Media Wronged the Rev. Wright

Some distinguished preachers in the black church are known for their fire-and-brimstone sermons.

While they vigorously condemn racial abuse in America, their sermons tend to mollify the pent up anger of their parishioners rather than inspire hatred against whites.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright has earned national respect from both blacks and whites for his preaching talents, even receiving three Presidential Commendations from Lyndon B. Johnson.

But the snippet from one of his sermons shown repeatedly on television of late allegedly shows him to be unpatriotic.

“The government gives [African Americans] the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America,’” he said. “No, no, no, God damn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people.”

That was part of a 2003 sermon that discussed the abuse of African Americans by the U.S. government from slavery onward and the biblical injunction against such conduct.

In context, the statement is not what media reports have characterized it to be.

Rev. Wright’s style of preaching does not appeal to everyone, not even all African Americans, so it is easy to understand why whites would not take to it.

Once again, the media have been derelict in their duties, moving toward the sensational rather than reporting the matter fairly.

Of course, it is possible that some believe the government has always performed with such perfection that any criticism is unpatriotic.

source: baystatebanner.com

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