Rev. Jeremiah Wright Responds to the New York Times Smear of Him and Barack Obama

Reverand Jeremiah Wright wrote an open letter to New York Times writer Jodi Kantor in response to what he believes was her participation in "...one of the biggest misrepresentations of the truth I have even seen in sixty-five years". (March 5, 2008 article by Jodi Kantor: Disinvitation by Obama is Criticized)

March 11, 2007


Jodi Kantor
The New York Times
9 West 43rd Street
New York,New York 10036-3959

Dear Jodi:

Thank you for engaging in one of the biggest misrepresentations of the truth I have ever seen in sixty-five years. You sat and shared with me for two hours. You told me you were doing a "Spiritual Biography" of Senator Barack Obama. For two hours, I shared with you how I thought he was the most principled individual in public service that I have ever met.



For two hours, I talked with you about how idealistic he was. For two hours I shared with you what a genuine human being he was. I told you how incredible he was as a man who was an African American in public service, and as a man who refused to announce his candidacy for President until Carol Moseley Braun indicated one way or the other whether or not she was going to run.



I told you what a dreamer he was. I told you how idealistic he was. We talked about how refreshing i t would be for someone who knew about Islam to be in the Oval Office. Your own question to me was, Didn't I think it would be incredible to have somebody in the Oval Office who not only knew about Muslims, but had living and breathing Muslims in his own family? I told you how important it would be to have a man who not only knew the difference between Shiites and Sunnis prior to 9/11/01 in the Oval Office, but also how important it would be to have a man who knew what Sufism was; a man who understood that there were different branches of Judaism; a man who knew the difference between Hasidic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Conservative Jews and Reformed Jews; and a man who was a devout Christian, but who did not prejudge others because they believed something other than what he believed.



I talked about how rare it was to meet a man whose Christianity was not just "in word only." I talked about Barack being a person who lived his faith and did not argue his faith . I talked a bout Barack as a person who did not draw doctrinal lines in the sand nor consign other people to hell if they did not believe what he believed.



Out of a two-hour conversation with you about Barack's spiritual journey and my protesting to you that I had not shaped him nor formed him, that I had not mentored him or made him the man he was, even though I would love to take that credit, you did not print any of that. When I told you, using one of your own Jewish stories from the Hebrew Bible as to how God asked Moses, "What is that in your hand?," that Barack was like that when I met him. Barack had it "in his hand." Barack had in his grasp a uniqueness in terms of his spiritual development that one is hard put to find in the 21st century, and you did not print that.



As I was just starting to say a moment ago, Jodi, out of two hours of conversation I spent approximately five to seven minutes on Barack's taking advice from one of his trusted campaign people a nd deeming it unwise to make me the media spotlight on the day of his announcing his candidacy for the Presidency and what do you print? You and your editor proceeded to present to the general public a snippet, a printed "sound byte" and a titillating and tantalizing article about his disinviting me to the Invocation on the day of his announcing his candidacy.



I have never been exposed to that kind of duplicitous behavior before, and I want to write you publicly to let you know that I do not approve of it and will not be party to any further smearing of the name, the reputation, the integrity or the character of perhaps this nation's first (and maybe even only) honest candidate offering himself for public service as the person to occupy the Oval Office.



Your editor is a sensationalist. For you to even mention that makes me doubt your credibility, and I am looking forward to see how you are going to butcher what else I had to say concerning Senator Obama's "S pi ritual Biography." Our Conference Minister, the Reverend Jane Fisler Hoffman, a white woman who belongs to a Black church that Hannity of "Hannity and Colmes" is trying to trash, set the record straight for you in terms of who I am and in terms of who we are as the church to which Barack has belonged for over twenty years.



The president of our denomination, the Reverend John Thomas, has offered to try to help you clarify in your confused head what Trinity Church is even though you spent the entire weekend with us setting me up to interview me for what turned out to be a smear of the Senator; and yet The New York Times continues to roll on making the truth what it wants to be the truth. I do not remember reading in your article that Barack had apologized for listening to that bad information and bad advice. Did I miss it? Or did your editor cut it out? Either way, you do not have to worry about hearing anything else from me for you to edit or "spin" because you are more interested in journalism than in truth.



Forgive me for having a momentary lapse. I forgot that The New York Times was leading the bandwagon in trumpeting why it is we should have gone into an illegal war. The New York Times became George Bush and the Republican Party's national "blog.." The New York Times played a role in the outing of Valerie Plame. I do not know why I thought The New York Times had actually repented and was going to exhibit a different kind of behavior.



