Rhyming reverend gets last word at Obama inaugural
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WASHINGTON – Rev. Joseph Lowery was back on stage with a president, but on Tuesday the civil-rights pioneer used his wry rhymes to welcome the U.S. leader, not skewer him as he did three years ago. 
Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Martin Luther King Jr., delivered the benediction at Barack Obama’s inauguration as first black U.S. president.
Lowery prayed for healing from a era of “greed and corruption,” and asked, in verse, for divine help toward a new beginning of racial harmony:
“We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right,” Lowery said to laughter from the vast audience.
In 2006, speaking before then-president George W. Bush and three former presidents at the funeral of King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, Lowery delivered a stern rebuke to Bush’s conduct of the Iraq war and domestic policy.
“We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. But Coretta knew, and we know, that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war billions more, but no more for the poor,” he said then.
Critics charged that the remarks were out of place at a funeral. Lowery defended them as relevant to Mrs. King’s life.
Also speaking at the inauguration was evangelical pastor Rick Warren, who said in his invocation that “Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in Heaven” over Obama’s historic presidency.
Gay-rights supporters had criticized Obama for awarding the inaugural showcase to Warren, an influential supporter of a successful ballot measure to ban gay marriage in California.
But Lowery got the last word, and a chorus of Amens.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Jason Reed (Lowery speaks at Obama inauguration, Jan. 20)
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Ok is it just me or what. I feel like his prayer had racism in it?
From this comment:
“We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right,” Lowery said to laughter from the vast audience.,” Lowery said to laughter from the vast audience.
What a joke. It is only fitting that a racist Rev has the final word. This campaign would have nothing to do with Obama’s Rev. Both have the same kind of speech.
What a joke to say this when it is History for a black man is elected for President.
More insults for the whites. This seems to be par for the course for this candidate turned President
I didn’t see everyone laughing at the rhyme, I think it should have been left out. I don’t think the people of Asian or European background who supported President Obama were all that pleased with it. Let all Americans be politically correct from now on, after all, everyone is a person of some color. And if Reverend Lowery plans on doing any more public speaking, maybe he should take a look at the current politcal scene before blurting out some inappropriate rhyme from an era gone by.
Historical perspective required here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg i?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/01/28/DDGL74 I9TF1.DTL
As a middle aged white woman, I found nothing wrong with what he said.
Maybe it hit a racist nerve for those of you offended.
Not every White needs to embrace what is right in the future…but you can bet that there are some of every race who need to do so. Just when I had hope we could be Americans instead of categories along comes this slam. I married my black husband in 1975,in Biloxi MS where we stationed as USAF members. I am what you call white and I never saw color till people of color shoved it in my face. I faced anger and abuse for my mixed marraige but you can believe me it was NOT all from whites.
i thought that with an african american in office we were turning away from racism, i guess it just doesnt apply to black people
Forget about it, it’s the new way, the end of racism as we know it and the start of the Obama followers racism.
I was very offended by his speech. I felt that the part about colors should have been left out. Who is he to say White people need to embrace what is right? You can not lump a bunch of people into one category simply by the color of skin and then make comments in reference to the entire group of people. That is racism, so yes, I think what he said today was extremely racist! That part of the speech discredited everything else that was said today…it was completely unnecessary!
A pot is a pot. A couch is a couch. A pen is a pen. The good Rev spoke the truth. He made the truth palateable with humor. Those who are afraid of change will never be satisfied with anything – except – the status quo – no matter how dehabilitating. My hope is that all the nay-sayers get a light bulb over their head.
To those who felt Lowery’s comment was racist…thin skinned aren’t we? Can you for a moment step out of your shoes and imagine what he went through in his lifetime? I believe he put up with a lot more than a few words.
-yellow and mellow
As a blond haired, blue eye-d, mid-30s male, I found Mr. Lowery’s speech quite well done.
Racism comes from all sorts, it always has and always will. If you found his comments racist in any way then you should probably lighten up just a tad bit.
It’s called post-racial humor. Once you know a person’s race is meaningless, you can make fun about it. Ask anyone under 30 about it.
We citizens are having trouble with our multicultural composition. I enjoyed the benediction more than the designated poet’s offering and Rick Warren’s
prayer-speech. In future, I hope we are not so hyper-sensitive about our differences and more interested in what we can do together.
Why oh why is there a double standard continuing? Count me as offended, if not by the words, but by the standard. All this confirms is we are still dividing people by category, so that our politicos can continue in their positions by pandering to these groups, which serves no useful purpose to individuality intended by our Constitution. The double standard. Shame on the media, for they are the ones that can reverse this trend. Shame on those who misuse their powers by either promoting it, or not brave enough to speak out against it.
