I am a big fan, and likely always will be. I have a great amount of respect for you and think you're extremely intelligent. But you really screwed this one up. I don't disagree with your stance on religion, and hell, I actually agree with a large part of your article. However, you overstepped your bounds on the race issue.

I understand, there is no race, I agree in fact. I admire your attempts to bring this to light, including when you fill out forms and mark youself as human. But I also think this is a lot easier for you to do as a white male that was not born and raised in the United States. Race is an extremely sensitive subject, and I suspect it is more so for African-Americans in this nation than others (though Native Americans can surely one up this). You are not a stupid man Hitch, I expect that you have thoroughly researched black history from the founding of this country, to Reconstruction, to the Civil Rights movement and beyond. You mean to tell me, with that knowledge, you can not empathize or understand how a man such as Wright would be angry and bitter? Let's put religion aside for a second, because it truly isn't the real issue here. Think about it please.

We can not transend race in this country until we decide to properly address it. I thought Obama's speech was a small, but extremely good start. For you to not even acknowledge that is shameful. I really expected more from you. Perhaps this is a subject that you are not fully versed on. Maybe you should make an effort to seek out a perspective (the black perspective) different from your own so you can at least gain some understanding before you decide to judge.

Here, I read this today and thought it would do you some good: <link>

Thank you Kim Moon. I went to the link and read it. It really is a great article. I hope many can read this and more importantly that they understand it.

Since when does being a Black American mean that you subscribe to crackpot conspiracy theories and a zenophobic blame-whitey "value system"? Of course, Rev. White, Senator Obama and Rev. Meeks are all free to believe anything they desire - this is America after all, not Zimbabwe. I am also free, however, not to vote for one of their number for President.

Well your ilk can continue to spell "zenophobic" wrong (hint: it comes from the Greek, where "x" is pronounced like our "z") and vote for warmongering fucktards like John McCain

Thank you for the spelling correction. I would also ask you for a definition of that creative if somewhat confusing expletive "fucktard" but you are such an excellent example that no further explanation is necessary.

Dr.Fine:

Since when does being a Black American mean that you subscribe to crackpot conspiracy theories and a zenophobic blame-whitey "value system"? Of course, Rev. White, Senator Obama and Rev. Meeks are all free to believe anything they desire - this is America after all, not Zimbabwe. I am also free, however, not to vote for one of their number for President.

I think you must have misinterpreted what I said. I didn't say that in order to be a Black American you must subscribe to those beliefs. But you would be an absolutely idiot to deny that it is a part of the black experience in this country. Also, I don't believe Wright (and my god I won't even go there with assuming Obama believes everything Wright does), wants to simply blame whitey. I think if you took a closer look you'd figure that out. Of course most people are too lazy to do so but want to condemn anyway.

Oh, and as far as those conspiracy theories, well considering this government's pass crimes ( including the Tuskegee Study which went on for 40 freaking years, and the CIA crack link hasn't fully been put to rest in the eyes of many ), it really is no wonder that black folks are willing to believe their government is after them. Hell, Bill Cosby made the AIDS accusation first, I don't recall him being condemned. White America still loves some Cos!

Thank you for your reply. Even though such conspiracy theories maybe part of the "Black experience" they are none the less delusional and extremely harmful. That does not mean I think that Blacks and other minorities in this country have no legitimate greivances, i.e. police brutality, unequal punishment for "crack" versus powdered cocain, but the purveyors of these conspiracy theories diminish the respect for and consequently the chances to redress those real injustices.

With regard to Senator Obama's true beliefs, I have no way to judge. However, if, for example, a person attended Al Queda training sessions for twenty years and supported it with donations I would assume that he agreed with their philosophy even though he may have been absent the day they said "kill all the Jews".

I agree, making false accusations is extremely harmful, however, I wouldn't make harsh judgments against a group of people who had previously suffered from situations which would support the belief in said accusations (i.e. the ones I referenced). I think the fact that Hitchens pretty much glossed over that is pretty pathetic. Especially in light of how smart and thorough the man usually is.

I don't think it's a fair comparison to use Al Qaeda training sessions in an analogy. One is known for being completely distructive where as Trinity Church has been highly regarded and respected (and is part of the larger United Church of Christ <link> ). In fact, if people look into Wright's background in particular, he has been commended by/worked with/for three presidents (including Clinton). So it's really not the same. I don't think any less of Obama or his judgment for being friends with this man for 20 years. In fact, I'm not religious minded at all (really agree with Hitchens on this one) but I watched the full sermon of one of the controversial clips and found absolutely nothing hateful, racist, or anti-American about it. It's annoying when the first thing people say is "taken out of context" but the sermons really were, taken out of context.

I must make the observation that the reason Hitchens does not mention the so-called evidence supporting the claims of US government complicity in the spread of AIDs in the black community and the other calumnies mentioned by Wright et al is because he considers such evidence to be both absurd and false. I am afraid that the vast majority of citizens in this country agree whole heartedly with him and view anyone taking such claims seriously as either gullible or malicious. While this, in itself, does not prove the falsity of the conspiracy theories, such scientific proof certainly exists. It is Obama's failure to call a lie a lie (not "distorted" ) and disown the lier that alienates him from many who would otherwise be well disposed toward him.

But see, therein lies the problem. The dismissal of the willingness to believe such theories which can easily be linked to a person's race (which Hitchens wants to be completely colorblind about) and their experiences in this country. That is the issue I take with Hitchens inability to put those claims into context. Also, I am not sure why Obama should dismiss his friend of 20 years over a few sermons that people have taken issue with. Again, when viewing these sermons in full (and not the little youtube clips) there is actually nothing anti-American, racist, or hateful about them. Obama could cater to the whim of the ignorant that refuse to educate themselves, or he could stick to his beliefs and what he knows of his friend that the rest of America does not. I certainly have far more respect for the man as a result.