Maybe it was my faith in the Jewish Holy Day of Roshashana. Maybe it was my being caught up in the euphoria of the Season of Lent; but whatever it is or was, I was sadly mistaken. There is no repentance on the part of The New York Times. There is no integrity when it comes to The Times. You should do well with that paper, Jodi. You looked me straight in my face and told me a lie!



Sincerely and respectfully yours,



Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. ,Senior Pastor
Trinity United Church of Christ

25 Greatest Rap Albums of All-Time

In the Winter 2ooo issue of Revolver Magazine, editors compiled a listing of the 25 essential hip-hop albums. Is your collection in order?

1. Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock (Tommy Boy, 1982)

2. Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell (Profile, 1986)

3. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full (Island, 1987)

4. Boogie Down Productions - By Any Means Necessary (Jive, 1988)

5. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Def Jam, 1988)

6. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton (Ruthless / Priority, 1988)

7. Salt-N-Pepa - A Salt with a Deadly Pepa (Next Plateau, 1988)

8. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (Capitol, 1989)

9. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out (Def Jam, 1990)

10. Monie Love - Down to Earth (Warner Bros., 1990)

11. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead (Tommy Boy, 1991)

12. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (Jive, 1991)

13. Arrested Development - 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life of... (Chrysalis, 1992)

14. Dr. Dre - The Chronic (Death Row, 1992)

15. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle (Death Row, 1993)

16. Cypress Hill - Black Sunday (Columbia, 1993)

17. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (Loud, 1993)

18. 2Pac - Me Against the World (Interscope, 1995)

19. Will Smith - Big Willie Style (Columbia, 1997)

20. Jay-Z - Volume 2...Hard Knock Life (Rockafella / Atlantic, 1998)

21. OutKast - Aquemini (LaFace, 1998)

22. Various Artists - Def Jam Classics, Vol. 1 (Def Jam, 1989)

23. Various Artists - Hip-Hop Greats (Rhino, 1990)

24. Various Artists - Straight from the Streetz (Priority, 1994)

25. Various Artists - Profilin' the Hits (Profile, 1999)

Black Enterprise: 10 Best Cities for African Americans

In the May 2007 issue of Black Enterprise magazine, the readers and editors ranked the 10 best cities for African Americans. Criteria included earning potential, entrepreneurial opportunites, jobs, cost of living, affordable housing, higher education, access to higher technology, medical care, quality of public schools, availability of daycare facilities, race relations, crime rates and black political clout.

The top 10 cities were:

10) Jacksonville, Florida
9) Columbus, Ohio
8) Indianapolis, Indiana
7) Charlotte, North Carolina
6) Dallas, Texas
5) Nashville, Tennessee
4) Houston, Texas
3) Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
2) Atlanta, Georgia
1) Washington, D.C.

This issue of Black Enterprise along with over 60 additional quality back issues of this timeless publication is currently available at Jaymo's Garage Sale.

For nearly 40 years, Black Enterprise has been the premier business, investing and wealth-building resource for African-Americans. And today, Black Enterprise continues to be the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and the authority on black business news and trends.

Which candidate do you support? Take the Candidate Matchmaker Quiz

Do you know who you're going to vote for in your presidential primary or caucus? Who you'll support in the presidential election in November?

Do you know which candidate your views align with most closely?

Take the Candidate Matchmaker Quiz below and see if the "facts" match your perceptions.

Disclaimer: This Candidate Matchmaker Quiz was produced and / or distributed by Fox News...home to Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Brit Hume and John Gibson (among other partisan hacks). If you disagree, consider the source.

Closed minds continue to be one of our greatest downfalls...

This column appeared in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The columnist does a great job highlighting missed opportunities. She talks specifically about Memphis, but the same dynamic exists in most places. Closed minds continue to be one of our greatest downfalls...

Kwanzaa debate misses key idea

By Wendi C. Thomas

Sunday, December 30, 2007

We missed it again.

We had a chance to rise above, to be better, wiser.

Instead, it's as if we reverted to childhood, distracted by a shiny object, a distant glint of what might be racism. The possibility of prejudice glimmered and we were transfixed.

County Commissioner Henri Brooks, a black woman and a Christian, wanted to celebrate the African-based holiday of Kwanzaa at the Shelby County Administration Building.

Probate Court Clerk Chris Thomas, a white man and a Christian, thought that would be an inappropriate use of a government building.

His attempt to throw a Christian party had been thwarted, so why was Brooks allowed to hold what he still contends is a spiritual celebration, not the values-based event those of us who have celebrated Kwanzaa know it to be.

Despite Biblical commands against suing another believer, Thomas sought an injunction to keep Brooks from doing exactly what former County Commissioner and Memphis City Councilman Shep Wilbun did at least four times without controversy in the 1990s -- hold a Kwanzaa event in a public building.

