Rev. Wright: What Are People REALLY Worried About Here?

So this whole Rev. Wright thing has gotten me thinking about a million different things. But two things stick out in my mind.

First, sure, his comments were inflammatory -- to say the least. (Obviously, making a lasting impression on listeners is a preacher's job, whether a rabbi, imam, catholic priest or congregationalist minister -- so factor that into the analysis here.)

But what do those condemning Barack Obama for listening really worry about? That he's going to say "God Damn America" in his inaugural address? He won't. That he's going to implement policies that punish white people for centuries of oppression? He won't, and Congress won't let him. That he's going to not scramble jets to protect America when Canadian Fighters are inbound to Washington, D.C.? C'mon.

Seriously, what precisely is it that people are worried about actually, practically happening here? I've thought about this and read as much as I can over the past week and STILL have yet to see one concrete, realistic, plausible concern that could arise.

If anyone can point me to one, feel do so, I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

Second point: anyone who has studied the racial history of this country knows that what Rev. Wright said about the history of the government treating African Americans as less than a whole person IS RIGHT. You can start in the 1600's and continue right up to 2008 in New Orleans. Black people are not treated the same by our government, by our laws, by our society as white people. They (and I say they because I am an over-educated white, anglo-saxon protestant who can't even dream of knowing what it is like to be Black in America) have, and will continue to have for a long time, every right in the world to complain, to be nasty, to begrudge this nation for what it has done to them. And I suspect that even Rev. Wright would tell you that when Barack Obama is inaugurated on January 20, 2009, African Americans will be the first ones to do the most honorable, Christian, biblical, Jewish, Muslim, Bhuddist, Hindu thing of all: forgive. Not forget, but simply forgive. And then we can all truly say, God Bless America for making us who we are. Until then, we say God Bless America out of a need for healing, a need for
reconciliation, a need for true prayer that will play a crucial role in healing our country.