responsible for Wright’s arrogance and foolishness at either the NAACP or the Press Club, but Rev. Wright.
No one is responsible for Obama’s 20 years and $22,000 donation/support to such foolishness but Barak Obama.
Martin Luther King taught me I could NOT judge on the color of their skin, but he DID teach me I CAN judge on the content of their character.
Nuff said.
dorothy @ 7:
I’ll take a couple of yards for my vegetable patch please.
Obama took Guam…
Mary @ 26:
Obama was a state senator, then a national one. How much time did he have to go to church and do his day job. Chicago is a pretty long way away from Washington D.C. and even if you fly, that would be commented on by Sean Hannity and his ilk as government waste.
Mary @ 26:
Well said.
Leaveus @ 28:
Going to be a recount:
http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/5/3/203619/3196
Rev. Wright will remain an 800lb anvil attached to the hip of Obama. The problem for Obama is his dishonesty about his sudden denunciation of the pastor. Rev Wright consistently espouses the same deeply held convictions about black liberation theology he has preached from the pulpit his entire career. Obama has no credibility when he tries to convince the American public that Jeremiah Wright is different from the man he’s known for 20 years. Wright’s congregation knows he has not changed and Obama knows his pastor has not changed. Obama’s rejection of Wright is based 100% on political pragmatism…not moral principle.
Bill Moyers ROCKS! Why is it still so difficult to have a honest conversation re race in 2008 America? Believe it or not, as human being, we are all the same — regardless of color, ethnicity, or religion! And with that in common, YES WE CAN, have a constructive conversation…
Rebel Patriot @ 12:
Absolutely right on .Everyone who looks at this situation without bias knows exactly what is happening.Our government along with the MSM is ruthless,dishonest,dishonorable,without any homage to the people.Their loyalty is self-serving, Their allegiance is singlely to the upper echelon as they ply the American people with their phony flag,even flag pin waving and Jesus loving as they behave as if they detest even their own children and grand children.I will not feel their shame for them ever again.It`s not my shame,It is their ugly,evil, greedy,disgusting shame that they try to heap on anyone dumb enough to accept it.Until we continue to give it back to them we will be in the constant state of shame before death.I`m not there anymore.I refuse to feel a scoundrel`s shame.
Great post,Rebel.
Frank @ 33:
Uh…I think you’ve got the last part of that wrong…
It’s’ no longer ‘YES WE CAN.’ it’s now ‘NO SHE CAN’T….’ what’s the damn problem pal?
Did you not get the memo?
drago @ 32:
Short Form: You cannot trust Senator ‘SnakeOil’ further than you can throw him.
Short Short Form: Folks in the threads are now comparing him to Bush. His attempt to hide who he really is has fallen apart.
A.Citizen @ 36:
Short, short, short form: He’s black. I don’t know what is wrong with some people.
More Obama baloney. Everyone is guilty–the public, the press, especially Hillary–because he has an association with a nut job of a preacher. Well, I wouldn’t want a member of Fred Phelps’ church to be president. I am not happy that McCain feels free to embrace Hagee and his ilk. If Wright is an albatross around Obama’s neck, that is no one’s fault but his own. It is guilt by association, it is true. It won’t keep me from voting for Obama if he is the Democratic candidate, but I hope he won’t be.
But at the end of it all, can you really imagine that after 20 years of knowing this man all his recent behavior would come as a complete surprise to Obama?
Do frothing-at-the-mouth right-wing-nutters watch Bill Moyers? I bet he’s to elitist for them. Shame.
Ron @ 37:
really short form…..he’s black and there are a lot of limbaugh/hannity asssniffers out there…..
35 A.Citizen Says: Frank @ 33:
Bill Moyers ROCKS! Why is it still so difficult to have a honest conversation re race in 2008 America? Believe it or not, as human being, we are all the same — regardless of color, ethnicity, or religion! And with that in common, YES WE CAN, have a constructive conversation…
Uh…I think you’ve got the last part of that wrong…
It’s’ no longer ‘YES WE CAN.’ it’s now ‘NO SHE CAN’T….’ what’s the damn problem pal?
Did you not get the memo?
=============================
Speak for yourself. If you’d like to give up on “YES WE CAN”, that’s your choice.
sully18 @ 34:
Don’t forget that AIDS was given to blacks by the US Government (read: whites in power), and that blacks/whites think differently (according to left/right hemispheres), regardless that most people white or black or purple have percentages of other ethnicities blood running through their veins.
The fact that the divisive nature of this guy’s backbone of his sermons serves to force differences on people, and fire up suspicion among people who may not know better, is juxtapositioned against Obama’s “post racial” supposed campaign.
I can’t believe my fellow progressives would close their eyes and minds just as that 30% of Bushbots have done with bush.
I guess there’s groups on both sides that justify, rationalize, and compartmentalize until they experience cognitive dissonance.
Might try reading this…
You might try comprehending this affliction affects some in every political (or otherwise) group…
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/
Facts don’t matter to authoritarians….That’s why the media works so damn well…They covered for Bush for 7.5 years, and now a percentage of ‘progressives’ are just as quick to swallow the EXACT SAME MEDIA’S crap, if it supports their candidate.