Bill Moyers interview with Rev. Wright

[DroppinScience]

Excellent, insightful interview with Wright, explaining his background and form of black liberation theology. Finally, something that places him in the proper context beyond the superficial sound bytes.

This is his first interview after the controversy. I think you can gain a much better understanding of this whole affair in a 60 minute interview than watching the 24 hour news channels in one week.

Two-part interview is streamable on PBS:

Part I
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04252008/watch.html

Part II
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04252008/watch2.html

[RobMoney$]

I caught you knockin'
at my cellar door
I love you, baby,
can I have some more
Ooh, ooh, the damage done.

I hit the city and
I lost my band
I watched the needle
take another man
Gone, gone, the damage done.

I sing the song
because I love the man
I know that some
of you don't understand
Milk-blood
to keep from running out.

I've seen the needle
and the damage done
A little part of it in everyone
But every junkie's
like a settin' sun.

[Documad]

Since that interview, Rev. Wright is really getting out there and creating loads of news clips. Obama can't stop him but it's the worst thing that could happen to Obama right now. I can't stand JFK, but making fun of him while the cameras are rolling is a seriously dumb thing to do.

[QueenAdrock]

See, I disagree. If people actually watch the interview and speech from last night, they'll get the idea that he's an intelligent man who is pretty pissed off about racism in the United States. I think that seeing where he comes from, his background, and his thoughts, gives people a bigger picture of what he's about and it has helped "humanize" him and made people realize that he's not a man who "hates" America, he just wants to end what's bad and wrong in our society. Through the interviews, they can actually see what he stands for, rather than them relying on that "God damn America" sound bite to form their opinions.

That is, if they actually listen to the whole interview and speech and don't rely on what FOX News decides to selectively sample. There are some things in his speeches which should have been left out, and I can see the media focusing on the bad rather than his good messages. So, we'll see.

[Documad]

I'm more pessimistic about the american voters I guess. :o

By the way, since I posted last time, I've received three email alerts from various news agencies about
Wright's new comments and the negative impact they're going to have on Obama.

[DroppinScience]

Since that interview, Rev. Wright is really getting out there and creating loads of news clips. Obama can't stop him but it's the worst thing that could happen to Obama right now. I can't stand JFK, but making fun of him while the cameras are rolling is a seriously dumb thing to do.

I don't buy it, because if you watch the Moyers interview, you will at least get a better context of what he represents. You don't have to agree with everything Wright does or says or how he says it (which even some of his admirers admit), but people at the very least deserve a context. Many people think he's a figure of hate, and I think it's unfair considering his 40+ years of contribution he's done for the black community. Moyers is a responsible journalist, so he's actually going to give us the opportunity to truly get to know Wright's biography and what black liberation theology is about.

And I missed the part about where JFK comes into this discussion. Is Obama choosing him as his running mate? :confused:

[yeahwho]

Do not underestimate the power of the Black voter and the backlash of an overwhelming white press telling America what is racist.

The people who create this scenario are more than just stupid. Wright has a right to free speech and seriously now, it's 2008. Those who vocally criticize his second amendment rights must do so with caution.

It's going to backfire and hurt this Nation.

fools (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/us/politics/28cnd-wright.html?em&ex=1209528000&en=2bcb6a8a6621f254&ei=5087%0A).

[QueenAdrock]

If it's said enough, I'm sure it will come true. If the media keeps pounding it into people's heads that Wright will have a negative impact on Obama's campaign, it may very well happen. If they honestly shut their goddamn yappers and let the people decide for themselves, it may have a different impact. Just watching it myself, without any commentary by any news agency, I have a very different view than what they're making out of it. But perhaps they're also playing it up for the "scared white voter" viewers. Just like how they try to scare the public with stuff about "Are your children going to die in the next few weeks from something that may or may not be in your food supply?" they're doing the same thing with Wright. People who feel threatened or scared make for better ratings.

[funk63]

did yall hear him speaking in washington? man that dudes crazy.

[Documad]

I don't buy it, because if you watch the Moyers interview, you will at least get a better context of what he represents. You don't have to agree with everything Wright does or says or how he says it (which even some of his admirers admit), but people at the very least deserve a context. Many people think he's a figure of hate, and I think it's unfair considering his 40+ years of contribution he's done for the black community. Moyers is a responsible journalist, so he's actually going to give us the opportunity to truly get to know Wright's biography and what black liberation theology is about.

And I missed the part about where JFK comes into this discussion. Is Obama choosing him as his running mate? :confused:

Less than one percent of american voters will watch that interview. Most of them will see the other clips on the news, and those clips continue to be very unflattering.

I saw a clip on the news yesterday in which Wright mentioned JFK and it came across as if he was making fun of JFK's accent. From the clip they showed on TV, it appeared that Wright was saying that no one criticized JFK because he couldn't say "ask" properly so why are other people (presumably black people) criticized for not saying "ask" properly. Stupid lines like that are going to be on TV 24/7 from now till November. I think it's going to wear voters down, but maybe I'm wrong and the rest of you are all right. I sure hope so even though if I were betting, I'd bet on my gut and experience. :(

[RobMoney$]

How much of a fucking idiot do you feel like for making this thread trying to paint this guy Wright as "misunderstood" when he comes out a few days later and firmly implants his foot in mouth yet again.
Are you going to admit to yourself that he's a vile excuse for a human being.


