ABC repeatedly noted controversial comments by Obama's "allies," but has yet to report comments by McCain endorsers
SUMMARY: During recent editions of Good Morning America and World News, ABC discussed and aired reports on the "explosive statements" of Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, but ABC has yet to report on controversial comments by two "allies" of Sen. John McCain. For example, evangelist John Hagee has said that "Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans," and pastor Rod Parsley reportedly wrote that "America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion [of Islam] destroyed."
On the March 14 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, host Diane Sawyer noted that "ABC played some explosive statements by [Sen.] Barack Obama's preacher about America and race," and asked: "Is it fair to hold the candidates responsible for their preachers, for their friends, allies?" However, while ABC aired reports on Jeremiah A. Wright, Obama's former pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, during the March 13 editions of Good Morning America and World News (in addition to Sawyer's mention of Wright's "explosive statements"), the network has yet to report on controversial comments by two "allies" of Sen. John McCain. McCain's supporters include evangelist John Hagee, founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, who has said that "Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans" for planning "a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came," and Rod Parsley, senior pastor of World Harvest Church in Columbus, Ohio, who reportedly wrote that "America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion [of Islam] destroyed."
Hagee endorsed McCain on February 27. In a March 12 article, Mother Jones Washington editor David Corn reported that Parsley had endorsed McCain on February 26 at a campaign rally at which they both appeared. Parsley called McCain a "strong, true, consistent conservative," and McCain referred to Parsley as a "spiritual guide."
As Media Matters for America has noted, on the September 18, 2006, edition of National Public Radio's Fresh Air, host Terry Gross said to Hagee, "You said after Hurricane Katrina that it was an act of God, and you said 'when you violate God's will long enough, the judgment of God comes to you. Katrina is an act of God for a society that is becoming Sodom and Gomorrah reborn.' " She then asked, "Do you still think that Katrina is punishment from God for a society that's becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah?" Hagee responded:
HAGEE: All hurricanes are acts of God, because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they are -- were recipients of the judgment of God for that. The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades. So I believe that the judgment of God is a very real thing. I know that there are people who demur from that, but I believe that the Bible teaches that when you violate the law of God, that God brings punishment sometimes before the day of judgment. And I believe that the Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans.
Earlier in the program, Gross had asked Hagee if he believed that "all Muslims have a mandate to kill Christians and Jews." Hagee replied: "Well, the Quran teaches that. Yes, it teaches that very clearly."
In his book, What Every Man Wants in a Woman (Charisma House, January 2005), Hagee wrote: "As I write this book, the issue of same-sex marriage rages on the front pages of America's newspapers and is seen on national telecasts each evening," and noted that "Massachusetts has just agreed to recognize same-sex marriages." Hagee added: "For a fact, Sodom and Gomorrah are being reborn in America." Several paragraphs later, he asserted that if the United States Congress failed to pass an amendment "recognizing only the marriage between a man and a woman," then "the gates of hell will be opened." He continued: "It will open the door to incest, to polygamy, and every conceivable marriage arrangement demented minds can possibly conceive. If God does not then punish America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah." He also wrote: "It is impossible to call yourself a Christian and defend homosexuality. There is no justification or acceptance of homosexuality," and "Homosexuality means the death of society because homosexuals can recruit, but they cannot reproduce."
Additionally, investigative journalist Sarah Posner wrote in God's Profits: Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters (PoliPointPress, January 2008) that Hagee "complains that the military is downsized -- not that it matters since he predicts there will be a nuclear war to bring about Armageddon -- and blames it on Bill Clinton for making 'the military the habitat of homosexuals by executive order. ...The military will have difficultly recruiting healthy and strong heterosexuals for combat purposes. Why? Fighting in combat with a man in your fox hole that has AIDS or is HIV positive is double jeopardy' " (Page 83).
A March 7, 1996, article (accessed via the Nexis database) in the San Antonio Express-News reported that Hagee was going to "meet with black religious leaders privately at an unspecified future date to discuss comments he made in his newsletter about a 'slave sale,' an East Side minister said Wednesday." The Express-News further reported:
Hagee, pastor of the 16,000-member Cornerstone Church, last week had announced a "slave sale" to raise funds for high school seniors in his church bulletin, "The Cluster."
The item was introduced with the sentence "Slavery in America is returning to Cornerstone" and ended with "Make plans to come and go home with a slave."
The Wall Street Journal also noted the incident in a July 27, 2006, article:
To help students seeking odd jobs, his church newsletter, The Cluster, advertised a "slave" sale. "Slavery in America is returning to Cornerstone," it said. "Make plans to come and go home with a slave." Mr. Hagee apologized but, in a radio interview, protested about pressure to be "politically correct" and joked that perhaps his pet dog should be called a "canine American."
In What Every Man Wants in a Woman, Hagee wrote (Page 14):
Do you know the difference between a woman with PMS and a snarling Doberman pinscher? The answer is lipstick. Do you know the difference between a terrorist and a woman with PMS? You can negotiate with a terrorist.
He further wrote that "[o]nly a Spirit-filled woman can submit to her husband's lead. It is the natural desire of a woman to lead through feminine manipulation of the man." He added that a woman is, "by instinct, a manipulator of the situation. Fallen women will try to dominate the marriage. The man has the God-given role to be the loving leader of the home" (Page 12-13).
According to Corn's article, Parsley wrote in Silent No More (Charisma House, April 2005):
I cannot tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam, that we see it for what it really is. In fact, I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore.
From Hagee's What Every Man Wants from a Woman:
Only a Spirit-filled woman can submit to her husband's lead. It is the natural desire of a woman to lead through feminine manipulation of the man. The battle of the sexes began in Genesis 3:16, when God said to the woman, "Your craving shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you." In the Art Scroll Tanach Series, author Meir Zolotowitz stated, "Woman's punishment is measure for measure. She influenced her husband and he ate at her command. Her punishment was that she would now become subservient to him."
