Politically-conscious rapper Common grew up in Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. So, when the media started blasting the church's retired pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., as "racist," "unpatriotic," "hateful" and "crazy" Common knew the preacher was being misinterpreted.
"He never really was against white people or another race. It was more against an establishment that was oppressing people. I think we all can see that this country has problems and a lot of it starts in the political system," Common explained to EUR's Lee Bailey and other reporters at a recent press junket for his new film, "Street Kings."
Common's memories of Rev. Wright go back to when he was eight years old and he credits Wright's Christian teachings with helping to make him the man he is today. According to the rapper, Jeremiah Wright uses the Gospel of Jesus Christ to uplift the soul and to point out the hypocrisy of a government that has caused much harm here in America and around the world.
"What I picked up from being in the pews … was messages of love," recalls Common. "Anything that was going against that love he would acknowledge and expose."
Rev. Wright, according to Common, spent over 30 years doing what a pastor is supposed to d making the Gospel relevant and practical.
"When you read the Bible and you deal with spirituality, you want to deal with things in a way that you can apply to your life today," the rapper points out.
"What do I learn from the life of Jesus? What do I learn from what Moses did and from what King David did? What am I getting out of Psalms? What Rev. Wright was doing was applying it to what's going on now so we can take it and try to make change in our world."
From Common's point of view, it's obvious that the fury over Rev. Jeremiah Wright's statements was trumped up by conservatives and others who want to derail Sen. Barack Obama's bid for the White House.
"I think that's what American politics does," the rapper states matter-of-factly.
That may be why the major news outlets failed to report that Rev. Wright was paraphrasing former U.S. ambassador to Iraq Edward Peck (a fierce opponent of the Iraq invasion) when he said that 9/11 was America's "chickens coming home to roost." Ironically, Peck made that statement in an interview with Fox News right after the Twin Towers were destroyed. Watch the video below for the full context of Reverand Wright's "chickens" sermon:
But Common is confident that the media controversy won't be Rev. Wright's legacy. Decades of community service (scholarships, hospice care, job programs, HIV awareness, low-income housing for seniors, etc.) are the true hallmarks of Wright's work at Trinity. And, of course, Wright has also mentored a man who may soon occupy the Oval Office; a man who is strong enough to listen to those with whom he does not always agree without sacrificing his integrity.
"He's been a preacher that's helped raise one of the greatest political figures in the world and, hopefully, the next President," Common declares. Then, with a laugh, he adds, "He's also raised one of the great rappers in the world!"
