Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11

[no name 1]

Obama's Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Has a History of What Even Obama's Campaign Aides Say Is 'Inflammatory Rhetoric'

By BRIAN ROSS and REHAB EL-BURI

March 13, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama's pastor says blacks should not sing "God Bless America" but "God damn America."

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's south side, has a long history of what even Obama's campaign aides concede is "inflammatory rhetoric," including the assertion that the United States brought on the 9/11 attacks with its own "terrorism."

In a campaign appearance earlier this month, Sen. Obama said, "I don't think my church is actually particularly controversial." He said Rev. Wright "is like an old uncle who says things I don't always agree with," telling a Jewish group that everyone has someone like that in their family.

Rev. Wright married Obama and his wife Michelle, baptized their two daughters and is credited by Obama for the title of his book, "The Audacity of Hope."

An ABC News review of dozens of Rev. Wright's sermons, offered for sale by the church, found repeated denunciations of the U.S. based on what he described as his reading of the Gospels and the treatment of black Americans.

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda's attacks because of its own terrorism.

"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Rev. Wright said in a sermon on Sept. 16, 2001.

"We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost," he told his congregation.

Sen. Obama told the New York Times he was not at the church on the day of Rev. Wright's 9/11 sermon. "The violence of 9/11 was inexcusable and without justification," Obama said in a recent interview. "It sounds like he was trying to be provocative," Obama told the paper.

Rev. Wright, who announced his retirement last month, has built a large and loyal following at his church with his mesmerizing sermons, mixing traditional spiritual content and his views on contemporary issues.

"I wouldn't call it radical. I call it being black in America," said one congregation member outside the church last Sunday.

"He has impacted the life of Barack Obama so much so that he wants to portray that feeling he got from Rev. Wright onto the country because we all need something positive," said another member of the congregation.

Rev. Wright, who declined to be interviewed by ABC News, is considered one of the country's 10 most influential black pastors, according to members of the Obama campaign.

Obama has praised at least one aspect of Rev. Wright's approach, referring to his "social gospel" and his focus on Africa, "and I agree with him on that."

Sen. Obama declined to comment on Rev. Wright's denunciations of the United States, but a campaign religious adviser, Shaun Casey, appearing on "Good Morning America" Thursday, said Obama "had repudiated" those comments.

In a statement to ABCNews.com, Obama's press spokesman Bill Burton said, "Sen. Obama has said repeatedly that personal attacks such as this have no place in this campaign or our politics, whether they're offered from a platform at a rally or the pulpit of a church. Sen. Obama does not think of the pastor of his church in political terms. Like a member of his family, there are things he says with which Sen. Obama deeply disagrees. But now that he is retired, that doesn't detract from Sen. Obama's affection for Rev. Wright or his appreciation for the good works he has done."

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[Hilarious Clinton 452]

He's quite the liberal racist.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I wonder if the problem is not so much in what he said than how he said it. He's putting the onus of blame on the US for 9/11 which is obviously unjustifiable - but I don't think its particularly new or controversial to assert that the US' approach to foreign policy is a significant reason for much of the resentment felt towards the US.

There is resentment in certain parts of the world (some justified, some not), due to US interventionism and the idea that the spread of communism must be stamped out at any cost. That resentment, unfortunately, does lead to terrorism.

Edited March 13, 2008 by Number 6

[HAL 9000 96]

Just firebomb the church and be done with it.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

He's quite the liberal racist.

Does liberal and racist actually go together...? Hmmm... At any rate, his comments are alarming, but nothing surprises me much these days. People are loony... MarilynP has the phrase, [Normal people scare me], below her avatar. For me, loony people like Obama's Pastor scare me with their radical nonsense that does nothing but perpetuates the same sentiments we are trying to get beyond in this society. Shame on him...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

He's quite the liberal racist.

Does liberal and racist actually go together...? Hmmm... At any rate, his comments are alarming, but nothing surprises me much these days. People are loony... MarilynP has the phrase, [Normal people scare me], below her avatar. For me, loony people like Obama's Pastor scare me with their radical nonsense that does nothing but perpetuates the same sentiments we are trying to get beyond in this society. Shame on him...

racist can go with anything. liberals aren't exempt

[kaydee457 13]

This is a guy that Barack, and his wife, have listened to for 20 years! They were married by him, and had their children Baptised by him!

