Letter of the day: Clinton, her pastor disagree about Wright

Last update: March 27, 2008 - 6:14 PM

Hillary Clinton attends the Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington. So does Bill Clinton. Hillary suggests she would not have the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's controversial former minister, as her pastor.

But the senior pastor of her church has a very different take on how Americans should react to Wright. The Rev. Dean Snyder wrote, "The Rev. Jeremiah Wright is an outstanding church leader whom I have heard speak a number of times. He has served for decades as a profound voice for justice and inclusion in our society. He has been a vocal critic of the racism, sexism, and homophobia which still tarnish the American dream.

"To evaluate his dynamic ministry on the basis of two or three sound bites does a grave injustice to Dr. Wright, the members of his congregation, and the African-American church, which has been the spiritual refuge of a people that has suffered from discrimination, disadvantage, and violence. Dr. Wright, a member of an integrated denomination, has been an agent of racial reconciliation while proclaiming perceptions and truths uncomfortable for some white people to hear.

"Those of us who are white Americans would do well to listen carefully to Dr. Wright rather than to use a few of his quotes to polarize. This is a critical time in America's history as we seek to repent of our racism. No matter which candidates prevail, let us use this time to listen again to one another and not to distort one another's truth. "

JACK BEAIRD, GOLDEN VALLEY

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