Rev. Wright gives the keynote address at FMO’s State of the Black Union
Rev. Jeremiah Wright had offered the audience nothing more than a slight slouch and the occasional grin, but his very presence was enough to garner him two long, roaring standing ovations by the time he walked up to the Cahn Auditorium podium on Friday to deliver his keynote address.
“FMO unashamedly and unapologetically stands in support of Rev. Wright,” For Members Only Coordinator Zachary Parker had told a loudly cheering crowd. Parker was referring to Northwestern’s decision to rescind their offer of an honorary degree to Wright after his sermons made national headlines because of his ties to presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.
But once Wright took to the stage and the crowd members found their seats, President-elect Obama’s former pastor delivered the keynote address for the “State of the Black Union” in a markedly softer and more humorous tone than the students who had spoken before him at the event, sponsored by FMO, the black student group.
Donning a brown and black African-pattern vest and carrying a black binder to the podium, Wright offered up “just some points of clarification” about the forces that had thrust him into the national spotlight. His “God damn America” sermon? A white professor at Harvard said a similar thing in 1901. The first ever election of a black President? “Incredibly powerful” and “awesomely inspiring.” Unfair treatment from the media? “Ray Charles can see that.”
Wright moved quickly into a history lecture of sorts, which he gave in a deliberate manner that was a far cry from the raspy intonations of his most infamous sermons. He offered his four decades of work in academia and 36 years as a pastor “in the hood” as qualifications for him to speak about “redeeming and reclaiming our community.”
“I come tonight as an outsider to the Northwestern community,” Wright said but added, “I know a little something about living in and working in the black community.”
Wright attended Howard University, a historically black college. But he cautioned that the need for black students to stand up for their cultural property extended even to historically black universities. He called the Howard University of the 1960s “white on the DL” because, until the students objected, they were taught only European literature in their courses.
“In May of 1968, all of that changed,” Wright said. Students at Howard stood up and demanded classes on African-American studies. Meanwhile, black students on predominantly white campuses had already been taking learning about jazz and the blues and the Harlem Renaissance.
But somewhere along the line, Wright said, blacks had stopped teaching their children about the revolutions they had fought and won, and recently the community suffered a “rupture in generational consciousness,” as “we did not teach the generation behind us about the black liberation struggle.”
“We need to first teach our own students, our own children, our own story and stop depending on somebody else to teach our story for us,” was Wright’s answer to reclaiming the black community.
“It’s only a crisis if you care”
Before Wright took to the podium, two black student leaders heavily criticized Northwestern’s treatment of black students.
“Northwestern doesn’t understand diversity,” said Mark Crain, former coordinator of FMO. Crain enumerated several grievances with the state of diversity on campus and accused the university of “lying to itself.”
“In his annual State of the University address, President Henry Bienen spoke of Northwestern’s phenomenal success in recent years,” Crain said. But Crain saw shortcomings, including Northwestern losing its fourth director of African American Studies in six years and the meager attention paid to the 40 year anniversary of black students taking over the Bursar’s Office in 1968, an event that “should have been celebrated by the entire university.” That the class of 2012 is only 4.2 percent African American was another sign Crain pointed to of the university failing to achieve diversity.
Current FMO coordinator Zachary Parker followed Crain, and asked, “Why is it that the black community is not afforded with the respect and investment that it deserves?”
Parker, who called the number of black freshmen “pathetic” and the university’s financial aid policies “racially insensitive,” said the issue is institutional. “It’s not that the president of the university is racist, per se. But it is the unfortunate enforcing and mandating of racially insensitive policies that were designed for advancing and sustaining white privilege.”
Parker closed his speech promising “a new, vibrant, politically conscious FMO that will no longer stand alone while our community disintegrates around us.”
“Bienen doesn’t know me”
During the question and answer session, after many students in the crowd had filed out, Wright was asked how he felt after Northwestern rescinded his honorary degree.
“It was like the straw on the camel’s back at the end of a very terrible week” in which the media, and “Hannity and Colmes,” kept airing on television the now-famous clips of his sermons.
Wright received a call from President Bienen, who explained to Wright why the degree was being rescinded. Wright asked for the statement in writing.
