Voters Skeptical of Obama's Outrage With Wright

I find it strange that he average American can't understand what took Obama so long to truly distance himself from Wright.

More than likely he stayed in the church for 20 years, because it was not all bad, it has done a lot of good, he had built many relationships, not just the one with Wright over the years. More importantly is the 20 years of sermons does not equate to 20 years. Sunday comes once a week. You spend six other days making up your own mind.

I go to a church I love, been there four years. I am active and involved. I don't go every Sunday, and the pastor and I differ on several views, especially political ones, yet I still go because spiritually he usually ministers or encourages me, I have lots of other good relationships and I love ministering to other. A pastor isn't the only member in a church, which is a community of believers, and although he may be influential, it is up to each individual member how much and in what way they are influenced. I wouldn't change my pastor, I only pray he grows closer to God, because he is a man with hurts and a past like any other. I don't mind hearing his differing views, because in a way I learn to strengthen my own convictions and beliefs, even if they are not the same.

Obama's experience was not typically Atrican-American. He grew up overseas and in the mainland, with white grandparents and a single mother and an Indonesian stepfather. Unlike Obama, I am not half-white, but I can relate to the experience. I imagine sitting in Wright's church he became acquainted with the pain of the generation before him, the unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment of a broken past. It was probably in that pew he met his resolve to bridge the gap between the people he loves and relates to so much, white and black, because they both make up who he is. Listening to angry sermons, he learned of the point of blacks and the source of their hurt. Listening to his grandma he learned the source of her fear and resentment. Listening to both he figured out they had more in common than they had in war and working together they could accomplsh much more than fighting against each other.

America does not leave a comfortable place for the races to coexist, for a mixed race person to be fully accepted by both sides. Which would explain why Obama want to unite the country so badly, to create that place; to fulfill King's dream, which went way beyond racial equality to racial harmony and racial acceptance and peace. We are not there, but I believe we can get there.

Regardless of how we feel about Rev. Wright, we have to admit that focusing on, disagreeing with or defending him does not change the fact that other than attending his church, Obama's public service and private life does not reflect or align itself with the worst of Wright's views. But his life does agree with what Obama has said his view are: "We are more than what our politics would suggest."

Gilbert of NC 11:59PM May 08, 2008