Jeremiah Wright letter to the New York Times
Categories: African-American, Media, Politics and Elections, Religion and Faith
Written By: Shawn Williams
I’m a little late with this and it was before the latest Fox lead blow up, but I thought you all deserved to see that this has been a calculated attack on Dr.Wright from the beginning.
March 11, 2007
Jodi Kantor
The New York Times
9 West 43rd Street
New York ,
New York 10036-3959
Dear Jodi:
Thank you for engaging in one of the biggest misrepresentations of the truth I have ever seen in sixty-five years. You sat and shared with me for two hours. You told me you were doing a “Spiritual Biography” of Senator Barack Obama. For two hours, I shared with you how I thought he was the most principled individual in public service that I have ever met.
For two hours, I talked with you about how idealistic he was. For two hours I shared with you what a genuine human being he was. I told you how incredible he was as a man who was an African American in public service, and as a man who refused to announce his candidacy for President until Carol Moseley Braun indicated one way or the other whether or not she was going to run.
I told you what a dreamer he was. I told you how idealistic he was. We talked about how refreshing it would be for someone who knew about Islam to be in the Oval Office. Your own question to me was, Didn’t I think it would be incredible to have somebody in the Oval Office who not only knew about Muslims, but had living and breathing Muslims in his own family? I told you how important it would be to have a man who not only knew the difference between Shiites and Sunnis prior to 9/11/01 in the Oval Office, but also how important it would be to have a man who knew what Sufism was; a man who understood that there were different branches of Judaism; a man who knew the difference between Hasidic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Conservative Jews and Reformed Jews; and a man who was a devout Christian, but who did not prejudge others because they believed something other than what he believed.
I talked about how rare it was to meet a man whose Christianity was not just “in word only.” I talked about Barack being a person who lived his faith and did not argue his faith. I talked about Barack as a person who did not draw doctrinal lines in the sand nor consign other people to hell if they did not believe what he believed.
Out of a two-hour conversation with you about Barack’s spiritual journey and my protesting to you that I had not shaped him nor formed him, that I had not mentored him or made him the man he was, even though I would love to take that credit, you did not print any of that. When I told you, using one of your own Jewish stories from the Hebrew Bible as to how God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?,” that Barack was like that when I met him. Barack had it “in his hand.” Barack had in his grasp a uniqueness in terms of his spiritual development that one is hard put to find in the 21st century, and you did not print that.
As I was just starting to say a moment ago, Jodi, out of two hours of conversation I spent approximately five to seven minutes on Barack’s taking advice from one of his trusted campaign people and deeming it unwise to make me the media spotlight on the day of his announcing his candidacy for the Presidency and what do you print? You and your editor proceeded to present to the general public a snippet, a printed “sound byte” and a titillating and tantalizing article about his disinviting me to the Invocation on the day of his announcing his candidacy.
I have never been exposed to that kind of duplicitous behavior before, and I want to write you publicly to let you know that I do not approve of it and will not be party to any further smearing of the name, the reputation, the integrity or the character of perhaps this nation’s first (and maybe even only) honest candidate offering himself for public service as the person to occupy the Oval Office.
Your editor is a sensationalist. For you to even mention that makes me doubt your credibility, and I am looking forward to see how you are going to butcher what else I had to say concerning Senator Obama’s “Spiritual Biography.” Our Conference Minister, the Reverend Jane Fisler Hoffman, a white woman who belongs to a Black church that Hannity of “Hannity and Colmes” is trying to trash, set the record straight for you in terms of who I am and in terms of who we are as the church to which Barack has belonged for over twenty years.
The president of our denomination, the Reverend John Thomas, has offered to try to help you clarify in your confused head what Trinity Church is even though you spent the entire weekend with us setting me up to interview me for what turned out to be a smear of the Senator; and yet The New York Times continues to roll on making the truth what it wants to be the truth. I do not remember reading in your article that Barack had apologized for listening to that bad information and bad advice. Did I miss it? Or did your editor cut it out? Either way, you do not have to worry about hearing anything else from me for you to edit or “spin” because you are more interested in journalism than in truth.
