Northwestern University has rescinded an invitation to Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. to receive an honorary Doctorate of Sacred Theology in June due to the controversy of recent weeks. It is a shame that the University focused on the fact of a “controversy” as opposed to the merits. Despite his spin, Wright’s words have been legitimately denounced and he appears intent on fueling the controversy to the considerable disadvantage of Sen. Obama.
University Relations Vice President Alan Cubbagey announced: “In light of the controversy around Dr. Wright and to ensure that the celebratory character of commencement not be affected, the university has withdrawn its invitation to Dr. Wright.”
I suppose it was too much to ask for a frank statement along the lines of “in light of Dr. Wright’s looney statements about the government inventing AIDS and his hostile remarks concerning the United States, we would rather give a potted plant a degree.” Perhaps that was the first draft before it went to editing.
By the way, isn’t a “sacred theology” just a bit redundant? What would be the non-sacred theology? Isn’t that like receiving a degree in “secular atheism”?
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“I suppose it was too much to ask for a frank statement along the lines of “in light of Dr. Wright’s looney statements about the government inventing AIDS and his hostile remarks concerning the United States, we would rather give a potted plant a degree.” Perhaps that was the first draft before it went to editing.”
What kind of plant?
http://www.ufodigest.com/news/0208/witnesses.html
I think this should do it.
Mespo and others who might enjoy something completely off topic but hysterical none the less. I love alien stories and alien stories in Texas are the best! I found one google entry with a story of a Stevensville resident who was threatened by the air force for speaking out. Evidently the air force person demanded a meetin’ with said resident whereupon harsh words were exchanged. The air force guy said something like the following…we have the same caliber weapons you do, we just have more of them. I love stuff like that. I know that story is true. All the details are right! To find the whole story look for Stevensville UFO sighting and the witness retaliation entry is on the first page.
Mischievously and Best Regards,
Jill
P.S. I will try to link to this story so people don’t have to hunt for it.
Jill:
je t’en prie. Bon rétablissement!
Mespo
Merci Mespo, for the clarification and well wishes.
Jill
Jill:
Sorry for the oblique reference. I meant going to Church as the “event,” in this case going to Wright’s Church. I hope you feel better.
Hi Mespo,
I have been sick lately (really!) so I’m missing something. When you say event, what do you mean? I don’t think I refered to any one event, but my mind ain’t all there, so just let me know! I wanted to understand what you meant!
Jill
It seems to me that there is more to play here. I suspect that Wright was manipulated by Barbara Reynold’s of the National Press Club and without any good counsel, other than his desire for vindication, Jeremiah Wright lost patience and was convinced by others to pursue this professionally suicidal course.
At first, Obama gave a speech. An historic speech about fellowship and why he wouldn’t denounce Rev. Wright. Everything was good about this. Free Speech, Respectful disagreement, No political homicide.
It was poetic.
Then, Rev Wright couldn’t resist – and he devalued the incredible Obama speech, devalued himself and placed Obama under further scrutiny and subject to the National equivalent of an “I told you so!”
Reverend Wright got blinded by something, because from all reports, this is a good guy. He’s not social scientist, but his observations aren’t completely without merit. He worked hard but he’s been undone by his own greed.
David Shuster from NBC summed it up nicely last week while doing Ed Shultz’s radio show one day. Paraphrasing him – he considered the first speech as an obvious cue to Wright to sit quietly and stay out of this – redemption was the key element of any subsequent Obama Q&A on the subject. But then the Reverend decided to take the bait and make a spectacle of himself, forcing Obama to not only throw him under the bus … but to back it over him a few times declaring the Verizon motto: “Can you hear me know??”
I think that ties the bow on the entire debacle.
JIll:
I don’t think we judge persons by those with whom they associate,and I am certain that I won’t judge anyone by the words of the person they visit with for a couple of hours once a week to hear fairy tales and half-baked philosophy. Maybe the attendance at the event calls his judgment into question, but that malady affects 88% of the population and I have to vote for somebody.
This is not a comment on the university’s decision. I do think that Rev. Wright and Barack Obama both have reasons to be angry with each other.
Each of us has probably attended or lived with some kind of community/family where members said really stupid, even hateful shit. We may have chosen to stay in that community/family because we still felt love towards said person(s). Which is what I took Barach Obama to mean when he first said he could not disown Rev. Wright.
Obama must have known of Wright’s hateful and bizarre statements for quite some time. The NY Times has them in discussion about Barack distancing himself from Wright and possibly having Wright resign in the light of Barack’s run for the presidency. (Of course, we don’t know that he resigned at the request of or because of pressure brought to bear on him by Obama.)
If I were Rev. Wright I might be angry with being asked to give up my post for someone else’s political career. That does not seem fair to me. The positions Wright announced this past week are not different from the ones he announced before. They were more public, and seemed motivated by the desire to “get” Barack. But if you look at it from Wright’s perspective, he was asked to give up a major aspect of his life, and this would probably make anyone angry.
Of course what is different in this case is that this anger/fight is completely in the public domain as opposed to these same types of things that happen in many communities to private individuals every day.
This is one reason I am so worried about the religiosity demanded of our politicians. It is a set up for bad behavior and hypocrisy. Shit happens and it happens all the time in churches and other communities.
I’m looking for a competent person who cares about economic and foreign policy. I don’t want a moral or religious leader for president. That’s a set up for failure.
Mid-slumber, I awoke to the reality that I’m an “idiotic imbecile,” by interpreting a witty response as an intramural acknowledgment. Then I realized how nice the congregation had been to not further point out that I’m a “stupid moron.” Having just published a short story on my Web Site that has generated exponential stats, I was a tad full of my self and assumed another “favorable approval.”
“Unquestionably without doubt” events such as these will consume much real estate in the “autobiography of my life”
JT, thanks for your thoughtful acknowledgment,
– The Almost Daily Binx
Binx:
Excellent point. Let me thank you for your “Internet Blog.”
While “Sacred Theology” does seem redundant – “secular Atheism” is really not a good example. Atheism is a non-belief while secularism imposes a separation of belief from matters of State. Not a non-belief. That being said, this week’s performance by Rev. Wright inspires “Disbelief.”
It is sad that he didn’t understand that Obama’s impassioned speech was clearly a signal for him to chill. Instead, he has surely earned himself the distinction of being the latest model for a new recurring character on ‘South Park.’
At the same time, a very clever Barbara Reynold’s of the National Press Club, organizer of Wright’s appearance and a vociferous Sen. Clinton supporter, dismissed claims that this was a set-up. Which I can only respond with non-belief.
Niblet, I have Patty C’s permission to respond to your baffling post.
I have to ask: are you by any remote chance an individual or are you a consortium of mischievious minds? We need to get that straight before I regretfully tell you some things you should know about God, America, the Flag, Motherhood, and MSNBC.
I can hear it now…
(improvising, here)
‘ God daaaaaaam, Northwestern
– a raggedy Poisoned-Ivy league school any ol’ how…
p.s. Screw it, DW… let ‘er rip!
“I must resist, I must be strong, I must do as Patty C recommends, I must resist……”
Wright is as phony as Obama and bloated WoodTICK Keith Olbermann is going to ride the Obama ticket all the way to a 49 state loss in November to the GOP.
Profane theology is the study of religious or worse, scientific ideas that do not agree with a religionist’s own. This discipline is quite small as it is only rarely practiced and thus is not well known.
JT:
“By the way, isn’t a “sacred theology” just a bit redundant? What would be the non-sacred theology?”
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There seems very little sacred about Wright’s theology, not the least of which is his disloyalty to a friend running for high office.