A Profound Prayer Until…Wrong Turn!
By Pat Racimora on January 22, 2009 at 12:55 AM in Current Affairs
I tuned into the inauguration extravaganza while driving to the doctor’s. My mind was wandering as it droned on. Then came the Rev. Joseph Lowery. I sat straight up in my seat. His powerfully full voice, despite his advanced age, was putting forth an impassioned melody. (Try to hear a fired-up Southern Baptist preacher in your head as you read.)
And while we have sown the seeds of greed — the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, we seek forgiveness and we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other.
Yes! No matter what we think of the President, we must not turn on each other. Music!
And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance.
Yes! Yes! We need much more of that in this world. More!
With your hands of power and your heart of love, help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nations shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid, when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Oh yes! Peace and justice. This guy is so good!
For believers, the prayer was a perfect call to be the best we can be. I was smiling. It was one of the rare times during this campaign that I was feeling truly inspired.
Then came THIS…
Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around … when yellow will be mellow … when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right.
Huh? What the hell is this now? My crest fell flat.
OK, it rhymes. But I thought we just took a big step forward regarding “black.” Why should “yellow” be mellow? Aren’t “browns” already sticking around? And–“When “white” will embrace what is right?” Well wait just a damned minute here. Didn’t millions of whites just do right by what the old Reverend would have wanted to witness before his time is up? Didn’t he just say that we should “ turn to each other and not on each other” and ask for “tolerance, not intolerance.”
Michelle Malkin , who I usually don’t agree with, dubbed the benediction as race-baiting. As she put it, “Who wrote that line? Jeremiah Wright? And what would Obama’s grandparents and mother have to say?”
A friend gave an alternate view, suggesting that many preachers like Lowry use rhymes to make their speech more melodic and that any other meaning is probably secondary to the nature of the language pattern.
What do you think? Are we in for continued separatism? Or is the preacher just a bad poet?
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the none reacted positively as these words were spoken (and i have no doubt he and/or his staff had reviewed them in advance anyway). the words reflect the sentiments of the none. the post-racial baloney was just that - baloney. the none and his followers will make sure of that.
And a bill for black reparations has already been introduced….
“Any other meaning is probably secondary to the nature of the language pattern.”
If your friend believes that, they are a fool. The guy should have just hummed a melody in that case. Words are words, they are chosen for a reason, and people saw this written before it was spoken, and approved of it.
The excuse your friend gave was that that of multiculturalism. You can’t judge it, that’s just the way that culture is. And that’s silly.
He couldn’t say ‘white will be alright’ or something similarly inane and innocuous? What are we, children? Accepting blatant race-separation and degradation because we think the guy’s too dumb to find an inoffensive rhyme?
Let’s get real. That was fully intentional, I heard it loud and clear, and I will have the same attitude toward these fools that they have toward me.
Yup. Exactly. And and all that great anti-racism that got beaten the hell into us? Well, sadly, now I have none of it left. If I’m a “racist” great. It’s not going to change MY life anymore. I worked, I fought, I helped, I gave time and money. But they’re still screaming VICTIM. Oh well. Don’t ask me for help. I’m done and you’re one your own. I hope these idiots realize that Obama is turning whites against blacks more than they were in the 50’s.
I read somewhere - I forget where now - that this was part of a song they used to sing. There is more to it than this, but otherwise, you read the lyrics correctly. It’s not terribly flattering, and it seems as if they forget they’re not still in the pre-Civil Rights era with their selection.
This isn’t a jump-rope rhyme. Cassius Clay, later Mohammad Ali, was funny when he made up little rhymes. Johnny Cochran was amusing with his “If the glove don’t fit, you must acquit” line, and he was able to get O.J. off scot free. Jesse Jackson, on a lesser stage, sometimes used rhymes to good effect.
But on a sensitive topic, on a huge presidential stage, these racially offensive rhymes are horribly inappropriate.
Mr. Obama, ostracize the sophomoric rhymes from your presidency. We don’t want your office to be infiltrated by rap music street jive. Act like the president and take charge! Show some dignity!
“And a bill for black reparations has already been introduced….”
I hadn’t heard that it has already been introduced, but heard during the campaign that it would be brought up, and have been wondering when it would be.
Do you know who introduced the bill? Senate? House of Reps?
