[News] Statement regarding the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Rev. Wright has grown his congregation from less 
than 100 to over 7000, has done much of the 
rescuing of the community from HIV when city, 
county, state and federal officials would do 
nothing, agrees with the majority of Black people 
(and me) in noting that the US is capable of 
creating the HIV virus and infecting the Black 
community, notes that one should not ignore a 
person (Farrakhan) who could place 1,000,000 men 
on the mall in DC, and that 9/11 was a matter of 
the chickens coming home to roost, consistent 
with Malcolm X’s similar statement about JFK’s assassination.

There’s much more of course.  But in particular I 
should note that when my best friend and 
colleague, Jose Lopez, was being hounded and 
persecuted by the FBI, Rev. Wright stood by him 
publicly – because it was correct and true, 
despite the fact that Wright had nothing to gain 
from supporting a person so far out of his community.

It is appropriate that the clowns running 
Northwestern now have the clown Jerry Springer to 
speak at graduation.  Clearly they have found a 
person who represents the values of NU well.

Steve Whitman

Following is the text of a statement by Alan K. 
Cubbage, Northwestern University Vice President 
for University Relations, regarding the 
University's decision to withdraw an invitation 
to the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright to receive an honorary degree.

May 1, 2008

Earlier this academic year, acting on the 
recommendation of faculty committees, 
Northwestern University extended an invitation to 
the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, former senior 
minister of Trinity United Church of Christ in 
Chicago, to receive an honorary Doctorate of 
Sacred Theology at Northwestern’s Commencement in 
June. Commencement at Northwestern is a time of 
celebration of the accomplishments of 
Northwestern’s graduating students and their 
families. In light of the controversy around Dr. 
Wright and to ensure that the celebratory 
character of Commencement not be affected, the 
University has withdrawn its invitation to Dr. Wright.

Dr. Wright was quoted as saying that his 
invitation to receive an honorary degree was 
withdrawn by Northwestern President Henry Bienen 
because Dr. Wright “wasn’t patriotic enough.” If 
Dr. Wright was quoted accurately, that statement 
is not true. In his conversation and 
correspondence with Dr. Wright in March, 
President Bienen never characterized Dr. Wright’s 
views or made a judgment about them. The letter 
said, “In light of the controversy surrounding 
statements made by you that have recently been 
publicized, the celebratory character of 
Northwestern’s commencement would be affected by 
our conferring of this honorary degree. Thus I am 
withdrawing the offer of an honorary degree previously extended to you.”



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20080502/02c0855b/attachment.htm>