Will OPRAH run shows to honor the outstanding community achievements of Jeremiah Wright,

[ProgressiveEconomist]

who just retired from the church Oprah and 6,000 others attend in Chicago?

Oprah's message board (at http://www.oprah.com/community/search.jspa?q=wright&resultTypes=BLOG_POST&resultTypes=MESSAGE&resultTypes=BLOG&resultTypes=COMMUNITY&peopleEnabled=true&dateRange=yesterday&communityID=&numResults=15&rankBy=10001 ; please DU it ) now is being spammed with hundreds of ultra-right-wing posts about Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of Trinity UCC, the church Oprah attends in Chicago.

Thus she and her staff already may be thinking about putting together a show or two to educate the world about the soaring community achievements of Pastor Wright.

Simultaneously, Oprah could expose to the world the sinister racial McCarthyite cherry-picking of a few embarrassing seconds from Wright's thousands of hours of sermons. Another GDP thread (see below) paints a portrait of Jeremiah Wright starkly different from the one painted by "Fox News".

If Oprah runs a show or two about this, who should be the guests?

And how can readers of this thread most effectively reach Oprah and the UCC to urge them to get together and plan such a show or shows?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080314/ap_on_el_pr/obama_pastor :

"Friday, the United Church of Christ issued a 1,400-word statement defending Wright and his "flagship" congregation. John H. Thomas, United Church of Christ's president, lauded Wright's church for its community service and work to nurture youth. Other church leaders praised Wright for speaking out against homophobia and sexism in the black community.

"It's time for all of us to say no to these attacks and to declare that we will not allow anyone to undermine or destroy the ministries of any of our congregations in order to serve their own narrow political or ideological ends," Thomas said in the statement."

And from http://www.wfn.org/2008/03/msg00098.html , via post #5 at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5085214

'Located in the heart of Chicago's impoverished Southside, Trinity UCC's vast array of ministries include career development and college placement, tutorial and computer services, health care and support groups, domestic violence programs, pastoral care and counseling, bereavement services, drug and alcohol recovery, prison ministry, financial counseling and credit union, housing and economic development, dozens of choral, instrumental and dance groups, and diverse programming for all ages, including youth and senior citizens....

Many ... point with appreciation to Trinity UCC's generous support of denominational and ecumenical ministries. From 2003 to 2007, Trinity UCC gave more than $3.7 million to Our Church's Wider Mission, the UCC's shared fund for connectional mission and ministry....

"There have been two major sins in the Black church that many Black churches will not address -homophobia is one and sexism is another," Samuel says, "and Jeremiah Wright has been one of the articulate, courageous voices that has not been afraid to address these critical issues. If he can do that and still maintain his close connectivity to the Black community, and stay grounded in the Black ethos, that's what has inspired me."'

[Ian David]

1. Hillary Endorses Moonie Gathering

Hillary Endorses Moonie Gathering
Topic started by scoobiedavis on Sep-25-07 04:24 PM (19 replies)
Last modified by blm on Sep-25-07 08:03 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3548253


See also:

Who Is Rev. Moon? 'Sex Lord,' 'Messiah,' Publisher of the Washington Times
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3012914&mesg_id=3012914

[ProgressiveEconomist]

5. Off-topic. End of subthread

[From The Left]

2. FLAMEBAIT. PLEASE LOCK

[ProgressiveEconomist]

4. Nice try. Please explain why YOU say you think this is "flamebait" -- if you can.

[dkf]

7. I don't understamd the flamebait accusation either.

[dkf]

3. I hope so. So far, they make him out to be the worst person ever.

with little redeeming value and I am sure that is not fair.

I would like to see him in another light than what I have seen so far.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

6. How about a few K&Rs?

Please keep this kicked if you agree with this idea

[ProgressiveEconomist]

8. Kick!

[KAZ]

9. Not a bad idea, actually. K&R

[City Lights]

10. K&R

[tishaLA]

11. I suggested this the other day

when the scandal to end all scandals was breaking, and people thought I had lost my mind. Now that the dust is beginning to settle, and some light rather than some heat has made Rev Wright's contributions to the community clear, I like the idea better than ever.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

12. GREAT! Your thread sailed right by me, but I just found it on Page 15. Here's the URL:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5061187&mesg_id=5061187 .

Feel free to re-post anything from it here. I just gave it a KICK! (It's too late for an "R").

[Oilwellian]

13. I wrote the Oprah show last night asking them to do this

I think it would be a wonderful way to show mainstream America what an asset this church is to the community and America as a whole. One thing that jumped out at me when I studied the church more closely...they provide a fabulous array of community services that reach out to everyone.

When I worked with Head Start parents several years ago, one of the main issues contributing to their lives in poverty was a lack of a support system. They came from very dysfunctional families and were therefore isolated and on their own so to speak. Churches like UCC would have been a godsend for the work we did...one of our main goals was to get these young mothers involved in a support system that boosted their confidence and guided them in directions that would help them become independent of government support.

