Black Liberation Theology

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright teaches “black liberation theology”. Liberation theology as it has expressed itself in the African-American community seeks to find a way to make the gospel relevant to black people who must struggle daily under the burden of white oppression. The question that confronts these black theologians is not one that is easily answered. "What if anything does the Christian gospel have to say to powerless black men”, whose existence is "threatened on a daily basis by the insidious tentacles of white power?" If the gospel has nothing to say to people as they confront the daily realities of life, it is a lifeless message.



Since this minister has been Senator Obama’s spiritual mentor for 20 years, will this hurt Senator Obama’s race for the presidency? I believe it should since it goes directly to the issue of his “judgment”. His campaign and especially the Senator knew this could become an issue and for that very reason did not have Rev. Wright at Obama’s announcement of his presidential run. Yet the Senator and his campaign were not prepared for this issue when it became a problem for the campaign. If you are running for president and you know there are two or three problems that could become negative issues for you, shouldn’t I, as a voter,expect you as a candidate to have made some preparation to counter these issues? An experienced Statesman should have been prepared for this. The Senator should have known that if the Democrats did not bring this issue up – the Republicans most certainly will. It is my opinion, that Obama can not win the presidency with this issue hanging over his head.



What if Senator Obama were a white man and attended a church where the Senior Minister preached against the inclusion of blacks into our society? I would be outraged and I maintain this candidate would not even be in the presidential race to begin with.



This goes to the issues which Obama is running on “judgment, experience, and association.” Senator Obama said he did not realize – after 20 years, how could he not realize his minister’s beliefs? Many will see this issue as going against his campaign of bring “blue America and red America” together. He looks to many now as if he is only another cheap politician. If he is going to be the party’s nominee, “swift boating” will destroy his campaign and the Democratic Party will lose the best opportunity to take back the White House in many years. Every super delegate needs to think about this as they are making their decision. As the popular vote stands now – Obama is the party’s nominee unless the delegates and the votes of Florida and Michigan are allowed to stand. Yes, the Democrats will lose the youth vote but the youth vote usually stays home anyway and the black vote will either stay home or go back to Senator Clinton.



Senator Clinton has a chance now to come back but needs to release her tax returns as quickly as possible as that is becoming an issue for her. And the Democrats should just pray that there is not some issue lurking there. There has been talk about how President Clinton raised the money for his library – her campaign better be ready with the answer.



Words do matter. “God damn American” – words do matter. “911 was America’s chickens coming back to roost” – words do matter. The aids virus was a United States experiment to kill off the black community – words do matter. Blacks are ruled by rich whites – words do matter. “Hillary has never been called a n____!” Words do matter. This is what happens when a campaign is built on fine speech and eloquent words.



After Obama’s speech this morning – in the end the speech was just words which I believe is all that Senator Obama is. I feel as if I still don’t know the man or perhaps this man makes me see something inside of myself that I still don’t know or understand.



My support still stands with Senator Clinton.