It is yet another Neo Nazi rumour from none other than your Freeper pals. Every year since Jon Conyers has introduced a reparations bill in to Congress. It has not passed. Obama does not support reparations, rather schools should be improved so that all poor kids, no matter their colour should get a decent chance in life.
However as half the PUMA lot follow any conspiracy theory NO MATTER the source, I guess that this will be repeated.
I am effin’ sick and tired of the friggin’ RACE BAITING!!!!!! this victim mentality these STOOOOPID preachers keep shoving down their congregation’s throats and now the entire national tv viewing audience, is WRONG!
Raaaaaacissssst! Absolutely!
Honestly, haven’t we been beaten with a stick on this matter, ad nauseum? If this is an example of being post racial, I think they missed the mark by a long shot. In fact, I would suggest that this election has been the opposite of post racial, and the racism was displayed by the Democrats this year.
I read about this on Drudge yesterday — it made me absolutely sick. Can you imagine the uproar if McCain had won and invited a minister who made outrageously hateful remarks at his inauguration?
What a tiresome, ugly poverty pimp.
patience — Obama and his crowd of wipe me out. For a man who claims he’s a uniter — he seems to want to divide this country in every way possible. Black vs White, Old vs Young, Rich vs Poor, Men vs. Women and Gay vs. Straight. Now we are being told that its only the minorities who are having a problem paying their mortgage and something must be done to help them. Where has common sense gone. We are all struggling but Obama only recognizes those he chooses to recognize.
For him to threaten Social Security and Medicare in this economic climate is almost as big a disaster as the economy itself. As far as the racist preacher what else should we expect? Just another big mouth fueled by hate — with a captive audience.
The days of an anonymous President who just does his job and works hard for all Americans is gone–the cult of personality has taken its place. Quiet intelligent people who work hard and play by the rules need not apply.
Race-baiting, ya think? This crap, if I may put it so delicately, is one of the reasons backlashes against Obama will occur.
Enough with the victim mentality already. Blacks have had Affirmative Action for forty years and they are still whining?
Obama and his handlers seem to have forgotten the millions that DIDN”T vote for him, won’t support him, and don’t give a rat’s patooty about Obama’s black agenda.
buzz — that would be 55 Million who didn’t vote for Obama and who are invisible to him.
If the Obama-philes are thrilled that he was born, they should thank a white woman.
(’Bet you won’t ever hear them offer THAT bit of gratitude!)
LMFAO Cindy.
a white woman who raised him, sent him to prestigious high schools and ivy league colleges, a woman whose funeral oblowme couldn’t be bothered to attend. what a loser.
This is the BIGGEST disgrace of any Inauguration ever. No, let me make it bigger than that. Obama is a vile, race baiting POS for this. It never ends. The funny thing is…the only people who create this “racism” crap in this country are the blacks and minorities. They perpetuate it while the rest of us say WTF are you TALKING ABOUT?
exactly!
Yep, the Rev Lowry and then there’s the pond scum, JayZee and his fellow rapper at one of the parties, screaming vulgarities about President Bush (I didn’t vote for him, had lots of criticisms but he did hold the office) and yelling at the end about his president is BLACK. They don’t get it. They never got the essense of MLK. These thugs wouldn’t deserve to wipe his feet.
are you serious? did they really do that? i suppose it’s racist to be appalled by that.
Racism is a figment of the imagination of non-whites?
You don’t have to look any further than the comments on NQ to see real white-on-black racism. Susan just banned somebody the other day for making disparaging comments about Obama’s black skin.
American RIP demonstrates once again that this place is a magnet for morons.
I was beginning to agree until you lumped everyone together in your last sentence. You like casting the second stone?
I wonder how many will be wishin’ Obama’s mama had learned about birth control before this is all over?
Well you seem to prove the case for late abortions.
Even the Obama media guys were wondering about it.
It does not speak well for the Pres.
I will give Obama some time but I do not like what is already happening especially financially.
The White House site is being used to dish Bush. —Since when does a White House site dish Presidents.
He’s ordered Guantanamo closed which is going to cost taxpayers probably Billions - the 12th hi-jackers trail was millions–who paid? not the guy for he had no assets.
Obama is alread ordering that the rest of the Bail out money be given out
Obama is asking for a Huge Billions of dollar Bailout for everyone including illegala.
