Race in America: The Rev. Wright Tour

Wassup, Y'all!

With Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Smooth Barack's embattled former pastor, set to speak this morning to the National Press Club in D.C., his speech on 'The African American Religious Experience; Theology & Practice' will mark his third high profile appearance in as many days (he spoke at the NAACP's Freedom Fund dinner last night). Many of Smooth's supporters are cringing at Rev. J-Wright's very public reemergence to the national spotlight, fearing it will damage Smooth's election hopes. Smooth himself noted that it probably won't be helpful, but despite the perceived political peril for himself, he said that Rev. J-Wright was 'entitled to respond to critics who have "caricatured him"' And there's the rub, y'all....

Personally, I think it's good that Rev. J-Wright hits the road and begins to show the country exactly the type of man he is. One not 'caricatured' by well crafted sound bites assembled by people with transparently political motivations, but one fully formed by his own words - in totality. The day after his interview with Bill Moyers on PBS, Dave Winer on The Huffington Post opined 'Why is it so quiet after the Moyers-Wright Interview?' It's a rhetorical question, y'all. Anyone who actually listens to Rev. J-Wright from beginning to end will begin to understand that he is not at all the racist, hatemonger, idiot, [your abusive term here] those Youtube sound bites make him out to be.

I feel the more he gets his story out - a story that includes him voluntarily leaving college to serve six years in the Navy and Marines, while Presidents Bush and Clinton and Vice President Dick Cheney use their student deferments to avoid serving in the military - the more he'll be come less of a 'liability' in the fall during the general election. What I hope to see soon are new Youtube clips of his new talking points that illustrate his serious intellect, sense of humor and commitment to spreading the Word.

People - it's okay - you're intelligent and can make up your own minds without the help of political commentators (or bloggers) tellin' you what to think and say. Dialog is good, civil disagreements are good, but uninformed or misinformed hate? Leave that nonsense at home.

One thing I do know about all this - ready or not - the race discussion is about to be televised in America.

Peace@Least,

Tyrone