Fiery pastor challenges Chattanooga to keep working toward the dream of equality

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright's voice picked up pace as he named civil rights leaders who blazed paths for equality and freedom.

People gather at tables Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015, at a prayer breakfast hosted by Tucker Missionary Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tenn., to begin a week-long celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., former pastor to President Barack Obama, was the keynote speaker at the breakfast.

"Look who is in the stands watching us," he said, reading from the 12th chapter of Hebrews about a "great cloud of witnesses" in the Christian faith and naming civil rights pioneers and martyrs who have already finished their part in the struggle for equality.

Now those pioneers watch and wait for this generation as it works toward equality, said Wright.

But what this generation is seeing is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s strong stances and majestic oratory reduced to sound bites and a conservative movement indifferent or opposed to equality of opportunity for minorities.

"Black men, women and children lynched, watching to see if we understand that the tea party ain't nothing but a 2.0 upgrade of a lynch mob," Wright thundered from the dais of Greater Tucker Missionary Baptist Church on Saturday.

Pastor Julia Beck, right, and the Rev. Dr. Marva Lee sing along with "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

The crowd of some 400 people erupted into applause as the nationally known former minister to President Barack Obama spoke at the Unity Group's 45th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration prayer breakfast.

The minister who pastored President Obama for two decades drew national attention during Obama's 2008 presidential campaign after he made a speech asking God to damn America for "killing innocent people ... for treating us citizens as less than human."

On Saturday, he condemned what he said has been done to King's legacy.

"A minister from Atlanta named Martin who started a movement for poor people, but whose message is now buried in a monument financed by rich people whose religion and history hides what he said about racism, militarism and casino capitalism."

The substance of King's message reduced to sound bite: His stance against militarism reduced to "Let freedom ring." Against racism, to "I have a dream." And King's fierce critique of consumerism and capitalism to "Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last."

"I don't know which is worse," said Wright. "Seeing millions seduced by a sound bite or seeing King's ministry reduced to a sound bite."

He named Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and Rosa Parks among a crowd of witnesses watching and cheering to encourage this generation in its struggle.

Among the modern-day witnesses, Wright said, are Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Both unarmed men died at the hands of police officers in Ferguson, Mo., and in New York City, who were not charged in their deaths.

And he encouraged the crowd to keep their eyes on Jesus Christ and His suffering for the adrenaline needed to continue their efforts when tempted to get off focus.

"Look in the stands," said Wright. "Harriet Tubman looking to see if we're still trying to get free. Ida B. Wells looking to see if we're still turning our backs on the poor. Look who is in the stands. W.E.B. Du Bois watching to see if we learned how to live together and if we are still circling the racist wagon with our silo mentality."

King is "in the stands" watching to see "if we're still drinking the Kool-Aid of Wal-Martization and mass incarceration by making black children still go to bed hungry every night killed by assassins of globalization and miseducation."

The mostly black crowd, with some whites in attendance, filled the church fellowship hall despite concerns expressed about safety from Wright's polarizing presence. Organizers had said they had asked police to keep an eye on events, but there was no trouble.

Chattanooga Tea Party President Mark West said he was in the audience with two black friends Saturday and was disappointed and hurt when Wright called the tea party a lynch mob.

West said he was even more disheartened when a significant number of people stood and applauded after the comment. West said more than 3,000 people attended the first Chattanooga Tea Party rally in 2009 and they are not racist, he said.

More recently, he said, the local tea party worked with several blacks to block or overturn Chattanooga's domestic partner benefits ordinance.

"There was no misquoting or misunderstanding his comment," West said. "The man hates so much and yet he was invited to speak at a service called a unity prayer breakfast."

But another person in the audience described Wright's message as calm, compassionate and true.

Perrin Lance, executive director of Chattanooga Organized for Action, said that although Wright is often publicly perceived as controversial, he finds more controversial statements among public comments in the daily newspaper.

"All Rev. Wright does is point out many things that many blacks and whites already feel," said Lance. "That racism is alive and well, that sexism is alive and well. Wright gives a voice to those beliefs."

Said 10-year-old Mateo Tibbs, "It was powerful and amazing. He's trying to let us understand where we come from."

Several people publicly prayed during the nearly three hour breakfast that Wright's speech would move people to action toward peace, unity and equality.

Others prayed for change and noted that change must first begin within themselves.

"If my people who are called by my name, if we would humble ourselves and pray. Seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways then God would hear from heaven and heal our land," said Jacqueline Bridges of Silverdale Baptist Church.

The King celebration events continue today and Monday.

Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 757-6431.