I bet many can add to this list of $$$$ Deficits $$$$
Obama is like a two year old child, missing a chromosome, who has been handed the keys to the candy store. This country has officially entered JOKE status. Just because Beyonce sings, doesn’t give us worldwide credibility LMFAO.
Ewww, a missing chromosome….that would make him a mon…k…or a developmentally disab…prezinint.
If he was really missing a chromosome, he wouldn’t be able to find the candy store. Too bad.
No one said HE found the candy store. MeChelle took him there. Duh.
HE — the ONE is a fragile male —
one of the genetic markers is BIG EARS
(big balls as well — but I don’t want to see THOSE).[ADMIN: Let's avoid this kind of talk, best we can.]Google fragile male syndrome.
Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but Obama abuses the privilege.
Well said.
Everyone may be entitled to be stupid but that does not give anyone the privilege of ruling the non-stupid no matter what race they belong to.
Harp, you have some of the best one-liners!
You think the dots hide what you really are? People who think white sheets are a fashion accessory.
Is everyone a Pommy like you in Britain or were you left behind there as your bot brethren here in the US of A?
You really need to clean up your side of the street prior to criticising those Americans who did not fall for the con, troll. And yes, I am speaking to your bushbot former Prime Minister. Now YOU want the anti-bushbot.
Let me clue you in–a bot is a bot, irrespective of loyalty as they are marginal in intelligence and even more marginal in actually doing something since talk seems to be their single forte.
Barfly, I guess if you blindly are defending the comments made by these two which are not even disguised racism then that makes you a race bot.
How else do you explain this comment from freak :
Comment by Buzz Latte LaRue | 2009-01-22 01:56:21
Ewww, a missing chromosome….that would make him a mon…k…or a developmentally disab…prezinint.
Perhaps HE should “put away his childish things” like vulgar hand gestures, jive talk and followers who seek to further divide us.
Yes, I think Lowery’s comment about “whites will embrace what is right” was unwise and made a lot of people wince. But the man is what 86, 88 years old? Lowrery is the product of a particular generation, a time when that comment had a trueness to it.
God forbid, you should replay some of my own father’s choicer moments. He, too, was a product of his times, his region and generation.
To answer Pat’s question: I hope we’re not in for continued separatism. The question of reparations, for instance [which I understand Obama gives little sway to] would produce a huge rift in American society.
If there’s any good in Barack Obama’s election it is to put to rest the ancient animosities. If a predominately white nation elects a black man for POTUS and that doesn’t say something or count for anything, then I don’t know what would. It’s not going to solve all the racial problems or erase the past, but if it isn’t a huge push forward then nothing will be, ever.
It’s the change you can see or the change deposited directly in your pocket. It’s up to the AA community to decide, I suppose. But if reparations and white guilt are pushed to the max? We’ll go back 60 years in an eyeblink.
I don’t want to see that happen. I don’t think the majority of people in this country, black or white, do either.
So, I’ll give Lowrery the benefit of the doubt: he’s an old time preacher and social activist in the same way my father was an old time bigot, who started to come around, but for whom old habits are hard to break.
Peggy Sue…Come on. Not a good time for that crap. Really. There’s no excuse for it. We have enough problems. For just one day can we stop blaming white people for what’s wrong in America? By the way, I personally hope every white person in this country is offended and leaves. Then where is the income, the jobs, etc.? I pray it happens. I really do. I am tired of being abused for being white, but paying ENORMOUS taxes so minorities and illegals can suck my blood. They don’t want white people? Great, we’ll leave. Good luck.
Well go on then go.
RIP
That’s why I live up here. Too cold and nobody has a tan.
Plus, it’s closer to the Canadian border.
Y’all can bite me LOL.
Is that a promise??
Listen, America, many people of color supported HRC over Obama during the primaries. I don’t think it’s a good idea to generalize about all racial minorities. Many of us saw the race-baiting by Obama for what it was. As a result, many see that he has taken race relations — and gender issues — back 40 years. There is a lot of anxiety about this among minorities.
Good point
“Peggy Sue…Come on. Not a good time for that crap. Really. There’s no excuse for it”
I’m not excusing anything. I’m simply saying people are who they are–products of the time and place in which they’re born.
And frankly, I don’t like white whining anymore than black whining.
As far as leaving? I have no intentions of moving my lily-white ass anywhere.
