Author: mopress

Two quick responses from the CounterPunch audience. Both stand clearly on the side of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The first one is short and sharp:

is the rev. wright not a truth sayer? are not his arguments entirely valid here? politically they may be a disaster for obama, proof that all his talk about hope and cooperation is spurious in a racist society.

The second reply opens with a question: was I likening Sen. Obama to Saint Peter when I said that he denied Rev. Wright three times with the phrase ‘as if’? Well, I was thinking about the three denials that are recalled during the Christian holy week. Then the reader turns to liberation theology:

The mostly secular mainstream didn’t want to hear about liberation theology when Latin American Christian base communities were being slaughtered with weapons and training provided by Uncle Sam, and most won’t want to hear about it now. Nevertheless, when it comes to Truth, there is always and everywhere no time like the present.

Thank you for pointing out the parallels between Liberation Theology and the theology of certain African American pastors. And now in the Spirit of the Season, some food for thought from an Arab Christian:

‘Persecution does not make the just man to suffer, nor does oppression destroy him if he is on the right side of Truth. Socrates smiled as he took poison, and Stephen smiled as he was stoned. What truly hurts is our conscience that aches when we oppose it, and dies when we betray it.’ — Kahlil Gibran

To both readers, thank you. Without contradicting anything you have said, I offer an experiment in hope, that an ethic of toleration might be applied toward a more respectful treatment of Rev. Wright than the one we have thus far witnessed from too many parties and players in the Great American Presidential Election Game–gm

But is it not the theological function of prophetic speech to talk precisely ‘as if’? (“Tolerance and the American Pulpit,” Mar. 22, 2008)

One of the major functions of prophetic speech is to castigate society for its failures to follow divine precepts. One of the great precepts of both Judaism and Christianity is the responsibility of those who have to care for those who have not. Examples of this are the Old-Testament duty of farmers to leave behind some food in the fields for the poor to glean so that they may eat, and the fact that Jesus is so frequently shown caring for the poor (to the extent of washing the feet of beggars) — he didn’t serve the military and the politicians, he served the downtrodden and the cast-off. I’d suggest that this is really about all one needs to know about liberation theology. Both Judaism and Christianity are rooted in the idea of social justice.

The great majority of Americans are misled to think that the function of the prophet is to tell the future. The job of the prophet is to call upon society to adhere to the principles of social justice. This was as true for Jeremiah Wright and Martin Luther King,, Jr., (especially after he was enlightened about the relationship between racism and American imperialism and militarism — much like the revelation that Malcolm X experienced on his Hajj) as it was for Amos and Jeremiah.

Jesus and Malcolm and Martin Luther King, Jr. were all killed because the “good people” — those who benefit from our injustice towards society’s victims — couldn’t bear the criticism. And that’s why the hue and cry after Jeremiah Wright. How dare he tell his congregation (and the rest of us, now) that this nation’s actions in Iraq, etc., are just as damnable as they were in Viet Nam, etc.? His repetition of “God Damn America” was using the prophetic voice as a contrast to the obscenity of the imperialist-militarist repetition of “God Bless America”.

Best wishes,
Joel Shimberg
Quaker old-time fiddler
Tennesseee

NOTE: “The Rev. Jeremiah Wright got a raucous standing ovation when he entered Saint Sabina church on the city’s South Side on Friday night . . . He also sang “Happy Birthday” to [Maya] Angelou, whose birthday is April 4. . . . He recently scrapped plans to receive an award in Texas, and to speak at churches in Houston and Tampa, Fla.” (AP, March 29, 2008).

By Ralph Isenberg

This image was also taken during the super rally (Dallas, April 9, 2006). The image is supposed to be out of focus. Just like our current situation. To so many, the dream of being an American is clear. The land of “red, white and blue” is within reach but blurred by a policy gone wrong.