I can't wait to see the Obama-maniacs try and spin todays hate-speach from Wright.
You guys gonna cry "out of context" on this one too?

[RobMoney$]

I saw a clip on the news yesterday in which Wright mentioned JFK and it came across as if he was making fun of JFK's accent. From the clip they showed on TV, it appeared that Wright was saying that no one criticized JFK because he couldn't say "ask" properly so why are other people (presumably black people) criticized for not saying "ask" properly. Stupid lines like that are going to be on TV 24/7 from now till November. I think it's going to wear voters down, but maybe I'm wrong and the rest of you are all right. I sure hope so even though if I were betting, I'd bet on my gut and experience. :(


Talk about tearing the party apart, let's mock one of the party's most beloved icons, that'll unite people. Sorry, but I'm not interested in this brand of CHANGE

It's 14:59 Mr. Obama.

[QueenAdrock]

Please, Rob, I'd like to see you quote verbatim his "hate speech." If you want us to refute it, tell us what to refute.

[RobMoney$]

Please, Rob, I'd like to see you quote verbatim his "hate speech." If you want us to refute it, tell us what to refute.

How about we cut to the chase and you post anything Wright said today that you would consider offensive.

[QueenAdrock]

There's a big difference between hate speech and then saying some offensive things. He did imitate the Kennedys and said that their accents aren't wrong, just different, but when you talk to a black child and they have an accent that can be considered "different" they're somehow told that they're speaking incorrectly, though it's the same situation. The way he said it could have been offensive to some, but by no means was it hate speech. He does bring up a good point; why is the dialect that Blacks use so offensive to some when no one cares about the way some others speak?

He does have anger towards a lot of double standards and events from history. But it's not him having hate speech, he's saying "This is what's wrong in America and needs to be fixed." If he didn't care about fixing it, he'd just call for his congregation to rise up and create anarchy as payback to the government that's wronged them. He doesn't do that. He insists to his congregation that their voice is just as important as anyone else's, they're just as important as the white Christians, and preaches the word of Jesus and insists that the history that's been happening has to change.

He did say "God damn America" in regards to their racism against Blacks. But you know what? I love America, but when they voted in Bush for the second term, I said "God damn America" in regards to the idiots out there. It's frustrating to see your country make bad, wrong decisions, and if you get worked up over it, you do say those sorts of things. You just work harder to change your country back to the way it should be, though. He is very "in your face" about his views (which is not popular to many), but I don't think he's hateful.

[DroppinScience]

How much of a fucking idiot do you feel like for making this thread

I'll never feel like an idiot for posting a link to a Bill Moyers interview because:

Moyers > Rob$

I gave you the opportunity to get informed about the man, but you pissed it all away in favor of more tired FOX News/Karl Rove-style immature theatrics.

And why are you so silent about McCain's own clergyman for saying homosexuals are to blame for Hurricane Katrina? I guess that doesn't qualify as hate speech. Would you start caring if this clergyman switched his endorsement to Obama? Would you get all riled up then?

The hypocrisy just knows no leaps and bounds for you, huh?

[RobMoney$]

Answer me this, why didn't every TV newscast on TV lead off with that story about McCain's "clergymen" and Katrina then?


I can respect the fact that we disagree on who we're supporting in this race, but trying to brush the Wright issue off as a non-issue at this point is laughable.

[QueenAdrock]

Honestly, I don't know why they're not attacking McCain on it. It's a double standard that they're going for the jugular on Obama and let him have a free pass. The media has been pretty easy on McCain thus far and it really pisses me off, because his "proud endorsement" by Hagee is sick. Hagee's an asshole and what he's said is much more offensive than anything that could come out of Wright's mouth.

And it is a non-issue, that has been hyped up by the media. They've made a non-issue an issue. Just like when CNN was arguing over whether Obama was discreetly flipping Hillary the bird. They take something out of context and out of proportion and blow it up because it gives them good ratings.

[saz]

Answer me this, why didn't every TV newscast on TV lead off with that story about McCain's "clergymen" and Katrina then?

because the mainstream, corporate media and journalists love john mccain. mccain realized during the keating five scandal (http://www.azcentral.com/news/specials/mccain/articles/0301mccainbio-chapter7.html) that if you give the media and journalists all the time in the world, they will lap it up and love you for it.

you've noticed that both clinton and obama have been scrutinized to death, but mccain has literally been receiving a free pass, and it is sickening. especially considering that john hagee has endorsed mccain, and mccain said he is "proud" of his endorsement, even though hagee hates gays, catholics, and openly advocates a nuclear attack on iran to bring about armageddon. the guy is a total nut job.

