When Barack Obama attended the National Prayer Breakfast, something every President has done every year, since Dwight D. Eisenhower, he set off a national furor from the rabid extreme right, that is, the Republican Party. Obama suggested that there have been examples of atrocities in all religions, so we should not be overly prideful in condemning others. Obama was right. We don’t have to go back that far in our own history.
They burned him alive in an iron cage, and as he screamed and writhed in the agony of hell they made a sport of his death.
After listening to one newscast after another rightly condemn the barbaric killing of that Jordanian air force pilot at the bloody hands of ISIS, I couldn’t sleep. My mind kept roaming the past trying to retrieve a vaguely remembered photograph that I had seen long ago in the archives of a college library in Texas.
Suddenly, around two in the morning, the image materialized in my head. I made my way down the hall to my computer and typed in: “Waco, Texas. Lynching.”
Sure enough, there it was: the charred corpse of a young black man, tied to a blistered tree in the heart of the Texas Bible Belt.
Sure enough, there it was: the charred corpse of a young black man, tied to a blistered tree in the heart of the Texas Bible Belt. Next to the burned body, young white men can be seen smiling and grinning, seemingly jubilant at their front-row seats in a carnival of death. One of them sent a picture postcard home: “This is the barbeque we had last night. My picture is to the left with a cross over it. Your son, Joe.”
The victim’s name was Jesse Washington. The year was 1916. America would soon go to war in Europe “to make the world safe for democracy.” My father was twelve, my mother eight. I was born 18 years later, at a time, I would come to learn, when local white folks still talked about Washington’s execution as if it were only yesterday. This was not medieval Europe. Not the Inquisition. Not a heretic burned at the stake by some ecclesiastical authority in the Old World. This was Texas, and the white people in that photograph were farmers, laborers, shopkeepers, some of them respectable congregants from local churches in and around the growing town of Waco.Here is the photograph. Take a good look at Jesse Washington’s stiffened body tied to the tree. He had been sentenced to death for the murder of a white woman. No witnesses saw the crime; he allegedly confessed but the truth of the allegations would never be tested. The grand jury took just four minutes to return a guilty verdict, but there was no appeal, no review, no prison time. Instead, a courtroom mob dragged him outside, pinned him to the ground, and cut off his testicles. A bonfire was quickly built and lit. For two hours, Jesse Washington — alive — was raised and lowered over the flames. Again and again and again. City officials and police stood by, approvingly. According to some estimates, the crowd grew to as many as 15,000. There were taunts, cheers and laughter. Reporters described hearing “shouts of delight.”…
Inserted from <Bill Moyers>
Obama was right. This travesty took place less that 100 years ago. Republicans objected so strongly because the Republican Party has chosen chose to represent the same racist hatred that inspired this act, when they adopted the Southern Strategy. And when they claim that there is nothing like this today, they are lying. The same organization that sponsors the National Prayer Breakfast also sponsored an attempt by US Senators and Representatives to draft legislation for Uganda to execute their citizens for being gay. They almost got away with it.
That brings us to the thing Obama did wrong. No US President should attend an event sponsored by such a hate-filled organization.
28 Responses to “Obama Was Right!”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
First, we should stipulate that virtually ALL religions have done wonderful things.
That said, TC – you're absolutely right that Pres. Obama was right. For those who actually listened or read what Obama said, there was absolutely nothing – NOTHING – controversial or insulting. Sadly, we knew that wingnuts HAVE to have their outrage du jour – and this was it.
If the wingers are going to be intent on conflating every atrocity of ISIS with Islam, than it only stands to reason to conflate every atrocity committed in the name of Christ with Christianity. (But time and again, Talibangelical christianists have proven that fairness is NOT their long suit.)
I have mixed feelings about Obama attending the National Prayer Breakfast. On the one hand, the fact that "The Foundation" more commonly know as "The Family" (an organization TC has posted about numerou times) sponsors them is appalling. But Pres. Obama earns our gratitude for at least TRYING to explain complex, nuanced facts to a room heavily populated by folks with room temperature IQ – not to mention an agenda before they even "listened". Given the topic, I suppose it'd be apropos to compare Obama's speech with the analogy of Daniel in the den of lions.
Bottom line, I'm mighty proud of what Pres. Obama did. It appears that he's hellbent on enjoying these last two years of opportunities for "In Your Face with the Facts, Rethuglicans!" Can't help but think that he knew EXACTLY what their response would be beforehand. Also can't help but imagine he was recalling that great Monty Python meme: "Well, NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition."
I think your analogy about Daniel is exactly right.
Thanks Nameless for the only wry smile that this has conjured up – hooray for Monty Python!
Thanks Nameless. We're both right. Boycotting the Family ids the right thing to do. Shallenging tot family is also the right thing to do.
Well said, SoINeedAName! Well said!
Using religion to control people. Using religion to deceive people. using religion to discriminate. Using religion to discriminate. Obama is right all we have to do is look at 9/11. And we will see how deceit and greed turned a blind eye all for the sake of fear.
Anyone else scroll as fast as they can past that photo? Such unspeakable horror – and to be happy to witness it as an entertainment.
Mind … boggled!
SoINeedAName I think it is one of the most sadness times in history. Looking at that horror can bring you tears. And altho I could never even come close to such horror. I do feel such empathy for the barbarity of the way a persons skin could cause such hate
Yes – I did, with a gasp of horror. How brutalised and perverted do people have to be to watch that – and appear to enjoy it – ARRGGGHHHH!!!
The reason I looked closewly was to analyze the expressions on the faces in the crowd. That's the most horrid part.
"Obama suggested that there have been examples of atrocities in all religions, so we should not be overly prideful in condemning others."
