Wright, Obama, and the Future: We Must Choose

RON SIDER

Wright, Obama, and the Future: We Must Choose

after King’s assassination. We lived in nearly all-black North Philadelphia for seven years. Since 1975, we have lived in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood, which is majority African American.

Our daughter is married to a wonderful black American. (Recently, while reading a newspaper story on racist behavior in suburban police departments, I suddenly The good news surrounding the sorry felt a wave of anxiety as I realized what episode of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s recent might happen to my son-in-law—or political explosion is that it presents all granddaughter—sometime.) These expeof us with a choice. White Americans riences have enabled Arbutus and me to can choose to seek a deeper understand- taste some of the pain, anguish, and—yes ing of black pain and anger, and all of —anger of African Americans. We canus can decide to rise to a new level of not fully feel what it means to be black racial reconciliation. Or we can ignore in this country, but we have learned the truth behind Wright’s exaggerated enough to understand why Wright’s fiery words and choose to use him as a tool —and often historically accurate—words for short-term political advantage, know- evoke a positive response from so many ing that this will block racial reconcili- African Americans.

Wright is right that white Americans ation and heighten division.

African Americans have good reason “took the country by terror” from Native to be angry. White Europeans captured Americans. He is right that our seizure millions, brutalized them on inhuman of Africans from their homeland was slave ships, then sold and bred them as terrorism.

That is not to justify everything animals for two centuries.After Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, white rac- Wright has said. Some of it is wrong and ism produced a century of racist laws in unacceptable. It is silly nonsense, for the South and slightly less explicit but example, to say that the US government widespread racist discrimination in invented AIDS to destroy the black community. Equally outrageous has been the North.

We have made substantial progress, Wright’s decision to go on national telethank God, since Martin Luther King vision and reignite and stoke the fires over Jr led the courageous, nonviolent civil his comments at the height of the rights movement. But we all know Democratic primaries. One would have more subtle racism still exists. Many thought that a concern for his most whites still move out of neighborhoods famous parishioner would have ledWright when African Americans move in. On to seal his lips at least until November!

Senator Obama’s whole life demonbalance, African Americans receive substantially inferior education to whites. strates that he totally rejects racism and Careful studies demonstrate that African believes passionately in the American Americans still experience discrimi- dream of racial reconciliation. At every nation in hiring. Some white police stage in his life—growing up with white officers continue to exhibit racist atti- grandparents, becoming the first African American editor of the Harvard Law tudes and actions.

I have had the privilege of living in Review, winning majority white states majority African American communities in elections—Obama has been a powersince 1966. Arbutus and I sat with our ful champion and compelling voice for African American landlords the night racial reconciliation.

PRISM 2008

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Senator Obama has rightly rejected Jeremiah Wright’s misguided statements.

Far more important, Senator Obama delivered one of the best speeches in decades on racism in America. He gently but clearly acknowledged and condemned the racism both of his white grandmother and Jeremiah Wright. He helped us understand the pain and anger of African Americans. But most importantly, he used the uproar to call all Americans to reach for a new plateau of greater racial justice and reconciliation.

That is a genuine possibility. We could decide as a nation to take another giant step along the road to racial wholeness.

Will that happen in the next few months? Not necessarily.

There is another real possibility.

Significant voices already make it clear that they intend to wring every ounce of political gain out of Wright’s foolish words. That will deepen racial division, strengthen white racism, and intensify black anger.That will torpedo any chance of seizing our present opportunity to reach another plateau of racial understanding. Senator McCain must lead the way—not just verbally, but by vigorously opposing all efforts to use the Wright episode for short-term political gain.

None of the above represents an endorsement of Senator Obama. I have not endorsed a presidential candidate for more than 35 years and will not this fall.

I recently wrote a piece strongly critical of Senator Obama’s position on abortion.

In my next column, I will discuss the different ways that McCain’s and Obama’s platforms do and do not fit with what I believe is a biblically balanced political agenda.

I do hope and pray, however, that all of us—starting with Senator McCain— will decide in the next few months to seize the present opportunity to move to a higher plateau of racial understanding and reconciliation.That choice would be a wonderful gift to all of us, starting with my little granddaughter. n