But this I’m sure of: if we cannot forgive the small stuff, we are headed to true disaster.
Hmm. I don’t think the fact that Lowery is old and undoubtedly remembers many gross injustices really excuses that prayer being given yesterday. Obama’s campaign should have long ago vetted anything that was going to be said publicly at the inaug. It was really divisive and inappropriate, and watching it this morning and reading about it had a very strange effect on me.
It reminded me of a terrifying incident I had when I was a teenager in San Francisco and was assaulted by 4 young black men. I screamed and fought back & fortunately was rescued by some electrical workers that were working nearby. (It was afternoon & I was walking home from school)
Anyway, this happened over 25 years ago & I swear I haven’t thought of it in at least 20 years, what with the many ups & downs of life…marriage, careers, moves, houses, having kids, & the death of a child.
But for some reason, after hearing this prayer, where this elderly man flung out the whole racial divide issue, in Americas face as it were, I remembered that incident.
That’s the problem AAs. They are so used to criticizing whites and framing whites as the bad guys, they totally overlook the fact that lots of blacks are dangerous people who do very bad things to whites and others. If that were pointed out to them they would think because the assaulted a white person it’s okay because whites are collectively to blame for slavery–a very misguided notion. They will never be accepted and be equal until they drop the victim mentality and start taking responsibility for the crimes they commit against others.
I think some of this racism was brought on by BO himself….How many times after the primaries and election did BO say: “Our time has come”, or “It is our time”???
But I saw a book published this year at the library pushing exactly that kind of anti-white animosity, something about how the non-white races should unite against “white supremacy”. It has been pushed very strongly at various universities and in some K-12 schools (of the Ayers variety). So this is definitely an issue even now. Also, I thought I heard Obama was for reparations. Can we get a quote or source on that to clarify things?
Do you really think it is wrong to fight against white supremacists? I am surprised that admin has not gone after you for such a comment.
As for Obama and reparations - you heard wrong:-
“I have said in the past _ and I’ll repeat again _ that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed”. Senator Barack Obama
So if an old white man calls an AA a Negro, or worse, it’s OK because he’s just an old man…it’s part of his generation?
Bull F S.
The very dad thing is that while slavery and Reconstruction were very bad times, lots of white people also suffer through terror and torture in all kinds of situations and not all white people owned slaves or condoned slavery. Because AAs are a distinct race, they tend to think they are in a unique situation of abuse and exploitation. It isn’t true.
Blacks tend to look at the most comfortable, successful whites and generalize that all white people look and think like them. Not so. Try being white and working class in the U. S. and see how much preference you have. Not so much.
Peggy,
If an old white 88 year old man or woman had said that the backlash would be harsh. No one would allow them to get by with it and they would be publicly humiliated and called a racist. They may even loose their job.
Giving this man a free pass just because he lived during segragations is unaccaptable. We dont give free passes to the whites who lived during this era.
I am also tired of being made to feel that in some way I am responsible for all the wrong in the world. I have felt the affects of reverse racism and had no one to stand with me. It is ignored and pushed under the rug to make it look like AAs are the only ones descriminated against.
The reason everyone ignores the fact that racism is across all races and not just the blacks is that most groups are not organized. The AAs are. There is a fear that if you speak out against them then you too will be labeled as a racist instead of being seen to try to do what is right! The first step in doing away with racism is to treat everyone the same! No matter what happened 60 years ago or 200 years ago. How will we ever move ahead when we continually accuse others of things that happened even before they were born.
It is amazing that the American Indians are not waging war on us this very day. They were exterminated! The AA were slaves. I wonder which one is worse? hmmm!
Peggy sue. I am an AA female. I do not escuse Rev Lowery. He mached with and was a part of MLK’s inner circle. I marched but certainly was not a part of the inner circle. He knows better. Imho he shamed himself and MLK’s memory with that drivel. Please do not hold “leaders” to such low standards. If you do the “followers” will have even lower standards.
Holy crap….Obama must have finished all the work. Check out his desk.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1872924,00.html
ROFL….thanks for the pic of Obama at his desk. Can you say “photo op”?.
Notice the drapes behind him strike a strange resemblance to MO`s dress.
Oh Jeebus, the curtains! MicHELLe really was trying to impersonate Scarlett O’Hara.
My mom had a 1970’s couch that resembled those curtains.
