The most disappointing thing about the Rev. Wright incident is the complete failure of our news media. I was familiar with Wrights preaching before the brouhaha, so when it happened I was truly puzzled. How could anyone draw an opinion of a mans, and especially a pastors words with just a 10 second sound bite, and from that sound bite draw the conclusion that the speaker is hateful, or a racist. I knew then that no one who did actually had seen or read a Wright sermon.
What was insidious about the Rev. Wright story is that every report of those videos on TV, and in the reports of print media the description of the sermons as hateful etc were repeated over and over again. Many Americans view the reports of the media as actual truth. So regardless now of the actual context and meaning of his words he will be forever thought of as hateful and the career of a stalwart man of God is forever sullied.
That should disturb me, but I think I can estimate the heart of the Rev Wright. If only one soul is saved by hearing more than just 10 seconds of the word of God he will consider the condemnation worth it. That the storm over his sermon led to Obama’s speech on race he would consider a blessing.
These so called responsible journalist and not just those who represent the right wing owe both the American people and the Rev. Wright an apology, and the pledge to refrain from viral journalism.
Comment by Albert Johnson Jr on 03/21/08 at 10:46 PM
See this video as well
Watch Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s 9-11 sermon in context
Already 180,000 people have watched this video