A judge ruled Wednesday in Brooks' favor, and that evening she was able to continue the tradition she has maintained for 13 years . She held a public, open-to-all gathering to mark Kwanzaa, which celebrates seven values that anyone -- regardless of race -- could be proud of.
By my count, more than 200 people have sounded off on blogs and media bulletin boards about Brooks and the event, most comments laced with the righteous indignation that should be reserved for matters like genocide or global warming.

But instead, it was the predictable venom spewed when people disagree about how an affair involving race has been resolved. Some of the sentiments should shame even the most hardened bigot, like this one from The (Nashville) Tennessean Web site: "After seeing Henri Brooks in action, all I can say is what a pity her mother wasn't pro choice."

The funny thing is -- and by funny I mean unfortunate -- only about 100 people came to Brooks' Kwanzaa celebration. Odds are there wasn't much overlap between the 200 complainers and the 100 celebrants, which means that a lot of folks chose not to see firsthand what Kwanzaa is -- and isn't.

As she opened the Kwanzaa celebration Wednesday, Brooks had this to say: "I'm not going to say it was a problem to get in here. I'm going to say we had an educational opportunity."

What I'm about to ask you to consider may set your teeth on edge, but work with me.

On this, Brooks is right. This was -- it is -- an opportunity. For all of us. If those who have never celebrated Kwanzaa had gone to the county commission chambers, we would at least know how to pronounce the seven principles of the weeklong celebration: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).

But this was an opportunity missed. We miss a lot of these chances in Memphis, even though they surround us.

They are at the temple we've never visited, the mosque we've never stepped inside, the neighborhoods we denigrate but never drive through.

They are in the unfamiliar languages of immigrants we pass at the mall.

They are at the cultural festivals, such as Kwanzaa, that are open to all although we never go.

Maybe we're afraid that what we'd find would be too different. Maybe we're afraid we'd discover we're so much the same.

Or maybe we haven't yet grown tired of crossing our arms tightly and closing our minds even tighter to the stunning diversity and commonality that could be our communal power, that could stitch together the racially scattered fragments of Memphis.

Today, those of us who recognize Kwanzaa will reflect on the principle of purpose, or, as the official Kwanzaa Web site says, "to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness."

And in this, in Nia, is another opportunity -- for all of us, regardless of race, to work for our collective good to restore Memphis to the greatness she deserves.

Black Men: It's Our Responsibility to Change the Dynamic!

W.E.B. Du Bois, Jackie Robinson, Ralph Ellison, Clarence Thomas, Al Sharpton, Shaquille O'Neal, Samuel L. Jackson. All are black men who grew up without their biological fathers. More than half of the nation's 5.6 million black boys live in fatherless households, 40 percent of which are impoverished.

- quoted in the December 14, 2007 Washington Post article 'The Ghost of a Father' profiling Barack Obama

Howard University Grads Lawrence and Lamont Garrison to Possibly Receive Sentence Reductions

With the Supreme Court's ruling (finally) in favor of sentencing fairness for Crack vs. Powder Cocaine charges and the U.S. Sentencing Commissions retroactive implementation of its recent guideline amendment on crack cocaine offenses, it seems that the case of Howard grads Lawrence and Lamont Garrison may get another look...and at minimum may result in a reduction of their 15-year and 19-year, respectively, sentences.

According to the Sentencing Project, an estimated 19,500 persons in Federal Prison will likely be eligible for a sentence reduction of more than two years.

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Lawrence and Lamont Garrison
Identical twins Lawrence and Lamont Garrison were inseparable. In elementary school, one would rush to the other's classroom and wait until he was dismissed. Living in the same house in Washington, D.C. that their mother and grandmother had grown up in, they attended Howard University together. Both worked part time to help pay their tuition – Lamont for the Department of Justice and Lawrence for the Department of Energy. Good students and aspiring lawyers, the twins graduated together in May 1998.


A month before their graduation, the police came to the door one night and arrested Lawrence and Lamont. They were charged with conspiracy as part of a 20-person powder and crack cocaine operation, implicated by a target of the investigation, the owner of a Maryland auto body shop."

My boys never missed a day in school, they never stayed out all night and then one night the police knocked on the door and said they were drug dealers," recalled the twins' mother, Karen Garrison.

In court, they maintained their innocence and would not accept a plea bargain. Although no drugs, paraphernalia or drug money were found in their house or on their person, they were separately convicted of conspiracy to distribute powder and crack cocaine.

