The Reverend Wright vs. Geraldine Ferraro Comments

The purpose of this blog is not to compare Rev. Wright’s comments with those of Geraldine Ferraro’s. Rather, it is to note how differently the news media has treated these despicable comments.

Today, the news media (CNN, MSNBC) repeatedly brings up Rev. Wright. The Ferraro’s comments seemed to have long been forgotten. Yet, both of these old folk’s comments are indicative of beliefs that existed in another time zone.

Rev. Wright’s comments while uttered during one of his many “hell-fire-damnation sermons” were typical of black preachers who have long been at liberty to say anything they want to without any consequences. Proof of this fact is not hard to come by. Just today, Congressman Cleaver, a black minister who supports Senator Clinton, stated that Obama was going to win the nomination and the Presidency! He’s a Clinton supporter! Black ministers have acted like this every since they burst upon the national scene, witness Congressman and Rev. Adam Clayton Powell. Black ministers are the only blacks that can say and do pretty much what they want to because they are not beholden to white folks. Black people like this fact because their ministers can say and do things that they themselves cannot do—and keep a job!

Black people go to church to be put in a “feel-good,” to dress up, as most cannot do in their daily jobs, and to socialize far more than to simply worship. If the reader does not believe this simple statement, it can be empirically verified by attending any black church. Black parishioners dress far better than white parishioners to go to church. Black also “cut-up,” making more noise and shout-outs, “Amens,” more than white folks do. So, Rev. Wright’s inflammatory remarks should be—but they were not because white folks generally do not have a clue of what goes on in black churches—taken in a different context than Geraldine Ferraro’s remarks. Yet, the news media is still as of today showing Rev. Wright’s speaking and acting in a crazed manner.

Geraldine Ferraro’s comments that Barack Obama is where he is because he is a black man were not made—and indeed she staunchly defended them—in the heat of a shouting sermon with ridiculous references pitched in about “it’s in the Bible!” Geraldine Ferraro made her comments and defended them in a coldly calculating manner, without shouting and ranting. This makes her comments all the more reprehensible. Her comments were made with an uncharacteristic coldness of a person set within her time warped historical mentality. Rev. Wright is so used to engaging in such non-sensical, objectable, crazed hurtful comments (to whites) that he was probably surprised that anybody would have taken him seriously.

He only meant to shock his audience, get an “Amen” and then call it a day. In fact, I would not label him as a racist knowing him only from the few sound bites the media has exposed us to. This may sound strange to whites, but look at his subsequent actions: he went on a cruise with practically all whites, he then returned to Chicago and purchased a home in an exclusive white, guarded-gate community. In other words, his actions are diametrically opposed to his flamboyant rhetoric. Rhetoric and disparate action is another characteristic of black ministers. A significant number of black ministers have affairs with women in their congregation and retain their positions.

Ms. Ferraro’s subsequent actions have been scrupulously in line with her expressions and apparent feelings: she defended her statements, became hostile and bitter at the media and apparently everybody else, calling those disagreeing with her “racist,” and otherwise behaving as if the news media and blacks forced her to say what she said. Rev. Wright served his country honorably in the Marines—a much tougher assignment than being given the preferential treatment given to Ms. Ferraro of being selected the first woman to run as Vice President of the democrat party.

The media, however, quickly forgot her comments while even Clinton’s campaign is yet trying to woe super delegates by invoking the Rev. Wright controversy and justifying this Machiavellian crassness by asserting that the republicans are going to do so if Senator Obama gets the nomination! There is no evidence that the Obama campaign is exploiting Geraldine Ferraro’s comments for its advantage. But the news media has failed to mention that fact.

Lenton Aikins, Ph.D., J.D.Dr. Aikins has traveled widely, lived abroad in Europe and Latin America, recently spending three years in Costa Rica as Director of a Spanish Language school. He holds a Ph. D. in Political Science from University of Southern California, a Juris Doctor in Law from Western State University, College of Law. He is the author of many articles and of While African Americans Slept: Leadership by Parasites, now available at: http://lentonaikins.com, and available in all bookstores July 1, 2008