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Obama’s mentor and pastor honors Louis Farrakhan Update: Gala video added Update: Obama respondsposted at 11:20 am on January 15, 2008 by Bryan

I don’t agree with columnist Richard Cohen very often, but in this case he’s hard to argue with.

Barack Obama is a member of Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama’s spiritual adviser, is the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. In 1982, the church launched Trumpet Newsmagazine; Wright’s daughters serve as publisher and executive editor. Every year, the magazine makes awards in various categories. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said “truly epitomized greatness.” That man is Louis Farrakhan.

Maybe for Wright and some others, Farrakhan “epitomized greatness.” For most Americans, though, Farrakhan epitomizes racism, particularly in the form of anti-Semitism. Over the years, he has compiled an awesome record of offensive statements, even denigrating the Holocaust by falsely attributing it to Jewish cooperation with Hitler — “They helped him get the Third Reich on the road.” His history is a rancid stew of lies.

Cohen goes on to build the case against Farrakhan, though he leaves out the Nation of Islam’s leader’s exploits in foreign policy. Farrakhan met with Libyan strongman Muammar Ghaddafi during the US-Libya warm war of the 1980s. Farrakhan has also repeatedly denounced the US as evil and issued a divine death sentence on the country. Farrakhan has also lauded Barack Obama’s candidacy for president. Farrakhan is one of the country’s most bizarre, most repulsive, most openly racist, most offensive public figures. Yet Obama’s minister lauded Farrakhan with an award for epitomizing “greatness.” What’s doubly strange about the Farrakhan award is that Obama’s is a Christian church. Why would a Christian church magazine laud a racist radical Muslim? It’s impossible to get past concluding that it did so because, while it disagrees with Farrakhan on religious matters, it agrees with him on political and racial matters and those agreements trump the religious disagreement.

Cohen argues that Obama hasn’t shown any evidence that he agrees with Wright’s views on Farrakhan and that’s true, but Obama has credited Rev. Wright as his mentor. Obama has also said that he and Wright disagree on some matters. Obama owes it to the country to clearly spell out whether and why he disagrees with Rev. Wright on Farrakhan. Doing so or not doing so will tell us much about the man Barack Obama and whether he is really as post-racial a figure as he claims to be. If Obama really is the “new Bill Clinton,” this is his Sister Souljah moment.

Update: Via the Volokh Conspiracy, here’s the Trumpeteer Awards Gala video honoring Farrakhan.

 

“When Minister Louis Farrakhan speaks, America listens…For his commitment to truth, education and leadership, we honor Minister Louis Farrakhan with the Rev. Jeremiah W. Wright Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“Truth?” Like that story about being taken up into a spaceship? I have to say, if my church chose to honor such a figure, I would first lead a charge to fire the pastor and if that failed I would look for a new church.

Update: Andrew Sullivan misses the point here. He says:

No one - no one - could read Obama’s books or examine his career and believe he is anything but the polar opposite of Farrakhan. But that’s not enough for Cohen.

There are the things a man says and then there are the things a man does. Obama says and writes lots of uplifting things. But attending a church pastored by a man with views that Sullivan characterizes as “eccentric” says quite a lot about Obama too. Calling that pastor a mentor and titling one of his books after a Wright sermon as Obama has done says quite a lot as well. That that pastor honors the likes of Farrakhan says quite a lot as well, and silence about that honor will say even more. If the person at the center of this were anyone but one of Sullivan’s preferred candidates, he would see this issue for what it is: A legitimate test of Barack Obama the man, as opposed to Barack Obama the gifted orator.

Update: Via Ben Smith.

I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan. I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decisions with which I agree.

 

 

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I suggest everyone do their research on the connection these two (Farrakhan & Obama)have.I can see why your friend is disturbed by Obama,and the possibility of him being the next president.He's very charismatic,but so will the anti-christ be.Just because someone can make a beautiful speech doesn't make them qualified to be a good president.I think he will bring "change" to this already great nation,(why fix what isn't broken)but I don't think it's gonna be a good change.He claims he isn't muslim,but anyone can say one thing and be totally the opposite.Just like a username.

Obama and Farrakhan are tight.Make no mistake about it.With you being Jewish Jeannie I would think that with all the anti–Semitism Farrakhan spews out of his mouth,this would bother you.Anyway,below is a video that the church Obama attends made up in honor of the biggest racist to walk the face of the earth.Obama's buddy Mr. Louis Farrakhan.

 

                                                                                                                                           Living in the dark ages,Bandy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXS_YrYp07Q&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXS_YrYp07Q&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"width="425" height="355"></embed></object

 

 

 

 

Here's another fruitcake.Who speaks along the same lines. 

 

 

 

 

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FckLO8HcNyo&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FckLO8HcNyo&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[[Co...]]

Hi Jenn,

 

Why are you here? The following posts are from the Suspended Accounts board:

 

Dear Jenn-after much deliberation I, as global moderator, have decided to ban you for the time being for using personal profanities directed at another member.  You certainly realize this action would be evaluated.  I certainly have no intention to hurt or insult you in anyway, but some things need to be addressed before you return to the forum, which hopefully will happen.  If you would like to continue dialogue with the other moderators and myself, please feel free to post here.   We will be open and respectful to you and ask the same.  Janus Jones

 

That's fine,but let me also say for future reference(should Silver offend anyone else in the future)I think people who are in a position of leadership should be held even more accountable for their actions.She/he provoked me several times with her/his offensive comments.I'm sure if I was to come back on this forum,she/he would do it again,and I would no doubt defend myself again too.It's just my nature.Sooo...I wont be coming back here.Therefore,I think your judgement is fair and balanced and for the best.  Please cancel my membership.Thanks,Jenn.