“That was painful. Because Bienen doesn’t know me from Adam’s house cat,” Wright said.
But Wright said he did take solace in making university history. In “150 years, this university has never rescinded an honorary degree from anybody but me.”
“To hear his perspective”
Before Wright arrived, a throng of people young and old had begun lining up at 5:30 p.m. along Emerson Street, waiting in the frigid air and hoping for extra tickets. Chicago-area reporters, who were not allowed inside Cahn Auditorium, canvassed the area for quotations.
The “historical” nature of the event attracted Weinberg freshman Jill Greene, who stood in line anticipating an unpredictable speech. “It’ll be interesting, for sure,” she said.
Also in line was “curious” University of Chicago junior Matt Barnum, who made the trip north without a ticket. “I don’t really know what to expect. I’m guessing he’ll probably be pretty radical,” he said.
As many students chatted in their seats as the scheduled start time of 7 p.m. approached and passed, the large middle section of seats remained empty and cordoned off. By 7:30 p.m., with the late arrival of Rev. Wright and the attendees of a reception held across the street, the empty seats filled up with people considerably better-dressed than those already seated.
Former Weather Underground radical William Ayers. Jared Miller / NBN. One of the arrivals was William Ayers, the former Weather Underground radical, whose ties to Sen. Obama also made headlines during the presidential campaign.
A large number of Wright’s former parishioners were there, as evidenced by the loud roar following a mention of “Trinity United Church of Christ.”
Though many students left after Wright’s speech ended, some who stuck around for the question and answer session found the reverend enlightening.
“He’s hilarious,” Fatima Zaheer said. The Weinberg senior said Wright’s message about teaching youth resonated with her, and also said that the FMO students’ speeches “really hit home.”
Zaheer belongs to the Muslim cultural Students Association, and said she hopes to be able to use the event to better “interact” with the university, although she wasn’t yet sure how.
The event as a whole was an important moment in the history of the university, Associate Professor of Political Science Revel Rogers said. “To have black students convene” and speak “truth to power in those speeches” will prove important as the university figures out how to deal with enrollment issues.
Rogers also believed the speech gave attendees a different perspective on Wright. “It certainly humanizes a man beyond the sound bites.”
Wow. So Rev. Wright thinks that just because some white professor in 1901 said the same thing he said, that justifies it? The man is anti-American, and should not be given a standing ovation by anyone.
Aaron
November 10, 2008 at 2:38 pm
If ever the saying “America’s chickens are coming home to roost” was true, it’s true now, and Rev Wright said it first. Man may be a grandstander, but to call it as you see it is NOT to be anti-American.
Elizabeth Grove
November 11, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Come on Elizabeth…he claimed that the US government invented HIV! Give me a break. Wright is not to be listened to.
Aaron
November 12, 2008 at 2:15 am
Aaron just said “…[T]he US government invented HIV!” Ive got it in print to prove it
rabble rouser
November 12, 2008 at 3:59 am
You’re obviously trying to make the point that he was just quoting others. He was not. HE believes that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvL9dLeDcSU&feature=related
Aaron
November 12, 2008 at 4:32 am
but the US did commit attrocities infecting an unknowing minority with an STD in Tuskegee
nice clip, he seemed calm and reasonable…next time I suggest this one,it get’s people’s blood flowing faster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH5ixmT83JE
rabble rouser
November 12, 2008 at 4:54 am
The point of that clip is Mr. Rabble Rouser is that Rev. Wright wasn’t just ranting in a sermon, even after given time to think about what he said and clarify his statements…HE STILL BELIEVES THE US GOVERNMENT INVENTED HIV. It is one of many statements he’s made that are completely false and not based in scholarship whatsoever.
Aaron
November 12, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Reverend Wright is a sad example of how the trend to make up for the racism of this country’s past has created an environment conducive to virolent anti-white and anti-American sentiment across this country. Reverend Wright loves to get upset about things, so where is the condemnation of suicide bombers in Israel killing children on crowded busses? Where is the outrage against the murders of US servicemen in Iraq by cowardly men posing as women blowing themselves up? No, no, this isn’t enough to upset him because he can’t use it to advance his “whites hate blacks” agenda. Even an election in which the majority of whites voted for a black man won’t be enough to make him think twice about his belief that everything bad that happens to poor black people in this country is because of the evil actions of rich whites.
