Jeremiah Wright, Pastor or Giant Enemy Crab??
There's a saying in the black community: "Blacks are like crabs in a barrel." This means that if one crab looks like it's going to escape from the barrel and avoid the frying pan, rather than follow that crab to freedom, the others pull it back down.
It was only a matter of time before the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's antics put him into this category; the black blogsphere is teeming with accusations of crab-like behavior hurled at the pastor. It's not that everyone disagrees with his positions on the damage caused by racist laws, policies and practices of the past; many blacks understand exactly why he's angry. But Wright had a choice between either helping Obama get elected or seizing his 15 minutes of fame. And since the choice would be clear to a child, the reverend's display of at the National Press Club last week has convinced many that he must be sabotaging America's chance to elect a black president on purpose.
That makes Wright the Giant Enemy Crab of all time. He has thrown his claws around Obama and is determined to haul him back into the barrel of racial resentment and bitterness where everyone can suffer together. Some wonder how Obama could have had a 20-year relationship with this man, and it's a valid question. But Obama never had this relationship. Wright was probably cool with Obama when Obama was his follower and a newcomer to Christianity. But the pupil has outgrown the master and the pastor can't take it. And Obama isn't just displacing him as a preacher, he is attacking Wright's belief that America was, is and always will be racist. And if Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination, let alone the presidency, Wright's entire world view goes up in flames. Better for him that Obama lose — even if the country loses too.
At blackvoicenews.com, a columnist writes that Obama occupies a unique position in political history as the only black man to have a serious shot at the White House. (That also makes Wright unique for having a genuine shot at taking him down). "Then along comes the enemy and he looks like us." William Jelani Cobb's column on newblackman.blogspot.com reports that Wright has “gained the contempt of a growing number of black folk who feel that he has single-handedly ruined our chance to have a black president.” Who says Wright isn’t a uniter?
Strategytalk.org has the full crabs-in-a-barrel tale, with ethnic variations. Apparently in Russia the syndrome is called "Peter's Pig." And Undercoverblackman addresses the reverend's egomania here, writing: "With a peacock's strut, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright basked in the media spotlight in D.C. this morning...In the best tradition of crabs-in-a-barrel black bull[$#!+], Rev. Wright did his part to cut the legs out from under Barack Obama."
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Hillary Clinton advisor MICKEY KANTOR calling indiana voters shit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fFZaVlUKzM
Posted by: CliveinFl | May 02, 2008 at 07:01 PM
I fear the DNC is duping Democrats, hiding Rev. Wright away so that they can give the nomination to Mr. Obama. Then when the deed is done, Wright will be back, and it will be too late to win the WH back.
Posted by: LonghornMama | May 02, 2008 at 07:04 PM
A poorly-made Mugen video is an odd choice for a video embed, crab reference or not.
Posted by: SG | May 02, 2008 at 08:43 PM
What good would it do the DNC to sabotage their own candidate, LonghornMama?
But yes, it's sad how this sort of crap drags anyone down who TRIES to make the election about real issues like the economy or the war. You note that I said *tries* because, unfortunately, we're having a circus again and the media isn't helping by writing more stories about fluff.
*sigh* And now we return to our regularly scheduled discussions of who has the biggest character flaws.
Posted by: Joe | May 02, 2008 at 08:45 PM
This is the best article/blog I've read in regard to Rev. Wright. I've heard the expression, "Crabs in a barrel," and I, too, thought of it when Rev. Wright tried to sabotage Obama at the National Press Club. Wright is indeed jealous because Obama is beyond him. There is another appropriate metaphor for Wright's hateful behavior, "the green-eyed monster" of envy. I think this has captured the nation's imagination because it goes all the way back to Cain and Abel--it hits us viscerally. I hope Obama prevails and that Americans will repudiate what Wright has done and said by voting for Obama. That would certainly prove that Rev. Wright--is wrong.
Posted by: Hope 1906 | May 02, 2008 at 09:16 PM
To place blame on Rev. Wright for the gossip generated by O'Hannity and O'Reilly, potato people, which spread like a contagious disease through the uninformed media. is reprehensible!
If these insidious ingrates who immigrated to Rev. Wright's country actually listened to the very cerebral talk (at the NPC) and his very astute answers to some very uninformed questions by journalists who obviously heard only the sound-bites from Fox, CNN and all the cable gossip for the "little people," they would be more informed. It is unfortunate and un-American that "lazy journalism" as displayed in the Rev. Wright "lynching has become the norm.
Ignorance and racism are synonymous! Rev. Wright has earned the right to admonish a country that has subjected its most patriotic citizens to a Holocaust! African Americans have endured too much abuse and suffering to have to endure more from insidious ingrates who came to their county. You have no moral authority to use our cherished Constitutional freedoms for which African Americans sacrificed so much to further diminish them and to question their patriotism
In AMERICAN - HOME OF THE BRAVE AND LAND OF THE FREE, there is a Constitutional separation of church and state. Rev. Wright is in his country, in his church, using his cherished First Amendment freedoms for which his people fought, sacrificed and died. Any insidious ingrate that cannot display reverence and respect for our cherished First Amendment freedoms and for those who sacrificed so much for them don't deserve to live in Rev. Wright's country.