 

Now, you weren't banned (as your new membership name suggests); your account was deleted as per your request. If you wish to return, perhaps with a new persona for a fresh start, this might be possible. However, if you join up, make no attempt to address the issues that caused us concern in the past, do not involve yourself with the main business of the forum (i.e. benzodiazepine withdrawal support), and then proceed to make posts that are - yet again - designed to cause upset, you are not welcome at BenzoBuddies. We will try to work with you, but only if you keep to the rules and try to work with us. Please, stop making posts along the lines of the above and behave responsibly.

 

PS I have ways and means of tracking members. Please do not bother to tell me that you are not Jenn.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Edit: typos.

[[ge...]]

Hi, Everyone,

 

I don't agree with this post at all. Obama, in my opinion, is a good Christian. And, I happen to be 3/4 Jewish, so that does not matter to me. Whoever wrote this post obviously has a bias against Obama. I happen to like the man. OTOH, I despise Hillary Clinton, whom I regard as a phony career politician. I would love nothing better than to see a woman in the White House - just not this particular woman, and I've been doing my best to "blog" against her.

 

Genie

[[el...]]

Hi, Everyone,

 

I don't agree with this post at all. Obama, in my opinion, is a good Christian. And, I happen to be 3/4 Jewish, so that does not matter to me. Whoever wrote this post obviously has a bias against Obama. I happen to like the man. OTOH, I despise Hillary Clinton, whom I regard as a phony career politician. I would love nothing better than to see a woman in the White House - just not this particular woman, and I've been doing my best to "blog" against her.

 

Genie

 

Genie, I agree with you completely about both obama and hillary, lol! And I'm extra glad to hear that you feel that way considering you are Jewish, cuz everyone keeps saying he will lose the Jewish vote, or that relations with Israel will be hurt.

As for Bandy, as you can see from Colin's response to her, she has much more going on than just a bias against Obama! 

[[si...]]

hi everyone - i just want a change and fast and an effective change with the abolishment of all the concentration camps that have been built and set up in our country.

 

and i want people to feel and become an active part of our country

 

and i want us to be free from pollution

 

and i want all the chemtrails to go away and never come back

 

and then i can live happily ever after w/o asthma locked up in a concentration camp due to my desire to move my country foreward.

 

and when i am done i want a peaceful beautiful earth where people are not destroying each other in hopes of a better lot in their lives only.

 

and i want good music - lots and lots of good music and food and real good movies and i want to be able to walk in the sun w/o being afraid of getting an asthma attack.

 

i think there is a whole lot more i want - but these are just he things that came to mind as i was typing.

 

oh yea and i want to be happy and i don't want to be alone all the time any more  (i just decided that today)

[[si...]]

some people just don't get it - the old messages that led to turmoil, fear and loss of rights just really is not going to work anymore.

 

mc cain has no idea what he is up against nor did hillary. obama landed in the neighborhoods - had his fingers on the pulse of america before he opened his mouth - he is a community organizer - that is something that can go a long way to re-unite our country - the splitting - division and fear are all old school not - time to step out of the shadows.

[[Sk...]]

IMO

 

Might as well just hang a picture of somebody on the oval office wall....

 

Thats pretty much all that can get done by a Pres. nowdays....

 

Except get us into more war.....

 

Sk

[[Je...]]

I'm with you Skeeter.  I dislike all politicians equally.  Doesn't matter if they're republican or democrat...they all have one thing in common.....THEY LIE!!!  LOL  I'm pretty sure it's a requirement for holding any kind of an office in our government...LOL

 

Jen

[[si...]]

i thought kucinich and ron paul both spoke the truth - the rest treat us like we are stupid and are not entitled to truth or honesty - so it is a crap shoot for sure - i think obama has more skill when it comes to pulling the country together - he was a community organizer over making big bucks - he had the choice - the fact that he took community work over money says to me he is neither interested in power or money but rather building and pulling together.

 

hilliary i fear will get us engaged in another war.

 

[[el...]]

It seems Obama will have it won Tuesday. Many Young Texan republicans are said to be switching  parties and supporting Obama.

 

Dave, what happened??

[[si...]]

could be trick voting - but he answered a challenge to mc cain and he said the wrong thing - he would go back into iraq - wrong thing to say to a war worn out country.

 

it was a slip - a bad slip - we need a leader that offers us hope not fear.

[[Sk...]]

You all know....$$ is running this country now..right... not Morals and ethics....

 

whos got all the cash??... Not the president....

 

Sk

[[si...]]

currently private contractors/corporate interests are calling the shots - but that is only because we have not been heard.

 

we have a part to play in it all and we have not been playing.

[[Sk...]]

we have a part to play in it all and we have not been playing.

 

I disagree....I think 'we' have been playing. Taking things seriously. Voteing for the Best candidate...Interested in the issues...Acutually knowing most of the answeres..

 

I belive there'the ones not playing.

 

We will see...Personally I like Obama..however.....If he mattered much, I think "they" would eliminate him...

I dont know if the corruption of our Gov. is reversable at this point......

I still love the USA...but I think the Gov. is possibly lonnngggg gone....

Sk

[[si...]]

it has been on the brink of long gone many times - and yet we have gotten it back - yes it is always a threat when you get a brilliant leader that erases the phony lines that divide people - always has been a problem - perhaps the biggest problem this or any other country faces.

 

obama is aware of this and should he win much would depend on his cabinet and vp.

[[Sk...]]

I admire your hope...!

I hope your correct..!..about getting the Gov. back..

I hope Im wrong......

It is looking mighty bleak....

 

Sk

[[si...]]

 

lakhotia want their land back - at one time it was all their land - this is very interesting - it would be safe to bet that all the treaties may have been violated in one way or another.

 

well actually lakhotia (i think) is just he north mid west - not sure - anyone know about these things?