Wright Beats Wrong

“Not God BLESS America, God DAMN America!”

– Rev. Dr.  Jeremiah A. Wright

Mr. Ricketts and other conservatives, hell bent on making President Obama a one term president, want to turn the clock back four years and essentially put the Black Church back on “front street” by reminding America (mostly white America) that evil continues to lurk in the hearts of all Black people as manifested in those 6000 people plus a president, that would dare follow the teachings of a distinguished Black theologian such as Jeremiah Wright. The only advice I have for him is this, “it did not work then and it will not work now!”

Certainly it comes as no surprise that the 2012 presidential campaign season has begun in earnest now that former Governor Mitt Romney has all but officially been declared the GOP endorsed candidate to face President Barak Obama in the November election. It should also be expected that the two sides will employ every possible tactic (both positive and negative) to expose their opponent’s shortcomings and character flaws in and effort to distract the public from seeing their own weaknesses and vulnerabilities. 

But what has caught me and over a million other Americans from both sides of the divide, completely off-guard is the recent revelation that the most conservative wing of the GOP, via the super PAC Ending Spending Action Fund (ESAF), had planned to spend more than 10 million dollars on an advertising campaign that would resurrect the Rev. Jeremiah Wright reminding the voters of the relationship between the President and his former Pastor.

Then, to add insult to injury, the chief backer and 10 million dollar contributor of this proposed schemes turns out to be Chicago’s very own (by way of Nebraska) Joe  Ricketts, a major player with the Chicago Cubs organization and ultra-conservative billionaire businessman. Not only has this latest news destroyed any hope I might have had about not seeing my blood pressure rise daily with the political lobs and distorted records of two men I now respect, but given Mr. Ricketts relationship with my favorite baseball team, I can’t see how I can ever enter the “friendly confines of Wrigley Field” without thinking that my admission dollars could be supporting the race baiting, Black Theology hating, anti-Christian promoting, fear mongering politics of hatred being used to turn people against President Obama.

If it were possible to put politics aside, this issue raises several significant questions for me. As an African American Pastor, person of deep faith, former member of Trinity United Church of Christ, and as one that faced his own controversial scandal when I came out about my sexual orientation to my African-American Baptist congregation, I am left to wonder “Are we our Pastor’s Keeper?” 

President Obama did not create Black Theology, but rather it has emerged as an opportunity for Black people to reflect theologically about our day to day struggles of living in these yet to be called United States of America. Rev. Wright, like many Black preachers was articulating the view that America, with all of its blessings, gifts and liberties, is no more exempt from its role in creating world problems as it is in creating solutions to those problems. Can it be implied that the views of the Pastor represent the views of every member of the congregation every Sunday? The underlying issue in the Rev. Wright controversy is that White America actually became witness to what happens in many Black churches each Sunday. 

Black Theology is powerful and is best understood, not in the context of what White people want to hear, but as a means to empower, enlighten and energize those that have been historically downtrodden and excluded, providing a spiritual context for world events in language that Black people not only understand but can apply to our daily lives.

While I in no way purport to be a baseball expert, I have watched enough games to know that how a player starts the game sets the tone for the remaining nine innings. It is unfortunate that the political right, in their opening pitch, has chosen to put such a strong negative spin to the ball. Why start a new campaign season with the same divisive tactics that assisted you in a losing season four years ago? This is the reason why the starting pitcher cannot open two consecutive games. It’s good that Mr. Ricketts and his 10 million dollar bull pin are rethinking their game plan and realize that Americans, even the ones still struggling to accept the leadership of an African-American Commander-In-Chief, want to watch a fair game. Why not let those on the field play and leave the race baiting, hate provoking strategies in the Peanut Gallery.