And can you imagine the outcry by groups like FMO if a group on campus held a “State of the White Union?” Racism in any form is an abomination; hiding behind the actions of ignorant people of the past doesn’t change that.
Dima
November 12, 2008 at 2:41 pm
1. you are factually incorrect
http://www.slate.com/id/2204251/
2. Where is YOUR outrage at his lack of outrage at the afghanistani practice of bacha bazi? Where us YOUR condemnation of his silence on the detestable Somali pirates? No, no, it isnt enough to upset you because it has absolutely nothing to do with the point you’re making
rabble rouser
November 13, 2008 at 12:15 am
1. Oh the time-honored tradition of passing off exit polls as actual statistics. Indeed, I must retract my statement because looking again at these same exit polls in battleground states, Obama typically does lose to McCain among whites by a few percentage points. Obviously, racism is still rampant in America because in Pennsylvania, for example, only 48% of whites voted for a black man. Great article though; “But in a more complex and indirect way, the stubborn refusal of a majority of whites to vote Democratic is all about race” was a real gem. In a more complex and indirect way, this article (and your argument) is moronic.
2. I don’t parade around as a crusader for human rights and a voice of the oppressed. Furthermore, I have no familiarity either with your Afghanistani project nor with Somali pirates. Can your beloved Reverend voice the same ignorance toward deaths of US soldiers abroad or of innocent Jewish children in the Middle East?
3. It just so happens that you chose to ignore my point about the very idea of a “State of the Black Union.” Care to comment?
Dima
November 13, 2008 at 2:35 am
You think the rabble rouser has a position. Thats your first mistake.
The slate article is imperfect but to blanket say that if obama won a majority of the population he obviously won the white vote was incorrect. go ahead and find an AP source w/o the fluff around it if you have the time, but your argument was: obviously “whites hate blacks” is false because a majority of the former voted for one of the latter. looks stupid the other way around dont you think
Its your argumentation that baffles me. Because he chooses to damn America for what he perceives as racial prejudice, he must damn every damnable act in the same sermon? Why are you exempt from this charge? Somali pirates have every bit as much to do with your disagreement with the reverend as suicide bombers in Israel have to do with the state of race in America.
The argument is moronic! its patterned off of yours. Its silly. As silly as Aaron saying Wright shouldnt be listened to and providing a clip that doesnt explicitly say the one thing alleged. at least he was consistent in his position of not listening
3 is a simple statement. Congrats! you voiced an opinion on a comment thread without tangent analogies that dont pass muster. Huzzah!!!!
…{off the Somalian coast crews of merchant ships are being ransomed to their home countries by armed pirates, sans rum and cajun mistresses. Some prepubescent boys are being raised as concubines in regions of Afghanistan and are in demand because they have yet to develop some masculine traits…the more you know}
{the rabble rouser has retreated to its fortress of solitude until its services are required by net-kind once more!}
rabble rouser
November 13, 2008 at 4:03 am
People like DIMA is why African-American’s get so frustrated! Why would there even need to be a “State of the Black Union”, “Black church”, or “Historically Black College?” Sweety, go do some research on why these entities exist and then come back with an argument.
Tee
November 16, 2008 at 5:28 pm
“Sweety, go do some research on why these entities exist and then come back with an argument.”
Being condescending (sweety? really?) and then telling me to “do some research” is no way to get a point across (though I infer you have none, which would explain why you want me to construct it for you). You might seem to believe that it’s somehow completely apparent why blacks choose to self-segregate in this way, but there are some (most prominently, Bill Cosby) who believe it is damaging to the community (and the country) as a whole.
Want to not just tell me to “Do research,” and go ahead and tell me an argument that can stand on its own?
PS: Would a “State of the White Union” and a “White Church” be okay with you? Or are such ideas irreconcilably racist because the ancestors of some white people in some parts of this country once carried on the practice of slavery? If I, as an immigrant with no family history of slavery (or even racial prejudice) were to hold such events, would it be considered racist? I eagerly await your response.
Dima
November 17, 2008 at 3:22 am