Why did Saint Paul say, "I do not permit a woman to ... have authority over a man" (1 Tim. 2:12)? It was because it is the natural thing for a woman to try to do. She is, by instinct, a manipulator of the situation. Fallen women will try to dominate the marriage. The man has the God-given role to be the loving leader of the home. [Pages 12-13]
[...]
As I write this book, the issue of same-sex marriage rages on the front pages of America's newspapers and is seen on national telecasts each evening. Massachusetts has just agreed to recognize same-sex marriages. For a fact, Sodom and Gomorrah are being reborn in America.
The only hope morality has to survive in America is for a constitutional amendment to be passed stating that the only marriage recognized in America will be between a man and a woman of legal age.
I have carried seventy-five thousand petitions from our television partners to Washington DC and personally placed them in the hand of Senator John Cornyn of Texas. Senator Cornyn is the chairman of the subcommittee that will hear all evidence and expressions from the American people of their desire for a constitutional amendment.
I encourage every person who has biblical beliefs to contact their congressman and their senator on a regular basis and implore them to pass this constitutional amendment recognizing only the marriage between a man and a woman. If we fail to achieve this, the gates of hell will be opened. It will open the door to incest, to polygamy, and every conceivable marriage arrangement demented minds can possibly conceive. If God does not then punish America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.
What does the Bible call homosexuality? Let's look at Leviticus 18:22. It reads: "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination."
Leviticus 20:13 states: "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them."
The word abomination in Hebrew means "something disgusting, and abhorrent," the strongest Bible word for the denunciation of sin. It is impossible to call yourself a Christian and defend homosexuality. There is no justification or acceptance of homosexuality. How many ways can you say "abomination" is Hebrew?
[...]
In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Bruce. Homosexuality means the death of society because homosexuals can recruit, but they cannot reproduce.
Once homosexuality gets out of the closet, it becomes aggressive. We are receiving every signal that intelligent humanity can receive from the homosexual community. They do not want mere acceptance, they want to be in charge. [Pages 68-70]
From the March 13 edition of ABC's World News with Charles Gibson:
TAPPER: Clinton seemed to downplay Martin Luther King's achievements. Her husband compared Obama to Jesse Jackson.
But members of the Obama team also have been accused of playing the race card. Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the just-retired pastor at Obama's church, is a member of the Obama campaign's African-American religious leadership committee.
WRIGHT: Barack knows what it means to be a black man living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich, white people. Hillary can never know that. Hillary ain't never been called a [bleep].
TAPPER: Party leaders worry that the longer this fight goes on, the greater the risk for whomever ends up the nominee of a party polarized by race.
Jake Tapper, ABC News, Washington.
From the March 14 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:
SAWYER: Let me turn to this other series of land mines this past week. Matt, bring you in here. Because Geraldine Ferraro, as we know, said basically, "If Barack Obama were white or female, he would not be where he is," and she ended up resigning as a member of the finance committee for Hillary Clinton. At the same time, ABC played some explosive statements by Barack Obama's preacher about America and race.
This is my question: Is it fair to hold the candidates responsible for their preachers, for their friends, allies?
MATTHEW DOWD (ABC News political contributor): Well, I think the public views the candidates in a variety of ways, one of which is, who speaks up for them, and how will they talk and what do they say? And so I think it's fair to sort of hold them accountable for those folks, especially folks in official positions.
I mean, John McCain faced this a couple of weeks ago in a guy that introduced him and said some outrageous stuff. I think it's up to the candidate then to sort of say, "They don't speak for me. I have distance from them."
But it is a concern when you have -- sort of have freelancing folks that go out and say these sort of outrageous things, 'cause it does reflect ultimately on the candidate, and the candidate ultimately has to deal with it, and how they deal with it really is much more important than what actually those people said.
SAWYER: But, Cokie [Roberts], let me ask you. James Carville has written this morning an op-ed piece in which he said, "All these calls for resignation are becoming cries of 'wolf,' " and that "[r]ather than having to resign, Gerry Ferraro should have been dispatched to a cruise ship for a few weeks of sightseeing."
From the March 13 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:
CUOMO: All right, we want to turn now to an in-depth look at a very important figure in Democratic front-runner Barack Obama's life -- his longtime pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Reverend Wright has made a number of controversial statements over the years. Now that Obama is a national figure, the question is, could the reverend become a liability? Chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross is here with more on this. Good morning, Brian.
ROSS: Good morning, Chris, Diane. Senator Obama has been a member of the same church in Chicago for 20 years, where his pastor has been Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the man who performed the Obamas' marriage ceremony and the man Obama credits for the title of his book, The Audacity of Hope.
[begin video clip]
ROSS: Reverend Wright has built a large and loyal following at his church, the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's south side. With a powerful voice and his strong words, Reverend Wright can be a mesmerizing presence.
WRIGHT: The angels in heaven were singing, "God Never Fails."
ROSS: And he often uses the gospel to affirm his strong political views, as in this 2003 sermon, damning the United States for its treatment of blacks.
WRIGHT: The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law, and then wants us to sing "God Bless America." No, no, no. Not God bless America, God damn America. That's in the Bible, for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human.
ROSS: It's not known if Senator Obama was in the church on this day, but he has sought to play down Reverend Wright's overall approach.
OBAMA: I don't think that my church is actually particularly controversial.
ROSS: During the campaign, the senator has defended what he calls Reverend Wright's "social gospel."
OBAMA: So he was one of the leaders in calling for divestment from South Africa and some other issues like that, and he thinks it's important for us to focus on what's happening in Africa -- and I agree with him on that.
ROSS: But an ABC News review of more than a dozen sermons, which are offered for sale by the church, found Reverend Wright going far beyond issues of Africa. He refers to the U.S. as under the influence of the Ku Klux Klan.
WRIGHT: And they will not only attack you if you try to point out what's going on in white America, U.S. of KKK -- A.
ROSS: He regularly mocks black Republicans as sellouts.
