Rev. Wright to retire to 1.6 million-dollar home in mostly white gated community

[Puppycow]

Via Christopher Hitchens

On the same weekend as I was reading Nicholson Baker, I also absorbed a news item about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the recently retired pastor of Barack Obama's church in Chicago. Here is the form that the reverend's "retirement" will take: a $1.6 million home, purchased in the name of his church and consisting of more than 10,000 square feet, in a gated community in Tinley Park, a prosperous white section of the city. There used to be a secularist line about fat shepherds and thin sheep, but the joke here is not just at the expense of a man who never pretended to be much more than a hustler. The joke is on those of the "flock" who tithed themselves to achieve this level of comfort for a man who must be pinching himself when he wakes up every day.

A rich, white, gated community. Home bought and paid for by the church

Chicago Tribune story

 

[Puppycow]

Supplemental:

Here's what Trinity United's home page used to say until about mid-March:

Trinity United Church of Christ adopted the Black Value System written by the Manford Byrd Recognition Committee chaired by Vallmer Jordan in 1981. We believe in the following 12 precepts and covenantal statements. These Black Ethics must be taught and exemplified in homes, churches, nurseries and schools, wherever Blacks are gathered. They must reflect on the following concepts:

1. Commitment to God
2. Commitment to the Black Community
3. Commitment to the Black Family
4. Dedication to the Pursuit of Education
5. Dedication to the Pursuit of Excellence
6. Adherence to the Black Work Ethic
7. Commitment to Self-Discipline and Self-Respect
8. Disavowal of the Pursuit of “Middleclassness”
9. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the Black Community
10. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting Black Institutions
11. Pledge allegiance to all Black leadership who espouse and embrace the Black Value System
12. Personal commitment to embracement of the Black Value System.

 

[Brainster]

Well, Wright did skip the middleclass altogether.

 

[Puppycow]

Well, Wright did skip the middleclass altogether.

I guess it's OK to be either rich or poor, just not middle-class.

 

[Kopji]

Oh comeon, someone's GOTTA say 'there goes the neighborhood'.
We're only human.

(I meant - letting religious fanatics in, not black people.)

 

[shuize]

I for one think it's racist to oppose such integration.

 

[Puppycow]

This isn't exactly on topic, but it's my thread so I'll just throw it out there because it's LOL-worthy:

Spike Lee weighs in

These old black politicians say, “Ooh, Massuh Clinton was good to us, massuh hired a lot of us, massuh was good!” Hoo! Charlie Rangel, David Dinkins—they have to understand this is a new day. People ain’t feelin’ that stuff. It’s like a tide, and the people who get in the way are just gonna get swept out into the ocean.

 

[Dog Town]

What's one more "average white person" behind gates matter?
* Don't EVEN try to argue Wright is Black* Have you seen the man?

 

[daredelvis]

Another preacher not practicing what he preaches?!!?!!? BFD.

Daredelvis

 

[WildCat]

Wow! Wright is really brave, moving in with the people who created AIDS to kiil off blacks. I admire his courage!

 

[IchabodPlain]

Wow, how incredibly reprehensible is the United Church of Christ? First, it comes out that Rev. Wright took the Lord's name in vain in the middle of a church service (not to mention who he damned), then this quizzical land deal, and also this Monique Davis thread in the politics forum. I can safely say I have nothing but contempt for the UCC.

 

[T.A.M.]

should this thread not be moved to "Religion and Philosophy" or is someone, at some point, going to show me the relevance to the "American Presidential Race"?

TAM

 

[SezMe]

Damn, TAM beat me to it. What is the relevance to the 2008 presidential race unless to OPer wants to force it to be relevant? Which doesn't make it relevant.

 

[Puppycow]

After I posted it I thought I should've rather posted it in religion. Sorry.

 

[T.A.M.]

puppycow;

Not a big deal, as I know that Wright himself has been linked to Obama, but the point I was making, is that we are perpetuating the ridiculous assertion that he should be, when we post this type of stuff in the "Election" section.

TAM

 

[BPSCG]

puppycow;

Not a big deal, as I know that Wright himself has been linked to Obama, but the point I was making, is that we are perpetuating the ridiculous assertion that he should be, when we post this type of stuff in the "Election" section.

Yes, we all know that Wright has no connection to Obama and Obama has nothing to do with the presidential election...

Nothing to see here, folks, move along...

 

[dudalb]

Yes, we all know that Wright has no connection to Obama and Obama has nothing to do with the presidential election...

Nothing to see here, folks, move along...

The new Motto of the Obama Worshippers:
Wright Who?
Obama will get the nomination, but his connection with Wright will hurt him badly come November.
An it is not going to go away, as much as the Obama Personality Cult would like it to.
And I resent the idea that it should not even be discussed.

 

[T.A.M.]

Yes, we all know that Wright has no connection to Obama and Obama has nothing to do with the presidential election...

Nothing to see here, folks, move along...

1. Wright is connected to Obama
2. Obama is connected to the election.
3. Thanks for pointing out the obvious, but that was not my point.
4. What Wright says or does, in my opinion, is of no reflection on who Obama is, or how he will perform as the US President and world leader. Other peoples opinions may vary.

TAM

 

[T.A.M.]

The new Motto of the Obama Worshippers:
Wright Who?
Obama will get the nomination, but his connection with Wright will hurt him badly come November.
An it is not going to go away, as much as the Obama Personality Cult would like it to.
And I resent the idea that it should not even be discussed.

1. I am not an "Obama Worshipper" and to be honest dudalb, your recent approach to me, treating me as such, is not what I would expect from you, given your REASONABLE and SENSIBLE approach to most other things.

2. Fine, why don't you take out an entire new section in the forum for Obama and Wright, 'cause you know we really don't have enough threads dedicated to Obama bashing, and whining and complaining about his connection to Wright and how paramountly important it is to who he is and how he will be as president.

3. Face it, those who do not want Obama to win are going to milk this NOT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO HOW HE WILL BE AS PRESIDENT, but because they know the more it is talked about, the longer it is talked about, the more it will hurt him the polls.

Maybe we should add sections to the forum dedicated to John "I misremembers things all the time" McCain, and Hillary "I wouldn't know the truth if it hit me in the ass" Clinton.

TAM

 

[SezMe]

The new Motto of the Obama Worshippers:
Wright Who?
Obama will get the nomination, but his connection with Wright will hurt him badly come November.
An it is not going to go away, as much as the Obama Personality Cult would like it to.

For the sake of this discussion, let's suppose you support McCain. Does that automatically make you a McCain Worshipper and a member of the McCain Personality Cult. If you want to talk politics, fine, but can we avoid the silliness part?

And I resent the idea that it should not even be discussed.

Suggesting that the topic might be more appropriate in another forum is equivalent to suggesting it should not be discussed? Really? Just a touch of paranoia there.