Rev. Wright v. the god of patriotism

March 22, 2008

I have been considering what troubles me most about the current media, et al., turn against Rev. Wright. I cannot say I am troubled by the critical attention his messages are receiving - though I am troubled by some of the critiques that are being made against Rev. Wright.

I am, however, most troubled by the rearing of the ugly head of the noisy god of uncritical patriotism.

>>I have been reminded it is not ok to suggest the ‘United States’ creates and supports policies that are unjust and create an environment where some cannot make it and where it is hard for a great many others to get by.

>>I have learned it is not ok to suggest the ‘United States’ creates and supports policies that are unjust and invite, result in, and/or contribute to skewed behaviors…including terrorism.

>>I am amused by the fact that ‘God’ is NEVER opposed to the great U.S of A - and to say otherwise is to risk the scorn of society.

I had returned from a trip to Munich, and I was standing in the crew line at O’Hare - waiting to have my passport checked. The United crew was joined by an American crew…and in front of us was a crew from another country, India, if I recall. One of the American crew began ranting about how U.S crews should have their own line and should not be made to stand behind non-U.S. crews. I suggested that there was no reason to be so pro-U.S…and one of my flying partners asked, ‘Well, have you ever lived in another country?’

Clearly, she missed my point: We’re all flight attendants…we go through the the same things…and, in the scope of things (this is well known), U.S crews don’t stand at the top in terms of customer service, warmth, and courtesy. Nonetheless, I was being chastised for calling into question the greatness of the U.S. of A.

And I cannot help but note that whenever I have been chastised for speaking out against the hubris of this country…it’s white folk doing the chastising. While I am unclear what is meant when one says ‘United States’ - is it the government and political leaders, citizens, generally?…it really makes no difference. There is a certain everywhere pride in this country - and this pride is not just felt by so-called whites, but gays, blacks, women, etc…This little god is worshiped everywhere.

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And I do want to be clear: not everything about the United States is bad. However, when the United States opposes the will of God or attempts to set itself up as God - the Christian must speak out. We belong to God; this world belongs to God - we are all accountable to God. In sum, the United States, as Rev. Wright has said, is not God - nor is the United States above God or privileged by God.

And I want to say this: now is the time, it seems to me, for all people who are loyal to Jesus to stand and testify: We are loyal to God - not the United States. We are willing to live at peace when the states and Washington support policies that are just. We are also prepared to go the way of Golgotha when the various governments support oppression, whether oppression of blacks or homos or women or the poor, etc.

We must do this as people of God or we risk allowing a repeat of history - a repeat of that time when god was simply the will of the (aryan) culture…a repeat of that time when it was not acceptable to call into question the will of ‘Germany’ but when it was acceptable to blame the Jews and others for the country’s ills.

I am not suggesting I support everything Rev. Wright preached, and I do want to note one Wright moment that I find regrettable. I don’t believe the following message has a place in any church nor should it come from any pulpit. Wright said, from the pulpit, ‘Bill did us just like he did Monica Lewinsky…he was ridin dirty.’ I refuse to post the YouTube video b.c. of the ‘news channel’ plastered all over every video of this moment I can find. It is probably best not to fan this spectacle…but Rev. Wright’s bodily actions during this moment support my judgment.

Lastly, I think Obama’s speech was a fine speech, in part, because it came close to cutting across the tide of patriotism (in that he suggested not all is fine and well)…though he, in my view, is far too optimistic about America. Here are the links to the video and the text of his speech.

“For he/Christ is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2).

PS: The type of patriotism I may be able to support is imaged quite nicely by John C. Mitchell. Check the film ‘Shortbus,’ scene 8: ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’ Enjoy.

Posted by Tony Posted in Bi/Partisan Politics, Posts by Tony, Queer / Theology, Social Commentary, Social Justice, The Church