is the truth un-american?

I remember the first time I heard of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. it was in a college classroom. I can't remember whether the course was The Higher Education of Black Women or this philosophy course on the existence of God on in my required freshman psuedo-history-sociology-english class called African Diaspora & the World, or ADW for the initiated. I just remember finding him fascinating, along with his mentor James Cone, for they respectively espoused and developed black liberation theology. illuminating the life of Jesus and my Christian faith as a liberating force for the world's oppressed instead of an oppressive doctrine wielded by the world's slave holders and colonizers alike.

so when I hear most commentators call Rev. Wright every thing but a child of God, I want to get on top of my desk and shout from the top of my lungs....

hoe sit down!

where were you people when the history lessons were being handed out? I will give you that the average high school history class isn't exactly enlightening. my h.s. teacher tried to indoctrinate us with what we needed to know for that AP U.S. history test but was shocked and amazed when I attempted to question her on slavery (the real version) and why the Marcus Garvey back to Africa movement wasn't part of our lesson. she had no words. So I'll let them slide...on h.s. history. but nothing in college, either? this is why my kids will go to an hbcu.

so I was history major and I took more history courses than the average bear but at my school every woman had to take ADW. and as much as some of us moaned and groaned, ask any alumna about the pedagogy of the oppressed and she'll be able to tell you a little something. we learned about European colonization from a world perspective and about African civilizations more advanced than I had been lead to believe possible. maybe that's why I agree with Rev. Wright cause I knows my history!

I know how this country rounded up the Japanese and forced them into internment camps during world war II. and how INS officials took similar actions after September 11th. how doctors experimented with the black male body at tuskegee. so don't tell me about how America is righteous and innocent, that it doesn't commit human rights violations like a third world country, "build[] bigger prisons, passe[] a three-strike law" and then you don't understand how Rev. Wright would be hesitant to sing God Bless America.

I need william jelani cobb to swoop in and break it down for these folks. and I wish they knew just how common Rev. Wright's sentiments are among Black people (that I know). not just my mama and grandmama nem but me a 27-year old college-educated graduate-degree-having attorney who works in corporate america and among the whitest of white folks on a daily basis. yes, I may smile hello but I regularly refer to you caucasians as whitey among my closest friends. and they aren't offended. am I a racist? I'll be that. my white friends know where I stand and they understand from whence I come. maybe they got those critical history courses in college too.

as for barack...I don't know, I really don't. I think brother believes deep in his heart in the almighty goodness of america. as one drop over at too sense blog alluded to, I fear that he's headed for some sort of breakdown or great awakening. as it's been expressed by so many Black people, there is a skepticism about whether white america will only let him get so far before they break him down. hell, they already doin it. and then you hear this speech that folks are calling historic mere moments after the words have left his lips. words and their delivery which, according to the nytimes, brought julian bond to tears. An ability to articulate in ways that we publicly have never heard before on cable news networks even though the focus remains on the points about rev. wright instead of his points about america's racist legacy and the lasting effects of slavery and I begin to wonder. can't we steal him back for ourselves? you know in the way that Oprah, Cosby and other influential black people allegedly snatched up dave chappelle in the middle of the night and showed him the error of his ways.

it seems such a waste for him to be so committed to america, so hopeful when as time rolls on the ruling powers, people and institutions of america aren't committed to him, his race, or his ideals in the same way.