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This article was forwarded to me today. It's a well-written must-read. This piece can also be found on TaylorSiluwe.com.
Different Standards for Black and White Preachers
By Cenk Uygur
Rudy Giuliani's priest has been accused in grand jury proceedings of molesting several children and covering up the molestation of others. Giuliani would not disavow him on the campaign trail and still works with him.
Mitt Romney was part of a church that did not view black Americans as equals and actively discriminated against them. He stayed with that church all the way into his early thirties, until they were finally forced to change their policies to come into compliance with civil rights legislation. Romney never disavowed his church back then or now. He said he was proud of the faith of his fathers.
Jerry Falwell said America had 9/11 coming because we tolerated gays, feminists and liberals. It was our fault. Our chickens had come home to roost, if you will. John McCain proudly received his support and even spoke at his university's commencement.
Reverend John Hagee has called the Catholic Church the "Great Whore." He has said that the Anti-Christ will rise out of the European Union (of course, the Anti-Christ will also be Jewish). He has said all Muslims are trained to kill and will be part of the devil's army when Armageddon comes (which he hopes is soon). John McCain continues to say he is proud of Reverend Hagee's endorsement.
Reverend Rod Parsley believes America was founded to destroy Islam. Since this is such an outlandish claim, I have to add for the record, that he is not kidding. Reverend Parsley says Islam is an "anti-Christ religion" brought down from a "demon spirit." Of course, we are in a war against all Muslims, including presumably Muslim-Americans. Buts since Parsley believes this is a Christian nation and that it should be run as a theocracy, he is not very concerned what Muslim-Americans think. John McCain says Reverend Rod Parsley is his "spiritual guide."
What separates all of these outrageous preachers from Barack Obama's? You guessed it. They're white and Reverend Jeremiah Wright is not. If it's not racism that's causing the disparity in media treatment of these preachers, then what is it?
I'm willing to listen to other possible explanations. And I am inclined to believe that the people these preachers go after are more important than the race of the preacher. It's one thing to go after gays, liberals and Muslims - that seems to be perfectly acceptable in America - it's another to accuse white folks of not living up to their ideals.
I think there is another factor at play as well. The media is deathly afraid of calling out preachers of any stripe for insane propaganda from the pulpits for fear that they will be labeled as anti-Christian. But criticism of Rev. Wright falls into their comfort zone. It's easy to blame him for being anti-American because he criticizes American foreign and domestic policy.
If Rev. Wright had preached about discriminating against gay Americans or Muslims, there probably would not have been any outcry at all. That falls into the category of "respect their hateful opinions because they cloak themselves in the church."
But one thing is indisputable - the enormous disparity in how the media has covered these white preachers as opposed to Rev. Wright. Have you ever even heard of Rod Parsley? As you can see from what I listed above, all of these white preachers have said and done the most outlandish and offensive things you can imagine - and hardly a peep.
If the disparity in coverage isn't racist, then what is it?
© 2008 Huffington Post All rights reserved.
Different Standards for Black and White Preachers
By Cenk Uygur
Rudy Giuliani's priest has been accused in grand jury proceedings of molesting several children and covering up the molestation of others. Giuliani would not disavow him on the campaign trail and still works with him.
Mitt Romney was part of a church that did not view black Americans as equals and actively discriminated against them. He stayed with that church all the way into his early thirties, until they were finally forced to change their policies to come into compliance with civil rights legislation. Romney never disavowed his church back then or now. He said he was proud of the faith of his fathers.
Jerry Falwell said America had 9/11 coming because we tolerated gays, feminists and liberals. It was our fault. Our chickens had come home to roost, if you will. John McCain proudly received his support and even spoke at his university's commencement.
Reverend John Hagee has called the Catholic Church the "Great Whore." He has said that the Anti-Christ will rise out of the European Union (of course, the Anti-Christ will also be Jewish). He has said all Muslims are trained to kill and will be part of the devil's army when Armageddon comes (which he hopes is soon). John McCain continues to say he is proud of Reverend Hagee's endorsement.
