Different and Double Standard For Black and White Preachers

The vitriol over selected sound bytes from 35 years of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's career as a pastor just has me in a state of confusion. Why no such outrage and constant harping over this:

Rudy Giuliani's priest has been accused in grand jury proceedings of molesting several children and covering up the molestation of others. Giuliani would not disavow him on the campaign trail and still works with him.

Mitt Romney was part of a church that did not view black Americans as equals and actively discriminated against them. He stayed with that church all the way into his early thirties, until they were finally forced to change their policies to come into compliance with civil rights legislation. Romney never disavowed his church back then or now. He said he was proud of the faith of his fathers.

Jerry Falwell said America had 9/11 coming because we tolerated gays, feminists and liberals. It was our fault. Our chickens had come home to roost, if you will. John McCain proudly received his support and even spoke at his university's commencement.

Reverend John Hagee has called the Catholic Church the "Great Whore." He has said that the Anti-Christ will rise out of the European Union (of course, the Anti-Christ will also be Jewish). He has said all Muslims are trained to kill and will be part of the devil's army when Armageddon comes (which he hopes is soon). John McCain continues to say he is proud of Reverend Hagee's endorsement.

Reverend Rod Parsley believes America was founded to destroy Islam. Since this is such an outlandish claim, I have to add for the record, that he is not kidding. Reverend Parsley says Islam is an "anti-Christ religion" brought down from a "demon spirit." Of course, we are in a war against all Muslims, including presumably Muslim-Americans. Buts since Parsley believes this is a Christian nation and that it should be run as a theocracy, he is not very concerned what Muslim-Americans think.

John McCain says Reverend Rod Parsley is his "spiritual guide."

What separates all of these outrageous preachers from Barack Obama's? You guessed it. They're white and Reverend Jeremiah Wright is not. If it's not racism that's causing the disparity in media treatment of these preachers, then what is it?

The UCC is a predominately white denomination with churches that may have congregations comprised of a predominance of one ethnic group or another. When Rev. Wright retired, a white Bishop attended his celebration. A friend/Trinity member recalls his comments:

When Rev. Wright had his celebration, the UCC Bishop was there. He said something that stayed with me ... He said no one ever challenges his Japanese UCC churches that have origami hanging from the ceiling and wear traditional garb and have parts of the service in Japanese or his hispanic churches that embrace their heritage ....

Why on earth, then, are people so threatened by a black preacher, leading a black congregation, in a defacto segregated black neighborhood reflecting the culture - and views - of his community? What Jeremiah Wright said may have scared some naive folks but no one has yet to say what part was untrue or even implausible?

• Is it that "outlandish" claim that the government was injecting black folks with AIDS? That may seem far fetched to your "typical white person," but black folks who know even a tidbit of American history, (the Tuskegee experiment along with the targeted sterilization of black women (and other colored women) in the 70s and long before ) understand that there HAVE been incidents of medical malpractice and devilment which leave an understandable lack of trust and the belief that the government is quite capable of and has done/will do anything it can to people of color. (Please don't get me started on my theories about that "Government cheese" program from the 80s ... and thank God my family had moved to the 'burbs and didn't attend a black church where that stuff was handed out by the ton).
  
  
• America isn't run by rich white men? Don't make me laugh.
  
  
• No one has ever called Hillary Clinton a "nigga?" Probably not ... but tell me that her husband hasn't been called, at the very least (and until this election cycle), a "nigger lover." People called my white college roommate (that the dorm chose) that simply because we ate meals and walked to class together.
  

Should it be discussed in church? Depends on the community and the church. I don't care to hear about death and destruction coming to America because two men (or women) like each other. But, if that topic resonates with you and your experience/beliefs, best believe you won't be walking out of church ... just as hearing what is the truth based on my life experience and knowledge wouldn't cause me to walk out of Trinity.

There is indeed a double standard and the age old message that Negroes must know their place ... that they must sit down, shut up, know their place, and as Pat Buchanan says "be grateful" for how well white folks have treated us for these past 400 years.