Salon: Palin Church One of the Most Extreme, But Jeremiah Wright Not Radical

September 10th, 2008 11:41 PM
Jeremiah Wright

File this one under ‘Are you serious?'

Salon writer Sarah Posner offers a scathing commentary on Sarah Palin's former church, the Wasilla Assembly of God.  In fact, the sub-title itself spells out her opinion in plain language.

The church where Sarah Palin grew up and was baptized preaches some of the most extreme religious views in the nation.

Yet it was only a few months ago that Posner ran an interview she conducted with Jonathan L. Walton, an ordained minister, in which the two derive comparisons between the Theology of Jeremiah Wright and that of Martin Luther King Jr.

The contrasting pieces leave you wondering if Ms. Posner completely grasps the definition of the word ‘extreme.' 

It also shows the depth at which the MSM will sink in trying to find controversy in Palin's life, while simultaneously underscoring their willingness to turn a blind eye to the association's of one Barack Obama.

In her latest piece (emphasis mine throughout), Posner uses a recycled technique to create controversy regarding Sarah Palin's religion. 

Ken Shepherd covered a previous Newsweek tactic in which journalists failed to dig up an acceptable level of dirt at Palin's current house of worship, and instead ‘they opted to focus on where the governor used to worship regularly years ago.' 

Posner dutifully follows suit, drawing direct connections with such rock solid arguments as:  ‘Based on her public statements, Palin's views appear to be in line with the Assemblies of God.'

Well, that proves it.

Remarkably enough, in the interview she conducted with Jonathan L. Walton on May 3rd, Posner refers to Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's former pastor, as ‘not new or radical.' 

The interview continues into a complete justification for all of Wright's controversial remarks, comparing him favorably with the great Martin Luther King Jr.  The alleged link between the two is strengthened with a bit of reverse reasoning, calling King himself a radical. 

Posner makes the case on behalf of Walton in the opening paragraphs: 

Walton argues that black theology is not as radical as it has been made out to be and that Martin Luther King Jr. was actually more controversial than Wright.

She later asks:

Didn't King become more radical in the course of his career, in the period leading up to his assassination?

And subsequently stated that King had ‘his (own) "God damn America" moment...'

The notion that Jeremiah Wright could be compared to Martin Luther King Jr. is ludicrous. 

But, no more so than calling Palin's church extreme, while simultaneously allowing Wright, and the radical associations of Obama, to escape unscathed.

 Photo Credit:  Fox News