Dallas Morning News - Shawn Williams:Black pastors speak truth to power
Categories: African-American, Dallas South Top 5, Featured, Politics and Elections, Religion and Faith
Written By: Shawn Williams
Here is the article I wrote that appears in Wednesday’s Dallas Morning News. Some of this is familiar from Part 1, but there is about 30-40% new material.
Sick. Disgusted. Appalled. Those were some of the feelings that washed over me as I have listened to the mainstream media launch what I believe was an unwarranted attack on Dr. Jeremiah Wright Jr. in the past week or so. It should have been no surprise, but even my wary eyes were taken aback by the ferocity of the assault on his character and career.
I have had the pleasure to observe the gospel genius and hermeneutical excellence of Dr. Wright many times over the last 10 years since I joined Friendship-West Baptist Church here in Dallas. Dr. Wright has served as a mentor to my pastor, Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, and visits our church once or twice each year.
What is most unfortunate about the episode with Dr. Wright and Barack Obama is that it shows how little America knows – and how much less it understands – about the black church. The concept of social activism in the African-American church is a novel concept to many observers who don’t know its history.
The same media structure that undermined Dr. Martin Luther King in the civil rights era now wants to prop him up as an example of “color-blind” preaching. The Dr. King who was considered too radical and color-concerned by his own contemporaries is now painted as a Kumbaya dreamer. A guy who would be cool to sit down with over a latte.
An oft-asked question the last few days has been, “What is the need for a black church in today’s society?” I would suggest that the answer lies in asking white Christians why they haven’t joined a predominantly black congregation.
That certainly would help to break down what some consider unnecessary barriers, wouldn’t it? But it’s asking a lot. And our society more often expects African-Americans to abandon their heritage and integrate/assimilate with our brethren and fellow believers in the name of progress. Well that street runs both ways.
It is virtually impossible to separate the African-American struggle for justice and the black church. Think Frederick Douglass, the great abolitionist who in 1839 was licensed to preach in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Think Denmark Vesey, a founder of the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., who was executed for his part in organizing a slave uprising in that very city. Think Rev. Ralph Abernathy and the Montgomery Improvement Association.
Whether it was Jeremiah Wright in Chicago or the late Rev. A.M. Seamon in Paris, Texas, the black preacher has made it his business to stand up for those under his charge, knowing that no one else in America would do so.
Black pastors have always been labeled as radicals when speaking truth to power. In every era of American history their message has been repudiated, denounced and rejected.
Today I have the opportunity to attend a church that does not separate salvation from the social struggle. I can’t say that I agree with every word that comes out of my pastor’s mouth. But would that be possible for any parishioner at any church? What I do agree with is his willingness to speak out against issues like an unjust war. History recalls Dr. King taking the same unpopular stance against the Vietnam War years ago.
Dr. Wright, a man who retired just last month after a 36-year ministry, now watches as his legacy is distorted and dismantled, particularly by those who would do anything to see Mr. Obama fall short in his bid for the White House. Years of evangelism and outreach have been reduced to 30-second sound bites and clips on YouTube. Dr. Wright, even with his most difficult opinions, deserves much better than that.
I am the son of parents who were forced to sit in the balcony at the movies and who had to wait until all white patients had been seen before the doctor would visit them. The resentment that still lingers among those who lived through that era is not lost on me.
Unless America accepts the challenge levied yesterday by Barack Obama, the country will remain in a state that is neither red nor blue: The state of denial.
March 19th, 2008 at 8:23 am
I read this article first thing this morning in the DMN. Kudo’s! Your comments were on point and the thinking of a lot of people.
March 19th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I read the article also. It was well-written and necessary. I am glad that the paper also focused on how united African-American pastors can be, especially in confronting this misinterpretation of Dr. Wright’s message and also providing a little more information about the African-American religious experience. Thanks for writing such an excellent article and providing a place for us to share our opinions.
March 19th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Excellent piece Shawn.
March 19th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
[...] See also Shawn Williams piece that also appears in todays Dallas Morning News: “Black pastors speak truth to power” [...]
