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Local party leaders respond to Obama controversy
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Location: Blogs Marion Politics |
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| Posted by: Ocala.com Election Coverage |
3/27/2008 7:53 AM |
The heads of the local Republican and Democratic parties were asked: Barack Obama has drawn fire for his affiliation with a fiery Chicago minister. Should candidates – local or national – be judged by the company they keep?
Bruce Seaman, chairman, Marion County Democratic Party
Certainly the question of “guilt by association” is complex and highly dependent on the nature and context of the association. A neighbor is different from a business partner who is different from a high school girlfriend who is different from the chairman of a political party. While we want to know as much as possible about candidates for the nation’s highest office, one needs discernment since anything can be dredged up (or fabricated) about a candidate. Wasn’t Sen. Obama already criticized for being a politically ambitious elementary school student? How silly.
The question of Sen. Obama’s long affiliation with Trinity UCC and Rev. Wright is exceptional in its having been raised at all. I cannot recall any candidate ever having been judged by the preaching of their pastor. But then, we’ve never had a black candidate move so closely to a major party’s nomination. The historic nature of Sen. Obama’s candidacy and the question of race in today’s America are clearly linked.
I can add only a few items to Bill Thompson’s excellent Opinion column in the Star Banner on Sunday, March 23 that points out the unseemly hypocrisy of the attack on Sen. Obama for his pastor’s preaching while other audacious preachers are courted heavily by Sen. McCain with nary a word suggesting that the Senator endorses the bile those televangelists preach.
The experience of being black in America is not like the white American experience, and the black church is not like the white church. In the black church, the role of the prophet who preaches passionately, confronting the powers that oppress God’s people in bold, strident language remains highly valued. In white churches, such prophetic preachers are as scarce as Gator tickets in the Fall and definitely not as valued. The sad truth is that most preachers in churches – black and white – avoid confronting the people in the pews with the word from God that they really need to hear.
Yes, Rev. Wright crossed the line more than once, but his words are not Obama’s.
In Sen. Obama’s excellent speech in response to all of this, he dared to open a door to the challenging discussion on race in America that has long awaited engagement in a fair and constructive manner. Politically, there were easier paths for Sen. Obama, but he seized the moment to walk boldly into dangerous territory. He spoke intelligently and firmly about the awkward truths and falsehoods that white and black Americans have held about each other but are reluctant to admit much less discuss. Fears and prejudices have festered long enough on both sides. I cannot imagine any candidate in recent memory having such courage of leadership to step directly into this firestorm the way Sen. Obama did. That’s impressive leadership!
Roy Abshier, chairman, Marion County Republican Executive Committee
George Washington said, "be courteous to all but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence." The American people expect all public officials and especially those seeking the highest office in the land, to associate themselves with people of character and like mindedness. So when the American people ask about why a public official keeps certain company, they deserve an explanation why and how that official spends their time with their company. Recently the American people have been given a long-winded excuse by one of their public officials for his associating with a bad character. Mr. Obama and others running for President should study the words of our first President, "be courteous to all but intimate with few." And in this day when political enemies on both sides use YouTube as their weapon of choice, candidates need to be ready to explain even their most intimate relations. Democrats, Mr. Obama and Mr. Spitzer, have recently found this out the hard way.
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Re: Local party leaders respond to Obama controversy |
By Juanita on
4/5/2008 4:15 PM |
| This past Monday a week ago Obama was on "The View", and explained about the Pastor Wright. He has been retired for many years but was a pastor for 30 years, When he was a pastor he preached sermons three times each Sunday, which the bits that told was exerpts was taken from several that Obama did not hear. He, the Pastor, being retired for ten years Obama's children were very young and not in the church but in the nursery or childrens church. He did change churches after much was said and the church has whites with the new pastor. |
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