Firmage EdReverend Wright, I HAVE NEED TO BE BAPTISED OF THEE
I’ve just heard the finest sermon or speech I’ve ever heard in my life, given by The Reverend Jeremiah Wright. I’m old enough to have heard great speakers. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt after a shaky start in that venue; Hugh B. Brown, Harry Truman standing on the platform of the caboose in the last presidential election on the Union Pacific Railroad, me sitting on my Dad’s shoulders, in Provo, Utah; Mary Luke Tobin of the Sisters of Loretto and the only woman with speaking privileges at Vatican Two; Sister Rosemary Lynch, a beloved friend and Franciscan to her core. LeGrand Richards, Richard L. Evans; Roy Wilkins, director of the NAACP and my second daddy; Hubert Horatio Humphrey, my third daddy; Whitney Young of the Urban League, and The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., on several occasions; Adelai Stevenson, my grandfather Brown’s favorite man in the secular world (I liked Ike).
I’ve read Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan at their best. I will except the unmatched brevity and brilliance of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson, though the latter was no better, in my opinion, than the two live broadcasts I heard of The Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Brigham Young could give a four hour blast that tested the bladders of young men and women, let alone someone over 40. Benedict Xl comes close, very close to Wright, in utter brainpower and spirituality. I didn’t think anyone could top Benedict in Renaissance learning, but they could be brothers, and of course, they are.
But for absolute brilliance none were better, and only two or three came close to the Reverend Wright’s Mid-Western speech, live on CNN. And I thoroughly enjoyed his stunning spirituality and renaissance learning so obvious in the Mid-West speech, and before the National Press Club.
As God and Thomas Jefferson as my witnesses, and my heroes as well, St. Paul and Abigail and John Adams, I’ve never been so spellbound as when The Reverend Jeremiah Wright brought me to my feet, and my senses, time after time, line after line. My God, folks, we’ve got a prodigy amoung us, and I don’t just mean Barak Obama.
The vacuous talking heads of CNN and Fox, predictably and interchangably, are tearing it to pieces. But folks, ignore these pretty women and men and observe and think for yourselves.
Where can I get that man to baptise me? I’ve been looking here and there, recently.
Ed Firmage
April 28th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
So Dr. Firmage, then you agree that black brains are different than white brains?
April 28th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
The only exception to all brains being of the same substance, like the trinity, is in the case of shit for brains. ed firmage
April 28th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
For someone with a non-religious bent, Rev. Wright comes across as pedantic when he’s not being silly– singing songs and making faces, or trying to amuse the crowd with funny accents. I’ll be honest: even when I find myself in agreement with the point he is trying to make, his self-righteousness and outsize ego are hard to take.
One good thing about the speeches on CNN and at the National Press Club may be that people will contrast Wright and Obama and realize they are very different.
According to columnist Errol Lewis in the New York Daily News, Wright’s appearance at the National Press Club was organized by a prominent Hillary supporter.
April 28th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Amen Ed!
May you walk with Jesus.
(I think Ken may be looking for some validation)
April 28th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I was most impressed that Obama didn’t completely discount the reverend after the first round of non-stop repetition of the fiery parts of his speech. Bill Maher didn’t seem to get it and condemned Wright for saying Obama was a politician who had to stretch the truth. Everybody should realize Obama has to distance himself from the repetition and not the man at this crucial point. Shame on the media for making him do that. Ninety percent of Americans only saw Wright saying “God damn America.”
Thank goodness for Bill Moyers and his commercial free forum.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Ed,
Can you post a link to this speech?
Leo
May 1st, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Hi dear friend, old friend. Yes, we’ve linked the video in the post and top posted it as well. Listen and believe, brother, believe! ed firmage
May 1st, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Are you actually attempting to rehabilitate the guy? Bizarre, and extremely counter productive to the task at hand. This, among other lost causes, is why mccain has a chance.
hillary is so back in this race now, if I were a democrat supporter, I would have ignored Wright after Obamas’ declarations. This is the tactic to alleviate the damage. What is happening here is like picking a pox sore.
I would not mention his(Wright) name again, ever, make the republicans say it.