WRIGHT: They live below the sea level; they live below the level of Clarence, Colin, and Condemnesia --
ROSS: In his first sermon after September 11, 2001, Reverend Wright said the U.S. had brought on the attacks with its own terrorism.
WRIGHT: We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye. We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant. Because the stuff we have done overseas has now brought right back into our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost.
ROSS: Reverend Wright retired last month, but members of the church say he left a lasting impression on them and Senator Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: He spoke the truth, continues to speak the truth, and people can label that as "radical," but I think it's insightful.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: No, I wouldn't call it "radical," I'd call it being black in America. It's not radical. How radical is that?
[end video clip]
ROSS: Reverend Wright declined to comment or appear on this program, as did Senator Obama. In his most recent appearance in Ohio, when he was asked about it, Senator Obama said that Reverend Wright was "like an old uncle, who sometimes says things I don't agree with" -- Chris.
[...]
CUOMO: But is there a responsibility as a candidate for president to associate yourself, certainly as a spiritual adviser, with ideas that are consistent with your campaign? Senator Obama saying his campaign's about moving away from divisive politics, from sniping and attacks, and then to say your spiritual adviser is a man who says America should be damned, that it is to blame for 9-11, that Farrakhan deserves an award for epitomizing greatness? Does that go together?
SHAUN CASEY (Obama campaign adviser): I think he's repudiated that very clearly. If you had any evidence that, in fact, that Senator Obama had embraced those views, we would have seen that in the piece. But the fact that you didn't have any video of Senator Obama embracing those views; in fact, he's repudiated those views, I think it's very clear. I mean, it's interesting to me, you haven't vetted Hillary Clinton's pastor's sermons; you haven't vetted President Bush's pastor's sermons; you haven't vetted John McCain's pastor's sermons. So you're not holding them to that standard, which I think is very interesting.
CUOMO: And you believe that what the reverend has said doesn't go beyond the pale of what he preaches in terms of religion, it doesn't deserve any more scrutiny than that, it doesn't have anything to do with politics, this is just the media picking on Senator Obama?
CASEY: No, it's fair to ask those questions, but what -- you have to accept Senator Obama's answers, that he repudiates those specific political views on the three or four issues that you've outlined; and I think you have to take his word for that.
Answer: only if you told them to say whatever they said as part of your campaign. Otherwise, NO.
MM: "ABC has yet to report on controversial comments by two 'allies' of Sen. John McCain."
Really? What's this then?: ABC News: McCain Rejects Anti-Catholic Views
D'oh! It's not GMA or another ABC show, but it's still on ABC's web site. Isn't that "reporting" it?
Maybe MM should change their line to, "ABC has yet to report on controversial comments by two 'allies' of Sen. John McCain to our satisfaction."
This is getting surreal. I just caught part of Hannity & Colmes, they had a panel on, Ari Fleischer, Bob Beckel and Tony Blankley.
Hannity ran down his hysterical list of Obama terrors, suggesting that not only is Obama unfit to be president, based on some out of context quotes from the pastor of his church, but that he should resign as senator.
Colmes was allowed to show some video of the Rev, Parsley, bellowing out more ridiculous nonsense than anything I've heard from Rev. Wright, and Colmes asked a very fair and straightforward question of Fleischer; "Should John McCain be required to denounce Parsley and Hagee, as Obama has been made to do regarding the others?"
Fleischer's response- "That's not the point..."
WTF? That's not the point ?!? You've just condemned a candidate for words said by somebody connected to that candidate, words that the candidate has publicly and repeatedly commented on and rejected. words for which that candidate is still being smeared.
And when asked if it would be fair to bring his opponent up to somewhere near the same standards, that's off-topic?
I'd like to relay the rest of Fleischer's response, but that's all that was required of him. At that point, Blankley interrupted with some new shrieking drivel questioning Obama's honesty about whether he had been present when the words were spoken.
Beckel tried to respond, cornering Hannity with a question Hannity weaseled around, just as Hannity ran out of time and had to go to commercial.
It was just amazing, the uncontested slime they squeezed into these few minutes. I've been trying to be optimistic, having enough faith in this country that I don't believe there are enough Foxfans to make a dent in the election. I just don't know if, in the next 10 months, this crap won't be too overwhelming for our fellow Americans who don't really feel like paying attention.
I'm not talking about the willfully ignorant like freepers and the wingnuts who show up posting here who are dying to eat this stuff up. I'm talking about those voters a few rungs up the ladder who rely on the minimal info. from the mainstream media to make up their minds.I don't even think it's going to be just the extreme fringes of the Christian right, but the more moderate conservative Christian types who may be programmed with fear into being suckered by this stuff.
I hope I'm wrong.
I'm not talking about the willfully ignorant like freepers and the wingnuts who show up posting here who are dying to eat this stuff up. I'm talking about those voters a few rungs up the ladder who rely on the minimal info. from the mainstream media to make up their minds.
Ironic that you make this comment, given that so many of Obama's Kool-Aid drunk supporters are the politically naive who cannot see that he is not new or different but simply an old school liberal in nice, new sleek packaging.
We're well over 60 yrs now in Japan, Germany and over 50 in Korea...
I've got money that we're in those places come the 100th anniversary and Iraq will probably be no different.
I also saw the "H&C" in question in-between a Fox News commercial once again billing the network as "fair & balanced."
What a joke.
Hannity did everything short of calling for Obama to be arrested in desperately trying to connect Wright's comments with Obama himself. I was also amused by Colmes actually calling Melanie Morgan on her failure to answer his question about whether John McCain should be held responsible for inflammatory statements from his supporters (e.g. Hagee).
This is all a non-story, IMO, but we all know that Fox and its fellow RNC media whores on talk radio will do beat this drum relentlessly in an attempt to smear Obama.
Wright is a genuine racial bigot, a fellow traveler with Minister Farakhan. His rhetoric is not only controversial, it's disgusting. He spewed hatred against whites and against the U.S. Sunday after Sunday from his pulpit. Until today he was a member of the Obama campaign.
