Religion & Law

A "double standard"

By Rick Garnett

I agree with Rob that Christians ought not to regard it as out-of-bounds for a Christian minister to call attention to America's sins, faults, and failings.  Anyone who is moved by, say, Stanley Hauerwas (as I am) is not in a position to be "shocked, shocked!" that Jeremiah Wright thinks America risks damnation.  So, in the abstract, I think the answer to Rob's question -- "Is it more . . . acceptable for pastors to 'damn' America for abortion than it is for racism?" -- should be "no."

That said, I believe that, in the contemporary context, our Nation's practices and premises with respect to its abortion-on-demand regime demand more clearly and forcefully call out for condemnation than our practices and premises with respect to racial justice.  Racist-slavery is, of course, our Constitution's original sin, and I'm not suggesting  -- so, please, no e-mails suggesting that I am -- that there is no longer unjust discrimination in this country, or that there are not pressing challenges facing us as we try to undo the harms caused by our original sin.  But, the fact is, we are trying, and everyone agrees we should be.  On the other hand, most of our powerful elites are of the view that the license to kill an unborn child is inseparable from, and is a dimension of, human dignity and freedom; they are, in other words, deeply committed to the preservation and justification of a great evil.  This is (obviously, I hope) not true with respect to racism.  Thank goodness.

Wright is offensive (to me) not because he is offended by racism.  He (we) should be offended by racism.  He is offensive to me precisely because it is not clear to me that he is (consistently) offended by racism, and because he trafficks in absolutely crazy and destructive conspiracy theories.

Full post as published by Mirror of Justice on March 19, 2008 (boomark / email).