NEWS & POLITICS
Yes, ISIS Burned a Man Alive: White Americans Did the Same Thing to Thousands of Black People
The United States practiced a unique cultural ritual that was as least as gruesome as the "medieval" punishments meted out by ISIS against its foes.
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/yes-isis-burned-man-alive-white-americans-did-same-thing-thousands-black-people
Faux Noise should not have shown the video, not at all! Just when one thinks Faux Noise couldn't stoop nor sink any lower with its lies, GOP/TP/Koch Party propaganda, they do this video showing of an execution burning on national TV.
Sadly, our President was right. More brutal acts have been committed in the name of religion than we even know about. Jesse Washington was one of many victims of hate and torture committed against African Americans in the early part of this century. My grandfather knew a man who bragged about how many blacks he had murdered, and no one ever questioned him about it. I had hoped that our world had improved, but all we have is better ways to broadcast such despicable acts. I am sure the President knew who his audience was, maybe he hoped one of them would listen and learn.
I think my views on race and on church-state separation have been made pretty clear, so I hardly even need to mention how pleased I was by Obama's remarks. It also looks like we are all reading the same articles on Daily Kos, those of us who read there, but I do want to mention that Chauncey de Vega got ALL KINDS of pushback on the article Jim gives the link to. When Bill Moyers posted an article that pretty much said the same exact things, there was none of that. The only difference I can see (and I am not the only one) is that Bill is white and Chauncey is black. This on Daily Kos! And, a lot of sadness was expressed but very little surprise. Link to Bill: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/06/1362724/-The-Fiery-Cage-and-the-Lynching-Tree-Brutality-s-Never-Far-Away?detail=email
Isn'i Daily Kos just quoting Bill's piece?
Bill is a Kossack with a profile. I looked at it (and am following him now, as well as Chauney.) I'm sure it was published first on billmoyers.com, but Bill is the one who published it on Kos. It was his choice to do that.
From http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/obama-dalai-lama-due-prayer-breakfast-28741352
I am glad that Obama went to the prayer breakfast because, had he not, this message may not have been heard. It is an important message for all to hear.
And Bill Moyers' message is important too because this kind of barbarity is still happening. I agree, it was hard to read past the picture, but until people reject the notion of one race being superior, the message has to get out repeatedly. As I read the article, my thoughts drifted to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act . . . Matthew Shepard having been murdered near Laramie, Wy in Oct 1998 because he was gay, and James Boyd Jr having been lynched-by-dragging in Jasper, Tx in June 1998 because he was African American. And dare I say that how the Republicanus/Teabaggerum act towards Barak Obama since the night of his first inauguration, is further proof that there is a strong cult of racism that lives on the right.
"No US President should attend an event sponsored by such a hate-filled organization." While I agree for the most part, Obama did not go pandering to the conservatives but rather called them out on their bigotry and hate. They made an issue about the Crusades being compared to the situation with ISIL because they weren't smart enough to realise that he was calling them out for bigotry and hate, or maybe they were but wanted to deflect Obama's remarks.
Lynn, You articulated that beautifully. Sometimes I feel your soul is akin to Obama. For I know no one who articulate as well as President Obama to get a message out.
Thank you Mamabear! Unfortunately, Obama is more conservative than I am, but there are many things on which we agree.
Very well said.
Thank you Lynn, Wrong is wrong and a class in Ethics is due for Nut Jobs.
Oh dear Heaven, how unbearably appalling! Tears down my face – how can people be so inhumane?!! (And in including the murderous torturing actions of those people who burnt this poor man to death as part of humanity just sticks in my throat.).
Nameless is right – it was like Daniel in the lions' den!
It is horrific!
Every time I post an article about religious atrocities, someone somewhere chimes in that this is why any spiritual belief is ill conceived for this reason. Lest they become to prideful, let us not forget the thousands murdered bu Robespierre and his Jacobin Cult of Reason. Godlessness can also be an excuse for atrocities.
Faux Spews showed the video of ISIS burning that pilot? Unspeakable horrors just to fan the flames of hatred in this country! That is the ONLY reason they showed the video! THEY wanted the gun nuts to be sufficiently riled so if one goes out and shoots a Muslim, they have a defense! SHAMELESS! DASTARDLY! They are planning and executing a rebellion before Obama gets out of office! They want to stoke the fires of hatred so they can say they were RIGHT! A
It is up to law abiding decent folks to see that justice prevails, that such acts do not become excuses for "stand your ground" defenses. People cannot allow Fox to goad them into precipitous acts that will escalate tensions. And yes, I know, it's easier said than done.
During the "fight" for Indian independence from Britain, Mahatma Gandhi led his people with peaceful, non violent protest which totally perplexed the Brits. They fought a different way throwing the Brits into limbo.
I brought up the fact that thousands of Blacks were burned alive , lynched, beaten in the South and nothing was done by any of our Presidents until LBJ and I've been ostracized on FB by many of my "friends and family". They don't understand the comparison. They want us to send our troops over to fight ISIS. I asked if they were willing to go themselves or send their children or grandchildren. No replies yet.
With all due respect, so many white people see Jesse Washington as a sad horribly killed Black man. But what if he was your brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, son? Can you begin to relate to the anger so many Black people share with each other? Lynching is still happening and not just in the South.
Snipers are still shooting Black children in the streets of America. Cops are murdering unarmed Blacks with no fear of retribution. The justice system incarcerates more Black people by percentage than their population justifies. Blacks are still hired last and fired first. Lastly, Jim Crow lives in almost every hospital, school, and financial institution in America. White privilege allows people, even good hearted people, to step back and see these atrocities and label them as "their" problem and wish that they would somehow get over it…peace.
Cheryl, I fully agree. That's whi I consider rsacicm out problem, and I have since I was active for civil rights in the 1960s.