March 19th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I’ve been scratching my head on this one for days wondering what this pastor said that was so blatantly wrong. It’s good to see that I am not alone.
Also, how does one spew hatred when this is exactly what they are speaking out against?
Is white america really so blind to believe that the overwhelming majority of black americans at some time in their lives never had similar words uttered to them by their elders as a means to better prepare them for the real world?
Frankly, the pastor’s message did not break any new ground, as it is already ingrained in the black conscious. His comments only served to reinforce.
March 19th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Excellent piece my brotha, I linked it to my post “Reaction to White Recation on Obama’s Race Speech”
I too, though not surprised, have been dismayed at how this has been dealt with by the white media, and even more so by Blacks not willing to stand up and say what you have said; and call these people out for basically defending the racism that Wright was speaking against by obfuscating the issue.
I have also continously noted how MLK was treated for the Beyond Vietnam Speech; he was excoriated by the press the same way as right.
March 20th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
JS-you asked,
“Is white america really so blind to believe that the overwhelming majority of black americans at some time in their lives never had similar words uttered to them by their elders as a means to better prepare them for the real world?”
The answer is definitely “Yes-white America is blind to this simple fact about Blacks.” But black America is just as blind–otherwise, Blacks would know this simple fact about Whites.
My question is do Blacks know that Rev. Wright’s incendiary remarks will drive away white voters and deeply wound Obama’s campaign?
It’s ironic. I thought Hillary, Farraro and the Republicans would be the “O” man’s biggest problem. Instead, his biggest problem turns out to be Obama’s pastor, and some of us can’t even admit it. To compensate for this, we blame the media and we “minimize” the negative effects of the Reverend’s words by saying “he only spoke the truth.” Well, there are ways to use the truth to ‘level’ with people and there are ways to use the truth to ‘level’ people to the ground. Rev. Wright has ‘leveled’ people by clubbing them over the head with it…in church!
Maybe that’s the way it has always been done in ‘some’ African-American churches for centuries. But that doesn’t make it necessarily right or smart in 2008. Some of Rev. Wright’s words were charged with rage that can easily be misconstrued as hateful.
I am sure Hillary and the Republicans appreciate Rev. Wright as much as Trinity and some other Blacks do. But I don’t. He has destroyed the dreams of millions of American Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Asians who supported Obama. He has destroyed the hopes of Black children and young voters hoping for change. He has destroyed the dreams and hopes of Americans who had “hoped” Obama would have become one of America’s greatest Presidents–who would lead our nation to a higher place. But now… it will be ‘business as usual’ in Washington where ‘nothing changes’.
I have empathy for Rev. Wright. Much like Don Imus, I am sure if he had to do it all over again he would have thought first, and kept his big mouth shut. Thank goodness the majority of preachers in the black community are smarter.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:49 am
Abe, oh please; Dr. Wright didn’t destroy anything. You act like he called a press confrence in the middle of the primary and said those things. Some of those video clips were 7 years old.
Barack choose to go to that church, end of story.
March 21st, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Yobachi, in a sense Rev Wright did call a press conference. That’s why the media is all over what he said. That’s why Obama gave his speech. And that’s why we are discussing Rev. Wright’s ‘effect’ on the Obama campaign. In fact, Rev. Wright has made Shawn’s article possible. Do you get it? Where have you been?
March 21st, 2008 at 11:19 pm
“In a sense” is double speak, he didn’t call anything; that’s a fact. Obama is getting swiftboated. That stuff is being put out for political point scoring purposes. That’s why we’re talking about it.
You talk about : “there are ways to use the truth to ‘level’ with people” and their are smarter preachers who do that. You mean like Martin Luther King, hun?
Well explaing this then: While Martin Luther King today is hailed by everybody, it was King who said “I can no longer speak against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own government”; and he then, much like Wright, despite the media and popular culture pretending to love MLK now, he was excoriated by the mainstream media and Black folks who didn’t want to lose their position with White’s, alike.
The Washington Post even declared that MLK had “diminished his usefulness to his cause, his country, his people” and Time Magazine called him “irresponsible demagogue”; all because he spoke truth the American psyche didn’t want to hear. And low these 40 years later America has not dealt with, or resolved it’s domestic violence problems nor it’s foreign aggression temperament; yet has done nothing but repeat the same aggression that King spoke against then.