Soon there will be animal print curtains with tiger tooth tiebacks.
YUP! Just like I said she used the curtains!! I wonder if she will have to pay to replace them? Probably not. They were practically antiques after all. Can’t wait to see her next one. She just might use the oval office rug. NOw that will be worth seeing!
The next time we see Obama at his desk it will be piled high with stacks of paper, the wastepaper basket will be overflowing with crumbled up paper, his sleeves will be rolled up and the cigarette hanging from his mouth will have the ashes falling onto his lunch as he is too busy being president to eat…and just for good measure he will be sporting glasses and the phone will be glued to his ear…lights, camera, action!
Yuck cigarette smoking in the White House
The smell will penetrate everything.
I find it so interesting that we never see pictures of him smoking–it’s so uncool to lefties.
“Michelle, I’m here…uh…what do I do now? And..uh…there’s no…uh…teleprompter on my desk!
(That first phone call.)
Yep, HARP, he worked real hard and got rid of all the paperwork in one fell swoop. Now I wonder who he’s talking to on the phone?
a–God?
b–Oprah?
c–Michelle’s mother?
d–nobody at all
Betcha it’s “d–nobody at all.” Just another photo-op. But he sure knows how to pose for the camera! Wonder what he’s faking saying to nobody at all? Only day one, and there’s so much to speculate about already!
Nah, that picture just confirms my suspicion that Obama is the “Betty Crocker” of presidents. He’s just the advertising icon. They don’t really give him anything to do and/or he doesn’t really exist.
OMFG Buzz…I steal from you all day. BETTY CROCKER? LOL LOL LOL….
Obama is just a mouth piece for every grievance anybody has ever had about anything.
That giant sucking sound you here is the end of wealth creation in this country.
Betty Crocker! Perfect.
He is just a media creation.
And what was that stuff about the end of easy, lazy wealth? How unAmerican.
I have been in a very bad mood all day…
Why..We have elected the first AA president with the help of white Americans who in good faith looked beyond race.
So how are they rewarded…A slap in the face!!
and to think Obama smiled.
Just makes me sick!
And you thought it would be different ?
When you have a lot of people who depend on you for their livings you hope for the best.
What I have seen in Obama in the last couple of days is someone I wouldn’t have ever hired. An American Idol creation.
An Enormous risk that we have no idea about.
Of course we have been saying this for months
No one listened!
Yep I feel sorry for the many AA`s that truly can look beyond skin color and see the fraud that he is.
I have great respect for Michael Steele.
He knows about business and what it takes to create jobs.
Obama is bad for business!
Trickle up has never worked and will destroy whatever is left
Bingo….In all my years I have NEVER got a job from a poor man/woman.
I am with you Harp. I have been blessed to meet SO MANY smart, on top of it, gorgeous, fabulous AAs who HATE Obama for USING THEM in his loser race baiting war. I was so proud to see how MANY AAs were on the side of justice over color. It shows just how far we really have come.
HARP,
I know I was breathing in that second hand smoke those bots were bellowing out but the party is over.
Like a hanging chad, Obama with his flat speech,flubbed oath and racist overtures are a bad omen for this country and all of us.
I thought you were tilting some in the last few weeks, but I knew you had sense enough not to partake of the evil Kool-Aid. Welcome back to sanity.
Get used to it, Seattle….there’ll be lots more where that came from. Obama has legitimized racism (against anyone NOT black), just like Reagan legitimized the Christian ultra-right.
Going to be a long 2 years!
Pat—Forgot to thank you for this post!
Remember the “Words? Just words?” speech Obama plagarized?
Of course the Revs words mattered, and even though I should not have been surprised to hear them, I was very offended. But then, they have to keep accusing whites of racism because it is their means to power and control over whites.
Nothing was said in the ceremony which was not approved by the committee and/or Obama staff. Or if the Rev didn’t have the last phrase in the transcript he would have to have submitted and stuck it in on his own, then whites deserve an apology from him. If it was in the transcript and approved, whites deserve an apology from Obama.
What a bunch of nonsense!
“Words just words…”
Does your friend make excuses for gangsta rap?
What an incredible opportunity - wasted on Lowery.
I appreciate your work as always Pat.
I wondered why “Mellow Yellow” was on the radio.
white will embrace what is right.
embrace?
