Spring Break
Responses to Fitzpatrick's "Obama-dise Lost"
Rachel Spitler
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Forum
I don't know about Fitzpatrick, but when I want to gauge the integrity of a political figure, I don't start with the artistic sensibilities of his wife's employees.
We then move on to look at Pastor Wright. Like so many before him, Fitzpatrick quotes only the alarming parts of Wright's sermons (which, by the way, are available in their full context on YouTube). He characterizes them as "spittle-flecked," a rhetorical technique intended to make the pastor sound grotesque based on irrelevant facts of biology - a cheap shot that I hereby reject on behalf of all people who have ever spat while talking.
Obama, we are told, has "tried lamely to separate himself from Wright's sermons by condemning them." We are not enlightened as to exactly what was "lame" about the attempt, but there is definite pressure toward feeling that it must have failed.
On what grounds? On the grounds that Obama has refused to revoke his friendship with this man. In "A More Perfect Union" - which is also available online - Obama explains the depth of this friendship in such statements as these: "The man I met more than 20 years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor….
"As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding and baptized my children… He contains within him the contradictions - the good and the bad - of the community that he has served diligently for so many years."
Obama also reinforces, in no uncertain terms, his firm disagreement with Wright on numerous political topics, especially the divisive statements causing this controversy - and there is no reason to suppose they have never discussed such things before.
Despite the recent uproar, he expresses abiding love for the church itself (which, remember, has more members than just the two of them), and points out that this complex dynamic of disagreement and respect is played out in the same way for countless members of other preachers' congregations around the world.
We then move on to look at Pastor Wright. Like so many before him, Fitzpatrick quotes only the alarming parts of Wright's sermons (which, by the way, are available in their full context on YouTube). He characterizes them as "spittle-flecked," a rhetorical technique intended to make the pastor sound grotesque based on irrelevant facts of biology - a cheap shot that I hereby reject on behalf of all people who have ever spat while talking.
Obama, we are told, has "tried lamely to separate himself from Wright's sermons by condemning them." We are not enlightened as to exactly what was "lame" about the attempt, but there is definite pressure toward feeling that it must have failed.
On what grounds? On the grounds that Obama has refused to revoke his friendship with this man. In "A More Perfect Union" - which is also available online - Obama explains the depth of this friendship in such statements as these: "The man I met more than 20 years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor….
"As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding and baptized my children… He contains within him the contradictions - the good and the bad - of the community that he has served diligently for so many years."
Obama also reinforces, in no uncertain terms, his firm disagreement with Wright on numerous political topics, especially the divisive statements causing this controversy - and there is no reason to suppose they have never discussed such things before.
Despite the recent uproar, he expresses abiding love for the church itself (which, remember, has more members than just the two of them), and points out that this complex dynamic of disagreement and respect is played out in the same way for countless members of other preachers' congregations around the world.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Comments by registered users are approved by default.