Finn dAbuzz wrote:nimh wrote:Oh, and:
Finn dAbuzz wrote:In fact when I had the temerity to post that my black friends would never accept him as their spokesman, let alone their spiritual mentor, I was chided by nimh and others as either being a closet rascist with my friends, or lying about having black friends.
BS.
Not so.
No, it's BS allright. I never said such a thing.
I do know what convo you're referring to, though. I cant find it back through Search, but the subject was how many African-Americans would broadly agree or disagree with Rev. Wright's comments. You claimed that of course, African Americans too were just as furious about his remarks. But you cited no proof, and then I found an opinion poll showing that no such wide-spread anger existed among blacks. You dismissed the poll, saying that well, your black friends sure thought it was all outrageous.
In response, I said two things. A) Considering your strong political opinions and your personal background (social/economic/whatnot), the black friends you would have are probably not exactly representative of the black community as a whole; B) Considering the fierce opinions you hold, do you really think that even
if some of them would agree with some of the stuff Wright said, you would hear the full extent of that?
I think there'd be some self-censorship going on. And that's hardly a bold assertion; we all do it. I sure do it. Not on this forum of course, where I'll debate anyone with opposite opinions, but in real life, when it comes to colleagues, acquaintances and even close friends, I will take some reserve in expressing my political opinions if I know that they probably hold contrasting views. Unless you have come to know, over time, that this is the kind of guy who enjoys a good to-and-fro and will not hold anything against you later, people generally will avoid confronting a colleague or acquaintance with opposing political view points (the remnants of the old-fashioned taboo on talking politics or religion at the dining table, so to say).
In the light of that I will take an opinion poll over you references to what your black friends think any day. Fact, I will take it over any anecdotal evidence like that.
To lift all this above the level of personal squabbles, I think the subject of self-censorship is in fact particularly relevant for this thread. While anyone will sometimes shy away from expressing one's full opinions to someone with presumably opposite opinions, I think the black community in America may face this dilemma in particular. There are still very much parallel realities when it comes to race, that mingle but also keep some stuff separate in their own domain. This article is interesting in that regard:
Quote:Black churches come to terms with Obama-Wright schism
USA Today
In black churches across the country Sunday, pastors and parishioners tried to reconcile their hope to elect Sen. Barack Obama president with their respect for his controversial former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.
The story includes the following bits that touch on this subject:
Quote:In Detroit, Nicholas Hood, senior minister at Plymouth United Church of Christ, said Obama made the right move.
He said the controversy is confusing for those who don't understand how some followers can support both men.
"We need the Jeremiah Wrights of the world to remind the world to be fair," Hood said. "One represents the past; the other, the future.
"Deep down inside
we need both," he said.
Walter Fauntroy, who was an aide to Martin Luther King Jr. and serves as pastor at New Bethel in Washington, devoted his sermon to the issue. He said Obama's opponents could not unearth other controversies against him so they focused on his retired pastor. Obama handled it effectively, he said.
Then, last week, "Jeremiah gave (Obama's) opponents the gift that keeps on giving," Fauntroy said.
He said Wright spoke the truth about the struggles of blacks in this country, but, citing the Bible's Book of Ecclesiastes, "there is a time to keep silent and a time to speak."
The congregation erupted in cheers, claps and "Amens." [..]
At the heart of the controversy, said Graylan Hagler, senior minister at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, are issues about race that the country has yet to solve.
"What we really realize is there is a schism not just between black and white, but between people of color and the dominant culture," Hagler said. "The viewpoints are not the same, and we have to resist trying to homogenize each other.
It also shows white America may consider a black man as president, but it does not want a black president."