Obama WILL be in the REAL history books as the GREAT DIVIDER. PERIOD.
And who decides what is “right”?
Great post Pat–perfect cartoon. Just think, if Lowery had just left off that last paragraph, there would’ve been no controversy.
What is the definition of right?
Good little rhyme but it won’t do anything but piss people off in the long run.
By the way, what the HELL is wrong with ALL OF US? We sit here and bitch about what a total JOKE Obama is. We KNOW he’s not even legally President. Do we DO anything about it? I know I do. But for everyone else here who just blogs with no action…people, this is OUR country. Not that wingbat Pelosi’s. Not Reid’s. Not Obama’s. We come from the right place. America WILL be AMERICA forever. Pelosi and the band of thieves will go soon. But we will still be here. Wake up, do your jobs, and help this country by ridding your own state of scum. We WILL win this battle. Despite the cheating, lying FILTH that Obama is.
How about I just roll down my window and spit on a few…
Is that enough?
LOL
Right you are. Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Patrick Henry is that you?
[ADMIN: Animal Control, I need you to send me an e-mail. I tried using the e-mail address you post, but it failed. You need to use a legit e-mail address or else that can be grounds for being put on moderation, which we don't wish to do to you. So e-mail me at susanunpc at gmail dot com. Thanks.]
Democrats won 59 Senate seats out of 100. So we are a good way towards ridding America of the scum that is the Rethug Party or are you from Stromfront? I find it hard to tell the difference.
You are right. The structure is there, if we will choose to activate it.
The peace and welfare of this and coming generations of Americans will be secure only as we cling to the watchword of true patriotism: “Our country — when right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right.”
Stolen from a comment on Hanniy`s site:
The government is my shepherd: I need not work. It allows me to lie down on good jobs; it leadeth me beside still factories. It destroyeth my initiative. It leadeth me down the path of parasites for politics’ sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of laziness and deficit spending, I shall fear no evil, for the nanny state is with me. Its bailouts and vote-falsifiers, they comfort me. It prepareth an economic utopia for me by appropriating the earnings of my grandchildren. It filleth my head with bologna; my inefficiency runneth over. Surely the nanny state shall care for me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in a fool’s paradise forever.
ROFL!
I have no idea if Lowery was just trying to rhyme some words or make a point. Some African Americans seem confused about what this victory really means. Come to think about it, everyone seems a little confused, maybe even Obama and Michele. They sure are frowning an awful lot for people who should be happy right now.
elise: it seems to me Obama frowns all the time, I think it’s the guilt and the fear of being in over his head. He thinks the way to hoodwink Americans is to act fierce and paternalistic, he’s always been more like a preacher than a statesman. They frown because they have to be around so many white people and they don’t really like whites.
That’s one thing I totally miss about Hil and Bill. They are sooooo personable and at the same time, competent.
Although Obama was not my first choice during the primaries, I was supportive of him….then came Rev Wright; after that my support dwindled. Rev. Wright was the number 1 reason why I didn’t vote for Obama. I hate the divisiveness that was going on Obama’s former church. I was concerned that this sort of rhetoric would continue once Obama was commander and chief. Apparently, I was right; in my opinion, Lowery is no different from Rev. Wright.
WORDS JUST WORDS….Who else but “The One” could get away w/such racist comments?…Rembember Trent Lott?
“That’s Just How White Folks Will Do You”
“I ceased to advertise my mother’s race at the age of twelve or thirteen, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.”
“I learned to slip back and forth between my black and white worlds. One of those tricks I had learned: People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. They were more than satisfied; they were relieved — such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn’t seem angry all the time.”
“If [black] nationalism could create a strong and effective insularity, deliver on its promise of self-respect, then the hurt it might cause well-meaning whites, or the inner turmoil it caused people like me, would be of little consequence
Could there have been any more Christian preachers? Everytime I glanced at the TV or listened on the radio while driving, there was another prayer. Then, whats the first thing the following day? The first day for our new President? Why, a prayer breakfast, of course. This religion sticking up in government at every turn is driving me crazy. No wonder the evangelicals are so successful. If you want to be an insider, get with the program and follow jesus.
“We are the joyous Hitler youth,
We do not need any Christian virtue
Our leader is our savior
The Pope and Rabbi shall be gone
We want to be pagans once again.”