Yes, it had a racist tone to it. Unfortunate to come from a “man of God”. Those who support his words would be screaming bloody murder if it was a republican or if Pastor Rick Warren made the same statement. There is no denying it at all.
Oh well, just an observation like others see it.
shut up whiners (Jen, Ted, Will etc… it was funny….”waaahhh racist against whites”. It’s really annoying and makes you look like sore losers. I am sure you do not speak for all whites as you may think you do. It was not that serious mkay………
These racist reverends are suitable clowns for the parade.
No more excuses…Abolish Affirmative Action.
Get to work and carry your load, rather than blaming others for your problems while simultaneously expecting them to pay your bill…
Why is it only white should enbrace what is right? There is a lot of racism in all walks. I hear it on the bus and the train. I hear it in the music on the radio. I see it in graffiti. It seems only whites can be accused of racism.
I have accepted that a person should be judged on their own character. But society wants to slam racism in my face at every opportunity. When society stops being racist, we will all be better off.
It felt like being in a group of people where you feel happy and included, and then someone in that group insults you, and only you, making you feel that you really are not accepted.
A sour note in a happy day, for me at least.
As a Canadian, I was in awe of the entire inauguration, especially the benediction. Shame on you who criticized it,you should be so proud of your country now and move forward with positivity rather than negativity.
People, lighten up!!! Politics is racialized and complex enough… why spew and spin the negative feedback on such an uplifting day?
As an Asian woman, I was not offended at all by Rev. Lowery’s commentary. In fact, I found it refreshing and impressed that he was able to posture some jest into a serious subject matter such as race.
“shut up whiners” typical liberal telling others to shut up so they can insult people they know nothing about except from 15 words in this forum. Also coming from a person who obviously belongs to a crowd that’s contributed over 25 million hits on google’s servers crying about George Bush for one reason or another going back to Al Gore and 200 they still complain about today!!
Yet Obama’s president for two hours and his opponents aren’t allowed to speak without being called whiners according to Tina.
We are all U.S. citizens not a box of crayons. My background is mixed with English, German, Indian, and Italian. Im not white! Im AMERICAN! Thats the way we should look at things. Get over it! Racism only exist because we let it bother us.
I found the conclusion of the good Reverend’s benediction rather mean-spirited.
Racist and inappropriate. Obama spoke of unity and this guy tried to divide us yet again. Someone should remind him that its 2009–not 1909. We just welcomed a black president. Stop with the hate.
I don’t get it. Can someone please explain to me how a country with a government that claims by law (its very first law) that it will not support any religious belief above another begin the very first moments of its new executive branch with a Judeo-Christian religious ceremony?
Talk about racism. This man needs to think about what he said. We are all americans and if he and other would stop with the colors and who is what maybe more can get to where they need be.
I was offended. That’s all I have to say.
Rev. Lowery, as most of you know, walked with the late Martin Luther King, Jr. As mentioned before, he has seen the dark side of racism that I’m sure most of could only imagine. The man is old and probably on the tip of being senile. He was simply trying to lighten things up. If the caucasian population is that upset over the comment, why don’t you build a time machine, go back and speak to your ancestors and ask them why they chose to be ignorant?
Absolutely pathetic and ignorant. The rev should have stayed home. I am by NO way an Obama fan, but his little rhyme and digs at the previous administration were totally uncalled for. A sad day for anyone who doesn’t welcome socialism.
40 years of progress in American race relations flushed down the toilet!
One of the great logical falacies used against us is the use of the collective, as in this case. Often it’s “our children” or “our families.” There is no collective. Each of us is an individual.
First, calling Asian-American yellow is racist. Secondly, it is time that the Asian-Americans in our country quit being mellow and start standing up for their rights. Blacks may no longer be in the back, but that does not mean that they do not need to respect others.
“When white will embrace what is right.” What about blacks? In the name of what is “right” and for the cause of equality are they going to shun the term “African-Americans” and just be Americans? Are they going to call for “Black History Month” to be done away with? Are they going to stop the scholarship fund that caters only to blacks? They segregate themselves every chance they get. They are still in shackles but it is mental and they put it on themselves. Once they cast those off they can finally be equal.
Why all the rhetoric about color, Amerika needs a man of character. We had white for the last 8 years but no character or integrity. I want someone with depth of character and integrity. Today we have the color but once again no depth of character or integrity. It will take Americans at least a year to figure this out.
Next time voters go to the plate they will be batting for Dubaya’s brother Jeb.
On a day that was otherwise mostly positive and forward-looking, Reverend Lowery’s racial comment was an embarrassment. “… when white will embrace what is right”? This is 2008, not the 1960s. It was really not the time or place to insult an entire race of people. To those of you who say “lighten up” — this is a historical event, and deserves a little more respect and reverence, not a racist rhyming reverend.
