Wright equates 'God Damn America' with criticism of black church

Rick Moran That's right. If you dare criticize Pastor Wright for saying "Not God bless America but God Damn America" you are a racist bigot because what you're really doing is criticizing "the black church:" Attacks on him are really attacks on the black church, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. said in a speech to the National Press Club in Washington on Monday, in which he mounted a spirited defense of views and sermons that have become an issue in the presidential campaign because Senator Barack Obama attended his church for many years. Mr. Wright told the press club audience that the black church in America grew out of the oppression of black people, and that his sermons reflected that struggle. Snippets from his sermons have been used in Republican commercials seeking to depict Senator Obama as unpatriotic, and the Democratic presidential candidate has given a carefully calibrated speech seeking to distance himself from Mr. Wright's more inflammatory statements. Speaking Monday, Mr. Wright said that political opponents of Senator Obama were exploiting the fact that the style of prayer and preaching in black churches was different from European church traditions - "Different, but not deficient," he said. Perhaps Barack Obama should whisper in his pastor's ear that white Americans are not Europeans - we're Americans. Beyond that, someone should teach the good Reverend about political spin. He's obviously not very good at it and he only makes himself look foolish when he tries it.