So, equality is not what you're after, then.
got it.

On the contrary, equality is exactly what we're after. But you can't just ignore things and say the remainder is equal, therefore everything is equal.

If Bill Gates bought a Honda Civic, and I bought a Honda Civic, you wouldn't claim that our property values are equal, would you?

Only if all things are equal. They are only the same if you disregard the history of race relations in the USA.

So, equality is not what you're after, then.
got it.

If not that, then surely he should be slammed for making a point of calling this guy a spiritual advisor for years, in interviews speeches and books, and now thet he's affected his campaign he hardly knows the guy? Pretty damn convinient.

No, they're racist no matter which race they apply to. Eqaulity, remember?

Only if all things are equal. They are only the same if you disregard the history of race relations in the USA. Similarly, calling Zionism racism wouldn't get anybody upset if not for the history of antisemitism the Jewish people have faced.

So, if you change some words around, and put them in a different context, they become racist?

No, they're racist no matter which race they apply to. Eqaulity, remember?

Change any of those to a white person saying those things about blacks and there's a national uproar and demonstrations/marches are being held.

Ok, lets try that:

In the 21st century, [black] America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01," he wrote on page 7. "[Black] America and the Western world came to realize that [white people] had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared,' as the Great [Black] West kept on its merry way of ignoring [White] concerns.

This doesn't even make sense, give that Arabs are not generally considered "white people", let alone coming across as racist.

We started the AIDS virus. And now that it is out of control, we still put more money in the military than in medicine, more money in hate than in humanitar[ian] concerns. Everybody does not have access to health care, I don't care what the rich [black] boys in the city say, brothers.... Listen up, if you are poor, [white] and elderly, forget it.

Aside from being wrong on how AIDS started, this would actually come across as supporting white people. Far from being racist.

We don't have to say the word "[black]." We just have to live in [black] America, the United States of [black] America.

I'm still not seeing racism. Fearmongering maybe, but not racism.

And One, two, three, four. One, two, three. Now, that's the [African?] dominant beat. For [European] and [European]-American...

Again this makes no sense, but then again I'm not sure what he was trying to say in the original either. Does this seem offensive to anyone else?

[African] and [African]-American children have a left brained cognitive object oriented learning style and the entire educational learning system in the United States of America."

he continues...
"[European] and [European]-American children have a different way of learning.

They are right brained, subject oriented in their learning style. Right brain that means creative and intuitive.

This strikes me as wrong from a scientific standpoint, just like the original, but I certainly don't see racism in it.

Ok, so we tried your thought experiment, and I didn't see anything racist. Do any black people find the altered quotes racist?

The damage to Barack's campaign has been done. He made his choice in type and tenor of response, to the kerfluffle. The Dem partisans thought it be the Gettysburg Address. While the righties saw it for what it was.

Now if we could only make it to November? And a straight up and down vote on the two remaining candidates :-)

FYI - I tried to post a comment and "state, in detail and with sourced references, the racist comments made by Rev. Wright." However, it was not posted due to the site's spam filter.

That happens sometimes when you have too many links and not enough text. They go to James for approval before being posted, so yours should appear shortly.

"In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01," he wrote on page 7. "White America and the Western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared,' as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/02/13/sen_feingold_to_stay_neutral_f_1.html

"We started the AIDS virus. And now that it is out of control, we still put more money in the military than in medicine, more money in hate than in humanitar[ian] concerns. Everybody does not have access to health care, I don't care what the rich white boys in the city say, brothers.... Listen up, if you are poor, black and elderly, forget it."
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2307

"We don't have to say the word "white." We just have to live in white America, the United States of white America. "
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256078,00.html

"And One, two, three, four. One, two, three. Now, that's the European dominant beat. For African and African-American..."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/28/wright.transcript/

"European and European-American children have a left brained cognitive object oriented learning style and the entire educational learning system in the United States of America."

he continues...
"African and African-American children have a different way of learning.

They are right brained, subject oriented in their learning style. Right brain that means creative and intuitive."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/28/wright.transcript/

Change any of those to a white person saying those things about blacks and there's a national uproar and demonstrations/marches are being held. Why is it supposed to be OK for a black man to be a racist. He is a bigot and shouldn't be let off the hook.

Of course there's also the "garlic nosed" Italians comment and the

On the TUCC web page they say, "We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization."
http://www.tucc.org/about.htm

Replace the word 'black' with 'white' and that would be national news with or without a Presidential Candidate being a member.

Also I'd like to say that I'm a little surprised that I need to have quotes and linked sources to comment on my opinion about something that's been so widely talked about throughout the entire nation for the last 5-6 weeks. Have you been living under a rock or do you just deny any of this was said since it is not good for your candidate?

Alex, do you have problems believing that the holocaust actually happened? Maybe we could get someone to state, in detail and with sourced references, some facts about that? Do we get bonus points if we can find video of Hitler actually ordering executions?

Oh and speaking of the holocaust, Rev Wright does not seem to hold any punches with Israel either...
"I must tell you that Israel was the closest ally to the White supremacists of South Africa. In fact, South Africa allowed Israel to test its nuclear weapons in the ocean off South Africa. The Israelis were given a blank check; they could test whenever they desired and did not even have to ask permission. both worked on an ethnic bomb that killed Blacks and Arabs."

Maybe that quote has been stretched a bit or maybe Wright agrees with his buddy Farrakhan, who gave us another gem last year with this one
“Do you know some of these satanic Jews have taken over BET. Everything that we built, they have. The mind of Satan now is running the record industry, movie industry, and television. And they make us look like we’re the murderers; we look like we’re the gangsters, but we’re punk stuff.”
http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2008/03/accusations-endorsed-by-pastor-wright.html

Alex, those quotes I put up that so annoy Ajin-san... change the word 'black' to 'white', and tell me that in that context they'd not be racist, and that you would not be (rightly) screaming about it all. This is not one of those situations where that judgment can be applied asymmetrically. One way or the other, Alex, not both.

So, if you change some words around, and put them in a different context, they become racist? Holy crap, Bit, you've stumbled upon a remarkable new utility of our language there.

Context and history matter, and one group saying one thing has one meaning, but another group, even saying the exact same thing, has a different meaning. When a minority wants more than a proportional representation in a society, it's not oppression. When a majority wants more than a proportional representation in a society, it is.

When drafting the Constitution, Rhode Island wanted proportionately more representation than New York. Had New York demanded more proportional representation than Rhode Island, it would have had a completely different meaning.

I have asked for evidence to support these claims. With one exception--and we are currently discussing that in this thread--everyone I have asked has avoided the question.

Alex, those quotes I put up that so annoy Ajin-san... change the word 'black' to 'white', and tell me that in that context they'd not be racist, and that you would not be (rightly) screaming about it all. This is not one of those situations where that judgment can be applied asymmetrically. One way or the other, Alex, not both.

Wow, what honest and impartial "experts" you rely upon to support your POV.

Mark this date and time down; Bains and I agree.
Bains, did you note where I said:

Oh... and here's a clue: Referring to comments from John Cole is not how to convince anyone on these matters. If there's one thing a perusal of Cole site will indicate, it's that he's been a far left apologist for far too long to be considered anything resembling an unbiased source.

You said it quicker. Nice.
(Chuckle)

But he does diminish his own stature, by climbing back atop the stink and reclaiming it. We all get it Reverend, we know where you stand. Your pride greater than your personal moral imperative.

The greater story now of course, is Barack's political missteps, regards Wright. Campaigns are like that. And in this one, we are just now beginning to see the measure of the Senator from Illinois.