But he's not a crazy old uncle - he is the candidate's mentor. Dictionary.com defines 'mentor' thus:
1. a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. 2.an influential senior sponsor or supporter.One would expect that a mentor would have a significant impact on the 'mentee.' If so, how did Wright influence Obama? Obama continues to repudiate Wright's more disgusting comments, but why is it that he just now finds they need to be repudiated? Why was this disgusting hate-filled rhetoric not important enough to distance oneself (and one's children) from before it was politically expedient to do so?
Obama supported Wright's hate-mongering for 20 years. He sought him out as a spiritual counselor and guide. His association with Jeremiah Wright speaks volumes to the questions of who Barack Obama is.
I didn't think it possible, but it looks as though the Democrats have found a candidate that even John McCain can beat!
Substance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you know Rev. Wright??? He is actually a renowned minister?
Have you been to Trinity United Church of Christ? Do you know the current Rev. Otis Moss III?
Do you understand African American theology and the social gospel?
What was so bigoted about what Rev. Wright said...hmmm??
Answer those questions so that I can hammer you with SUBSTANCE!!!
Address what substance? Ed's post wast absolutely devoid of substance.
I will judge Obama on his own actions and his own words. That is what "speaks volumes to the questions of who Barack Obama is." What his or any candidate's minister says is of almost no interest to me.
This is idiotic guilt by association garbage.
Dross:
If so, how did Wright influence Obama?
Since Obama referred to Rev Wright as a "crazy old uncle", apparently not much. Obama has certainly gone farther than John McCain who still accepts the endorsement of that wacko John Hagee.
Until the media started their examination of Wright's hate-mongering, Obama referred to him as 'mentor.' He is the candidate's spiritual guide, confidant, and pastor.Trying to 'duck' the issue will not work.
Obama needs to define for the voters what of Wright's racist and antisemitic creed he affirms and what he doesn't. If he doesn't successfully do that, the right will justifiably make it all stick to him.
Parsley has in common with most fundamentalist bigots a breathtaking lack of education about, and intellectual understanding of, the history of politics and religion. It's ironic that a person who owes his very pulpit to the Founding Fathers' insistence that our government make no law establishing or proscribing any faith would claim that these same remarkable men would declare independence from British rule in part because of some desire to forever silence Islam. It betrays Parsley's ignorance and his mean-spiritedness as well as his unamericanism.
Perhaps he was home sick the day his teacher discussed the efforts of the Catholic Church to abolish every rival religion, from Catharism to Protestantism, evidenced by the Crusades, the pogrom against so-called witches, the attacks on Protestant sects, the Inquisition, &c. Perhaps Parsley played hookie the day his theology professor discussed the lengthy brotherhood in medieval Spain that saw Catholics, Muslims, and Jews all living side by side in perfect peace and harmony.
With supporters like this, McPain needs a new hole in his head -- a lobotomy.
JMMARTIN;
Have you never heard of the term dhimmitude? What you think may have prevailed in Moorish Spain in the 14th or 15th Centuries is not a reality anywhere in the world today. (That era wasn't very friendly to Jews - but they fared a lot better under the Christians than they did the Moors.)
I'd guess that Parsley was not talking about the organization of this country under the constitution, but the motives behind the puritan settlers - who covenanted together to make their new home a "city set on a hill." The Puritans didn't come to America to establish freedom of religion, they came here to escape persecution for the exercise of their religion, and to establish it as the religion of the New World.
To see America as a major force against false religions (Islam included) is a common historical perspective among Christians of this country, and was once an almost universal perception here. Though it has been denied and twisted and ignored, the freedom of religion that this country was founded upon was a freedom of Christian religion. Several states adopted the bill of rights even though they had 'state' churches. They saw no contradiction between their practice and the first amendment. When a colonist thought of freedom of religion, it meant that the government would not have the right or power to interfere with his exercise of Christianity.
The view you espouse, commonly called 'separation of church and state' is a relatively recent aberration of what was meant by freedom of religion in the United States.
Of course, anyone who would dare to utter such a departure from the history taught in government schools is obviously an uneducated, ignorant bigot! But just because you don't agree with something doesn't mean that the person holding the contrary view is ignorant, or bigoted, or uneducated. It might mean that they have a more sophisticated understanding of history than you do.
"The view you espouse, commonly called 'separation of church and state' is a relatively recent aberration of what was meant by freedom of religion in the United States."
Except for the fact that a majority of the founding fathers weren't Christian. They were deists. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, had made many well known comments on the flaws of Christianity. You know, that whole enlightenment thing where reason was top dog? The founding fathers had a not-so-small part to play in it.
If the founding fathers had wanted to establish a Christian nation, wouldn't they have done so? Instead, the state may not establish a religion. Any religion. How does that not keep the church and state separate?
religion should be a private enterprise. Republicans want to privatize everything else, why not religion?
It's always distressing to see people argue FOR the inclusion of religion into politics refer back to the time when those two were never seperated except by the people who ran AWAY from it (and, them, umm.., you know, founded AMERICA!).
I think it's irony- 'Grrrr! My landlords are forcing me to bow to a picture of somebody. I do not like that so I will go somewhere else. Interesting... apparently those onboard the FREEDOM ship were secretly deitist SLEEPER CELLS!! AArrrggghh! It's the same thing all over again!
YOU are insane. The Jews fared better under the SPANISH INQUISITIONS than under the Moors? You have lost all touch with reality. In fact the Jews were BANISHED from Spain in 1492 , pretty much immedatly AFTER the Muslims were defeated at Granada. Tens of THOUSANDS died trying to reach refuge. You NEVER know what you are talking about.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/expulsion.html
In the same month in which their Majesties [Ferdinand and Isabella] issued the edict that all Jews should be driven out of the kingdom and its territories, in the same month they gave me the order to undertake with sufficient men my expedition of discovery to the Indies." So begins Christopher Columbus's diary. The expulsion that Columbus refers to was so cataclysmic an event that ever since, the date 1492 has been almost as important in Jewish history as in American history. On July 30 of that year, the entire Jewish community, some 200,000 people, were expelled from Spain.