Is there any clue that the media is biased about this yokel? He's running on a matter of "having superior judgement" but yet listens to this racist diatribe by a clueless baitor.....Obviously, his wife's been listening judging by her recent comments.

Why is racism only relevant in this race when Geraldine brings up the fact that this dumbass wouldn't be where he is unless he was black and Barack's association with this "Al Sharpton wannabe" is off limits?

His "spiritual" advisor is a racist and a race baitor.........

Edited March 14, 2008 by kaydee457

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This is a guy that Barack, and his wife, have listened to for 20 years! They were married by him, and had their children Baptised by him!

Is there any clue that the media is biased about this yokel? He's running on a matter of "having superior judgement" but yet listens to this racist diatribe by a clueless baitor.....Obviously, his wife's been listening judging by her recent comments.

Why is racism only relevant in this race when Geraldine brings up the fact that this dumbass wouldn't be where he is unless he was black and Barack's association with this "Al Sharpton wannabe" is off limits?

His "spiritual" advisor is a racist and a race baitor.........

Because there simply is no proof of it - and you haven't offered any except rattling off the same old baseless, paranoid kneejerkery about "the media".

Race and gender play a part in politics, anyone can see that - but its not something thats restricted exclusively (or even largely) to Obama. You don't think race or gender considerations come into play for voters who support McCain or Hillary? It might equally be said that race is the reason that every president in this country's history has been a middle-class white male. But noone wants to have that debate do they? And BTW noone's out there claiming that every white male president was elected simply because of race - for the reason that it would be ridiculous.

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

It does make you wonder, that someone's spiritual leader who he has been listening to for 20 years believes this. It is also scary that people will put their full trust and gamble with the future of their country and the future of their children on someone that has not said anything except platitudes and a turn of phrase here and there.

Change just for change sake seem like lunacy to me. Remember things can also change for the worse. You are about to get okiedoked! Which is a druggie culture phrase BTW.

And Number 6, as far as communism is concerned, it is the most vile and insidious form of government. It destroys the souls of mankind absolutely and completely. Anyone that does not work and strive for its elimination from the oppression of men's souls is an accomplice to it's tyranny. Socialism is in the same vein it is only a matter of degree of tyranny. All in the name of saving people with your good intentions. Remember what paves the road to hell!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It does make you wonder, that someone's spiritual leader who he has been listening to for 20 years believes this. It is also scary that people will put their full trust and gamble with the future of their country and the future of their children on someone that has not said anything except platitudes and a turn of phrase here and there.

Change just for change sake seem like lunacy to me. Remember things can also change for the worse. You are about to get okiedoked! Which is a druggie culture phrase BTW.

I still wonder where this impression comes from that Obama "has not said anythingn except platitudes" and does not stand for anything. Can you honestly say any different of the rest of the candidates in the race have not done the same - we're not even at the general election yet, and from what I've seen all of the candidates are throwing around the "high rhetoric". As has been pointed out numerous times - if you want to find out a candidates stance on an issue you can do so. Easily. With a couple of clicks of the mouse. It seems a lot of people simply want to sit back and claim that he doesn't stand for anything - when out of simple laziness they have never bothered to find out in the first place.

And Number 6, as far as communism is concerned, it is the most vile and insidious form of government. It destroys the souls of mankind absolutely and completely. Anyone that does not work and strive for its elimination from the oppression of men's souls is an accomplice to it's tyranny. Socialism is in the same vein it is only a matter of degree of tyranny. All in the name of saving people with your good intentions. Remember what paves the road to hell!

Hmmm speaking of empty platitudes...

The same "good intentions" argument might also be directed at 50 years of dodgy foreign policy initiatives that assume the US knows what is best for the rest of the world. Then again you have things like the Iran coup in 53, which was not so much about "good intentions" as about narrow self-interest.

Edited March 14, 2008 by Number 6

[Madzia+James 0]

This is a guy that Barack, and his wife, have listened to for 20 years! They were married by him, and had their children Baptised by him!

Is there any clue that the media is biased about this yokel? He's running on a matter of "having superior judgement" but yet listens to this racist diatribe by a clueless baitor.....Obviously, his wife's been listening judging by her recent comments.

