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by robinr from News

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The Wright Debate
Apr 2, 2008 | 10:06 PM
Category: News
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I am taking the leap into a dangerous place ... that would be anywhere near the subject of Trinity United Church of Christ Senior Pastor Jeremiah Wright. But maybe it's right where we need to dwell for a bit. The last few weeks have proven just how painful are the wounds exposed by the dissection of some of Rev. Wright's sermons. The idea of plucking portions of sermons is not something I am completely comfortable with -- nothing is more of a story dependent upon all it's parts than a sermon! However, Rev. Wright is not the first speaker or author to suffer from outside (and, some argue, prejudicial) editing.

It does seem telling that thousands of people have been positively moved by his words over the decades. How does he win the praise and support of the common folk on the south side as well as some of the most prominent and influential names and entities in the country, IF he is the racist, hate-mongering, divisive individual described by some in recent weeks? Are all those people blind or spellbound upon entering the church? Did it take the insightful guidance of tv commentators to point out the true nature of a man who's been involved with so many for so long?

I have no way of knowing what Senator Barack Obama did or did not personally hear Pastor Wright say. I know that in the several dozen times I have been in a pew at Trinity over the past 20 plus years, I never heard anything I would describe as hateful. I recall passion, humor, cutting sarcasm, ancient as well as modern historical perspective, hip references, melodies, and always, always the underlying, loving message of every person's God-given ability to overcome all obstacles, including those of our own making. The empowerment theme is one of the pillars of every Black Church I've ever been inside. For the record, I am not a regular church-going person. However, I have noticed there is a distinct difference between African American congregations and the traditions of worship in other communities.

The history of the Black Church in America, like the rest of our history in this country, shapes us differently. And if this controversy has a positive result, maybe it is the exposure of our difficulty even talking about those differences. It is forcing conversations that are revealing long held misunderstandings, fears and barriers to true fellowship with people of difference backgrounds. Have you found yourself in debate over the words of Rev. Wright? Have you learned anything about the way people you thought you knew are reacting?

Trinity Church of Christ has asked that their sanctuary be respected as a sacred place of worship. The members and leaders would like reporters to stop showing up to hang on every word in order to spin them into something newsworthy. They realize it is a public place of worship and that any reporter who does not have a recognizable face can easily slip in, so this request depends on the honor system. So, identify yourself and be barred from entry - - maybe miss a juicy quote from the pulpit even if Pastor Wright is not the speaker? Or, go "under-cover" and spy from the pews in order to make sure our viewers/readers are "served"? What are journalists to do, those of us who consider truth and integrity the foundation of credibility? And yes, we do try to uphold those values - reporters must focus on what we know more than what we think ... but we do have to think.

The weekend on Fox Sunday Morning at, we'll share some of what we've been thinking and debating regarding the Reverend Wright drama.  Join me, Byron Harlan, Darlene Hill, Craig Wall and hosts Jack Conaty and Dane Placko Sunday at 8am.  If you have a question for us, post it here.
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Member Comments Total Comments: 8
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budsmoker760
Apr 3, 2008 | 6:34 PM

Robin,

1st of all I don't think that you should have been worried to post this, it is a topic that does need to be addressed.

Let me say that I am not a religious person and do not go to church.

Honestly, the video that has been aired does concern me, both for the presidential race, and for our nation in general. I can't sit here and assume that Obama never heard what Wright said, additionally, with that said, I don't think he would have ever condemmed what he said if the video had not come out.

Do I believe that Obama is anti-semitic and racist, no. However, I do believe that it is possible for a group that is to congreate in one church, led by a man that really seems to be.

One of the great things about Chicago television is that different cultures are showcased. As I said I don't go to church, and I have never been to an African American church, however, I have watched the occassional Salem Baptist Church services on TV and have actually felt inspired by what I hear, messages about good in the world. Definately not like what Wright says. (At least in the bytes I have seen).

As far as the nation is concerned, as much as people don't want to talk about it, race is still a major issue, and its not just racisim directed toward african americans, reverse racusim is also an issue. Unfortunately, more and more people are losing memory of what we can do as a united nation.

9/11 brought everyone together, black, white, hispanic, oriental, it didn't matter, everyone went outside hung their flag and united as one to support eachother, not as people from diffe
budsmoker760
Apr 3, 2008 | 6:34 PM

part 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

not as people from different races, but as Americans.

After 5 years of war, a recession, poliarzing political candidates, and devistating national disasters, and especially Hurricane Katrina and the governments response to it, our nation is severly divided. If we are going to move into a new direction and try to fix the damage that has been done, we need to come together and bond as we did after 9/11.

After being an Obama supporter for some time, I had to re-evaluate my desision after seeing the Wright videos. This nation will never come together if we have a man as president who until caught, condoned messages of hatred and racism from the pulpit.

A perfect example: Pull the video from Wednesday morning's Good Day Chicago. The breakfast buzz segment from near the end of the show. Watch and listen to the two girls that talked to Nancy Loo.

Sorry I rambled on but just wanted to express my full feeling on this. If you don't want to respond through the board, please e-mail me directly. slimshady760@comcast.net

Mike-Valpo
Mark_Allen read my blog view my photos
Apr 4, 2008 | 5:57 AM

People disagree with the likes of Jim Baker, Jimmy Swaggert, Billy Graham, and others but never to the point that they have lashed out at Rev. Wright, which is unfortunate. AND to see so many major White Christian leaders who have stated why RevWright is allowed to make his own interpretations do not the get the same coverage as the sound bites themselves, meaning that the major media is only concerned with balance.

