The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has called upon Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) to quit his racist, anti-American, anti-Israel church and repudiate his pastor, Jeremiah Wright. The ZOA has issued this call following disturbing revelations across the national media regarding Pastor Wright and his Trinity United Church of Christ. Wright has delivered sermons and speeches saying we should ask that G-d Damn America, blamed America for intentionally creating the drug problem, for killing innocent people, for supporting Israeli “state terrorism against Palestinians,” for being responsible for causing 9-11, for being white supremacists and racists, for supporting Israel shamelessly, for creating the AIDS virus, for intentionally keeping people in poverty; and also urged businesses and universities to divest from Israel. Rev. Wright met with terrorist leader Quaddafi of Libya on a trip with racist Louis Farrakhan that was illegal under US law.  Also, his Church honored Nation of Islam black supremacist and outspoken anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan, who has said that “Judaism is a gutter religion,” that “Hitler was a very great man” and that “white people are potential humans, they haven’t evolved yet.” Nevertheless, the Trinity United Church and Wright’s successor as pastor, Rev. Otis Moss III, have issued a statement defending and praising Wright, while completely ignoring Wright’s horrific statements.

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “We are shocked and angered by the racist and vicious and hateful sermons by Barack Obama’s pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  We are worried about what influence Wright’s anti-US, anti-Israel, racist hate speech has had on Obama.  Obama has attended Wright’s church for 20 years.  He refers to Rev. Wright as his spiritual mentor and advisor, moral compass, and sounding board.  Rev. Wright presided over Obama’s marriage and baptized his two children.  Despite these speeches, Obama said, ‘Michelle and I look forward to continuing a relationship with a church that has done so much good.’

“In a recent speech Barack Obama said to the audience where Rev. Wright was present, ‘Give me a special shout out for my Pastor, Rev. Wright counsels me, puts up with me, is a friend, a great leader – give an extraordinary hand to my Pastor.’  Then joking to Wright, ‘You’re wearing a suit today.’ 

“The relationship is clearly very close, and obviously, after 20 years Obama had to know about his Pastor’s horrific sermons.  That was well known to many in Chicago outside of church members.  Even if he hadn’t heard the sermons himself, Obama’s friends and associates in the church must have informed him.  Of course, Obama was aware of the Farrakhan award.  Did he speak to Wright about this, did he plead with him to change his views? Or did Wright change Obama’s views?

“There are many troubling examples of Wright’s possible influence on Obama.  Ed Lasky of AmericanThinker.com wrote that Ali Abunimah is a well-known Chicago-based staunch advocate for Palestinian causes.  He operates a website called Electronic intifada.  Abunimah is a merciless critic of Israel who supports a one-state solution, meaning no Jewish state.   He has written that he had met Obama about half a dozen times at various Palestinian and Arab-American events, including a May 1998 community fundraiser at which the late anti-Israel critic Edward Said was the keynote speaker (there is a photo of Said with Senator Obama and his wife.)

“Abunimah recently wrote an article critical of Obama’s very recent and somewhat lukewarm outreach to Israel’s supporters.  He wrote that years ago Obama had been forthright in his criticism of American foreign policy and had called for an even-handed approach to the Palestinian-Israel conflict.  But Abunimah detected a change as Obama began his Senate run.  He met Obama at an event that occurred in the midst of the Senator’s primary campaign for Senate.  Abunimah writes,

“’Obama said, “Hey, I’m sorry I haven’t said more about Palestine right now, but we are in a tough primary race.  I’m hoping when things calm down I can be more up front.”  He referred to my activism, including columns I was contributing to the Chicago Tribune critical of Israeli and US policy.  “Keep up the good work.’”

“His wife’s recent words also show a possible Wright influence when she said that only for the first time in her life, she feels proud of America.

“If I were a member of a synagogue whose rabbi praised David Duke and condemned African-Americans, I wouldn’t wait for the second sermon – I would quit immediately in shame and horror – no matter what other good things the synagogue may be doing.  I would also condemn the Rabbi.  I’m sure the entire Jewish community would as well.

 “Yet, Obama, in a major speech yesterday in Philadelphia, discussed his ‘disagreements’ with many of Rev. Wright’s views saying, ‘I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.’  This insults the overwhelming majority of religious leaders who would never make the kind of hateful remarks Wright has made on numerous occasions.  Obama also essentially excused and rationalized Wright’s sermons against whites and America by saying ‘for the men and women of Wright’s generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away, nor has the anger and bitterness of those years.’

“Over a year ago, Obama made clear he knew of the Wright problem when he rescinds his invitation to Wright to give an invocation because his sermons can get ‘kind of rough.’  Obama should have resigned then.

“Barack Obama said he would have quit his church had such statements been ‘the repeated tenor of the church.  I wouldn’t feel comfortable there.’  Obama also admits that he heard one or two of these lectures.  A journalist recently wrote he saw Obama at one of these lectures.

“Now that Obama knows, unequivocally, the large number of hateful speeches that Rev. Wright delivered, we urge Barack Obama to immediately quit his racist, anti-American and anti-Israel church and repudiate the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  That would send a powerful message that Barack Obama does not and will not tolerate hate promoted by anyone.

PS:  (Obama excuses some of Wright’s statements by saying, “Wright was a child of the 60’s.”  In fact, Rev. Jeremiah Wright went to high school in Philadelphia from 1955 to 1959.  The high school he attended was my own alma mater, Central High School.  Central, the second oldest public high school in the country, was a magnet school attracting the elite, most serious academic students in the city.  The school was 80% Jewish and 95% white.  My experience was that the African-American students were treated with the same respect as the white students.  The African-American students  loved Central as much as the white students did.  Many of them come to Central’s reunions. Also, it is interesting to note that Rev. Wright’s father was a prominent pastor and his mother was a teacher and later vice-principal of the Philadelphia High School for Girls, also a distinguished academic high school.)”