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Barack Obama, Pastor Jeremiah Wright, KingCast and Mother Ann on race.

By Christopher King

Look. Mother Ann had a right to be upset with white people. She's been spit on by them, denied work by them and seen them cross the street as she approached. But that still did not stop me from telling her that she had to take every individual as they come, without prejudice. Some people in my family had considered my father an "Uncle Tom" for going to work in the white suburbs of Cleveland in the early 60's just before I was born. But had he not done that, I can almost guarantee you my sister and I would not have had the opportunities we have had, and I would not have been sitting there with Mother Ann at my law school graduation reading Carl T. Rowan's Biography of Thurgood Marshall, "Dream Makers Dream Breakers."

So as noted in this story, it's easy to understand how Senator Obama could support his pastor but not agree with everything he says because some of that fervor has merit, particularly if you channel it toward positive change.

And Mother Ann? For her part she got it, and she loved all of her children, just the same, regardless of whether their blood was part Welsh, Asian or whatever fun stuff we got cooking in our family. And I know in Franconia where I'm helping to expose government corruption (read the KingCast v. Ayotte/Franconia Sunshine Week Decision summary and the Court Order Compliance Memorandum) most of those who hate on me don't hate me because I'm black, they hate on me because they just want status quo. And those who love me don't love me because I'm black, they just love me because they love me. The blackness and the whiteness -- all that stuff -- and the experiences we all have had in our lives as they relate to race just adds to the diversity and richness of our experiences. And that's what life should be about.

Related post: Senators Obama, Kearney and KingCast.

Full post as published by Chris King's 1st Amendment Page on March 19, 2008 (boomark / email).