By Nick Braune
Mid-Valley Town Crier
by permission

From the Brownsville Herald: “Two
Edinburg teens killed in high speed police chase.” A third teen from Brownsville also died as a result of the April 6 incident. I have been impelled to comment on this tragic incident.
I am not researching it in particular, looking for background information,
calling the family or the police for follow-up, etc. I intend to make no judgment
on the accident either. I am surely not criticizing the police force here,
having clipped only one newspaper column on the incident. I simply will suggest
to my readers at the end of the column that we greatly curtail police automobile
pursuits. Maybe we need a Valley-wide policy discussion.

According to the Herald article, there were four teens in a car near the Burlington
Coat Factory: Francisco, 19, the driver, and three passengers: Joseph, 18;
Cindy, 16; and Evelyn, 16. The store lot is a “known hang out for teens who
like to engage in racing and car exhibitions.” The article barebones: revving
motor…approached by police…taking off…ignoring police signals to stop…careening
toward freeway…police following…kids clocked at 100 mph…beer cans thrown out
of window…concrete barrier…only Evelyn (in critical condition) left living.

Not intending a researched feature on this subject — although one of my ethics students may do a paper on it — I spent ten minutes Googling for Valley headlines. Here’s a sample.

• “Police chase Mercedes-Benz, arrest Brownsville man” (Brownsville Herald, January 08, 2008) (The car went over curbs, but no one was injured. The driver left the car, ran and was taken to the ground by police.)
• “Alamo police chase leads to man’s death” (The Monitor, May 15, 2007.) This
  article, written about a year ago, continues: “Alamo is the latest area law
  enforcement agency to engage in a chase that turned fatal.
• In September, a
  man fleeing Hidalgo Sherriff deputies crashed his car and died. His mother
  recently sued the deputies…
• In October one man was killed and seven injured
  after a driver led Pharr police on a high speed chase all the way to Palm View
  and collided with another car…
• Finally, in February, a man fleeing McAllen police
  crashed his car.”
• “Officer and K-9 injured in chase down Expressway 83” (Valley Morning Star:
  June 11, 2007.)
• “Kidnapping suspect captured after police chased into field” (The Monitor,
  October 24, 2007.) No injuries. He finally stopped and ran into a bushy field.
• “Judge arraigns suspects after police chase” (The Monitor, October 25, 2007.)
  During the chase, an officer lost control of his cruiser. Rescue workers airlifted
  him to a hospital; he had suffered a broken pelvis.)

I am not implying that my list of articles above is representative. Because
the Valley is large, with ever so many police agencies and a tendency to overpolice,
there must have been more police chases. But of the nine chases mentioned above,
notice that five left fatalities and two others left injuries to officers.
It’s not statistically indicative, but it keeps me wondering.

Some real statistical studies have been done. The Introduction to Policing
textbook (Dempsey and Forst) I am presently examining quotes a Miami/Dade County
study of 952 pursuits in their Metro area: 38% (361) ending in accidents. 17%
(161) resulting in injuries. A Minnesota study showed 24% ended in injuries.
Chases may not be worth the losses in enforcement terms either: a good number
of those fleeing get away anyway. Consider the Valley. There are a lot of
people in the Rio Grande Valley and chases here are risky. Some pursuits involve
more than one police force, and different areas have different pursuit rules,
compounding the confusion.

The offender’s car is made of metal — and metal moving fast is hazardous — and if a police car chases the offender, there will be double the amount of hazardous metal in motion.

Not only can fleeing offenders become disoriented, but a dangerous road rage
can develop in police. Adrenaline really flows and “noble cause” emotion
can flow through officers, clouding their judgment. That is why some police
departments suggest that an officer after a chase not be the arresting officer.
Eemember that famous Rodney King case where the police beat and beat and beat
him. Had he hit an officer? No. He simply had run away. That’s what triggered
the rage.

Some cities nationally are drastically restricting pursuits, unless perhaps
the person fleeing has waved a gun, etc. Usually the officer already has the
license number, and police can pick up the offender later. Studies show some
people who flee are simply afraid of police and have committed minor infractions.
Also, one study showed the obvious…when police stop pursuing, the fleeing motorist
stops driving his metal so fast. And we surely don’t want any more teens, guilty
of illegally drinking, driving fast and feeling chased by police.