It doesn’t matter how measured you are about telling the truth or how much you preach love; people who don’t want to hear the truth about themselves will demogogue you; period.
Since Martin Luther King was treated the same way, please tell me, what did he say that was so bad that makes these attacks valid?
March 22nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Yobachi-your words:
My question to you is ‘who’ said ‘that stuff’ to have made it possible for Obama to be swift boated by the media?
Your words:
First, you might read again what I wrote because you have twisted what I said. Secondly, I have experienced the 60’s and was a follower Martin L. King. Also, I am from Chicago. The circumstances and situation of the 60’s during MLK’s time were different than today. Let me be very clear: REV. WRIGHT IS NO MARTIN L. KING. Your comparison of Wright to MLK is like trying to compare an angry bucking donkey to a beautiful magnificent stallion. They are not the same. If MLK were alive 2008 and ‘happened’ to be Obama’s pastor he would not have said anything ‘close’ to what Wright has said–esp. in the middle of Obama’s campaign. He was much smarter than that. He would regretfully say, ‘Rev. Wright’s words are untimely and destructive.’
Your words:
I disagree. It DOES matter how you speak the truth, esp. one that is very painful to the heart. Human beings have feelings. Whether one’s words are true or not, if you shout and slam humans with raging words, their minds and hearts will snap shut; and they might even retaliate.
That’s why Obama’s speech was so inspiring and great. He spoke the truth in a way that people could ‘hear’ it. Rev. Wright’s self-righteous words were merciless. The result is that the “chickens are coming home to roost” for him and Obama by way of the media because the ‘truth’ is, you can’t throw crap on another without first ‘soiling’ your hands to pick up the crap.
BTW, you might take the time to read the full context of my comments because you ignored a very important question in my first comment:
“My question is do Blacks know that Rev. Wright’s incendiary remarks will drive away white voters and deeply wound Obama’s campaign?”
Peace– and have a nice day.
October 6th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
i dont beleave in preachers.but mr wright was right he called and told it like is.he was the only man as i know of that stood up and spoke truth. how as a people can we get mad of a brother speaking the truth? where is the common scense that our most high has given us people gose to school and get america,s edc.and dont use common scence.its time some one open the door to the past.thats why we are loseing our children now becouse we mostly dont know the story about the mother land but storys are beeing told as times passing on.out children needs to know the hole truth about how we came here on a ship called jesus the same made up person that keeps us under control till this day.if we all must die then let us die speaking truth. no more lies thats all we,ve ever know was lies you cant dis miss the truth and cover them up with more lies what dose that say about us and what dose it teachs our children?bro wright the only reason why people got mad was becouse the truth was said.skin color was what this country based on sad but true. then we were brain washed thew school and church what do one expect? we need to go back to our ansesters and rember what they live and died for over here in this country and learn from them with a more open mind. we did not come over here by choice we were brought over here in th bottom of ships to make this country what it is today.and still waiting for a payment that we will never see becouse america wont own up to what she has done and still doing.the edc.only gets you so far.yes we need money to live but we do need money for our souls nor our childerns souls.ehwn they say edc. what kind are they talking about? our children to know about them what our people have done and beleave m e we did a lot and still doing. we dont have to prove ours selfs to anyone not even to each only to the most high we need to stop living for the world and its richness and learn love unity and understanding and lean how to speak to one another. as well as love our children a lot more than we do our chindren need as much love and support as they can get frome the tribes of that hole famiely so they can pass it on to make a better life and abetter in this world for the children to come. if you cant understand my spelling then i,am sorry never been good at it. much love.
November 1st, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Im in total agreement with T. Roosevelt 1906 Quote” If you are an American and something else then you are not an American– We have one flag and that is the Ameican Flag— We have one language and that is English.
So Be an American and not attach African- Spanish — Mexican ETC. Just be an American Period because we dont need change the socialist communist have modified our society to be so conveluted now we need to go back when all was good for all when the entered th US and became Americans only.
God bless