Rev Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor

This is a copy of the letter Rev. Jeremiah Wright wrote to the New York Times. I find it amazing that this letter hasn't been broadcast all over the place. But of course not! I have forgotten what country I live in!



March 11, 2007

Jodi Kantor
The New York Times
9 West 43rd Street
New York,New York 10036-3959

Dear Jodi:

Thank you for engaging in one of the biggest misrepresentations of the truth I have ever seen in sixty-five years. You sat and shared with me for two hours. You told me you were doing a "Spiritual Biography" of Senator Barack Obama. For two hours, I shared with you how I thought he was the most principled individual in public service that I have ever met.For two hours, I talked with you about how idealistic he was. For two hours I shared with you what a genuine human being he was. I told you how incredible he was as a man who was an African American in public service, and as a man who refused to announce his candidacy for President until Carol Moseley Braun indicated one way or the other whether or not she was going to run.I told you what a dreamer he was.

I told you how idealistic he was. We talked about how refreshing it would be for someone who knew about Islam to be in the Oval Office. Your own question to me was, Didn't I think it would be incredible to have somebody in the Oval Office who not only knew about Muslims, but had living and breathing Muslims in his own family? I told you how important it would be to have a man who not only knew the difference between Shiites and Sunnis prior to 9/11/01 in the Oval Office, but also how important it would be to have a man who knew what Sufism was; a man who understood that there were different branches of Judaism; a man who knew the difference between Hasidic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Conservative Jews and Reformed Jews; and a man who was a devout Christian, but who did not prejudge others because they believed something other than what he believed.

I talked about how rare it was to meet a man whose Christianity was not just "in word only." I talked about Barack being a person who lived his faith and did not argue his faith. I talked about Barack as a person who did not draw doctrinal lines in the sand nor consign other people to hell if they did not believe what he believed.Out of a two-hour conversation with you about Barack's spiritual journey and my protesting to you that I had not shaped him nor formed him, that I had not mentored him or made him the man he was, even though I would love to take that credit, you did not print any of that. When I told you, using one of your own Jewish stories from the Hebrew Bible as to how God asked Moses, "What is that in your hand?," that Barack was like that when I met him. Barack had it "in his hand." Barack had in his grasp a uniqueness in terms of his spiritual development that one is hard put to find in the 21st century, and you did not print that.

As I was just starting to say a moment ago, Jodi, out of two hours of conversation I spent approximately five to seven minutes on Barack's taking advice from one of his trusted campaign people and deeming it unwise to make me the media spotlight on the day of his announcing his candidacy for the Presidency and what do you print? You and your editor proceeded to present to the general public a snippet, a printed "sound byte" and a titillating and tantalizing article about his disinviting me to the Invocation on the day of his announcing his candidacy.

I have never been exposed to that kind of duplicitous behavior before, and I want to write you publicly to let you know that I do not approve of it and will not be party to any further smearing of the name, the reputation, the integrity or the character of perhaps this nation's first (and maybe even only) honest candidate offering himself for public service as the person to occupy the Oval Office.Your editor is a sensationalist. For you to even mention that makes me doubt your credibility, and I am looking forward to see how you are going to butcher what else I had to say concerning Senator Obama's "Spiritual Biography."

Our Conference Minister, the Reverend Jane Fisler Hoffman, a white woman who belongs to a Black church that Hannity of "Hannity and Colmes" is trying to trash, set the record straight for you in terms of who I am and in terms of who we are as the church to which Barack has belonged for over twenty years.The president of our denomination, the Reverend John Thomas, has offered to try to help you clarify in your confused head what Trinity Church is even though you spent the entire weekend with us setting me up to interview me for what turned out to be a smear of the Senator; and yet The New York Times continues to roll on making the truth what it wants to be the truth.

I do not remember reading in your article that Barack had apologized for listening to that bad information and bad advice. Did I miss it? Or did your editor cut it out? Either way, you do not have to worry about hearing anything else from me for you to edit or "spin" because you are more interested in journalism than in truth.Forgive me for having a momentary lapse. I forgot that The New York Times was leading the bandwagon in trumpeting why it is we should have gone into an illegal war. The New York Times became George Bush and the Republican Party's national "blog." The New York Times played a role in the outing of Valerie Plame. I do not know why I thought The New York Times had actually repented and was going to exhibit a different kind of behavior.Maybe it was my faith in the Jewish Holy Day of Roshashana. Maybe it was my being caught up in the euphoria of the Season of Lent; but whatever it is or was, I was sadly mistaken. There is no repentance on the part of The New York Times.

There is no integrity when it comes to The Times. You should do well with that paper, Jodi. You looked me straight in my face and told me a lie!

