Brother! I didn't mean to stir up a hornet's nest with my March 17th post, but I did. Most people I've heard from on that subject thought I must be some kind of card-carrying communist sympathizer, not a pinko, but a radically red revolutionary, to even give Rev. Wright the benefit of the doubt. I did find agreement, but no one who was willing to do it publicly except Zoilus. Thanks, Son.

I found another Southerner's view about the whole situation that was not that different from mine and was probably stated a little more eloquently. The Rev. Mike Huckabee was on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Weds. and was much more tolerant of the preacher - politician issue. You can watch it here (scroll down to the Mar. 19 video "Stop by Mike Huckabee's hot dog stand")or read an Atlanta Journal review of it here.

I also found that most white people I know have no idea about the depth of resentment that still exists in their African-American neighbors, especially those of the reverend's generation. And those who do, as a whole, don't care, especially here in Mississippi. But would they admit to feeling resentment? Not on your life!

One need look no further than the Jackson Public School system to understand how deep the divisions still are. Most of Jackson's white students are in private and parochial schools, while the black students contend with poverty, crime, and crumbling urban infrastructure. We're fifty years beyond the passing of desegregation laws and some elements of our population are as deeply entrenched as they ever were. We can't even get beyond flying the Confederate flag over the state capitol. The wheels of progress turn very slowly in some places.

I gave my thoughts about John Hagee back on Sept. 19, 2006, so I won't repeat it here, but I am concerned about John McCain seeking out the endorsement of someone so fanatical, especially about Catholics, gays and women. Why the Wright endorsement of Obama should draw more fire in the media than the Hagee/McCain collaboration is something I have yet to understand. And the Rev. Rod Parsley, another McCain supporter, is every bit as wild-eyed and extreme as Obama's pastor ever thought about being. Maybe the "fair and balanced" news network should reexamine its slogan.

What was that about the rich white guys running things?