There ya go, a few more words. Words are OK, right? All talk is good and all debate is productive, right? Everyone is entitled to HIS own opinion according to HIS particular cultural perspective, and these all perspectives deserve equal respect and consideration, right?
Anyway, it had a catchy little tune and it rhymes better in the original German.
Sigh~I’m sick of hearing about how hard black Americans have it. We elected a black President. But even that wasn’t enough to satisfy the need for….something. It seems to have become an addiction; an addiction to a victim mentality that is never fulfilled. I can see Pat’s reaction, because I might have thought the same thing, if I’d watched Lowry’s speech…
I know there is racism in this country, but there’s sexism and misogynism, and sectarianism in this country too. We are not a perfect society in any way, shape or form. We won’t ever be, considering that we are such a diverse nation. Instead of basing his speech on racism, he should have just said inequality on any level.
But, yes, it is a legitimate point that Rev. Lowry is an old man, a veteran of a different time. It is hard for older people to get past the past. I think that’s what he was doing. In time, I sincerely hope, people will distance themselves from these views, over time, because society won’t reinforce it much, with Obama as President.
By the content of the character, not by the color of his [or her] skin, gender, or religion.
That’s what should be repeated, over and over again until America gets it.
Up until that part of the prayer, I actually thought this was the best part of the Inaugural. My mouth dropped when I heard Rev. Lowery’s divisive, race baiting lines, chastising whites, who apparently never do right. It was absolutely the wrong conclusion for the day.
See, it’s the fundies all over again. These groups don’t want to be equal, they want dominance.
I get worried when Obama and Rahm Emanual start talking about “re-making the country.” What exactly does that mean?
Brown can stick around? Let’s just hand our country over to whoever barges their way in and has some grievance against the U.S.
I mentioned above that there is this growing push to unite non-whites against whites, etc., and let me give you at least one source. Check out http://www.thefire.org on University of Delaware’s Res Life debacle over the past two years. They have lots of documentation of what the ideas behind it are, and there’s plenty more where that came from.
From Melanie Phillips’s blogpost in the Spectator:
Did Obama have a copy of Lowery’s prayer in advance?
If so, then he was okay with this twisted remark.
How interesting! Thanks for finding that pm317.
Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around … when yellow will be mellow … when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right.
That section of the prayer is just embarrassing.
He’s a racist race baiter
Good work Pat!
I admit that I often cringe at some of my past words and actions.
Thankfully, they were not on national review in such a prominent moment!
Many will someday blush at their gaffes from this election, but many more do not have the wisdom to even consider it!
Crudity and rudeness are becoming the norm!
Great post, Pat and wonderful art as always. I agree with my whole heart and I must tell you I watched the entire ceremony on C-Span (up until the start of the luncheon) and I was saddened by the end of that prayer, which up until the Rev.’ “color analysis,” sounded so great. Then he went into his race poem and I realized he was a stand-in for Rev. Wright after all. Also, his post-ceremony comments that Rick Warren’s invocation would be forgotten were uncalled-for. What was the point of that? The last 13 months have been a real eye-opener for me regarding some representatives of the “black church.” And I think what Sassy said above “Crudity and rudeness are becoming the norm!” is right on the money. We will end up with less and less debate and a growing silent majority. Unity, talked about over and over in the last 13 months, is growing ever distant.
Wonderful cartoon, I kept it in my mind as I read the text which helped me to imagine the reverent making his speech!
This story shows how difficult it is to forget our past prejudices and attitudes, even when we really want to change. They can, still come out on a subconscious level and show there ugly heads. Or, as the saying goes “a Freudian slip.” Let us all give each other credit for our efforts, and not look to perfection so soon.
Rich
Well, the Reverend had his revenge. I guess that’s what he wanted.
Are we in for continued separatism? Or is the preacher just a bad poet?
YES, on both counts.
I thought those last lines were silly, inappropriate, a bit (second) childish and perpetuate racial stereotypes.
Once again whites are reacting from their side of the fence. Let’s not forget that we STILL live in a country where black folk are discriminated against in housing, education,the media,the justice system, employment, etc. Obviously if you are looking at white America’s electing of its first Black president from the white side of the fence, this somehows make all things equal. They are not and I am confident that the Rev. was referring to this very thing that has palgued blacks in this country ever since they were stolen from their homeland and robbed of their dignity as human beings!