FOX News has learned that over the last 15 years, Trinity has received at least $15 million in grants from the federal government — in other words, taxpayer money.
Records show this money supported a variety of outreach: everything from low income housing to nutritional programs for needy kids to money for HIV/AIDS education. Wright blames the government for intentionally infecting the African-American community with that deadly virus.
DePaul University journalism professor Laura Washington, who specializes in race and politics, said Wright is a hypocrite for taking money from the government.
“On the one hand, he says, ‘God damn America’ and he says America is responsible for all the ills in the black community. On the other hand, he’s taking money from the same community he’s crucifying,” Washington said.
According to one scholar in Goldblatt's report, Wright isn't being a hypocrite by taking tax dollars from the federal government while condemning it in his sermons. “Wright believes things like the government-funded programs are a necessary compensation for the legacy of white racism, part of what’s necessary to heal the wounds inflicted over four centuries on blacks," said Andrew Walsh. "His niche is even more specialized– he does this sort of work in the context of white denominational mainline Protestantism, which, on the whole has welcomed both him and his message.” Obama's campaign was quick to advise Fox News that he had never worked to secure funding for the church as either a state senator or a U.S. Senator. Obama did, however, work to secure funding for projects run by Father Michael Pfleger, who delivered a racist rant against Sen. Hillary Clinton a little more than a week ago at Trinity United Church of Christ, leading Obama to resign from the church.
10 comments:
You need to get over your Obama obsession. I dont care for Rev. Wright but from what I have read and been told by friends in that area, Trinty United Church of Christ had lots of good community outreach programs..some you mentioned already......there are pastors here in Indy that I dont care for but their churches receive federal and state monies for many community outreach programs.....
So much for separation of church and state. Artfuggins I am sure you were out supporting the Bush and Goldsmith plans. Why is your argument well somebody else does it so when your people do it, it is okay? You sound like my kids when they were 5.
True Conservative, are you saying you didnt support Goldsmith's front porch alliance which Ballard restarted...Many churches have food programs, child care services, GED classes etc all funded by tax dollars.......do you want to condemn that or just Obama's church?
I would argue that individuals should be free to contribute to whatever church, outreach program, charity or other cause without being forced at the gunpoint of government to hand over money so that politicians can buy goodwill amongst "community leaders" with it.
It's not about how great the programs may be, it's about it being wrong to forcibly transfer money from individuals via taxation to things that have nothing to do with administering the government.
I think it's funny that people think it's racist to allege that a white person may have a sense of entitlement, even when it's said BY a white person. Divisive? Yes. Bad for the Democratic Party? Clearly. But racist? I don't see how. I think we're redefining the word "racism" to mean "any reference to race by anyone, even of the same race, if it suggests something unflattering."
Maybe I'll write a book called, "How Not To Be a Black Racist."
Rule 1: Qualify all comments.
NOT acceptable: "White people are enslavers."
Acceptable: "At a point in American history, a segment of white people who are all dead now, and therefore can't be held culpable, participated in and benefitted financially from the slave trade of human beings from African, which was ALSO supported by some African tribes, who let their prisoners of war be taken, so, ya know, all things considered, black people are to blame as much as white people."
NOT acceptable: President Bush doesn't like black people.
Acceptable: President Bush misjudged the severity of the crisis in New Orleans, an area that coincidentally, was heavily African-American, and his inaction resulted in a substantial number of deaths, but his affection for African-American people cannot be wholly discounted because he gave Condoleeza Rice a hip nickname, and he also liked Colin Powell enough to appoint him to positions of power, even though he hung him out to dry at the U.N."
www.ipopa.blogspot.com
I am glad our taxpayer dollars fund the Trinity Church of Christ's work. I believe, despite some rhetoric, that they have done some great things with social programs for the poor, homeless, children, HIV/AIDS, and a host of other things. Perhaps if the government would have instituted its own effective social programs to aid Americans with these things, churches would not have to pick up the slack.
I would love to have all my tax money back that the politicians use to buy favors with church leaders in the name of charitable works.
I give as much as I can to charities I CHOOSE. I pick grassroots charities that are run by volunteers.
I don't like being forced to hand over my tax dollars to people who are not necessarily doing a damned thing to help themselves.
If you don't think our tax dollars are lining the pockets of ministers in these churches that shake down politicians for money, you are deluded.
I was told, for instance, that the Bishop of the Light of The World Church in Indianapolis drives a Rolls Royce. This bishop is not available to speak to members of the public. I know this first hand because I used to volunteer to help promote the tax forums at his church. At one point I had some questions and asked to speak to the Bishop. Even though I was doing volunteer work with the church, I was told I could not allowed to ever speak to him. I was outraged (and still am) that I could not speak directly to a preacher of a church that is supposed to be ministering to human need.
Conversely my late uncle was a Methodist minister. He drove a Datsun and lived modestly, but had everything he personally needed.
His time and attention was available to anyone in the community who needed to speak to him. His methodist church did not receive federal money, but instead relied on the VOLUNTARY generosity of its members and donors.
America is the most charitible nation on earth. It is an insult to hardworking Americans to be forced by politicians at the threat of gunpoint to pay off these racist ministers.
--Melyssa
Note that Trinity Church of Christ opened up a multi-million dollar line of credit to build a million-dollar retirement home for Wright on a private golf course.
art fuggins
I oppose such programs regardless of who does it. That was my point. You try to justify anything Obama or his church does by saying some republican also did it. I opposed both.
AI.....are you claiming that the rerirement home is being built with tax funds....if not, then it is not your business or my business since neither of us belong to that church. I do think that is an extravance. Why look to Chicago for this behavior? You can find it in Indy in many churches.....I cant help but believe this is just more of your anti Obama venom.
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