站

更完善的聯邦（9）

These　people　are　a　part　of　me。　And　they　are　a　part　of　America；　this　country　that　I　love。

Some　will　see　this　as　an　attempt　to　justify　or　excuse　ments　that　are　simply　inexcusable。　I　can　assure　you　it　is　not。　I　suppose　the　politically　safe　thing　would　be　to　move　on　from　this　episode　and　just　hope　that　it　fades　into　the　woodwork。　We　can　dismiss　Reverend　Wright　as　a　crank　or　a　demagogue；　just　as　some　have　dismissed　Geraldine　Ferraro；　in　the　aftermath　of　her　recent　statements；　as　harboring　some　deep…seated　racial　bias。

But　race　is　an　issue　that　I　believe　this　nation　cannot　afford　to　ignore　right　now。　We　would　be　making　the　same　mistake　that　Reverend　Wright　made　in　his　offending　sermons　about　America　…　to　simplify　and　stereotype　and　amplify　the　negative　to　the　point　that　it　distorts　reality。

The　fact　is　that　the　ments　that　have　been　made　and　the　issues　that　have　surfaced　over　the　last　few　weeks　reflect　the　plexities　of　race　in　this　country　that　we've　never　really　worked　through　…　a　part　of　our　union　that　we　have　yet　to　perfect。　And　if　we　walk　away　now；　if　we　simply　retreat　into　our　respective　corners；　we　will　never　be　able　to　e　together　and　solve　challenges　like　health　care；　or　education；　or　the　need　to　find　good　jobs　for　every　American。

Understanding　this　reality　requires　a　reminder　of　how　we　arrived　at　this　point。　As　William　Faulkner　once　wrote；　〃The　past　isn't　dead　and　buried。　In　fact；　it　isn't　even　past。〃　We　do　not　need　to　recite　here　the　history　of　racial　injustice　in　this　country。　But　we　do　need　to　remind　ourselves　that　so　many　of　the　disparities　that　exist　in　the　African…American　munity　today　can　be　directly　traced　to　inequalities　passed　on　from　an　earlier　generation　that　suffered　under　the　brutal　legacy　of　slavery　a