Sincerely and respectfully yours,

Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Senior Pastor
Trinity United Church of Christ

My Job in a new light

I was supposed to be off from work today, but my manager told me he NEEDED me to come in today. So I told him I would but just for a few hours. So I get up and go to work. There is ALWAYS drama there! The people act worse than high schoolers. Telling on each other, complaining about one thing or another. It is just draining! I walk in today and once again, I am slammed with complainers before I can even get to my office. Oh by the way, I am a HR Manager. So the whiners attack with their complaints and problems. I just wasn't in the mood for it. Oh and somehow they have gotten my cell phone number!! WTF!! So I walk to my office feeling more pissed off than ever. My manager comes in and says it is time for your annual review. WHAT?! I have only been with the organization for 3 months. So he goes over my review, which overall was VERY good. Then he says, we get to the finance part of it. I was like what do you mean finances? He says "oh you didn't know?" Ummm know what?? I got a raise AND a MAJOR BONUS!! Can i tell you that my outlook on my job has completely changed?! I was totally shocked. My manager recognized how hard I have been working and actually said he appreciated it. It made me feel sooo much better. I still have to work on the whiners, but with a few more cho chos in my pocket, I can handle anything!! :)

I have lost my mind!!

I want to make a blanket for myself. I have been making things for everyone else, so I figured now is the time to make something for me. I have been wanting to visit this yarn store in my neighborhood for the past year. I finally took the time today to go and visit. I LOVED this place. It had every kind of yarn you could think of. I usually go to Hobby Lobby, Michael's, or Joann to get my yarn, but usually these yarns are synthetic and don't always feel good on the skin. They are less expensive but don't feel as good. Synthetic yarns are made usually from petroleum products, which as you know, are endangering the environment. I wanted to try some REAL yarn...something natural and made organically, less harmful to the environment. I found it at this yarn shop!!

Okay here is the part where I have lost my mind. I bought 8 skeins of yard for $145.00. See I have lost my mind!! I don't know what I was thinking when I said okay I'll take it. I had immediate buyers remorse. The yarn feels so good and I know it will make me a great blanket but oh man it is so expensive. I am thinking of taking it all back and just buying my cheaper yarn. But oh I am so sad to part with this yarn. Should I or should I not take it back?!!

Okay this is getting ugly!

So now Obama is having to denounce his minister because of what his minister said in church?! WHAT?! I am confused. Since when did someone else's thoughts become yours, if you are just listening to what they are saying? Is this part of the Clinton political machine to discredit Obama? Should we all be penalized because of what someone else said, in a classroom, in church, at work? I am really upset by all of this. The Clintons were at the top of my list for great people, but now I am not so sure. I mean was Bill's presidency all a ruse? He did a great job while president, but did he lie to all of us to get there? It appears he did...are the true Bill and Hillary coming out? I am so disappointed by how this election is going on the democratic side of things. I am FULLY supporting Obama, but I am afraid all this democratic politicking is going to back fire and we will have McCain in office...then it will be 4 more years of hell! It was formally announced on Friday, March 14th, that we were in a recession. Where the hell have they been?!! We have been in a dayum recession for the past 7 years. People are losing their homes that they have worked really hard for because of a stupid ass war! I am so fed up! People don't have health insurance and are having to file for bankruptcy, which the laws are completely ludicrous, but that is another blog. I am just tired of how the United States treats its citizens and I am afraid that we may possibly be stuck with another republican in the White House and we will have a full fledge depression.
VOTE PEOPLE! Make your voices heard!

Parents

My parents. Wow what can I say! Growing up they were strict as hell! They were always saying what I couldn't do, which outnumbered the things I could do. I felt oppressed and stifled. Good grades were a must, nothing under a B. I was lucky, because learning came easy for me. I didn't realize the adversity they were struggling with. Surviving in the late 60's and 70's was hard, but to come from another country in addition to that was extra hard. As I know now. They did the best they could with me. I ran away from them at 17, through marriage. Too YOUNG!! But I wanted to be on my own and life without someone telling me NO all the time. Now, I see, as a parent, what they were trying to protect me from...LIFE! My parents have been married for 42 years...43 in July of this year. Their marriage has survived domestic violence, economic recession, discrimination, infidelity, and time. They have done what most people today can't do...stick together no matter what. I don't know what the difference in marriage now as opposed to then, but whatever their formula is, it has worked.
So to my dear parents I want to say THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU!! You made me what I am today and I appreciate you both!!

Babies

I am surrounded by beautiful babies. My really good friend had twin boys, one year ago on March 2; a friend in DC had a baby boy in Dec; and my friend Tanya had a baby girl in Dec also. I have been knitting baby booties, baby blankets, hats and bibs. I have become enamored with baby knitting. The tiny little things that seem to swallow up the baby wrapped in it. I feel like my hand made things are not that great and I should buy something in addition and because people I gift them to don't use them. They tell me, "Oh it is so pretty I don't want to use it." But I want you to use it. I want to know I gave you something that is usable and you will think of me when you use it. So I want to see food and throw up stains on my bibs people. It will hold up and last a long time. Don't worry, I can make more things if you want me to, but use what I give you. :)