Thanks, Z. Amanda’s headline cracked me up.

Side-stepping? Your comment here is the first time anyone has brought it up to me. Further, your paraphrase of my position is way wide of reality.

But finally, at the end, you get to the point. Yes, I am certain the only reason these clips of Wright are being shown is because of racism. Those who insist these clips “tell us something about what Obama believes” either believe or pretend to believe that Wright is an “angry black man who hates white people,” and therefore Mr. Obama must be also.

Jay: “Crazy agreeing with crazy. Shocking.”

So the CIA is crazy? Is that your argument?

Do I correctly interpret your emphasis to mean you DON’T think racism is involved?

And if they did it certainly wouldn’t be because of racism.

Do I correctly interpret your sarcasm to mean to DO think it was because of racism?

Head… spinnning….

Crazy agreeing with crazy. Shocking.

The people who think the moon landing was faked all think they’re rational human beings too.

For the exact same reason the things that John Hagee has said were plastered all over the place.

You’re doing a very good job of side-stepping that comparison. Basically, you’re saying, “Wright should get a pass because he’s black” because you’re CERTAIN that the only reason these clips of Wright are being shown is because of racism.

Of course, the only person who truly benefits from this stuff coming out at this time, is Hillary Clinton. But no Democrat would ever do anything like that. Oh no. Just wouldn’t happen! And if they did it certainly wouldn’t be because of racism.

Whoever released these comments is playing the American public for stupid. The fact is, a wide swath of the public are susceptible to stuff like “John Kerry faked his medals” and “Al Gore said he invented the Internet”. A large portion of the public IS stupid (Hi J, JWG and farris!). A charitable reading is that they aren’t paying attention and vote on emotion and not facts.

In a forum where discussion amongst clearly erudite folks can rapidly degenerate into tirades of “Shut up. Just shut up.” “you are a fucking moron”, “fucking shoot yourself. You are a waste of life” and continually refusing to address teh others actual point, well, someone should be.

Although I prefer the word “rational”.

I musta dozed off and missed that part.

I’m reminded of a someone I met ages back who, when we were introduced, basically started with “I’m gay, you gonna make something of it?”

The correct response would be “Well, I am now.

Never said they were.

I would think that is obvious. Certainly if it weren’t, then those who want us to get some impression of Obama are over estimating us because we wouldn’t “get” what they are insinuating.

But my point remains, no racism need be involved on the part of folks who would use Wright’s comments to tarnish Obama.

Is it involved? Would those folks draw attention to Wright’s comments if Obama wasn’t black? I dunno. Maybe. But nobody can claim it is with legitimacy. Since race isn’t the subject of Wright’s comments it isn’t part of this issue. At least, not until Obama’s defenders claim it is and that makes me think (inthis case) it’s more a matter of the defenders playing victim than the other side being racist.

You are far more willing than I to credit Mr. Obama’s critics with good will and good intentions. I’m not asking for narrow possibilities here. I’m asking why these video clips of Wright suddenly seem to be everywhere. They are “good fodder” because they “tell us something about what Obama believes.”

If we needed to know what Mr. Obama believes, we can look at clips of Mr. Obama speaking. Instead, we’re being asked to evaluate Mr. Obama’s beliefs on the basis of someone else’s words. What impression of Wright would critics like us to transfer to Mr. Obama?

Wright is Obama’s pastor and has been for decades. McCain went on bended knee for Hagee’s endorsesment.

Then I think you’re reading it precisely not as I intended it, and perhaps showing some of your own bias.

I mean that one need not be racist or even thinking of Obama’s race to make fodder out of his pastor’s comments.

To attribute any criticism of a black person to racism is, in it’s own way, racist. I’m reminded of a someone I met ages back who, when we were introduced, basically started with “I’m gay, you gonna make something of it?” It was actually a completely irrelevant fact to me but the person was very difficult to deal with because they presumed any comment made about them stemmed from the other person’s homophobia. If I said she was a bit rude it wasn’t because she was accosting me (someone she’d only just met and hadn’t had any opportunity to give offense even if I had wanted to) but because I was prejudiced.

You’re very close, but no. It’s an important part of the narrative that Wright is Obama’s “mentor and spiritual advisor.” Those who bring Wright to our attention rarely neglect to mention that it’s an “afrocentric” church.

And your final sentence is exactly what I’m trying to tease out. JWG, SaveFarris, and Jay have all studiously avoided any mention or allusion to his race. I think, on the contrary, that’s precisely why so many people want us to look at Wright–he’s the stand-in for allusions to race.

It’s good fodder because it can be spun as Obama supporting the notion that America deserved to be attacked on 9/11. That Obama is anti-American, or at least not proud of being American.

Doesn’t require any mention or allusion to his race.