Le chroniqueur du New York Times Nicolas Kristof invite ici ses lecteurs à considérer la possibilité que l'héritage pastoral de Jeremiah Wright ne peut être réduit aux commentaires incendiaires pour lesquels il est désormais connu. Il a notamment interviewé un théologien blanc qui fréquente son église. Je cite un extrait de la chronique dans le texte :
"The big thing for Wright is hope," said Martin Marty, one of America's foremost theologians, who has known the Rev. Wright for 35 years and attended many of his services. "You hear 'hope, hope, hope.' Lots of ordinary people are there, and they're there not to blast the whites. They're there to get hope."
Professor Marty said that as a white person, he sticks out in the largely black congregation but is always greeted with warmth and hospitality. "It's not anti-white," he said. "I don't know anybody who's white who walks out of there not feeling affirmed."
Mr. Wright has indeed made some outrageous statements. But he should be judged as well by his actions - including a vigorous effort to address poverty, ill health, injustice and AIDS in his ministry. Mr. Wright has been frightfully wrong on many topics, but he was right on poverty, civil rights and compassion for AIDS victims.