I'm sure when Obama was a community organizer he recognized the same need among families who lived in poverty. What better way to address their issues than to get local churches involved? I'm sure that's how Obama met Pastor Wright in the first place and the work they've done together is stunning. I could only dream of having such a vast resource to refer our parents to.

I can't help but wonder if exposing this church isn't part of the overall plan. ;) It would certainly be an eye-opener to most Americans to see a church so supportive of their community and helping those families living in poverty become independent self-sufficient, and living richer, more fulfilling lives. Isn't that what we want as a society?

I suspect we'll be hearing more from this church in the coming days. I know if I was a member I'd certainly be chomping at the bit to tell everyone how my life and the lives of my children have become more enriched because of the ministry services.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

14. Wonderful! Thank you. IMO Wright has been "Swiftboated" even worse than Obama,

and decades of good work have gotten absolutely no attention. "Fox" cherry-picking of Wright's thousands of hours of sermons to glean a few unrepresentative extreme statements offers people of good will an opportunity to set the record straight.

Just think of all the red faces on people who have been finger-wagging at Trinity UCC this week, should somehow they find out the truth about Wright's exemplary work there.

[MNDemNY]

15. I think Opera is too smart to step in this steaming pile.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

19. Wright was Oprah's pastor too. And she already has 'branded' Obama with her

imprimatur. How could she possibly stay silent? Wouldn't she look "wishy-washy" to the millions of Oprah fans who already have voted for Obama, partly on Oprah's recommendation? How could Oprah's fans trust future recommendations from Oprah for books, products, etc if she does not stnd behind past recommendations? She'd be destroying her own "brand" by trying to stay silent.

Also, she CANNOT just ignore the hundreds of Fox/HillaryIs44 posts on her own message board--see http://www.oprah.com/community/search.jspa?q=wright&resultTypes=BLOG_POST&resultTypes=MESSAGE&resultTypes=BLOG&resultTypes=COMMUNITY&peopleEnabled=true&dateRange=yesterday&communityID=&numResults=15&rankBy=10001 .

[MNDemNY]

20. Is Opera a member of this church? I heard she was an "infrequent visitor".

Does anyone have this info?

[ProgressiveEconomist]

21. The Chicago Tribune says so, in its profile of Wright, at URL

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-070121-relig_wright,1,271630.story?page=1&coll=chi-religion-topheadlines&ctrack=1&cset=true

[MNDemNY]

22. Thanks.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

23. Thank YOU for inspiring me to google. That profile is worth a thread of its own--see

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5100515

[moxie_1]

24. I've read and heard that Oprah had attended in the past, but disassociated with Wright years ago nt

[ProgressiveEconomist]

25. Do you have a link? Not that I don't trust you, even though this is only your 19th post

[JoFerret]

31. She left

Years ago.

[MNDemNY]

32. She's smarter than Obama.

[K Gardner]

16. Oprah won't stand for it.. she'll fight back with the truth.

[kwenu]

17. WTF!! So now Wright is OPRAH's spiritual advisor too?! I don't know what you're smoking but

there must be a 12-step program for it.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

18. Read the OP: 'Friday...the United Church of Christ issued a...statement defending Wright

and his "flagship" congregation. John H. Thomas, United Church of Christ's president, lauded Wright's church for its community service and work to nurture youth. Other church leaders praised Wright for speaking out against homophobia and sexism in the black community.

"It's time for all of us to say no to these attacks and to declare that we will not allow anyone to undermine or destroy the ministries of any of our congregations in order to serve their own narrow political or ideological ends," Thomas said in the statement.'

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080314/ap_on_el_pr/obama_pastor

[boston bean]

26. OPRAH QUIT THAT CHURCH YEARS AGO! SHE IS SMARTER THAN O. NT

[ProgressiveEconomist]

27. Do you have a link? The Chicago Tribune link in post #21 says otherwise.

You could know better than the Chicago Tribune, even though you're evidently in Massachusetts, but it would take a credible link to convince me.

[Auntie Bush]

28. And then she should also run a show and remind all these left wingers

all the wonderful outstanding achievements of Bill Clinton.
His, "I did not have sex with that woman" shouldn't define all he has done for mankind...including helping blacks in America and Africa. Many seem to have forgotten all his many philanthropic missions.

[tomreedtoon]

29. Oprah won't run the show without free sponsored gifts...

...for everyone in the audience. And the show would have to be called "Oprah's Favorite African-American Things."

[ProgressiveEconomist]

30. You well may be right, but I was hoping for the head of the United Church of Christ,

praising Wright for building up their biggest US congregation (8500, up from 87 in 1972), Jim Wallis, leador of Sojourners and friend of both Obama and Wright, and other much more boring types.

Darn.