What media, Obama, and most viewers missed at Trinity United Church of Christ

Did anyone else notice what was going on in the pews at Trinity United Church of Christ when Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. delivered a sermon explaining why so many are “hatin’ on Barack Obama”? By now most have seen clips of Wright's tirades against America, white people, the Romans, the Italians and every other scapegoat he blames for global poverty and oppression of black people. There’s so much debate going on about this, it’s pointless for me to explore it here. But there is a moment of magnitude—you can watch it in the video below my column. And it’s a moment almost everyone missed. Immediately after Wright says the words, “a country controlled by rich white people,” the camera pans to the pews. A black man stands to speak. You can’t hear his words, but judging by the reverend’s response, the man questioned or commented on what Wright had just said. Most of the parisioners sitting around this man appear to be very quiet, neither confirming nor denying Wright's comments. But this man stands alone and speaks.

The pastor responds to whatever the man said. “You got nervous ‘cause we got some white members here…I’m still in Bible country.”

There’s a real moment of hope. Whoever that man who stood is, he seems to be questioning prejudicial statements. If anything, his stance is a statement on the American people. Despite daily expressions of hatred and prejudice, there are some who are astute enough to rise above hyperbole and rhetoric. Some are brave enough to speak up. Those are the people who truly hold our country together.

(I made a photo (above, right) of the man Rev. Wright addresses. It isn’t a very clear photo because I made the pic by shooting the paused video.)

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