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A lot has been made in the last week about Reverend Wright's comments at the Trinity Church - the same one that Senator Obama goes to. What I've found odd is the number of people claiming that his comments are "racist".
Like Jeff Fecke, I don't think pointing out true things is racism. Rude to white people? Sure. A bit silly when he says that "Hilary has never been called a N****er" - that somehow Senator Clinton doesn't know what it's like to be discriminated against. OK, she doesn't know what it's like to be a black man, but she's been called plenty of names just because she's a woman aiming for a position in power.
I've been trying to figure out what was racist about what he said. Strong language? Sure. Offensive to some people? Probably.
But look at what he said:
"Rich white people rule America." 100% of Presidents. 99% of all senators. 98% of all CEOs and board members. All white - so is he wrong?
"They put is jail and say its for drugs - and tell us God bless America? No, God damn America." Is thus a "I Hate America" statement - or a statement that the unjust laws and practices are worthy of scorn.
Wright's comments on 9-11 are accurate as well. The US props up dictators in Saudi Arabia. Overthrow democratically elected leaders and support dictators who support US policies ( remember the Shah of Iran and Pinochet?), then when the people of those nations take their country back, the US wonders why they don't like us - or why an asshole like bin Laden thinks that by striking America, he hurts his true enemies - the Saudi royal family that the US supports?
Was he rude? Sure. Racist for stating the facts of the situation or offering his opinion of US laws and current race relations? I think not.
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I think you have it pretty much right. While 9/11 can't be justified in any way--no one has the right to kill innocent civilians--the reasons behind it have everything to do with American policies in the middle east. The presence of American troops in Saudi Arabia was the main reason Al Qaeda came in to being in the first place and was the reason that almost all of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis. So for Wright to say that US policy in the middle east was the main cause of 9/11 may not be acceptable to the average US citizen but does not make him wrong. I also fail to see why Obama has to be held responsible in for what his former clergyman said. McCain warmly accepted Hagee's endorsement but unlike Obama viz Wright, has not disavowed Hagee's outrageous statements and opinions which are a pack of outright lies. Talk about your double standard...
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