The conviction resulted from the testimony of members of the conspiracy, and records showing calls they made to the body shop. According to Lawrence and Lamont, the phone calls were related to a botched repair job on their uncle's car. The owner of the body shop had his sentence reduced by implicating others in the conspiracy, and was sentenced to 36 months in prison.

The Garrison twins were finally separated by harsh federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws when they were sentenced and incarcerated in federal prison. Although neither brother had a prior conviction, Lamont was sent to Manchester, Kentucky for 19 years; Lawrence was sent to Elkton, Ohio for 15 years.

"After they were found guilty in June they never came back home," the mother recalled. I didn't think stuff like this happens. If I had other children, how could I tell them ‘stay in school, be good and nothing bad will happen to you,' because that's not true.

In 2001, the Washington City Paper quoted a letter from a former professor written to the judge on the twins' behalf: "I have known Lawrence and Lamont for about five years. They were present on time for every single class session. They were diligent in their work, enthusiastic and highly motivated … They struck me as very focused and spiritual young men. I enjoyed having them in my classes and conversing with them outside of class … Lawrence and Lamont do not belong in jail."

Now 34, Lawrence and Lamont have served nine years in prison, and still maintain their innocence. Ms. Garrison, 53, now spends every other weekend on the road to visit one of her sons. It's a 300-mile drive from her home in Washington, D.C. to visit Lawrence and a 500-mile drive to visit Lamont. Lawrence remains interested in the law and has taught a legal writing class in prison. Lamont wants to pursue a Masters in business. However, both will continue to face hurdles to success.

The Garrison twins' cases raise questions of innocence, although they were in fact convicted of a drug conspiracy. But, did the punishment fit the crime? Twenty years ago, at the start of the "war on drugs," penalties for drug offenses increased dramatically. These new laws were intended to target major drug dealers, or "kingpins." However, the people most affected by these policies have not been kingpins. They are most likely to be people from low income communities and communities of color. The result has been the mass incarceration of low-level and non-violent offenders.

Sentences for federal drug crimes are based on the quantity of the drugs involved, not the individual's role in the crime. The emphasis on quantity rather than the role of the offender, along with the conspiracy laws, too often result in disproportionate sentencing even for first-time offenders such as the Garrisons.

Ms. Garrison has since become an advocate to change the sentencing laws – despite the fact that any alteration would not retroactively change the fate of her only twin sons. She said she aims to help the sons and daughters who have been victims of the law which has claimed many – whether innocent or guilty – as a result of the racial disparity and collateral consequences that arise from the unfair sentencing guidelines.

"I hope I can be halfway effective in helping," said Ms. Garrison. "It's not getting better; it seems to be getting worse."

James Johnson and another Case of Prosecutorial Misconduct

Prosecutor Mike Nifong apparently has not been the only North Carolina prosecutor engaged in misconduct, poor investigations and abuse of the public trust.

Please see the details of the case of African-American teen, James Johnson, below and visit www.ncprosecutorialmisconduct.com for additional information.

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On the afternoon of June 28, 2004, a shocking and terrible crime occurred in Wilson, N.C. Brittany Willis, a young white woman who had just graduated from high school, was kidnapped at gunpoint from a shopping center, taken to a deserted field nearby, raped and murdered. Her car was stolen.

The NAACP has deep sympathy for Brittany Willis and her family. The courts must punish people who commit such heinous crimes. However, the criminal justice system should not punish the innocent.

James Johnson, a young African American man who recently graduated from high school, reported the following to investigators and the NAACP to establish his innocence: On June 28, 2004, Kenneth Meeks, an African American youth aged 16, drove Ms. Willis’ stolen car to Mr. Johnson’s home. According to Mr. Johnson, Meeks honked the horn and begged Mr. Johnson to take a ride with him. Meeks showed him a handgun and admitted that he had just killed a young woman and stolen her car. At that point, Mr. Johnson feared for his life. Mr. Johnson further reported that Meeks drove to the crime scene and showed him where the body was. Then, Meeks drove to a carwash and tried to clean out the car. Mr. Johnson further reported that Meeks drove him back to his home and said that he knew Mr. Johnson would not report the crime. Julian Deans, a 19-year old classmate of Mr. Johnson, also told police that Meeks had discussed some of the details of his crime with him.

Mr. Johnson and Mr. Deans struggled with how to deal with Meeks’ confession. Three days later, they went to Mr. Johnson’s father, Arthur Johnson, for help. Trusting the criminal justice system, Arthur Johnson took James Johnson and Julian Deans to the police station without counsel. James Johnson voluntarily reported to the police that Kenneth Meeks confessed committing the crimes.