Why is racism only relevant in this race when Geraldine brings up the fact that this dumbass wouldn't be where he is unless he was black and Barack's association with this "Al Sharpton wannabe" is off limits?

His "spiritual" advisor is a racist and a race baitor.........

I'm with you my friend..... although McCain is a bit toooo close to the center for my taste, he's got my vote....

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

It does make you wonder, that someone's spiritual leader who he has been listening to for 20 years believes this. It is also scary that people will put their full trust and gamble with the future of their country and the future of their children on someone that has not said anything except platitudes and a turn of phrase here and there.

Change just for change sake seem like lunacy to me. Remember things can also change for the worse. You are about to get okiedoked! Which is a druggie culture phrase BTW.

I still wonder where this impression comes from that Obama "has not said anythingn except platitudes" and does not stand for anything. Can you honestly say any different of the rest of the candidates in the race have not done the same - we're not even at the general election yet, and from what I've seen all of the candidates are throwing around the "high rhetoric". As has been pointed out numerous times - if you want to find out a candidates stance on an issue you can do so. Easily. With a couple of clicks of the mouse. It seems a lot of people simply want to sit back and claim that he doesn't stand for anything - when out of simple laziness they have never bothered to find out in the first place.

And Number 6, as far as communism is concerned, it is the most vile and insidious form of government. It destroys the souls of mankind absolutely and completely. Anyone that does not work and strive for its elimination from the oppression of men's souls is an accomplice to it's tyranny. Socialism is in the same vein it is only a matter of degree of tyranny. All in the name of saving people with your good intentions. Remember what paves the road to hell!

Hmmm speaking of empty platitudes...

The same "good intentions" argument might also be directed at 50 years of dodgy foreign policy initiatives that assume the US knows what is best for the rest of the world. Then again you have things like the Iran coup in 53, which was not so much about "good intentions" as about narrow self-interest.

I do know what he stands for, but he is also smart enough not to say it out loud. The would be the end of him for sure.

BTW dodgy is not a word. I can tell by the way the red line appears under it.

Your only talent seems to be the ability to muddy the waters on any subject. You really don't have any underlying values or truths that are dear to your heart. I have a not seen any. Other then your absolute disgust in the country that is now your home. Why not get your wife and move to a place that you actually like. This is my homeland so quit trying to undermine it from within. Your only goal in life seems to distort the truth to the point that it confuses people to allow them to fall victim to subterfuge.

Edited March 14, 2008 by Don_Joy's Prince

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I do know what he stands for, but he is also smart enough not to say it out loud. The would be the end of him for sure.

Well if you know what he stands for - why are you saying he doesn't stand for anything? Isn't that a total contradiction in terms? Both of the democratic candidates have outlined their policy positions quite clearly - so again... where is this argument coming from? What factual basis do you have to support it?

Perhaps this is yet another example of media talking points taking the place of a personal opinion.

BTW dodgy is not a word. I can tell by the way the red line appears under it.

Dodgy is very much a word. A couple of clicks of the mouse would tell you that also.

Your only talent seems to be the ability to muddy the waters on any subject. You really don't have any underlying values or truths that are dear to your heart. I have a not seen any. Other then your absolute disgust in the country that is now your home. Why not get your wife and move to a place that you actually like. This is my homeland so quit trying to undermine it from within. Your only goal in life seems to distort the truth to the point that it confuses people to allow them to fall victim to subterfuge.

So what are you saying here? That when you don't like the arguments the best response you can muster is a personal attack?

Undermining? That's a joke... I'm not saying anything that numerous USC's have said before at various times. Though again - if this opinion comes as such a great surprise for you... then I'm afraid I'm not sure what to say to that...

I don't have "absolute disgust" for this country - I am however critical of successive presidential administrations approach to foreign policy. I'm hardly alone in this. Still if I'm somehow confusing you with this... well thats your problem isn't it.

[HAL 9000 96]

When the genius can come up for a better definition of communism and socialism he'll be far better taken seriously.

These are economic idiologies, not forms of government.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

When the genius can come up for a better definition of communism and socialism he'll be far better taken seriously.

These are economic idiologies, not forms of government.

Yeah I've heard it before. He's reciting it verbatim out of a couple of books he's read. In fact, if I remember rightly the books he referenced were actually books on economics.