[Documad]

I suspect that the media will say that they are focusing on Obama now because the democratic nomination is still in play and that's the real news now. But I doubt that they will EVER give proper scrutiny to McCain once it comes down to a choice between two candidates. Most people who watch those shitty 24 hour cable news channels (and they're all shitty, not just Fox) WANT to see what looks like an angry black man because that reenforces what they already think about our homegrown black leaders. (The only reason Obama had a free pass for so long is because he's not homegrown).

The Daily Show was funny last night, BTW ("if my former rabbi had that much game . . . .").


(Also, remember that Bill Clinton's campaign actually benefitted when he dissed Jesse Jackson and Sister Soulja.)

[funk63]

rev wrights obviously a very smart guy. but regardless of if his warped opinions are justified by bad experiences in his past or his paranoia of an evil government and media out to persecute the "black church"
he speaks to thousands of impressionable people.. do you realize that what he says effects young black kids that hear what he says and immediately look at white people in a different way. he truly believes the government invtented the aids virus.. are you fucking serious? he said this is an attack on the "black church" which to me says, these thoughts and things he said are at least accepted among other black preachers if not preached in the same way. liberation theology.. give me a fucking break. ive concluded that liberation theology breeds anger towards whites. and it kind of makes sense.
its like a culture based on paranoia. i see it all the time, at a military school i went to the black kids would gang up and immediately call racism when the white instructors told them to get in line. theyd push it as far as possible and say "you dont like black people" when you call them out. its not your skin i dont like, homie, its your actions.
for me when i hear rev wright speak i kind of understand why younger blacks act the way they do, cuz they listen to this shit. it annoys me when i hear some of this shit that comes out of some peoples mouths.
also, another good example of god being used as a nunchuck. he said something like these arent rev wright bobastic principles these are biblical principles.. the bible was written a shit long time ago when people hadnt evolved to the point were at now. where ideas such as eye for an eye were commonplace.
basically all im sayin is this dudes crazy and he effects alot of people, Obamas a good guy in my book and wright shouldnt effect peoples votes. but dont give this dude a pass. hes not good.

[Burnout18]

How much of a fucking idiot do you feel like for making this thread trying to paint this guy Wright as "misunderstood" when he comes out a few days later and firmly implants his foot in mouth yet again.


And thats what he did,,, Wright put his foot in his mouth. Obama came out and distanced himself from rev. wright for good (or at least tried). In fact Obama sounded pissed.

[RobMoney$]

That's what he should have done the first time Wright's comments became an issue, but he choose not to.
He choose to stand by him.

Wrong choice.
And that's why this is an issue for a lot of people.

We don't have a lot to go on with Obama, and so far his decision making has been suspect at best.
He's on record as saying that he credits Wright for bringing God into his life. It's kind of ironic how Obama joined Wright's Trinity Church as a way to further his political career, and now it may wind up being the thing that destroys it.

[Burnout18]

I feel like today obama just said... Fuck this, this guy is killing me, I can't believe I didn't do this before.

It also sounded like Rev. Wright wants to piss off Obama. I think wright succeeded.

[DroppinScience]

Bill Moyers gives a reflection on his interview with Wright and the subsequent TV appearances that Wright made in the wake of the interview.

This is a particularly important analysis because he points out media hypocrisy on how they react to a black preacher's inflammatory remarks yet they never bat an eye at inflammatory remarks made by white preachers (such as anti-homosexual remarks,anti-Jew remarks, calling for the assassination of foreign leaders and the removal of Supreme Court justices).

And don't worry, the clip is only 6 minutes long, so it's more digestible than the Rev. Wright interview.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/05022008/watch.html

[yeahwho]

Both Hillary and McCain are guilty of pandering to the media on the Reverend Wright issue. Thanks for posting this stuff, its as if the most important thing the media and political opponent's of Barack Obama have is pointing out over and over again Barack is black.

Overkill and Short Shrift (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/03/opinion/03herbert.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin), by BOB HERBERT NYTimes today.

We’ve allowed the entire political process in what is perhaps the most important election in the U.S. since World War II to become thoroughly warped by the histrionics of a loony preacher from the South Side of Chicago.

There’s something wrong with us.

Race is like pornography in the United States — the dirty stories and dirty pictures that everyone professes to hate but no one can resist. But I suspect that even porn addicts get their fill sometimes.

[D_Raay]

Wright’s offensive opinions and inflammatory appearances are judged differently (than John Hagee, Pat Robertson and Billy Graham). He doesn’t fire a shot in anger, put a noose around anyone’s neck, call for insurrection, or plant a bomb in a church with children in Sunday school. What he does is to speak his mind in a language and style that unsettle some people, and says some things so outlandish and ill-advised that he finally leaves Obama no choice but to end their friendship. We are often exposed us to the corroding acid of the politics of personal destruction, but I’ve never seen anything like this–this wrenching break between pastor and parishioner–before our very eyes. Both men no doubt will carry the grief to their graves. All the rest of us should hang our heads in shame for letting it come to this in America, where the gluttony of the non-stop media grinder consumes us all and prevents an honest conversation on race. It is the price we are paying for failing to heed the great historian Jacob Burckhardt, who said “beware the terrible simplifiers”.