Wow, to me the Reverend’s Benediction was the most inspiring part of the whole inaugural affair! He is a real spiritual elder. As a “white” person (whatever that really means) I appreciate his wisdom and did not take offense to the elder’s words and enjoyed his sing-song, loving delivery.
The man definitely stole some thunder and rightly so. It was a true joy listening to him and I almost walked away. Thank God I’m always the last to leave a good time. I have never been more proud to call myself an American, and not because we elected a black man, but because we looked into ourselves and voted for the right man.
Yes, it would have been slightly more palatable if the reverend had just said “and everyone will learn to embrace what is right”, rather than insinuate that it is only whites that have issue with doing right by others. But overall, it was fine with me, a white guy. The main point is that Americans of ALL COLORS and ALL BACKGROUNDS finally voted in someone with the brains and temperment to lead this great country. Buh-buh-buh bye Bush!
To be truly marked as non-racist one needs not divide people into color categories – this prayer did so by assuming that all white people “are wrong” -which is a judgment in character not merely a skin tone-which is egregiously juxtaposed to Dr King’s speech. What ever happened to “the character and content of one’s heart?” have we swung so far from the truth of this message that we are guilty of the same?
It was completely tacky!
If this had been a white right-winger’s speech the crowd would have erupted into violence, not amens.
It is strange that the truth hurts the priviledged of this world. Rev Lowery was a pioneer in a time where some folk were not priviledged to enter places because of the color of their skin. So what was said was true…and sometimes the truth hurts. It was a very lovely benediction.
It would be nice if our new President would repudiate such hateful remarks. Especially since millions of “racist” whites voted for him. What a tragedy that this person had to follow up a nice, happy inaguration. Also ashame, as one poster said earlier, that we are all reduced to being “crayons” by this “Rev”.
The benediction was offensive. I am white and most of my black colleagues spoke about the racial message and the tone of this prayer. Prayers can be curses if they are worded just right. He cursed the white people by demanding that they embrace what is right. He then backed it up with several “Amens.” The camera then shows the many people smiling and encouraging the racial tone. This is not excuseable. The NAACP and other groups that “watch” for racial intolerence have just as many demons and prejudice simmering in them. Obama is not perfect and people around him are not perfect. There should be an appology for the statement. But of course there is no white authority to kiss up to ala Jesse Jackson. We can only sit back and understand that in 2009 it is not enough that a man who happens to be black has to be reminded that he is half white in order to make him “acceptable” as Presient and that a senile old Reverend and kick back with such glee in an alleged reverent prayer and declare that white people have to embrace what is right. How evil are we white folk anyway? There is no Post racial administration and this will not kill racism in America. It is obvious that those who always claim to be without sin have cast the first stone. What an embarrassment.
I’m really disappointed in all the people that are reading hate and segregation in what the Rev. said. It is with sadness that I read some of these responses, sadness because so many people commenting here are ignoring the message meant. Maybe he did not say what you would have, but it makes it no less worthy. This was what he had to say, and it was him asked to do a benediction.
One commenter said “40 years of progress in American race relations flushed down the toilet.” In my mind, they must have had a very low view of the progress if they thought it could be destroyed with one mans words.
The Rev. was not speaking for segregation. He said things such as “pray for not only our nation, but for the community of nations.” Segregation? Separation? No. “Help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance.” (And it seems some commenters here are falling on the wrong side.)
To me, it meant something the he was not narrow minded in speaking of faith. “And us we leave this mountain top, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.” I hear, nor read, segregation, separation in that.
I suggest you listen more closely and maybe you will hear that ending, that final sentence – “That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.” Listening to his words, I say amen. Maybe, with close attention, an open heart, you will hear “amen” echoing in your heart.
What happened to: “Once you go black, you dont go back.” ?
that was a totaly ignorant and racist statement and if the race was reversed in the statement,” blacks should emrace whats right “, i can here the uproar already
You KNOW that every speach and prayer was “approved” prior to delivery. I had my radio on—I heard later that Obama smiled and nodded in approval of that racist (totally anti-white) part of the “prayer.” I guess this is what we now have to look forward to. I hope all of you who voted for him are happy now. For me, I pray for his conversion to real Christianity—especially that he’ll change his position from promoting infanticide to one of pro-life for the weakest—the unborn, newly born, and elderly and infirm. God help us! I am not celebrating today, but AM praying and I thank former President Bush for his Pro-life stand and his keeping us safe and his majority of years of a thriving economy—too bad he was stopped by Congress so it would all collapse.