Obviously, we should not have allowed immigration to America after 1800. We allowed the "great unwashed" to immigrate and America is suffering the consequence of that colossal mistake.
Chagrined
Posted by: M. Delphia Block | May 02, 2008 at 09:26 PM
Rev. Wright is a side issue. Four of the last five major primaries have been Republican states (Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, and Indiana). In 2004, Bush won 61 percent of the vote in Texas, 51 percent in Ohio, 56 percent in North Carolina, and 60 percent in Indiana. Kerry only won Pennsylvania by 51 to 49 percent (compared to 58 percent of the vote in New York, 55 percent in Illinois, and 55 percent in California).
The Clintons have run a traditional race-based, Republican-type campaign, splitting the white working class from the African-American vote. This has been going on for 40 years. Many of these voters will vote Republican in November. If Hillary Clinton is the nominee, voters will learn that the Clintons have voted like Republicans since NAFTA in 1994 (if Democrats vote like Republicans, then it is better to vote for Republicans). In turn, Republicans will use race against the Clintons to siphon off the white working class, as the Clintons try to scramble to regain the African-American vote. In addition, the Clintons were helped by the New York City and Washington DC media painting Obama as an elitist and untrustworthy. The majority of Americans no longer have a local newspaper that tells them the Democratic side of these media events.
But the biggest problem has been the Obama campaign's lack of ability to talk to the white working class. The Obama campaign doesn't talk about protecting Social Security, ending the doughnut hole in the Prescription Drug Plan for seniors, reducing the cost of health care for the middle class, how to train middle-aged workers who lose their jobs because of globalization, investing in rural America, etc. There are obviously too many upper-middle class professionals dominating the message in the Obama campaign. Kerry never went after the Catholic vote, and the Obama campaign seems to be following the same pattern. FDR (in contrast) was able to talk to the white working class and Catholic voters, as well as put together a coalition of African-Americans and Southern whites.
If Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, there are three questions for the November election:
1. Will African-Americans vote for Hillary Clinton, even though she used race to get the nomination?
2. Will Progressive whites move over to Ralph Nader and try to establish a Progressive Party?
3. Will corporate Democrats be able to save the Democratic Party?
Posted by: Bill Rush | May 03, 2008 at 01:28 AM
CliveinFL post about Hillary Clinton advisor is a fraud. Every major media outlet has said that the audio on this is doctored. Please take the listing off the blog
Posted by: Cole | May 03, 2008 at 02:07 AM
OBAMAS BAGGAGE AND UNFAIR EARLY LEAD
He and Wright have divided black democrats.
His waffling around with the Wright issue has labeled him as a hypocrite to many.
His refusing to debate has shown he can’t stand up to a challenge.
He has offended Florida and Michigan voters by not wanting their votes to count, and he would lose these two states in the general election.
He has lost the big states, indicating McCain would beat him there.
Many are concerned about his muslim relations or “secret” intent.
Racial ranting has brought out the “race card” in some whites, who would not have considered it at all otherwise.
His San Francisco remarks show very clearly he is a phony.
Last but not least, his close 20 year association with the bigot Wright probably shows more about his true character than anything.
His rise to fame is over, and he is on a slide downhill. Had his true character been known at the outset, Clinton would have had a level playing field and Obama would have been history months ago. Actually an apology by Obama would not be out of order,
Posted by: Billw | May 03, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Here's the problem with Obama. He's given a world stage to Rev. Wright. For better or worse, millions have now heard that crap. And some will actually agree with it, or get angry or inspired. What OTHER people from Obama's fringe past -- Ayers? Farakan? -- will get a world stage? Do we need that kind of upheaval?
Posted by: Ralph T. | May 03, 2008 at 10:31 PM
Apparently, some men of the cloth recognize Karl Marx as their Lord and Savior. By the way, if your pastor is not your spiritual mentor you are either disingenuous or a stranger to the truth.
Posted by: poetryman69 | May 04, 2008 at 09:39 AM
I don't go to church anymore because most ministers are hypocrites. Rev. Wright is the king of hypocrites and backstabbers. Sen. Obama was one person out of a 8,000 member church. Judges, newscasters, celebrities and all types of people go to that church to meet influential blacks. People act like the reverend paid special attention to Sen. Obama and ignored the other 7,999 church members. Everyone acts like the man was a senator for 20 years sitting in the church..get real. Sen. Obama is a junior senator... I feel sorry for Sen. Obama, he went into this election with the best of intentions to help unite all the races, cultures, religions of this country for once in US history ; His crazy pastor is derailing him literally from obtaining a dream that many of us never will achieve in our wildest dreams.
Just like governor richardson the MSM will pick apart someone identity, race and associations 20 - 40 years before...
This country never will have a black , Chinese, Japanese, Hispanic, Indian or anything but white male president. I am slowly coming to grips with this...but that doesn't mean Hillary will ever get my vote. She lost that months ago,
Posted by: kelly girl | May 04, 2008 at 08:32 PM