Here we go again

Throwby · 05-30-2008, 04:31 AM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24882600

Rev. Michael Fleger visits Obama's old church, Trinity UCC, and goes off on Hillary in a racially charged message. When are people like him going to stick a cork in their pie hole?

BonnieJ2 · 05-30-2008, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by Throwby

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24882600

Rev. Michael Fleger visits Obama's old church, Trinity UCC, and goes off on Hillary in a racially charged message. When are people like him going to stick a cork in their pie hole?

It's weird. Rev. Pfleger has done so much good for Chicago in the past 20 years, but I do agree that his comments were unacceptable. I don't know why, especially given he was at Trinity, that he wouldn't weigh his words and thoughts more carefully. Ironic that so many "spiritual leaders" are in the spotlight for saying such hateful things.

matclone · 05-30-2008, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Throwby

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24882600

Rev. Michael Fleger visits Obama's old church, Trinity UCC, and goes off on Hillary in a racially charged message. When are people like him going to stick a cork in their pie hole?

I suppose you call this racially charged because he used inflammatory language. Fair enough. But if Michael Savage talks about race (which he does about every day), and uses inflammatory language (which he does every day), should he also shut his pie hole?

Isn't it true that we have a double standard in this country--that it is more wrong to talk about vestiges of racism in this country than it is to carelessless (or explicitly) denigrate people based on their race?

Did anyone notice the story about Willie Randolph apologizing (apologizing?) because he committed the cardinal sin of mentioning that race might be involved in criticizism of his job as manager?

There's an element of truth in what this paster says. I would probably not have said it that way, but then I probably would not be addressing a black congregation. In criticising him, consider who is is talking to.

Btw, I don't consider the language hateful. It may be exaggerated--again, however, we have consider it in the context of his audience, and not as if he's talking to us--but not hateful. As a white person I feel no threat whatsoever from this kind of speech.

CHICAGO - Sen. Barack Obama sought Thursday night to extinguish a burgeoning controversy over another Chicago minister who supports him, denouncing the comments of a Catholic priest who said “a whole lot of white people [are] crying” because a black man was within reach of the Democratic presidential nomination.

ban basketball · 05-30-2008, 11:44 AM

Again, in relation to the bigoted spiritual advisors who endorsed McCain, is this worse?

Cyclone85 · 05-30-2008, 01:10 PM

Not to pick a fight with you, however, I catch Savage everything now and then (for several years now) and I don't find that he uses inflammatory language in regards to race. He says some provocative things with regard to religion, but normally not with race.

[quote=matclone;68759]I suppose you call this racially charged because he used inflammatory language. Fair enough. But if Michael Savage talks about race (which he does about every day), and uses inflammatory language (which he does every day), should he also shut his pie hole?
(snippage)

matclone · 05-30-2008, 01:34 PM

We've touched on this subject before. The guys on talk radio may not use the n_word but that does not mean their comments are not racially charged. Their constant denigration and demonification of people of color means something even if you don't see it. One example: I heard a talk radio guy (I don't know who it was) a couple years ago scream that Kayne West (not sure who he is but he's black) is a "jackass". Another: I heard Michael Savage not so long ago refer to the immigrant "scum" (say it as sneeringly as possible). Sharpton and Jackson are regular villains, like recurring characters in a soap opera. I don't have to listen more than 15 minutes at a time, once every two months or so to pick up this stuff. You can take any racially-charged story on the news, and I guarantee it will get extensive airplay on the radio. These are obvious and frank attempts to stir up anger and resentment in white people. If you don't see it, that doesn't mean its not there.

BonnieJ2 · 05-30-2008, 01:38 PM

Michael Savage always talks about the "Immigrant Scum" when the Republicans do something he doesn't want to talk about. I listen to him every once in a while but as soon as he tries to pimp his latest book, I shut it off. So usually I only get a few minutes in.

I haven't listened for awhile, but he was calling Obama "Hussein" long after everyone else stopped because it was considered race-baiting.

ban basketball · 05-30-2008, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by BonnieJ2

Michael Savage always talks about the "Immigrant Scum" when the Republicans do something he doesn't want to talk about. I listen to him every once in a while but as soon as he tries to pimp his latest book, I shut it off. So usually I only get a few minutes in.

I haven't listened for awhile, but he was calling Obama "Hussein" long after everyone else stopped because it was considered race-baiting.

But, Bonnie, don't you know? He's only referring to illegal immigration. Republicans have always been for legal immigration.

Cyclone85 · 05-30-2008, 02:30 PM

So we can't call somebody a jackass (even if he is a jackass) if they are a different color than us? And maybe Savage was talking about an illegal alien that raped and then killed a child in Phoenix; that's a scumbag in my book and should be sent back home. Most of the people that I know call a jackass a jackass and a scumbag a scumbag...w/o caring about the color of the skin. It doesn't make any difference as far as I'm concerned.

Originally Posted by matclone

We've touched on this subject before. The guys on talk radio may not use the n_word but that does not mean their comments are not racially charged. Their constant denigration and demonification of people of color means something even if you don't see it. One example: I heard a talk radio guy (I don't know who it was) a couple years ago scream that Kayne West (not sure who he is but he's black) is a "jackass". Another: I heard Michael Savage not so long ago refer to the immigrant "scum" (say it as sneeringly as possible). Sharpton and Jackson are regular villains, like recurring characters in a soap opera. I don't have to listen more than 15 minutes at a time, once every two months or so to pick up this stuff. You can take any racially-charged story on the news, and I guarantee it will get extensive airplay on the radio. These are obvious and frank attempts to stir up anger and resentment in white people. If you don't see it, that doesn't mean its not there.

Throwby · 05-30-2008, 02:47 PM

matclone - I called it racially charged because it was racially charged. I find it particularly foolish when these men who supposedly represent the gospel of Christ keep making an issue out of race. What does that have to do with his job??? Does Hillary really think the Presidency is owed her because she is white? It's a stupid comment with no basis. Yes, ban, I believe all ministers when they are speaking from the pulpit should avoid politics. If they are speaking outside their formal job, however, they have a right to voice their opinions as American citizens. As far as Michael Savage is concerned I never listen to talk radio and very little TV news so I can't address your concerns/comparisons but I doubt that he was speaking to a church when he made his comments.

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