Tens of thousands of refugees died while trying to reach safety. In some instances, Spanish ship captains charged Jewish passengers exorbitant sums, then dumped them overboard in the middle of the ocean. In the last days before the expulsion, rumors spread throughout Spain that the fleeing refugees had swallowed gold and diamonds, and many Jews were knifed to death by brigands hoping to find treasures in their stomachs.
The Jews' expulsion had been the pet project of the Spanish Inquisition, headed by Father Tomas de Torquemada. Torquemada believed that as long as the Jews remained in Spain, they would influence the tens of thousands of recent Jewish converts to Christianity to continue practicing Judaism. Ferdinand and Isabella rejected Torquemada's demand that the Jews be expelled until January 1492, when the Spanish Army defeated Muslim forces in Granada, thereby restoring the whole of Spain to Christian rule. With their most important project, the country's unification, accomplished, the king and queen concluded that the Jews were expendable. On March 30, they issued the expulsion decree, the order to take effect in precisely four months. The short time span was a great boon to the rest of Spain, as the Jews were forced to liquidate their homes and businesses at absurdly low prices. Throughout those frantic months, Dominican priests actively encouraged Jews to convert to Christianity and thereby gain salvation both in this world and the next.
Wow - for people who "complain" about H&C so much you guys sure like to watch the program a lot.
If you had turned away from your favorite program you might have seen that Obama gave an interview to CNN on the Anderson Cooper program - and Anderson Cooper went over the same ground as Hannity.
I guess Obama realizes how important it is to distance himself his most important spiritual and political adviser, Wright.
Go Obama! (and thanks for taking my advise and throwing that scumbag "preacher" under the bus!!!)
You are a LIAR, you do NOT support Obama and are really pathetic. Cite a SINGLE place where Obama says Wright is his POLITICAL advisor. Do ALL you wingnuts lie so much?
>>>Obama supported Wright's hate-mongering for 20 years.
a) Sean Hannity! What are you doing here? This is a lie. Only a moron and/or Fox News acolyte would believe that Obama has endorsed everything that Jeremiah Wright has ever said at his church.
b) I don't think this is a fight you want to pick, unless you want people assuming that John McCain's acceptance of John Hagee's endorsement means that (like Hagee) he is anti-Catholic, and anti-Semitic. Or that, like McCain's self-professed "spiritual advisor" Rod Parsely, is a raging homophobe and believes the US should destroy Islam.
"I applaud him for speaking out against this lifestyle,"
Homophobe. Hater. You are talking about human beings and fellow Americans. "Love your neighbor", as long as they aren't gay?
"suggesting that a religion be destroyed does not equate to destroying the people"
How exactly would you suggest the religion be "destroyed," then?
You represent the worst elements that religion can offer- you manipulate a 2000 year old book to reflect your own hatred for your fellow man and use it as an excuse to inflict pain on them. Anyone that would suggest that we destroy gays and Muslims can go take a flying leap, as far as I am concerned. I choose to embrace humanity.
I am pretty sure that Christ would as well. It's been a while since Catholic school, but I seem to remember that Jesus was a nice guy.
When did I say I hated homosexual people? I do not agree with the LIFESTYLE. Here is a fact - we are ALL sinners. Me. You. Homosexuality is just one of many sins that man engages in. I do not hate homosexual people. I have a cousin who I am pretty sure is gay. I do not hate her. If she is, I do not agree with her lifestyle. This is a very definite distinction. You can try to portray it as hating the person all you want, but the fact is that such a portrayal is completely inaccurate.
As for how you can destroy something without hurting a soul, consider this scenario. If all Muslims came to Christ (I know...very unlikely in this age), would Islam still exist? Would that not effectively destroy the religion without hurting one person? Though not a religion, imagine how wonderful America would be if we could "destroy" the Democrat party if all Democrats became conservatives! :)
And yes, Jesus was a nice guy. He showed much grace and caring for people. He spent time with sinners. However, he also did not mince words in pointing out sin. As this shows, pointing out sin is not being not nice.
Do we actually have to parse the word "destroy"? Astonishing.
transitive verb1: to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of <destroyed the files>; also : to ruin as if by tearing to shreds <their reputation was destroyed>2 a: to put out of existence : kill <destroy an injured horse> b: neutralize <the moon destroys the light of the stars> c: annihilate, vanquish <armies had been crippled but not destroyed— W. L. Shirer>intransitive verb: to cause destruction
Not much room for discussion there. Sorry.
And here is Parsely "speaking out" against homsexuality. If your cousin was gay bashed, be sure not to go to this guy for help. He's awful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tViqufbk7I8
You? Or someone like Paisley, Hagee or Wright?
Wow...Parsley spoke out against homosexuality.
No, Parsley is a homophobe. There's a big difference.
I applaud him for speaking out against this lifestyle rather than attacking him for it. America does not like to be reminded of it, but the Bible does not speak favorably of homosexuality.
The Bible doesn't speak out against homosexuality any more than it does tell us to not each shellfish or wear two different fabrics. It speaks against rape and abusive pedophilia, but not homosexuality.
Indigo -
I never said Obama endorsed everything Wright said. I said he supported the man's career - apparently to the tune of thousands of $ per year. In addition, he's been a loyal member of the Church that provided Wright the platform to spew his hatred. Obama says that he never heard the kind of rhetoric being questioned in public or in private.
But the basis of Wright's theology is Black Liberation Theology which has at its base a Marxist dialectic, and a basic assumption that whites are evil, while blacks are oppressed. What Obama is denouncing is the center of Wright's message - which Obama says he never heard!
Ed:
So in other words, your criticism of Obama is based exclusively on guilt by association.
Listen, I'm not a fan of Wright. But just as I don't hold John McCain responsible for the anti-gay, Christian dominionist rants of his "spiritual advisor" Rod Parsely, I'm not going to hold Obama responsible for the equally nutball rantings of Jeremiah Wright.