Forgive me for having a momentary lapse. I forgot that The New York Times was leading the bandwagon in trumpeting why it is we should have gone into an illegal war. The New York Times became George Bush and the Republican Party’s national “blog.” The New York Times played a role in the outing of Valerie Plame. I do not know why I thought The New York Times had actually repented and was going to exhibit a different kind of behavior.
Maybe it was my faith in the Jewish Holy Day of Roshashana. Maybe it was my being caught up in the euphoria of the Season of Lent; but whatever it is or was, I was sadly mistaken. There is no repentance on the part of The New York Times. There is no integrity when it comes to The Times. You should do well with that paper, Jodi. You looked me straight in my face and told me a lie!
Sincerely and respectfully yours,
Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. ,
Senior Pastor
Trinity United Church of Christ
March 25th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Hi Roland,
It’s a shame that this attack has been set out from the very beginning. Jodi, you really have proven to me that you are no better than the rest of them who has done all of this mud slinging concerning Sen. Obama and Pastor Wright.
Jodi, your heart was not in the right place, you used this interview with Pastor Wright to “SMEAR” Sen. Obama and his Pastor.
What you did was wrong, distasteful, cold hearted.
Jodi, apparently you cannot think for yourself, you are being controlled and you are heartless.
You don’t care who you HURT, you don’t care how you ‘HURT”, . Your deeds will caught up to you.
Jodi, you have STEPPED your FOOT into DANGEROUS TERRITORY ( you ask how?) you set out on purpose to ‘DESTROY’ the character of Sen. Obama and you interviewed his Pastor not for ‘GOOD’ but for ‘EVIL’. Jodi, because of your ‘EVILNESS’, you took a man of God and his congregation and have had them to be drugged through the media like a dog playing with a toy. Sen. Obama has (2) children who did not ask to be drugged through this mess, ( you set it up ) What you have done is wrong and you are the (RACIST).
Roland, Thank you for your constant work in this terrible mess. ( GOD HAS MUCH MORE BLESSINGS IN STORE FOR YOU).
March 25th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Where is the smear? Did Obama “disinvite” him or not?
And Wright’s letter bothers me too. I had dismissed all the “messiah” talk, but Wright seems to want to set himself up as John the Baptist here. The more context I get, the less confidence in Wright (and Obama) I get.
March 25th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Phelps has to stand for “please help”. You need it buddy! You are either a racist or a very weak mind individual. Try independent thinking. Perhaps like Dr. Wright or (a word that insinuates individualism) President Obama. The letter was brilliantly composed and very neccessary. TAKE HEED, be careful what you say about God’s children.
March 25th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
If I disagree, I’m racist? That I actually think about what is being presented, I am weak minded?
I hope that we have gotten to the point in the conversation where disagreement isn’t shouted down by base allegations of racism.
March 26th, 2008 at 2:42 am
It’s too bad we can’t have a discussion with different opinions without being called names. That’s part of the reason why we stay on this miserable racial merry-go-round. Is there any possibility of working through our racial differences? Maybe not. Nevertheless, as an African-American, I am glad Whites and Blacks are here having a discussion.
Shawnj- Anybody born in America is impacted by racism to some degree. However, those who perceive racism in another first sees it in themselves without knowing it. “If you can spot it, you’ve got it.”
March 26th, 2008 at 8:14 am
What is racism?
“Sociologist and former American Sociological Association president Joe Feagin argues that the United States can be characterized as a “total racist society” because racism is used to organize every social institution .”
