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There is nothing to be offered for Rev. Wright except my deepest apologies for not speaking out against his venom far earlier. We in the African-American community know better than anyone the deleterious effects of racist speech, and so it is time for Rev. Wright and myself to part company, since we have profoundly different views of both present- and future-day America.
For my part, if I were Barack, I would have explained how this train-wreck took place as follows:
When I moved to Chicago, I was looking for a church home. I joined Trinity because I wanted to worship with the community I was living in and organizing, and that's when I met Reverend Wright. He led me to Christ, and I grew to love him like an uncle. Have I been offended, angered and even appalled at the content and tone of some of my pastor's remarks over the years? Absolutely. And I should have made that clear much, much sooner. I apologize. But just as my faith teaches me to try to love a sinner while hating the sin, I have loved Reverend Wright even though I detest some of his comments. That's why my family and I stayed at Trinity, perhaps long after we should have.
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Well, maybe it's not the easiest thing to admit error if one has a healthy ego -- and maybe it's hard to entirely disown Reverend Wright and denounce his remarks if he shares some of those controversial views in common with, say, one's wife.
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