The Politics of Hope?

I just read an article which contains the content of one Dr. Jeremiah Wrights speeches given at Howard University in 2006. For those who don't know who he is, Wright is the pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and also the spiritual mentor of Barack Obama. In fact, Dr. Wright married Barack and his wife Michelle.

The speech in the article illustrates Dr. Wright's disdain for America or more accurately white America. It is filled with hate and wild conspiracies that would almost be comical except that he apparently believes them. For instance here are a couple quotes: (The we he refers to is America)

1. "Racism is alive and well. Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run..... no black woman can ever be considered for anything outside what she can give with her body"
2. "We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns, and the training of professional killers"
3. "We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God"
4. "We started the AIDS virus, and now that it is out of control, we still put more money in the military than in medicine"

These quotes draw a pretty ugly picture of Dr. Wright's view of America. But why should we care what Dr Wright says? His words are important because of his close relationship with Obama. How can Obama legitimately claim to be about hope and civil discourse when one of his closest associates is filled with bigotry and hatred? I am not saying that Obama agrees with all Wright's comments but his relationship at least implies a passive agreement in principle.

I have never seen an article or story where Obama explicitly takes Dr. Wright to task for his vile comments. He usually just says blandly that they disagree on some things but he never says specifically what those disagreements are. I don't know any sensible person who attends a church without sharing at least a majority of the opinions of their pastor. In fact, right or wrong, most people I know leave a church as soon as they hear one or two things they disagree with from the pulpit.

I find it difficult to accept that Obama is being honest when says he doesn't agree with Dr. Wright. Their views probably diverge in some areas but are we really to presume that listening to his teachings for 20 years has not influenced Obama's politics? The fact that Obama continues to attend his church and study under his teachings says more to me than some generic comments about their supposed disagreements.