“In Feagin’s view, white Americans labored hard to create a system of racial oppression in the 17th century and have worked diligently to maintain the system ever since. While Feagin acknowledges that changes have occurred in this racist system over the centuries, he contends that key and fundamental elements have been reproduced over nearly four centuries, and that U.S. institutions today reflect the racialized hierarchy created in the 17th century. Today, as in the past, racial oppression is not just a surface-level feature of this society, but rather pervades, permeates, and interconnects all major social groups, networks, and institutions across the society. Feagin’s definition stands in sharp contrast to psychological definitions that assume racism is an “attitude” or an irrational form of bigotry that exists apart from the organization of social structure.”
Under this definition, we can clearly see the media as an institutional element that is used to perpetuate racism in this culture. This includes newspapers, radio and television. It is in government at the city,state and federal levels.
Racism is NOT a feeling-it is a construct!
Bigotry and its companion-IGNORANCE on the other hand, ARE possible for all to experience and perpetrate. Racism is evident in those that 1) Perpetuate the institutions that employ it and 2) Enjoy the benefits of those institutions that employ it. That would definitely
NOT be those of African descent. And don’t even
mention affirmative action. That was a bandaid on a gaping wound. There is no way that 400 years of oppression can be undone within 100 years-too much damage has been done. How do I know this? Because the after affects are still very much with us in the year 2008. Talking about it is a start-but only a start: There has to be significant change, not only in legal terms but in peoples mindsets.I do not expect to see much change in this country before I die, but I hope maybe my grandchildren can…….
March 26th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Cynthia-
Would you mind elaborating?
March 27th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Jodi,
I do not know you, I am not even an American! But I have been watching this nomination process for months now. What is happening with Rev. Wright and Sen. Barrack Obama is so sad that even a foreigner can see this!
Have you seen what is becoming of Rev. Wright?
This Man of God must now cancel his sermons at various churches etc. Why? Because he now fears for his life!
Maybe you can do something to correct this but if you can’t I hope you can live with the consequences. Just think, I am a foreigner, and I have gone to considerable trouble to try to find out who has stirred up all of the anger and hate.
I guess the cost of a piece of “journalism” is all of this painful fall-out!
March 27th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Roland,
I am so sorry, I forgot to thank you for giving me this opportunity to express my feelings on the issue. Thank you for standing by Sen. Obama and Rev. Wright. I appreciate that you are one of the very few people who have taken the time to sort this out. Like me, I know that there are things that the pastor said that you may not agree on, but I do believe that most of these things have been taken out of contest.
I am worried about what this is going to do to Rev. Wright and Sen. Obama.
Again thank you
March 27th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Its amazing how Wright portrays himself in this letter and then what we see in so many of the youtube videos: the sexual pantomimes, the AIDS, the 9/11, the God Damn America… Its scary. He talks about Obama as he was some Messiah…WIERD stuff indeed.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
“Out of context.” People keep using that phrase.
I do not think it means what you think it means.
March 28th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Phelps, I’m over Wrighted as well.
Context - The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.
March 28th, 2008 at 10:22 am
In response to Leanza:
It is clear that there are those in the United States who think there is something wrong with any individual being able to speak their mind. It is clear that what ever was seen on YouTube was not the whole sermon and people can take out wht ever they want to make themselves feel big or to try and deminish a persons sincerity. However Dr. Jeremiah Wright is the Senior Pastor of a well educated misxed congregation. A group of people able to discern what is true for them in these United States. Reverend Wright in his “God Damn America” expressed a feeling that is prevelant in not only African American churches but white church pastors say the same thing purhaps not using the same words. I know, I check, I watch and I listen to their sermons. The whole issue hear is this: Does a persons race or ethnical heritage play the greater part in their ability to lead a people or a country? What about Hillary Clintons Pastor? Did you know the whole denomination does not address the place of women in the world, or the world. Do you know that in that denomination the husband is deamed head of the family regardless of the wifes position? If that is the kind of church Hillary belongs to then why vote for her as president - why not write in Bill because according to their faith he will be the boss any way… You see Leanza, you have to look deeper than just a few words but really search for the truth. The truth is most Acircan Americans feel the same way about our government and the way people are treated all around not just themselves. And it is sad to say that others do not care enough to at least bring the idea to the table, out in the open for every one to look at and form their own opinons. Be wise in all you say and do - you never know when what you have said or done will come back to bit you in the butt. Peace
March 28th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I am so very tired of all of this talk about the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright. It amazes me that first of all most of the country didn’t even know who he was before this 2008 campaign.
