According to MSNBC political analyst, Keith Olbermann, he is. In fact, according to Olbermann, Wright should turn in his clergy collar and and give his Bible to someone who has read it because “he is no longer by the stretch of anybody’s imagination a Man of God.” Pretty harsh words.
The offense came while Dr. Jeremiah Wright was attending the annual Hampton Minister’s Conference this past week. A columnist from Norfolk’s Daily Press put a microphone in Wright’s face asking him questions in relation to the President. While the national arms of mainstream media sliced out the pieces of the interview that would be most sensational absent of context, the Norfolk Daily provides a fuller picture of what transpired.
After assuring his inquirer that Obama is “his son” who he refuses to disown, the reporter then asks if he has spoken to President Obama since he has been in the White House. That’s where the trouble begins.
“Them Jews ain’t going let him talk to me.”
Yea. That produces a certain uneasiness when heard. I replaced “Jews” with other ethnic groups and repeated the statement outloud to myself adjusting the characters in the conversation to make sure I felt the impression of the phrase. It does sound harsh.
But then I examined the context of the statement because I know that the Jewish Community, like all other communities, is not a monolithic group. Wright says, “Them Jews.” Which Jews is he talking about?
Wright explictly says in his comments that he’s talking about Zionist Jews and “AIPAC Jews.” Readers here know that AIPAC, the American Israeli Political Action Committee, brags about being the most powerful lobby group in D.C. It’s a group that holds tremendous sway in the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Wright further makes clear that he’s talking about Zionist Jews in a subsequent interview with Mark Thompson of Sirius Radio. Wright accuses “these” Jews of controlling President Obama by forbidding him to send U.S. representatives to the Durban Review Conference on Racism (which he mistakenly calls the Darfur Review Conference) and by justifying ethnic cleansing in Gaza which he calls a “sin and a crime against humanity.”
Oh. He’s talking about those Jews? The same Jews that other Jews are standing up against like these Jews, these Jews, and these Jews?
So what’s the real issue here? I posit the real issue boils down to deflection. Mainstream media has to keep your eyes off of the real issue and in this case the real issue centers on the occupation and injustices committed against the Palestinian people. The CNN video conveniently cuts the interview off before Wright starts talking about humans rights violations in Gaza and Olbermann simply ignores that part of Wright’s statement opting to fan the flames of the sensational by taking a phrase out of context.
There is a Jewish blog that was created to track efforts to stifle open debate on U.S.-Israeli policy called muzzlewatch.
That’s how unrelenting this organized effort to silence critics of Israeli Policy toward Palestinians is. Even ultra leftwing political talking heads like Olbermann won’t touch the apartheid of the Palestinians. He chooses to put a well-respected African American clergyman in his sites.
So for the next week or so we’ll be talking about “them Jews” and we won’t be talking about breaches of international law and human rights abuses committed by the Israeli Government and Military.
I kindly disagree, Mr. Olbermann. Reverend Jeremiah Wright is not the worst person in the world. He just has the courage to speak of one of the worst examples of politically acceptable injustices in the world. If only you possessed that courage as well.
Related posts:
- One people’s Independence Day is another people’s Nakba Photo Credit: Coalition of Peace with Justice May 15th –...
- The Uncritical Support of Israel MUST STOP! -A Young Pastor’s Lamentation Good Morning Pastor Johnny Golden, Pastor Jonathan Weaver, Bishop Douglas...
- Black preachers agree to disagree: Baltimore pastors react differently to the Jeremiah Wright “issue” Hat Tip: Baltimore Sun Black preachers agree to disagree Area...
- Next stop for Jeremiah Wright: Norfolk, VA I just received word that Dr. Jeremiah Wright will be...
- Father Michael Pfleger defending Dr. Jeremiah Wright on Fox News ...
I agree that mainstream media is using this as a deflection, but Rev. Wright could've have used another word instead of Jews. He could've said, his camp, his handlers, his party etc etc, but he chose to single out one racial/ethnic/religious group that is constantly discriminated against and basically discriminated against them once more by blaming them for Obama distancing himself. The Good Right Reverend is old enough and I would hope smart enough to know that his actions directly effect his "son" our President and needs to choose his words more carefully the next time, which he probably will not do judging by his past actions and statements.
Hey Charles – thanks for the comment. I agree that Rev. Wright could have done a better job of communicating his thoughts with this. It's something that he even acknowledges in that subsequent interview with Mark Thompson of Sirius Radio. And in a body politic where a misspoken comment is equated with a crime; we all have to be more thoughtful in our communication with each other.
I'm glad that you see the media deflection in this as well and I'm really hoping that others will see it and have the courage to debate the "meatier" content of Wright's words (i.e. the violations of humanitarian law in Gaza, human rights abuses, and ongoing occupation of the Palestinian people with American Taxpayer support), however, history has shown that that debate has no welcome place in the marketplace of american dialogue.
It appears to me that Bishop Tutu said it best, when commenting several months ago about the Reverend Wright situation, he said: I don't know why black Americans are complaining about Reverend Wright, when he only said what they have been saying all the time.
That Olbermann has jumped on the bandwagon, makes me think about the Reverend Wright's refusal to join the late Dr. Martin Luther King and speak at the now famous March on Washington. BIlly said that he thought that Dr. King was the trouble-maker at the time.
Perhaps Olbermann, like a lot of other black Americans will come around in time – too many of black Americans will betray their own at the drop of a hat. Olbermann is Olbermann, enough said!
30 pieces of silver can buy betrayal from whatever you believe in for some. Not to mention having the White House delivered to you.You are an eye and mind opener Rev. Solomon and I hope everything is well with you.
Thank you sir. Mr. Olbermann seems to believe that if he has a few black American icons on his 'nitwit show' from time to time like the Reverend Sharpton or George Foreman, that somehow it validates both he and his daily dribble. That he has a group of followers at all concerns me, but on the other hand so did Hitler (and he had Jews in his family line)!
Correction of a previous post: That Olbermann has jumped on the bandwagon makes me think about the Reverend Billy Graham's refusal to join the late Dr. Martin Luther King and speak….! What is true is that the Wright Reverend helped shaped America's favorite son! I wonder who helped to James Ronald Reagan, Geroge Bush and John McCain…
If what he says about the Wright Reverend were remotely true, where would that place the indefatigable opportunist Keth Olberman? Ans. I suspect somewhere far below nadir! And, what the Wright Reverend said about Mr. Obama turned out to be true didn't it? He said that Mr. Obama would say whatever he had to in order to get elected, Simply ask the individuals who voted for him, how many of his campaign promises did he actually keep! Hint: Dick Cheney loved his Oslo speech …!