To do so in either case is insane.
Plus, if this desperate sort of attack versus Obama is the best the RNC brain-trust can come up with, they are in serious trouble come November.
Indigo;
As far as I know, neither Parsley nor Hagee are members of McCain's campaign. Not only was Wright Obama's mentor, he also was a member of the campaign - until yesterday. It is certainly valid to differentiate between people endorsing a candidate and members of a candidate's campaign.
I suspect that if David Duke publicly endorsed McCain, that McCain would repudiate Duke's racist hatred. Obama, far from repudiating Wright's racism, had him on his campaign until it got politically inexpedient to keep him there. And no Republican would ever put a pariah like Duke on their campaign as a matter of principle. But Obama had a race-baiting bigot on his campaign - says something about Obama, I believe.
Others on this site are saying that Obama should be judged on his own words and not those of his pastor. OK, so he's for "hope." What's the 'hope?' For example is it that people be treated fairly regardless of skin color, or that people be guaranteed equality of outcomes regardless of merit (affirmative action)?
Or is it the 'hope' of Jeremiah Wright - that the United States be damned by God?
It is certainly not the job of the media to to make Obama's case for him - and he surely doesn't expect the GOP to do it for him. Charm and empty talk won't win many votes.
"I'm very honored by Pastor John Hagee's endorsement today," McCain said at a news conference. "He has been the staunchest leader of our Christian evangelical movement in many areas, but especially, most especially, his close ties and advocacy for the freedom and independence of the state of Israel."
John McCain defended Pastor Hagee's comments today, saying he believe Hagee's claims that his statements were taken out of context: I will say that he said that his words were taken out of context, he defends his position. I hope that maybe you'd give him a chance to respond. He says he has never been anti-Catholic, but I repudiate the words that create that impression.
Here is the McCain campaign website proudly promoting a video of Rev. Hagee's reverent introduction of McCain, while McCain and wife Cindy stood proudly by, during the candidate's "No Surrender Tour"
In Hagee's latest book, Jerusalem Countdown, he calls Hitler a Catholic who murdered Jews while the Catholic Church did nothing. 'The sell-out of Catholicism to Hitler began not with the people but with the Vatican itself,' he writes. Hagee's says ' All Muslims are programmed to kill and we can thus never negotiate with any of them'. 'God caused Hurricane Katrina to wipe out New Orleans because it had a gay pride parade the week before and was filled with sexual sin'. 'The End Times -- Rapture -- is imminent and the U.S. Government must do what it can to hasten it, which at minimum requires: (a) a war with Iran and (b) undying, absolute support for a unified Israel, including all Occupied Territories'. 'As millions of people anticipate the release of the latest Harry Potter book and film, we're reminded once again of Satan's ongoing attempt to deceive and destroy. The whole purpose of the Potter books is to desensitize readers and introduce them to the occult'.
Who is the racist nut job and who loves having his support?
1. Black Liberation Theology has nothing to do with Marxism.
2. Black Liberation Theology does not assume whites are evil.
3. The goal of Black Liberation Theology has been to liberate the Black race from racial oppression practiced against them by the white race since the 15th century.
------------------------------------------------------
But the basis of Wright's theology is Black Liberation Theology which has at its base a Marxist dialectic, and a basic assumption that whites are evil, while blacks are oppressed. What Obama is denouncing is the center of Wright's message - which Obama says he never heard!
- edrossinoelwein9669
Hmmmm.......No mention of the fact that McCain has publicly stated that he does not share the views of either of these freaks? Good job, MMFA!!
Conversely, Obama has been a member of Wright's congregation for 20 freaking years!!!! Guess he can't just say " I don't conform to his line of thought", now can he? My God, the man performed Obama's WEDDING ceremony! OUCH!!
Obama supporters need to accept the fact Obama is judged by a different measuring stick. I'm a supporter who happens to be African-American. I agree with every poster saying it's not fair, however, I'm willing to bet the republicans want him to win the nomination now. The Karl Rove onslaught that's waiting for him if he gets past Clinton will not be pretty. If people thought Hillary's 3 am ad was bad, wait til you get a load of the sound bytes and visual of that pastor making anti-American comments.
I feel you August 100% however let me add in this. Obama has had an uphill battle; one that nobody wants to give hims credit for. Rev. Wright's statements were stemming from a certain disappointment in this country for its hyprocrisy and inability to live up to its creeds. Rev. Wright is a former marine. He served this country. I know what the Republican would love to do with all of this. They have done it with the help of ignorant democrats and fickle liberals. These people know nothing about the context of the what Wright and so many others are saying. We must shut up and our voices be suppressed. If we allowed this to happen, we could still be sitting in the back of the god damn bus. America's institutions to this day are perpetuating this racial opression. One of those institutions is our corporate owned media. Many seemed to be supporting Obama as a symbol that America is "post-racial". Obama is not that. Obama wants to unite us and a part of unity is understanding. Obama wants everyone to sit at his table and that includes the respected Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Sean Hannity. We must come together and understand certain realities and accept them so that we can fix them . Its kind of like in therapy. You must first admit that you have a problem in order to be healed. The arrogance and ignorance that I am seeing on this thread, several blogs and all over the corporate media is in no way trying to be a part of this process. Where is our understanding? When Michelle Obama made those statements I knew exactly what she was saying and I knew it came from a deep place. For the Republi-thugs to with the help of ignorant democrats and fickle liberals...her comments were distorted to say all kinds of this that she was not saying. I know how disappointing it is when you realize that Manifest Destiny had little to do with inspiring rhetoric of American frontiers and more to do with killing Native Americans and expanding an opressive country and all it came with. I visited Native American reservations and to hear the stories of lost culture and how some of them feel about American society is heart-breaking but of course many would never try and understand them. People of color have a different connection and experience to this place called the United States of America. David Gergen put it excellent when he brought up Frederick Douglaus and the African American students in his class. These issues continue to this day. I will never doubt ever that we havent made progress because we have. However we still have a long, long way to go. What our generation has to face is different from those of other generations have had to face. Prejudice, oppression and suppression have been veiled and denied because our country would like to beleive that it is beyond that period. We are not beyond that period. Prejudice is just disguised differently. Listen, I am not trying to scold anyone. I am just trying to say that the only way that we can bring about unity and change is through understanding and inviting everyone to the table because all of what we have to say is relevant and engaging in discourse is only healthy.
