04/25/08: What’s right thing for Wright to say?

4/25/2008 -What’s right thing for Wright to say?

April 25, 2008 @ 1:31 PM

Comments on this Sunday’s scheduled keynote speaker to the Detroit NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former minister to Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama:

Rev. Horace Sheffield III, pastor of New Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit: My biggest hope is that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright doesn’t do or say anything that would lend itself to hurting Barack Obamas’s bid for the White House. I support the NAACP’s decision to invite Wright and hope he will be discuss conditions that are hurting us in America — whether it be African-Americans, the poor or any people who are marginalized.

Rev. Robert Sirico, president of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty in Grand Rapids: The Detroit NAACP has every right to invite a speaker of its choosing. But what Wright says in Detroit will reflect for good or ill on the NAACP as the sponsoring group. Three possibilities emerge:

• Wright would offer another installment of his Marxist-tinged, divisive rhetoric and further widen the racial divide and embarrass his congregant, Barack Obama.

• Wright — evoking the “elephant in the room” phenomenon — might pretend (and invite his listeners to pretend) that there was no recent unpleasantness, thus eroding the moral authority of the NAACP.

• Wright might offer a heartfelt apology to the nation for his offensive language, limited vision and the unChristian tone of his homiletical pyrotechnics. He could repent, seek forgiveness and promote the racial healing our nation needs.

It will be instructive no matter what path he chooses.

Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, head of the Islamic House of Worship in Dearborn Heights: Rev. Jeremiah Wright is a shining light, bringing dignity and integrity to our nation. His voice represents the mission of Jesus and the call for freedom and justice. This voice of truth and peace has become a victim of hateful media harassment

The Zionist Organization of America didn’t apologize for the huge betrayal of our national security when Ben-Ami Kadish allegedly passed classified U.S. nuclear weaponry documents to Israel. Yet it insolently tried to pressure the Rev. Wendell Anthony to cancel his invitation to dialogue with Wright. This is hypocritical and disgusting.

Wright has already proved his love and loyalty to our country in his many years of military service and in three decades of community leadership. He is not one of those church leaders who sold their souls to politics with no service to the image and moral salvation of this nation.

Rabbi Aaron Bergman, director of Jewish studies at Frankel Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit: The Rev. Jeremiah Wright served his country admirably in the military. He has been a vigilant fighter for the rights of African-Americans and has shown unusual sensitivity to those struggling with HIV/AIDS and those in the gay community.

He has also been a demagogue who has said America should not be blessed, but damned. He has blamed America for 9/11 without showing sympathy for the victims or their families. It is one thing to criticize the government, but it is quite another to accuse all Americans of being racists. There is a long way to go before we eradicate racism and other great wrongs, but Wright’s comments only discourage those who do want to make things better.

The NAACP may honor whomever it wishes. I hope, though, that other powerful voices at the dinner will call for a true love of all people and a desire for fairness for everyone.

Please e-mail your comments to letters@detnews.com.