Within the next few hours, on July 2, 2004, the police arrested Meeks. Meeks discovered that Mr. Johnson provided information to police. Apparently angry with Mr. Johnson for informing the police, Meeks told the police that James Johnson was directly involved in the murder and rape of Ms. Willis. Meeks admitted that he was involved in the crimes. The police charged Meeks and Mr. Johnson with murder, rape, kidnapping and armed robbery. The prosecutors asked for the death penalty and no bond for Mr. Johnson. Julian Deans was charged as an accessory after the fact for not immediately reporting the crime.

In 2005, Meeks recanted his statement against James Johnson. Meeks admitted to his lawyer, his psychologist and several other people that he committed the crimes alone. In 2006, Meeks’ lawyer and his psychologist testified in court that Meeks admitted to them that Mr. Johnson was not involved in the crimes. Moreover, in a letter dated April 24, 2007 to the Wilson Daily News, Meeks wrote, “I committed the crime alone. James Johnson is innocent. For them to keep holding him is a crime in itself.”

James Johnson and Meeks took polygraph tests. Meeks’ test indicated that Johnson was not involved. James Johnson’s test confirmed that he was not involved.

Furthermore, there is no physical evidence against James Johnson. None of the DNA, blood evidence, hair and fiber evidence connected James Johnson to the crimes. There are no credible witnesses against James Johnson.

In April 2006, Kenneth Meeks pled guilty to first degree murder and six other charges. Currently, Meeks is serving a life sentence for Ms. Willis’ murder.

In December 2006, the District Attorney decided not to seek the death penalty against James Johnson, making him eligible for bond. In January 2007, the Court set his bond at $1 million. As a result of the NAACP North Carolina State Conference’s rallies, marches, vigils and lobbying, on September 24, 2007, after spending three years in jail, the Court reduced James Johnson’s bond to $60,000 and he was released from prison. Under pressure from the NAACP North Carolina State Conference, the Wilson County District Attorney’s Office asked the Court to appoint a special prosecutor to reconsider the case. The special prosecutor will make a recommendation to a Superior Court judge about whether to proceed.

In sum, all of the evidence shows that Meeks acted alone. James Johnson should be exonerated. Therefore, the NAACP demands that all charges against Mr. Johnson be dismissed.

What is your vote worth? An IPod...College tuition...$1 million

What is your vote worth? Would you trade it for an IPod Touch? How about the cost of college tuition? What about $1 million?

Do you agree with the students surveyed at New York University (NYU)?

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Most at NYU say their vote has a price
By: Lily Quateman - Washington Square News
November 14, 2007 07:29 PM EST

Two-thirds say they'll do it for a year's tuition. And for a few, even an iPod touch will do.

That's what NYU students said they'd take in exchange for their right to vote in the next presidential election, a recent survey by an NYU journalism class found.

Only 20 percent said they'd exchange their vote for an iPod touch.
But 66 percent said they'd forfeit their vote for a free ride to NYU. And half said they'd give up the right to vote forever for $1 million.

But they also overwhelmingly lauded the importance of voting.
Ninety percent of the students who said they'd give up their vote for the money also said they consider voting "very important" or "somewhat important"; only 10 percent said it was "not important."
Also, 70.5 percent said they believe that one vote can make a difference — including 70 percent of the students who said they'd give up their vote for free tuition.

The class — "Foundations of Journalism," taught by journalism department chairwoman Brooke Kroeger — polled more than 3,000 undergraduates between Oct. 24 and 26 to assess student attitudes toward voting.

"The part that I find amazing is that so many folks think one vote can make a difference," Sociology Department Chairman Dalton Conley said. He added, "If we take them at their word, then perhaps they really think votes matter, and that's why someone might pay a year's tuition to buy theirs."

Sixty percent of the students who said they'd give up their vote for tuition also described their families' income as upper-middle or high.

Their reasons for giving up their votes varied.

"At the moment, no candidate who truly represents my political beliefs has a chance of winning a presidential election," one male junior studying film and television at the Tisch School of the Arts wrote on the survey.

"It is very easy to convince myself that my vote is not essential," wrote a female CAS sophomore. "After all, I'm from New York, which will always be a blue state."

Other students wrote that they were disgusted by the thought.

"I would be reversing history — a lot of people fought so that every citizen could be enfranchised," said a female in her second year at the Stern School of Business.

One CAS junior went even further, writing that "anyone who'd sell his lifelong right to vote should be deported."

Banned by YouTube: Sometimes Its Just Fun to Gawk II

For 6 months it appeared on YouTube and received 84,408 views, and then it was banned.

Now it's back for you viewing pleasure!

Check out the video slide show 'Banned by YouTube'. Sometimes Its Just Fun to Gawk II.