The sad spectacle that we saw yesterday was Jeremiah Wright, a retired pastor, openly mocking the media and the country that, by and large, strongly disagrees with his statements.

  I have no doubts that Wright has done some good things in his life. He's put food in mouths, he's defended our country in the military, and no doubt has changed lives for members of his congregation.

  But his obvious hatred and resentment for those who disagree with him will end up (in history) trumping all of that.

  No rational person can seriously believe that the United States Government created the AIDS virus for an effort to commit mass genocide on African Americans. That is a sick position with no basis in fact or even decent opinion. This is not Tuskegee revisited. The AIDS virus is a global medical tragedy, one that I would argue we have not seen since the days of smallpox. Reverend Wright conveniently forgets that, while blacks certainly suffer the most from this virus in the US, they are, by no means the only ones. Several thousand whites also are suffering and have died from HIV/AIDS. So have Hispanics, Arabs, Asians, and others.

  To say such things goes against Christian Theology. He doesn't love his neighbor, he resents him. He advocates hatred and racism, both of which are condemned by modern Christian teachings.

  What's even more unforgivable is the obvious jealousy he feels towards Barack Obama. What we saw yesterday was a resentful man, determined to take the spotlight in the race relations battle. He said that the criticism of him was not against him, but against the black church and the black religious tradition.

  By doing this, there is little doubt in my mind that his goal is to kill the chances of Barack Obama becoming President of the United States. After all, reconciliation isn't what he wants, he made that perfectly clear. An African American President makes him look foolish. A country that has moved so far from the racism of the past (it is not gone, but to claim the 60's are still here is ridiculous, as some dkos and mydd posters have said) does him no good in the race war that he has appointed himself leader of.

  As if we need evidence of such absurdity. Obama has won several primaries and caucuses in states where there are not many African Americans. Obama is overwhelmingly winning the votes of the "next generation" the younger vote. Race war? Please! Jeremiah Wright (I refuse to call him reverend, it disgraces my Christian faith to do so) is fighting a war with himself and his bigoted beliefs on one side, and a country that is tired (and justifiably embarassed) of its racist past.

  So what is Wright's agenda? To me it seems obvious. He's trying to cripple Obama's campaign. Perhaps out of revenge for not defending him, or perhaps out of anger that Obama does not embrace his racist philosophy on life.

  It's ironic that Wright's self created crusade to appoint himself leader of a race war could well lead to the destruction of the campaign of the FIRST African American with a real shot at the White House.

   Jeremiah Wright is acting like Obama has betrayed him. Obama has not betrayed him, Obama has simply refused to endorse his paranoid racist views. They are not American and they certainly are not Christian.

   It is not Christian to make false allegations in hopes of re-kindling anger. It is not Christian to try and divide people or a country. And it is not Christian to allow one's pride and vanity to trump his message. Wright's hatred of white America and his clear resentment of Obama for not embracing his message, is not Christian. Not in any sense of the word.

   Jeremiah Wright is a disgrace. He doesn't want to end racial injustice, for then that leaves him irrelevant. He also clearly does not want Obama to win the White House, for again, that marks racial progress, which makes him, with his paranoid rants, look even more foolish.

   Wright has allowed his jealousy, his anger, his racism and his paranoia to leave an ugly mark on his church, his faith, his race, his community and his country. Tell me folks, how Christian is that?

   One reason I support Barack Obama is that he is a unique candidate with a unique opportunity to unite this country. not along political lines (that will never happen) but along common interest grounds. Race wouldn't matter, income wouldn't matter and political differences would be just that...differences, not life or death struggles. A black man elected President for the first time, would mean the end of the Farrahkan's and their racism, the end of the KKK, the CCC, the White Pride's...they're done as soon as that happens. But Wright, in his desperation to be in the spotlight, can't allow that to happen, for then he too is irrelevent.

   Wright is a tragic figure and one I hope never is allowed near a church pulpit again. His insane conspiracy theories and obvious racism are a stain on this country. It's clear he's trying to punish Obama.

   I'm glad Obama has lashed back. NOT IN MY AMERICA! Obama recognizes that racism goes both ways and so must reconciliation. Wright doesn't. For that, he should simply disappear into obscurity, never to disgrace a pulpit again.

   I have to leave and go to work. I will gladly respond to any comments when I get back late this evening.