No one mentions Rev. Wrights military service, or just how does such a "man of hate" also teach thousands of people to commit to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and looking for the least of God's people?
Demetrius read my blog
Apr 4, 2008 | 7:40 AM

Rev. Wright has proved time and time again to be a very ignorant man. The things that he has said nobody should say in the pulpit. I have heard full sermons of Rev. Wright and both my mother and I have always said that he's disrespectful to the pulpit.

I don't understand how "Hillary Clinton has never been called a BLEEP" statement has anything to do with God.

I'm a member of Beth Eden Baptist Church, it is a church closely related to Trinity but I have never heard my Pastor Dr. Craig Jenkins say anything like that in the pulpit. I know that my Pastor is Pro Obama and I'm not but he has never disrespected anybody that disagree with him which Rev. Wright or as I like to call him Rev. Wrong has.

I do believe that stupid ignorant people can say things that are clever or make some think. Rev. Wright is not better than the youtube sensation Pastor Manning of ATLAH ministries.
EDouble
Apr 4, 2008 | 1:29 PM

Racisim cannot exist without an audience. If you don't want to hear foul language on TV or in movies then you don't watch them, right? Simple.

Stop putting so much attention on these people. There are many groups who preach ignorance but no one listens to them. Hold yourself accountable for what's happening in your life and don't worry about what one person says. Judge by your merits and don't let someone elses pain bring you down.
lawanda7 read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 7:56 PM

IF YOU'RE GONNA HOLD ONE CANDIDATE RESPONSIBLE OF WHAT THEIR FORMER PASTOR DID, THEN HOLD THEM EACH ACCOUNTABLE!

UTICA, NY

When the Rev. William Procanick put his hand on the Bible during his sex-abuse trial in Oneida County Court earlier this year, he swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

But as the former Clinton pastor was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl at his home last March, Judge Michael L. Dwyer said Procanick sacrificed his honesty the day he testified.

“As a minister of God, you got on the stand and you lied,” Dwyer told Procanick, the 54-year-old former pastor of Resurrection Assembly of God church on Kirkland Avenue.

A jury found Procanick guilty Jan. 22 of first-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

Dwyer said he believes Procanick was being honest when he told the girl's mother in a recorded phone call that he was wrong to caress the girl's body while she was trying to fall asleep.

However, Procanick instead testified in court that he did nothing wrong other than spend time alone with the girl, who was a friend of the family, Dwyer noted.

If Procanick had accepted responsibility from the beginning instead of straying from the truth, Dwyer said, Procanick would likely have faced a lesser punishment and possibly avoided jail time.

“The truth would have set you free,” Dwyer said. “You had a chance to be a man and say, 'I made a mistake.' But as always, the cover-up is much worse than the original crime.”

Procanick's defense attor
lawanda7 read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 7:57 PM

CONT'D

Procanick's defense attorney, George Aney, noted that Procanick still received a sentence less than the maximum, which was up to seven years in prison.

“It's considerably less than the maximum, but considerably more than he deserved,” Aney said.

Aney also took issue with how Dwyer and the victim's mother used harsh language to attack Procanick's Christian values.

“You are just an evil man,” the victim's mother said Friday in court. “You lied, and you had your wife lie. And all these people who showed up in court to support you, did you lie to them, too?”

The Observer-Dispatch does not identify sex-abuse victims and their families.

The victim's mother said her daughter is still waking up scared at night because of what happened, and she continues to see a therapist. The young girl also feels that everybody is mad at her, the mother said.

Assistant District Attorney Doug DeMarche Jr. then read a note written by the girl, who did not appear in court Friday.
“Bill made me sad and scared,” DeMarche read. “I thought I did something wrong, because I trusted him.”

Dwyer gave Procanick an opportunity to speak in court, but Procanick had nothing to say to the victim and her family.

Aney did not plan to speak in court, he told Dwyer, but he felt obligated to respond to what the victim's mother said about Procanick and his wife. [/font]

I believe she shows her own lack of Christianity by referring to people as liars,” Aney said.
After the sentencing, Aney further commented about what was said in court.

“I respect Judge Dwyer for what

lawanda7 read my blog view my photos
Apr 8, 2008 | 8:07 PM

“I respect Judge Dwyer for what he said this morning, but I have to say I disagreed with him,” Aney said. “I have every right to express my feelings, and my feelings are that we are not permitted to call anybody a liar. That's a judgment someone higher than I makes.”

DeMarche, however, said he can understand why the girl's mother spoke of Procanick in such harsh terms. “She had a lot of faith and trust in Mr. Procanick, and he violated that trust,” DeMarche said. “I think she's justified in being angry.”

So does this now also indicate because Hilary was under this Pastor leadership, she is considered a child pedophial?

You cannot hold OBAMA responsible for anything his Pastor decides to get in the pulpit and speak in regards to.

Has anyone answered the Question of the day?

Has Hilary Clinton ever been called *N* word. That what I'm waiting to here back! So Pastor Wright did make a complete & valid point. Regardless to how he said it, it's the truth and the truth hurts.

P.S. I'M GLAD I DIDN'T SEE THE DISCUSSION, WHILE HAVING BYRON HARLAN AS A PART OF SATURDAY'S DISCUSSION. HE ACTS AS IF HE CLUELESS WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING WHERE A BLACK MAN IS COMING FROM.
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robinr

Robin Robinson has been anchoring the evening broadcast at Fox News Chicago since it debuted in 1987. A veteran reporter and constant suppporter of efforts to improve the quality of life in what she considers the world's greatest city, Robin can also be heard each weekday evening during the 5pm hour on WGCI FM, 107.5 with a preview of the stories in the works for Fox News Chicago at 9.

Member Since: 11/15/2006


 

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