Time for Some Controversy

Reading the news this morning I came across an article on several news sites about Rev. Jeremiah Wright. If you don't know who this is by now I think you should get your head out of the sand (or your butt) and pay attention more.

Rev Wright is Barack Obama's former pastor. In a sermon (or speech...your choice) on Sunday in Detroit that the black church is mis-understood. That black churches just "do it differently".

He also stated that his words have been taken out of context to embarrass him and Obama.

No all of that may be true. I blogged when all this news first broke that this was not the man running for president and what he said during his sermons delivered to his congregation during a worship service should not matter when it comes to Obama. Many news outlets disagree with this view, and like me, they are entitled to their opinions.

That being said there is one basic flaw in Rev Wrights words from Sunday.

Let's change the scenario just a bit and make this a white minister in a white church and this minister was making statements against America and speaking. This pastor also makes statements against blacks. Would Rev Wright and others in the black community want this man removed from the pulpit like NOW.

If this pastor was also the pastor to a white presidential candidate would not Rev Wright, Rev Jackson and Rev Sharpton want this candidate to answer questions concerning his pastor?

Now I am sorry if this offends anyone but black or white you can bet that your answer to the above question is a resounding YES.

That is where the rub is with me. I am getting tired of certain people in this country wanting this issue both ways. Leave Rev Wright alone but jump on the band wagon if it happens to be a white minister.

Now that is not to say that there are not a few white ministers in this country that do engage in hateful speech when it comes to certain minorities in this country. However, the expectation is that the white community should throw this minister under the bus even if we do believe in what he (or she) is saying from the pulpit on Sunday morning.

Consider this Rev Wright...you say that we don't understand black churches. That may be true. In fact it probably is true. But when you expect change in white America and do not affect changes in black America in kind, I believe that to be discrimination sir. Not reverse discrimination...just plain old discrimination. Now correct me if I am wrong but isn't that what you are fighting against? Discrimination!!!

It matters not whether is it discrimination of whites to blacks or blacks to whites. IT IS DISCRIMINATION...period.

I am white and I found the comments that Imus made about the Rutgers Woman's basketball team offensive. I am the host for a show on NowLive.com (www.nowlive.com) and I co-host several others. If someone comes into one of those shows and drops the word "nigger" you can bet that the person will make a quick exit after being warned that the word in question is not used on our shows. This is the way it should be in my mind. Disc jockeys and others in the public eye have had plenty of time to take that word (and others) out of their on air language.

But as much as I have heard about people like Rev Sharpton speaking out about the use of words like "ho" by rap artists I have yet to hear any of these so called "ministers" ask that a recording by any of these artists be pulled from the shelves or that a recording label should cancel their contract.

As much as white America has had time to delete some of their language the black community has had the same opportunity to do the same.

Until I hear Rev Wright, Rev Jackson or Rev Sharpton start taking their own people to task for use of certain words and fighting ALL discrimination, I am sorry but I just cannot take them seriously.

Discrimination...you are either against it in ALL cases or you are just promoting it.

That is my opinion...what is yours?