Reverend Rod Parsley believes America was founded to destroy Islam. Since this is such an outlandish claim, I have to add for the record, that he is not kidding. Reverend Parsley says Islam is an "anti-Christ religion" brought down from a "demon spirit." Of course, we are in a war against all Muslims, including presumably Muslim-Americans. Buts since Parsley believes this is a Christian nation and that it should be run as a theocracy, he is not very concerned what Muslim-Americans think. John McCain says Reverend Rod Parsley is his "spiritual guide."
What separates all of these outrageous preachers from Barack Obama's? You guessed it. They're white and Reverend Jeremiah Wright is not. If it's not racism that's causing the disparity in media treatment of these preachers, then what is it?
I'm willing to listen to other possible explanations. And I am inclined to believe that the people these preachers go after are more important than the race of the preacher. It's one thing to go after gays, liberals and Muslims - that seems to be perfectly acceptable in America - it's another to accuse white folks of not living up to their ideals.
I think there is another factor at play as well. The media is deathly afraid of calling out preachers of any stripe for insane propaganda from the pulpits for fear that they will be labeled as anti-Christian. But criticism of Rev. Wright falls into their comfort zone. It's easy to blame him for being anti-American because he criticizes American foreign and domestic policy.
If Rev. Wright had preached about discriminating against gay Americans or Muslims, there probably would not have been any outcry at all. That falls into the category of "respect their hateful opinions because they cloak themselves in the church."
But one thing is indisputable - the enormous disparity in how the media has covered these white preachers as opposed to Rev. Wright. Have you ever even heard of Rod Parsley? As you can see from what I listed above, all of these white preachers have said and done the most outlandish and offensive things you can imagine - and hardly a peep.
If the disparity in coverage isn't racist, then what is it?
© 2008 Huffington Post All rights reserved.
5 comments:
Hi there! {waves}
Thank you for those examples! It is disappointing that Obama's team did not do enough digging and when confronted about his OWN pastor, he would have been able to go through every church that McCain and Clinton attended and what their preachers were teaching.
Instead, the Obama team decided to try to appease the white people. If Obama loses this race, black people will not be so kind to him in his SECOND bid for the White House. He needs to pay attention!
Thanks for sharing this article on your blog!
Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
Hey Rev. Lisa,
I agree. I don't know what's up with his campaign stuff. If I were on his stuff (I volunteer and do phone-bannking for his campaign), I'd answer every question regarding Rev. Wright and whatever else with rhetorical questions about his opponents.
Obama is being far too appeasing to White people with all of this denouncing. Then again, this is a Black man making a presidential bid and you know The Black Tax is in full effect.
I dont see the point at all. im lost as usual
Perhaps the scruitny on Reverend Wright will have a positive effect. For years people of his Ilk are telling black people that "the white man is out to get them" on a daily basis and "the struggle" is ongoing and will never end. Meanwhile Barak and his wife were doing quite well, in spite of the fact that the both of them came from meagar beginnings. Perhaps this sort of ignorance, that its impossible for blacks to succeed in America, will begin to die and perhaps preachers will return to preaching the word, instead of propaganda. I asked a man one day "You have bars on your windows. Who are you trying to keep from robbing you? The White Man?" I got no answer. "The Struggle" knows no race. "The struggle" is the struggle of the uneducated, uncouth and the culture that ecourages it. From the hood to the trailer park, from Atlanta to Appalachia it is no different. To summaraze: perhaps the disparity in coverage is racist. However, if it stops the foolishness that flys from his mouth and the mouths of other preachers of his ilk. Its worth it. Its 2008, not 1950. Oprah's a billionaire OK?
When did Rev. Wright ever say that Black progress was hopeless and unlikely? Members of his church were Obama and Oprah and I'm pretty sure that the rest of the Black congregants weren't piss poor. He influenced Obama to entitle his book "The Audacity of Hope" from his sermon so that hardly sounds like self-victimization. If Rev. Wright's involved in programs that aim to better the lives of underpriveleged Blacks and teach them self-determination despite the design of our system, then that doesn't sound like hopelessness.
The coverage is most definitely racist when White media outlets are just now discussing Rev. Hagee's disparaging remarks about Catholics, Jews, and gays. Like the article stated, if Rev. Wright were disparaging Muslims and gays rather than criticizing U.S. foreign policy, he wouldn't be an issue.
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