“The people of faith have moved from the hatred of armed enemies to the hatred of unarmed innocents. We want revenge, we want paybacks, and we don’t care who gets hurt in the process.” – Reverend Jeremiah Wright

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It is time to correct the record regarding Reverend Jeremiah Wright and reverse the blatant “hit job” that various media outlets have either instigated or perpetuated against him. Much has been made of snippets of Rev. Wright’s sermons featuring impassioned, and to some, inflammatory remarks. But curiously, no one has aired or transcribed an extended portion of the sermons that have caused so much controversy. Nor have any of the media outlets I have read and viewed mentioned that Rev. Wright was referencing comments made by former Ambassador to Iraq, Edward Peck, ironically given on a Fox News program entitled “The War on Terror” in October 2001. On that program, Ambassador Peck presented facts that clearly agitated the program’s host; including pointing out that America previously viewed Saddam Hussein as an ally, eleven years of economic embargo killed countless children, the proceeds from the sale of “oil for food” all went to the United Nations not the Iraqi people, and two United Nations humanitarian directors resigned in protest over the suffering being forced on the Iraqi people.

Reverend Wright heard this discussion and it made him think in the context of the horrible event visited upon this nation September 11, 2001. So many of us asked the question, “Why?” Why would someone do this? Why would someone attack us in such a savage and cruel way? Reverend Wright knew his people and knew they were asking these questions. And in the sermon that he delivered, Rev. Wright was attempting to answer these questions that plagued us. Picking up where Ambassador Peck left off, Wright connects the dots and reminds us that in our quest to hunt down terrorists, there are those in other nations that would ask our country to take a look in the proverbial mirror. From this land’s native inhabitants to civilians in Grenada, Panama, Libya, Iraq, Sudan, and Japan (to name those referenced in Wright’s message), there are quite a few people who may not be thrilled with America’s conduct towards them.

And here’s the true crux of Rev. Wright’s message in his own words, taken from that sermon:

“Violence begets violence, hatred begets hatred, and terrorism begets terrorism. A white ambassador said that y’all, not a black militant. Not a reverend who preaches about racism. An ambassador whose eyes are wide open and who’s trying to get us to wake up and move away from this dangerous precipice upon which we are now poised. The ambassador said the people that we are wounding don’t have the military capability we have but they do have individuals who are willing to die and take thousands with them and we need to come to grips with that.”

View the video of his sermon here:

Read the transcript of Ambassador Peck’s Fox News appearance here:

Now ask yourself as a news organization, as part of the fourth estate, whether you have presented an accurate portrayal of a man who is the recipient of three presidential commendations. Based upon my own research and my own attendance at Trinity as a visitor, I can say unequivocally that you have done both Reverend Wright and his family a grave disservice. Sadly, the presidential candidate who has taken so much blame for those out-of-context snippets apparently didn’t bother to check out the entire sermons from which the “controversial” statements were cherry-picked either. This actually lends credence to Senator Obama’s assertion that he was not in attendance on the days of the sermons in question. If he was in attendance, he would surely have known that Reverend Wright’s sermon on 9/11 was actually referencing commentary previously given by Ambassador Peck.

Please do not abdicate your obligation to journalistic integrity. I look forward to your news organization correcting the record and presenting an accurate portrayal of the true character, intelligence, and integrity of Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Failing to do so will prove that you are no more than followers of Sean Hannity and similar propagandists.

Sincerely,

Tatiana Rodriguez
Chicago, IL