Can God's Voice be Heard in Media Soundbytes?

A friend sent out this note about an article that was published, basically as another scare tactic against Barak Obama. Here is the beginning of his note and my return letter to him is below.

The Huffington Post's Jon Wiener writes, in the commentary attached below, with jaded incredulity of the LA Times's decision to run a front page article on April 10th, Allies of Palestinians see a friend in Barak Obama, about the fact that Barack Obama has a friend of Palestinian descent (the prominent Columbia University historian Rashid Khalidi) and went to hear a lecture by Edward Said ten (yes, ten!) years ago. No one can be surprised that big media, in articles like this, and American politicians on both sides of the aisle continue to pander to powerful Israel-right-or-wrong constituents. They merely reinforce a toxic trend in which anyone who can possibly be characterized as a critic of Israel or as sympathetic towards Palestinians is liable to be demonized with all the familiar epithets.

Jon Wiener

Breaking News: Obama Met Palestinian Intellectuals Ten Years Ago

Posted April 10, 2008 | 04:42 PM (EST)

An edited response I wrote to the article and email:

Most days I see ridiculous accusations like this and think,
the American people must be able to see through this type of diversion.

However, to my discouragement, I have found time and time again that these tactics work their magic. Yes, sadly, the media not only has the power to control the fate of any story, it has also become the voice "of God" for many of God's people. Its artistically devised messages declare judgment and warning and approval on whom it deems worthy and even on those on whom the judgment is unfair.

The other night Bill Moyers, on his show, Bill Moyers Journal, interviewed Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Here is the link if you didn't see it Bill Moyers Journal, April 25, 2008. It was most fascinating to hear Rev. Wright share after all the media has done to demonize him in recent months. Also it was so encouraging to hear Rev. Wright's message and views directly. Honestly, I sat there listening and thought to myself, this guy could be a Mennonite pastor! However, many of the Mennonites I know nowadays would no longer subscribe to his radical message of non-violence and discipleship. The interview was most heartening and refreshing. Bill Moyers is always a good interviewer too - he asked Rev. Wright to give more background to the sermon he gave following 9/11 and they aired more of the message, framing a context for the soundbytes we've been hearing in the news. Unfortunately, most Christians I know who believe the contrived messages surrounding soundbytes that have been taken out of context don't ever watch shows like Bill Moyers.

I have been teaching a Sunday School class from Conrad Kanagy's book, Road Signs for the Journey, based on a research project comparing trends in the Mennonite Church over the last 30+ years. Kanagy says that mostly white Mennonites have moved from the margins to the middle in society (basically through assimilation and increasing affluence) and now all we care about is protecting our lifestyles, culture and nation. Kanagy challenges us that the prophetic voices we need to listen to come from the margins of society, this includes the Racial/Ethnic members of our churches. Rev. Wright is truly a prophetic voice to our society, however, like many who speak God's message, he has been labeled as blasphemous. And I'm grieved to see how it has affected Obama's campaign mostly because we can easily see how it has fueled the racism and prejudices that too quickly flare up in our country when the "middle" feels threatened.

Quite honestly, one thing that impresses me about Obama is his interest in hearing all sides of an issues and his willingness to build relationships on all sides of political divides throughout the world. The accusations in these articles only raise my regard for his character and humility. . . humility is something the United States could sure use a ton more of in its leaders.

Enough for now . . . I pray that those on all sides of the political divide can drop any indignation long enough to join together to pray for God's peace to transform us . . . so that, as God's people, we can see the world the way God does and hear His voice as He speaks in the most unexpected ways.