Remember my fellow Americans, this country was built on “In God we trust.” And remember, those same persons allowed the most heneous form of slavery to take place in the world to happen in this very country. In addition, those same people dismembered an entire nation of people snatching them from their country and forcing them to move to reservations.
Are we Americans so naive and pompous to think that this country will not suffer the repercusions of ALL of our past actions? God will forgive, but their is still attonement.
Americans need to wake up and stop allowing the media to bombard our minds and spirits with nonsense. I want lower taxes, healthcare, unity among ALL Americans. I don’t give a damn who and what color you are.
March 28th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Shawn,
I agree with you…I AM tired of the whole Wright issue. But I think it’s not going away. I wish it would.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I know Obama would LOVE for the Wright issue to go away, but it won’t.
If Jeramiah can’t take it, then he shouldn’t be dishing it out.
Rev. Wright’s chickens are coming home to roost. …
March 28th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I don’t understand why anyone continues to support a man who has willingly had a 20 year relationship with an anti-American racist. I won’t add anti-Semitic because people want to get down and dirty as to when anti-Israeli sentiments become anti-Semitic and I don’t have time for the debate.
If a white candidate had a 20 year relationship with a pastor who maintained that Jesus was a poor white man crucified by “garlic-nosed” black people there would be outrage from the African American community. It is completely disingenuous to support Obama’s candidacy and he’ll never win in the general election. Not only has he lost republican and independent support but 25% of democrats as well…plus he’ll never get the Hispanic vote against McCain.
March 28th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I’ve been a visitor at Trinity Church on more than one occasion. Rev. Wright’s words have always been very calming, soothing and provided a path of healing for me.
As with anything, if you only read or listen to only part of the story or fall asleep and miss the end of the sermon, you will very easily miss the point. These wheels that have put in motion need to be stopped. My support favors Obama. Before and no matter what, I was planning to vote democrat. However, in light of the inflammatory statements of her husband and her willingness to perpetuate and profess her opposition to Rev. Wright, Clinton will never get my support. I believe as others, that she will stoop to anything to win. For sure before this week, she had read and/or listened to the entire Wright’s sermon. And still, with a straight face, this week threw one America’s renowned pastors under the cross. Now, after decades of dedication to preach the word of God, the man has to fear for his life!!! This is very troubling to me. Challenge yourselves to shape your own opinions and to not be lead by the news media. Jeremiah Wright challenged us all to do better ( black, white, red, brown, etc. ). He has always wanted more for all God’s children. Here is how his sermon ended.
– End of Rev. Wright’s sermon ———
Our country has been confused about symbols. Since we became a country, we lift up the Liberty Bell, but we’re defined by the hangman’s noose. We say we want the Ten Commandments back up in the statehouse, but we refuse to take down the confederate flag from in front of the state capitol.
And guess what? [Guess what?] Guess what? [Guess what?] Tell your neighbor guess what? [Guess what?] It was in front of that flag, in Columbia, South Carolina, that our member Barack gave his acceptance speech.
If you praise God, I’m going to praise Him in spite of the government! My mind says we have work to do. My memory says I never shall forget how He loosed our chains and He loosed my chains! I know I have been changed, and my mouth says I will bless the Lord at all times! Oh magnify the Lord! Oh magnify the lord! Oh magnify the lord! And let us exalt God’s name together!
[applause]
I never shall forget!
[Hymn begins]
If you’re here without a church home and you know that the lord has set you free, you want a church home, come on! Red, white, black, yellow, Asian, Hispanic, come on!
[people come toward the altar to declare their faith and join the church]
March 28th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
VMorris, your words: