The Good Reverend

I received a bristling email from my brother this afternoon regarding the comments made earlier in the day by Reverend Joseph Lowery during the Inaugural Benediction. I too heard the comments on the radio and gave it nothing more than passing thought. But the more I think about it, the more Lowery’s comments stick in my craw as well.

In his prayer, his prayer, the good reverend asked God to “help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right.”

Beyond the statement’s obvious triteness, what exactly does the reverend mean? As a proud and law abiding Caucasian, I’m obviously offended at Lowery’s racially insensitive attack. I have always embraced what is right – I studied in school; was respectful to my parents and elders; I work hard; pay my taxes and strive to be a decent role model for my children.

If Obama claims to be “post racial”, he certainly hasn’t embodied it in his choices of spiritual mentors. We rightfully scorn mosques that spew anti-Semitic and anti-American venom, but are expected to accept the racist diatribes from "religious" clowns like Jeremiah Wright and Joseph Lowery as part of the “Black Experience”.

And where’s the outrage from the media? You won’t find evidence of Lowery’s remarks here. Where’s Tom Hanks’ righteous indignation for this “un-American” activity?

I’ll say this for the Rev. Lowery, his couplet was certainly a lot better than the crap that passed for poetry at this morning’s ceremony.