A sentence I once read many years ago came to life before my eyes and ears yesterday as I listened to Barak Obama speak about race and Rev. Wright. The sentence read: The making of a great orator is more in his sound than in his sense. Certainly, even those of us "with untrained ears" — Jews, whites, damned Americans — could be seduced by Obama's oratorical gift and grace. But let's bust the sound bite bubble and get straight to the sense and nonsense of WHAT was said.
To start, does this make sense: "Not once in my conversations with [Wright] have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms." If the reverend is indeed "like family" to Obama, does it fly with you that only at his pulpit before thousands of congregants, who could be anyone from the KKK to reporters, etc., that Wright feels comfortable to speak his mind about race and whites and about damning America, yet in the safe privacy of a conversation with Obama — who is like family to him and also an Obama who was on the rise and had potential to effectuate the "change" Wright preaches about — that only then the reverend would stop to express himself? Hmmm, sound likely?
There is not a person among us who has not at one time or another made a racist remark and most comfortably with our closest friends or family, all the while looking over our shoulder to make sure the Jew, the black, the Chasid, the Hispanic, the Muslim didn't hear us. That this entire logic is spun on its head by Obama is sound bubble number one busted!
But let's just pretend by a Disney stretch of the imagination that Obama never knew about the insidious speeches made by his beloved spiritual leader who is like family to him. Well, why didn't he? If he doesn't know what's going on in his own church, then how can we trust he really knows what's going on anywhere, for instance in such confusing places as Iraq or the West Bank, or America — necessary requirements for a competent commander-in-chief.
Next, that Obama tries to comfort us with the fact that Wright was ONLY his spiritual teacher is another spin-silken yarn. Nonetheless, that is what should be the most alarming part. If he had been his political advisor, or his academic educator or informational instructor, or some other mentor in the world of facts and figures where logic and rational thinking prevail, I'd say okay, it's a meeting of the minds. Minds can be changed when new facts reveal themselves — after all we live in the information age. But, it is precisely that this hate-spewing reverend is his spiritual leader who has gripped the presidential candidate by the soul and heart that scares me. Bloody histories have shown that indelible marks are more often made in the heart than the mind.
And as Obama himself said, "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother." Oh really? Why not, Obama. Remember the old saying 'you can pick your friends but not your family." If he can't disown him then he has clearly exposed where his heart strings are, and that is not a fraying yarn of silk but rather a much "heartier" tie. One of his aides had to resign for calling Hillary Clinton a monster, yet when his reverend calls to the good Lord to damn America, Obama is not incensed? In his address yesterday Obama distanced himself from the reverend — nice political move — but if he really believes "working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds," then why didn't he call to all blacks in that same speech to distance themselves from like sermons across the country.
Obama's disability to 'disown' anyone, not the blacks, not the whites, not the Reverend, says one thing clearly: He is politically pandering. Seems the only person in the whole country that he can find fault with is Hillary Clinton. An apropos quote comes to mind: A friend to all is a friend to none. This was also seen very clearly a few weeks ago when he failed to boldly say to Farrakhan "Please keep your endorsement and shove it, I don't want it?" We ask only that you 'disown' wrong Obama, don't pretend we asked for more — and don't hide behind the high drama of claiming your heritage.
And finally as a former rabbi's wife of ten years myself, and as journalist who has interviewed the who's who of the Jewish world for 19 years, and as a synagogue going Jew, I'm compelled to take on his comment: "I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed."
Let me say with authoritative knowledge that there is rare a rabbi in this country and around the world who has not been lambasted, fired or censured by his congregants or his synagogue board for comments made which were deemed unacceptable. Rabbis get flack if their speeches extend five minutes into lunchtime, never mind for their content. Jews take each other on with great vigilance and often little mercy when they feel their own people are doing and saying something wrong. Yes, slavery is an egregious sin committed by white America and against blacks, but let's not forget the small fact that Jews are the most persecuted people in history and America was certainly not guilt free in its prejudice toward my people. Yet, still in synagogues across this country, Jews say every Sabbath the 'Prayer for the Welfare of the Government' (meaning the government of this country, not Israel) and certainly do not curse this country for past grievances. It's really very simple my friends: If you stay in the pew, you share the view!
I hope Americans will soon awake from their Obama bedazzlement and pay heed to sense not sound. In addition to all, he has zero experience for the job for which he is applying. Maybe may not everyone wants Hillary answering that phone in the middle of the night, but at least — day one — she knows where it is.
We already had a president who needed training wheels and this country has spun out of control.
How much longer will Barak Obama keep seducing lady liberty and whispering sweet nothings in her ear? And if he makes that final seduction on Election Day, America, will you respect yourself in the morning?
© 2009
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