Taste the Irony of Hope

Hope. We hear this a lot with the presidential election. We hope the next president will help our economy. We hope the next president will help us stay safe. We hope. That's all we can do at this low point of our country's history.
The point I am getting at here is that black theology has more to do with this election more than anything. Jeremiah Wright is contributing to this election and is helping Barack Obama. And he will help Obama until the final vote is cast. The same man who was thought to have hurt Obama is helping him every step of the way. In Chapter 2 of LaRue, we hear and learn about the sermons of Alexander Crummel. LaRue states, "While [Crummel's] thinking on nationalism changed, this thoughts on the power of God to effect positive change remained constant." (pg. 38) Positive change? That sounds familiar. That's because it is. Change we can believe in? That slogan is a direct result of black sermon. From Crummel to Jeremiah Wright. We have discussed this in class a little. But only in the patterns of Obama's voice tone. What other things has black sermon influenced in this campaign? Let's dive further into this. In San Antonio, Texas on March4, 2008, Obama gave a speech in front of hundreds of Texans. At the beginning of his speech, he declared, "Si se puede." It means "Yes you can," another slogan he has made his trademark. The point is that San Antonio is mainly hispanic. I am from there. He appealed to his audience and to their emotions. Isn't that what we have discussed as black sermon in class? Isn't that the heart of black preaching? I, as a McCain supporter and closely follow his campaign, have never even heard him say, "Si".
Black theology is helping Obama, and Rev. Wright is the man who brought it on him. Like I said before, the people attacking Wright have to think twice. He's not hurting Obama, he's helping him. They're just too blind to see it.
Another thing: The origin of Obama's book title, "The Audacity of Hope"? Inspired by a Rev. Wright sermon.


Works Cited:

1. LaRue, Cleophus J. 2000. Chapter 2: The Power Motif in Nineteenth Century

African-American Sermon

2. youtube.com. 04 March 2008. Barack Obama: Speech in San Antonio, TX

3. Obama, Barack. 17 October 2006. The Audacity of Hope.