Never Confuse God w/ Government-Interview w/ Jeremiah Wright

By Davey D

This past weekend the State of the Black World Conference took place in New Orleans. Lots of activists, community leaders and artists came through to talk about key issues facing the Black community, developing and implementing an agenda along with the challenges we face as a community in the aftermath of Barack Obama's historic win.

On hand this weekend was Reverend Jeremiah Wright who was to recieve a prestigious Legacy Award. For those who don't know, Rev Wright was and continues to be a popular figure especially in church and religious circles. His villification for sermons taken out of context was abitter pill many of us swallowed as Obama made his historic run for office. Him being distorted didn't sit well with a lot of folks. In our minds Rev Wright was never wrong. He was always right.

We sat down and talked with him as he opened up about the entire ordeal he endured. He explained to us how he managed to stay strong and survive the storm. He said it was the love shown to him by average everyday folks who he felt always spoke truth to power that kept him going. We talked about Liberation Theology and the importance of faith and how one should use it in troubling times.

Wright received death threats and talked about during his acceptance speech how the Nation of Islam protected him. He talked about his love and friendship with Minister Farrakhan and how he has always looked at other faiths as important to acknowledge, learn about and build with as we struggle for equality and true liberation for all oppressed people.

He spoke to us about his current relationship with President-elect Obama and whether or not he felt Obama could've handled the controversy in another way. He noted that back in 2007 he had remarked to Obama that there would come a day when Obama would have to distance himself from Wright and his church in order to get elected.

Wright spoke candidly about the toll some of this took on his family, inparticular his daughter who was a first year student at Howard and had to deal with harsh criticisms from fellow students who were unaware of Wright's work and only knew him via Fox News.

He talked about his visit to the Clinton White House and how he along with several other ministers prayed for Bill and Hillary's troubled marriage. He explained how he felt knowing that the Clinton camp were among the first to throw him under the bus when they knew damn well what his sermons were really about. The Clintons were aware of the distortions and knew the types of things that are said and the manner in which things get preached on Sundays in the Black Church.

Rev Wright also talked to us about the church's relationship to Hip Hop and the love he has for Common who has been a long time member of his congregation. He talked to us about the types of steps he felt needed to be taken in order for the Church community and Hip Hop generation to better connect. He also shared the disappointment and hurt he felt when some rappers tried to clown him and take him to task in their songs. He wasn't aware that there were many others like Paris, Rebel Diaz, NY Oil, Jasiri X and so many others who have been shouting him out in songs and shows in a good way.

Wright also talked to us about why he may start calling himself the 7 million dollar man-making note of the amount of money Obama's opposition paid to run that slew of last minute commercials where they twisted his words and sermons.

In this particular episode you will hear long excerpts of some of Wright's sermons that were taken out of context and made to demonize him. In pisode 2 we play the original sermon that set things off. The theme is the difference between God and Government.

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