The Wright Stuff
Without weighing in on whether or not the content of Reverend Jeremiah Wright's sermons should be denounced by Barack Obama, I do find one aspect of this story quite troubling. We have now seen more sermons from Barack Obama's minister in 48 hours than we ever did of Mike Huckabee ---- and Mike Huckabee was a presidential candidate for 14 long months. Why is it acceptable to scour every last sermon given by Wright, but only weeks ago we weren't allowed to see or read Mike Huckabee's sermons? In fact, not only was it totally ignored by the traditional media, but the few times the question of Huckabee's sermons was raised, it was brushed aside as inappropriate.
Why the hypocrisy? After all, Mike Huckabee was an evangelical Southern Baptist minister who's entire campaign was based on the fact that he was the Christian candidate. Are we to believe that he didn't rail against the US government over abortion in previous sermons? Or homosexuality? We know what he had to say about AIDS victims. I don't imagine one gets to be the be president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention without passionate fire and brimstone sermons as part of his repertoire.
So, I find it curious that the traditional media now has its white hot focus on Barack Obama's religion and a few select words by Reverend Jeremiah Wright. After all, Huckabee made his career as an actual preacher. Why the change of heart in the last few weeks? Why does Obama have to be held responsible for every word spoken during Wright's passionate sermons - while Huckabee is allowed a free ride and never questioned about his own words? From his own mouth?
Well, it's fair game now. If Huckabee reappears as a VP contender or decides to get in the race in 2012, I think we can safely point to this as justification for wanting to see Huckabee's past - in his own words.
Posts
1 comment:
Amen, Brother!!!
If we're truly claiming to be "fair and balanced" we must ask if we are examining the comments of the religious persons associated with the other candidates.
Why, for instance, was it completely off limits to view sermons delivered by Mike Huckabee? These were the man's own words, yet his sermons were strictly hands-off. Would not some be shocked by words delivered in the pulpit for his congregation's own consumption that claimed women should be subjugated to their husbands? Where was the outrage then?
Why not see videos of Mitt Romney's services? His church doctrine?
What about John McCain? Why are we not scouring the texts of sermons delivered in his church for something we find objectionable? It's there, and we would all be disgusted to see snippets of it replayed endlessly on Fox.
Or, as seems to be the case developing, are we holding Barack Obama to a different standard? Why do we disbelieve his commitment to this country so readily that we treat him as though he were not a "true American"? Do we distrust his name so deeply that we cannot comprehend the depths to which he loves this country? Why do we assume he cannot love his country as "we" do? Why do we presume that we have the right to delve into his church to find out more about a man who has made his tax returns, earmarks, business dealings, and life story completely public? He has been more open about his life than any other candidate, past or current, in this Presidential race, yet we continue to try to "find out" more about him. Why is that?
This has gone completely over the line. Privacy and freedom of religion dictates that enough is enough!
This man, self-made in the classical American style, has literally pulled himself up from his bootstraps, making his way with no aid from family or fortune. We must ask ourselves if we really mean it when we declare that All Men are Created Equal? We are certainly not treating this candidate equally. Apply the same tests to all, or to none.
And, for what it's worth, I'm white.
Post a Comment