Dr. Iva Carruthers is general secretary of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, a predominantly African-American coalition of faith-based social justice advocates, and a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. She agrees with Jeremiah Wright's assertion that the Black Church has been under attack in recent weeks and calls for a new national conversation about race, politics, and "prophetic" ministry.
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The black community has circled the wagons around Rev. Wright just as they did for O.J. Simpson. The cheering at Rev. Wright's malicious comments by his congregants brought to mind the cheering black TV audiences when O.J. was pronounced innocent. Apparently, no amount of evidence, even the video tape of Rev. Wright's offensive remarks, is enough to break through the moral blinders that black America refuses to remove when dealing with one of its own. Dr. Carruthers is just the latest in a long string of prominent, well educated, articulate blacks who have chosen to ignore criticism of the specific remarks made by Rev. Wright while categorizing the criticism as an attack upon the black church. This kind of defense by deflection is not only logically fallacious but it is morally corrupt. Defend the man, if you will, and I have no doubt of his many charitable and generous acts, but be honest. No one is denying Rev. Wright's right to criticize the policies of the U.S. government and, certainly, no one is attacking the black church. On the contrary, when Rev. Wright says, "G.D. America", he is implicitly saying "G.D. White America" and when he says that the U.S. government foisted AIDS upon black Americans, he is obviously directing this ridiculous accusation at White America. When blacks defend these kinds of remarks, they are joining in his attack and setting back race relations in this country by several decades. This is what I find most discouraging.
'When blacks defend these kinds of remarks, they are joining in his attack and setting back race relations in this country by several decades.'
The thoughtful response to Iva Caruther's explanation of prophetic preachers in the black church fails to address why black people are wrong to defend black church tradition. It also feels disingenuous to specifically imply that educated, articulate blacks should not stand with the disinherited and speak (and listen to) prophetic preachers who speak truth to power. Hows does the black church (TUCC) set back race relations?
No matter how much most (?) Americans want to feel that this country is 'post-racial' the unadorned facts and hard truths are that we are not at that nebulous post-racial finish line--even within the Church Universal.
The conversations about race cannot begin or end with the prophetic preacher being responsible for the misbegotten birth of this nation. The conversation can begin perhaps when even talk of reparations opens up discussion instead of locking down lines of communication about the legacy of racism in this country. How is reconciliation possible without acknowledging the sin of racism by those in powerful positions?
The descendants of the enslaved, jim-crowed, marginalized and otherwise disenfranchised of this country's black citizens continue to be subjugated to minority status primarily because of nonwhite privilege. Power concedes nothing without a demand--Prophetic preaching demands social justice for the marginalized.
Immanuel, God with us!
I do not have a problem with what Jeremiah Wright has to say about America. Simply because America is and will always be one of the most racist, capitalist, and barbaric countries in the universe. It does not matter who is president. The framers of this country made sure the legacy of domination and control would stay as motivating characteristics that make this country justify its own existence.
Lastly, although this country pays lip service to a Christian God, the powers that be often play God. Let us hope that Barack Obama does not find it necessary to drop any more bombs on third world people.