Sorry, Media Matters for Democrats does not get away with this effort to deflect. "Waaaahh!!! Why should I be the only one to get in trouble....Johnny did it too!! WAAAAHHH!!" We are not talking about Johnny (and I will explain how even if we were, they are not comarable comparisons). We are talking about Obama and his disingenuous disavowal of this pastor. Why is it different? Because of Obama's close relationship with this pastor, with his attendence at his church for 20 years, because this pastor married his wife and he, and because this pastor was his spiritual advisor. That sounds like a much closer relationship over a long period of time than simply having the pastor of a church endorsing you. Is John Hagee McCain's spiritual advisor? Does McCAin have a close relationships. MMfD - this is apples and oranges and you are simply trying to deflect attention.
As for Hagee, oooh....he is not PC. Breaks my heart.
Yes it is apples to oranges. Give me some evidence that they have some similar relationship. I do not want to get into an analysis of Wright's Hagee's comments because if they cite Biblical support for the views they are expressing that is fine. I might not agree with their conclusion, but unless it is an obvious misapplication of the Bible, I am not going to get into the nitty gritty of their comments.
What is the main point is how this exposes Obama as just a regular ole politician. If he felt Wright's comments needed to be disavowed, why did he wait six and a half years to do so? Why did he wait until the media spotlight was on? I was not stunned to hear about controversial comments from Wright because Hannity - yep, the same Hannity who you guys love to bash - has raised a red flag on this guy for a while now.
I just hope this awakens the politically naive who have been supporting this guy to the fact that he is not a "new" politician. He is a politician. They all have packaging and his packaging is his sleekness, his eloquence and his "new type of politician" appeal. However, if you go read his positions, you will quickly realize there is nothing new about Barack Obama. He is a tried and true liberal pushing more taxes and bigger government. However, he throws in naive and potentially dangerous foreign policy on top of it.
Because that's normally when most celebrities and politicians wait. He probably didn't feel that this was going to be an issue beyond Hannity.
Do you really want to claim that Hagee is the only one who has a biblical basis for what he's saying?
Do you not know that the Bible was the basis upon which Rev Wright based his claims? In the Bible there are specific verses that say da*n those who mistreat others. That's just one example.
If you're going to gve Hagee a pass, Wright deserves the same pass.
Buzz:
"We are not talking about Johnny (and I will explain how even if we were, they are not comarable comparisons). We are talking about Obama and his disingenuous disavowal of this pastor."
Who is this "we"? The Media Matters article, that you are supposedly commenting on, focused on the fact that the media has taken Obama to task for controversial statements made by supporters such as Louis Farakahn and Rev Jermiah Wright while giving John McCain a pass on bigoted comments by evangelical wackjobs John Hagee and Rev Parsley.
Although Obama's renunciation of these views should have settled the matter, the issue now has morphed into semantics about whether Obama not only "denounced" Farakhan but whether he "rejected" him as well. Or when did Obama renounce, denounce, reject and repudiate Rev Wright's comments? And did Obama do this with a cherry on top?
But is McCain subject to the same inquisition? No, that is the issue that you refuse to address.
Yeah, Hagee calling the Catholic church the "whore of Babylon" certainly is not "PC" but I doubt that John McCain wants to broadcast that.
WWWAAAHHHH stop pointing out how the MEDIA has a double standard for the Democrat and the Republican WWWAAHHHH stop it you will ruin the game WWWAWAAHHHHHH, if you point if out enough the rubes might catch on WWWAAAAHHHHHHH. He went to the mans church. He agrees with him RELIGIOUSLY. He has disagreed publicly with the HANDFUL of statements over 20 YEARS that are outrageous. It is different for YOU because YOU have a double standard its the SAME THING because Neither Obama NOR McCain are responsible for what OTHER PEOPLE SAY. Get back to us when Wright is running for President.
I have re-read the article a few times to find the racist bigotry in the former pastor's "sermon". I see, "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and the black South Africans, and now we are indignant…and, "people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared' as the Great White West went on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."
Are these the only comments being referred to as racist bigotry?
Is this fair to say?
ROSS: Reverend Wright retired last month, but members of the church say he left a lasting impression on them and Senator Obama.
This is how the media mixes truth and error. Clearly, Obama does not agree with the impression left by the Wright's comments...which sould be the end of this whole story because Obama says it plainly.
The is the same type of connection as McCain to Parsley and Hagee, yet there is a double standard when McCain needs to say little if anything while Obama needs to say more than a plain, "I do not agree with the views of my former pastor". Stop raping him in the media, "no" means No! No means No! No means No! That's 1000 standards for the media. Wanna go for 2000?
My Man! What part of Alaska are you from?
Fairbanks needs a real man.
"But being a Christian is the single most important decision one can make in their life,"
Really? So the other 2/3rds of the world have made the wrong decision? The fact that where you are born determines what religion you are doesn't resonate with you whatsoever? And yes, people do convert, but those people were weak in their faith to begin with.
Saying that Christianity is the only true religion is absurd. There is no true religion. The three main religions work for most people, but they're all flawed in their own ways.
oh, and Obama's made a clear denunciation of Wright's remarks, which btw, he never heard.
Hope you stick arround a bit FB. You and few other wingnuts apear to have been busy overnight. A good argument or two is appreciated here.
Wright appears to have roots that go back to anti war and civil rights. He is too easily condemed by you and your fellow wingnuts. I'm not going to put him up on an unimpeachable position. I've heard him and the overal church spoken of positivly. On the whole, I suppose its better than fantising over expensive paid sex, slightly. Obama's response to this type of sliming is getting better.
