America Saddens Me

At a time when the economy is crumbling, when Americans are dying every day in a senseless war, when Americans cannot afford health care; the media and everyone is still talking about Jeremiah Wright. I am appalled. Appalled at America for buying into the angry Black man hype. Americans live off of Black culture. Everything from Sean John jeans to Kanye West, Black people have contributed a lot to this country. America is scoffing over Reverend Wright, but in reality it is an unsound excuse not to vote for Barack Obama.

Using political maneuvering, the talking point has now become whether Obama showed the right judgment. Fearing a head negro in charge, the corporate fat cats and Obama's rather divisive opponents are capitalizing on this tribulation. I am watching an all out media circus who has brought Jeremiah Wright front and center for all to see, as if Jeremiah Wright will get me a job or force insurance companies to lower their premiums. When did it suddenly become okay to peak behind the door of a man's church? I thought we had a separation of church and state. No one is asking Hillary Clinton about her church or John McCain about his. Nope. The media is making a mockery of a man's reputation at the expense of Barack Obama.

America is making me sad. I am disgusted at how many on the conservative right and the liberal left are castigating Obama for his handling of the Wright situation. There are dozens of articles on the front pages of every newspaper about how Senator Obama's campaign is in hot water and has the potential of derailing because of some incendiary statements his pastor made. America acts as if Jeremiah Wright is going to be in the Oval office making critical decisions on behalf of the country.

What is even more rueful here is that race still matters. America cannot or just outrightly refuses to deal with the stains of its past. Or perhaps it believes like many believe that race is not a big issue. But looking at this denigration of both Jeremiah Wright and Barack Obama puts the final nail in that theory's coffin.

Instead of taking the time to appreciate someone like Jeremiah Wright, who yes has made remarks that were offensive, America is belittling him as being unpatriotic and anti-American. Why can't Jeremiah Wright speak out on things that bother him? People do it all the time, yet America seems have a slight problem because after all, Barack could feel that way! We don't need him in the White House if he believes the government is built on corruption and evil. We can't have him in there because he and Jeremiah Wright are one in the same or as MSNBC's Chris Matthews put it, Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. He got Wright's views by osmosis. Bullshit.

I am sad. It is depressing to watch a racially divided America try and hold Obama's feet to the fire for things his pastor said. Everyone is wondering whether Wright will further damage Obama, but what we as Americans are failing to realize is that it is us who are damaged. Bottom feeding on the latest talking points and feasting off of scandal and gossip. Wright reveals just how divided we are as a country. It is a shame that we Americans do not see that. We are blinded by our own sanctimony and double standards believing that we have done no wrong. There is not much difference between back then and right now and from the looks of it, we are content on that path. I shudder to think where we all will be if we continue on this journey of severance. Only time will tell.

Life has many parts -