Everyone is questioning Reverend Jeremiah Wright and wondering why he should be speaking. As Reverend Anthony said last night, and as Reverend Wright said today - this is about the Black Church. How? Well, in attacking Reverend Jeremiah Wright's comments the mainstream society has attacked the Black Church's theology and independence.
Princeton Professor of Religion, Dr. Albert J. Raboteau wrote a book entitled, Slave Religion: The "Invisible Institution" in the Antebellum South. (emphasis mine) In this book, Dr. Raboteau discusses the growth of the Black Christian Church in America and its distinct separation from the White Church. In his book he stated: "Incidents of Christian slaveholders, including clergymen, brutalizing their slaves abound in the narratives of former slaves...The blatant hypocrisy of White Christians was a fact of life to slaves, a fact undoubtedly discussed and deplored in the quarters." And, it was in the quarters through these discussion of deplorable - blatant - hypocrisy that the Christianity of the American Slave was developed. And, it was this Christianity that was passed down to the descendants of the slaves.
Reparations means defending our right to an independent Faith Tradition. To do away with our perspective would be doing away with the realities of our existence. Would they ask the Jew to forget the realities of the Holocaust? Does society criticize the true Jew because the experience of the Holocaust shapes their faith? So why must we separate the Slave Experience from our faith perspective?
Reparations means defending our right to an independent Faith Tradition. And, this is indeed bigger than Senator Obama. It is far greater than Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Truly, this is about the Black Church and the right of a free Black people to be free in the expression of their faith. This is about the very right of Black people to be shaped by their faith perspective. This is about the right of free people to worship and preach their faith, without needing the approval of the White Community.
This is a clear description that there is much work to be done. And, the mainstream society wishes to make spiritual and cultural issues into political ones. So I ask: where are our political leaders? I can understand the Mess Media missing the point. I can understand White folks missing the point. But, how can Black people - especially those who lived through segregation, and those entrusted with the wellbeing of the Black Community - miss the point? And, if they do "get it," how can they remain silent while our right to be free and independent people is stripped before their very eyes?
Reparations means defending our right to an independent Faith Tradition. And, because this issue has been made to be political, we should be hearing more from Black elected officials. Regardless of who they support in the election, they should be able to understand this point. And, if they are willing to allow our heritage and First Amendment Rights to be usurped how can we trust them to do what is best for us?
Does it bother you that the Black Church still has no right - in the eyes of the media and White Society - to stand as an independent voice? How do you feel about Black Leadership and their fear of standing on the right side of this issue? Let us hear from you!
Come and Get Your Reparations!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Reparations Means Defending our Right To an Independent Faith Tradition
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3 comments:
Jab,
The GoogleSyndication ad at the end of this article shows 4 white people standing in front of a globe -- I guess you could say that they seem to be standing between me & the world!
I thought that it was both funny & sad, but at the end it left me feeling uneasy, seeing that you didn't choose that picture.
You might want to get that changed.
Jabriel,
Maybe I am too conservative on this, but I think
Rev. Wright has gone beyond defending the
Black Church. I think he did that in his Detroit
speech to the NAACP but, like Obama, I have
parted from his "defense" since his speech
in Washington, which I thought was unworthy
of defense by Blacks on several points. Like
Obama, I am saddened by it as it did not
portray him as having the judgement and
overall balance one would expect from a man
of God. He seems to be on an ego trip.
Marilyn
Marilyn,
I don't think you are too conservative. And, I don't equate Rev. Wright with the Black Church. However, the faith perspective is the issue. His antics are one thing...but what provoked his antics was the attack on free Blacks to have an independent prism through which they observe spiritual realities in our world. Why were Rev. Wright's comments and clips so important? Did they loop Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, John Hagee, Jerry Falwell, David Duke and others to no end? Were there comments parsed in the media? So, while Rev. Wright speaking out might not have been the opportune time for Senator Obama, this whole issue - the birth of this issue - stems from an attack on the Black Church, and on the rights of Black people to have an opinion that differs from the mainstream. The only way that view could be valid, is if the larger society wants to admit that Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, John Hagee, Jerry Falwell and David Duke are representative of the mainstream.
That's the point that's being missed. And, honestly the Press Club appearance fed into the Mess Media's plan and helped steer the debate off course. Yet, even that can be seen as our fault. During Rev. Wright's silence between the initial outbreak and this media blitz, who of us spoke out as well? Who of us saw the racial over & undertones of this? Even if you (or leading Black Pastors) disagree with Rev. Wright's views, where were we in seeing the attack on our First Amendment Rights to freedom of speech and religion? One could say that he (Rev. Wright) stayed quiet...waiting for someone else to stand up and say this. It could be said that we failed him and again - more importantly - failed ourselves as a people. And, it is this that is my focus...never the man, always the implications.
Come and Get Your Reparations!
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