I apprciate Col H's concerns about midteir voters. There is alot of enthusiasm for democratic candidates right now. The selection of the candidate will leave some disillusioned, no doubt. Still 52% of the population identify themselves as democrats vs 37% as republicans currently. Still given what we've seen in the last two presidential elections, I don't feel like relaxing. I don't feel most of us, and that includes that Ole chicken plucker, feel like relaxing. If we find sucess with the instilation of a democratic president. I predict a massive emotional decompression shortly afterwards.
Buzz, You state, "But being a Christian is the single most important decision one can make in their life.." not if you are Jewish, Hindu, Atheist, etc. etc. etc. In politics, the single most important decision is who you vote for. When judging Sen. Obama, the voter, Christian or non-Christians will make their own decision based on facts. To believe what the Senator has said concerning Rev. Wright should be considered. The remarks and wishes of the media hypocrites should be dismissed. But also, any Obama supporter, who probably believe him have every right to question the relationships of the other candidates. Remember, Obama didn't post these videos....if Sen Clinton did, which I do not believe, she would've known it would look bad for her. If the Conservatives posted these, which I do believe, they have opened the doors for Sen. McCain to be questioned.
Buzz, I think you will agree that issues are not being discussed in this election season. It seems that all the important things are not to be touched....and I do not included religion as an important part of an election. I think if it is, we all lose because it seems everyone is saying, my Christian is better than your Christian...and that is unChristian.
Col., I've got an idea. I firmly believe religion (or the lack there-of) should be a private enterprise. Republicans want to privatize everything else, but why not religion?
When we checked in I noticed one of Mr. Limbaugh's books in the rack in our room. In the middle of a sleepless night for me, my wife woke up when I got back into bed and asked where I had been, I told her I couldn't sleep in the same room as that book, and I had just put it out in the hall.
I slept like a baby afterwards.
Colonel, you'll never have to prove your courage to me. I admire your bravery in being able to stand listening to our feathered friends from the right as they squawk on the radio.
I have a hard time even reading their transcripts.
I am a warrior, W-king. I only read the Rush pamphlet to make a point. It was years ago, and I had a neighbor, an alcoholic trust-fund baby who listened to Rush every day (having nothing else to do but drink and complain about the taxes on his inherited house)- he was always repeating Rush-mush to me, and I was constantly showing him how much BS it was.
So I didn't buy the book, this guy kept begging me to read it and "see the light". I did it on the condition that I could make notes in the book, so I took it and found a Sharpie. This was before I had the internets, so I actually had to go to reference books and newspapers to debunk El Rushbo's crap, making notes all over the margins.
I rememeber my favorite part was where I didn't need any outside sources. Rush had written two chapters, one arguing for the rights of fetuses, and another against the rights of animals. I think they were right next to each other, maybe separatd by one chapter, but it was great because all of his arguments from one defeated those in the other. I only had to jot down "see pg. 52, p3" to crush his stuff using his own words.
This was when Rush was a pretty new item on the air, and I thought he had maybe a year or so before even the stoopidest Americans caught on and he was unemployed. Once again, I overestimated the Stoopid-Americans.
Buzz:
"Though not a religion, imagine how wonderful America would be if we could "destroy" the Democrat party if all Democrats became conservatives! :) "
Yup, according to the simple bigot mindset, everything would be peachy keen, if everyone were homogeneous in thought, religion, and ethnic background.
Tuou seem to forget that the US just went through a brief experiment in Republic party rule - the corruption, warmongering and mendacity were soundly rejected in 2006.
Good grief! Talk about grasping at straws to make McCain look bad. There is NO significant comparison in these two situations. Hagee merely endorsed McCain..period. Rev. Wright has been been Obama's spiritual leader for 20 years, has served as inspiration for his book, was consulted before Obama's run for office, and on and on. You can't tell me for one minute Senator Obama doesn't know what this guy has said. Did he sleep through his services? Didn't he buy the tapes?
If it is seemed to be a requirement that any candidate repudiate the comments or the character of an endorser, Obama should distance himself from the likes of Ted Kennedy, who should have been in prison for vehicular homicide. Maybe that's why Al Sharpton hasn't yet endorsed Obama, since he's made a ton of inflammitory racial remarks. Maybe he's be told to keep his distance.
And this phony excuse that Obama was voting all day and not aware of the building firestorm is as hollow as his excuse for not having a SINGLE meeting of his Armed Services sub-committee because he's been too busy running for president. That's pure horses**t. He's going to have better multi-tasking skills if he expects to be the President.
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Shame On Joe Scarborough, MSM & Obama Part 1
The American people don"t deserve to be manipulated and lied to
As usual Media Matters playing games with definitions. A pastor or religious leader who endorses McCain is quite a bit different than the pastor of the church he has attended for 20 years. An association like that makes Obama unfit for office.
Unfortunately a lot of people are missing the point. The republicans won't make this an issue of race, because it's not. They instead are going to paint a collage of a man who is unpatriotic. Doesn't wear lapels, doesn't put his hand on his chest for the pledge of allegiance, has a wife who for the "first time" in her life was proud to be an American, etc . . . Karl Rove is going to look like Michael Angelo creating a masterpiece when he gets done with the canvas Barack's pastor gave them. I'm just sooo disappointed Obama didn't separate himself from this guy earlier. It's unfortunate, but there is nothing racial about "damn America". I'm keeping hope alive, but I just don't see how he's going to win if they play that youtube ad for the bible belt Americans. Or the good 'ole boys America. You know what I mean. Nascar nation?
Look, It's simple:
John McCain has distanced himself from Hagee's statements. Also, McCain never actually attended Hagee's church. Non-issue.
John McCain only met Ron Parsley once at an event a few weeks ago. Another non-issue.
Wright has served as Obama's 'spiritual adviser' for 20 years. Wright performed the wedding ceremony for Obama and his wife. Wright baptized Obama's children. Obama would have done well to distance himself from this racist pastor years ago. AH...but he didn't - now he's backpedaling