Love the show!
I really appreciated this week's Faith Matters segment. Although I understand your reluctance to air only one view of the tradition, I think you got it right!

This look at liberation theology is a side of the Obama/ Rev. Wright story that I have not yet seen expressed within mainstream media. I am a person who is a part of the 'black church' (I'm using this term as a generalization of the Black Christian tradition), and I will admit that it took me quite a while to understand what was others thought was so wrong with Rev. Wright's remarks. It was nothing that I would have gotten angry about had I been sitting in that congregation, perhaps because I would have known that those phrases were steps to a much larger message that was not racist or anti-American. I've heard Rev. Wright preach on several occasions, and each time, I've seen his love for God and his love for God's people, as it comes through in his sermons. Your panelists did a wonderful job in providing some of the framework that people who are not familiar with the tradition of black liberation theology can use to contextualize Rev. Wright's remarks. And they were absolutely correct to remind listeners that a minister's sermon and theology cannot be reduced to a five second soundbite. The discussion of theologies often found in the religious lives of African-Americans is one of many racially-sensitive topics that we (Americans) do not tend to tackle, and I am so glad that you included it in your show.

Sent by A. Hagans | 2:46 PM ET | 03-21-2008

If I hear one more person ask "Why didn't Senator Obama leave his church?" I think I just might scream. But allow me, in as much simplicity as I can muster, to present this question to everyone on that bandwagon and to those who might be considering hopping on.
If you are so convinced that Senator Obama should had severed ties with his pastor, why haven't you left the U.S.? According to those who have followed President Bush's statements concerning this war; of the more than 940 statements that has been presented to the American people,680 has been discovered to be lies. Yet no one, to my knowledge, has left America. If I may, let me make this more direct and personal. Does racism exist in America? Are there any innocent people in prison in America? Has the President's war proven to be, at the very least, an abuse of executive power? If you answered yes to any of the above questions does that somehow make you an accessory to the crime? Finally, if you answered yes to any of the above questions allow me to ask you, "Why haven't you left America?" I'm sure your answer is, "Because I'm not responsible for that." Well neither is Senator Obama.

Sent by Randy Scott (Phi Theta Kappa) | 3:20 PM ET | 03-21-2008

Why not call the piece Understanding Wright's "Roost," because the phrase he uses on the YouTube clip, "the chickens come home to roost," will forever be linked to Malcolm X's statement about the JFK assassination as a form of retribution against "white America," not to black liberation theology or the seventh and eighth century Christian prophets. The message in Mr. Wright's statement is not spiritual and insofar as it reinforces 1960s-era separatism, it makes more of a social statement than a militantly political one. It's just kind of sad.

Anyway, it doesn't affect my opinion of Sen. Obama one way or the other.

Nothing the Rev. Mr. Wright says affects my opinion of Sen. Obama one way or another. However, the Sept. 11 attacks were not

Sent by michael | 5:08 PM ET | 03-21-2008

Later in the day we learned that ALL the candidates' passport files had been inappropriately reviewed. Sec. of State Rice called all three personally to apologize. It suggests indiscriminate nosiness rather than politically motivated trickery. We'll watch the story over the weekend to see what develops.

Sent by Michel Martin, host of TMM | 11:33 PM ET | 03-21-2008

Dear Tell Me More,
Thanks for allowing me this space to vent. I am going to get right to the issue that to some has become a conundrum for a portion of those in America who are suffering from what I call, selective amnesia. Those suffering from this sickness have lifted their voices in unison, asking "Why didn't Senator Obama leave Trinity and that racist pastor, Jeremiah Wright?" With that very question they have presented, allow me. When the Catholic church was dominating the news and scores of former alter boys revealed that for years they were molested by their priests, where was this clarion cry? Did anyone demand,suggest, or better yet, even ask that members of Congress along with other men and women in positions of power who are of the Catholic persuasion to leave the Catholic church? So that I don't sound unfair, many other preachers have been caught in sin, and made the news. However, there was no ringing of the bells,not even a silent cry that would even suggest that the congregation should depart. With that said I have found myself at an albatross. Could someone please tell me which transgression is greater, molesting alter boys, a preacher being a player, or the message of Pastor Jeremiah Wright? To those who don't go to church anywhere; yet you say that Trinity was not the place for Senator Obama, allow me to ask you directly, "With all the evils America has on her resume, past and present why haven't you left?"

Sent by Randy Scott | 2:00 AM ET | 03-22-2008

It is absolutely amazing that after four hundred and fifty years most European American do not understand the African American experience.
Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright is in his sixties, and Barak Obama is in his forties. The different generations of African Americans will have different opinions of the USA. However most African Americans tell you will institutional racism is alive and well in the United Sates. This does not mean we hate the US, or our White co workers, or the White bloodline that most of us have.

Sent by Marc Sims | 4:08 PM ET | 03-22-2008

Hello,

While I agree that our mayor was dead wrong in his actions surrounding the text message scandal, I HIGHLY RESENT the callous and uncalled for statement by one of the men in your Barbershop segment, suggesting that Detroit is, "Swirling the toilet bowl..." This was his way of saying that Kilpatrick has somehow failed in executing the work of his office.

Detroiters are so sick and tired of outsiders sitting back and thinking that they can weigh in on the state of our beloved city. Please allow me to hip you to the reality:

I dont think that the New York Times would say that Detroit beats out London, New York and Las Vagas as one of the TOP DESTINATIONS to visit in 2008, if it is "swirling the toilet bowl." The mayor has worked hard and succeeded at continuing to build on the success of the Superbowl held here a couple years back, by continuing to bring new businesses, top hotels and restaurants, and world class recreational and cultural events (which we are known for) to our revitalized city.

So listen, to the men in your so-called Barbershop, show a little less ignorance and a little more class the next time you want to talk about someones town. Perhaps next time, you can reserve your rude, inaccurate and ungentlemanly comments for discussions about your OWN home towns.

Sent by Dr. Angela May | 5:29 PM ET | 03-25-2008

About the Barbershop Segment:

Can I just say something about the Barbershop guys? They remind me of my guy friends, who I love dearly but gosh they have a tendency to say some off-the-wall "stuff" sometimes.

About the Lebron and Gisele Vogue cover, I don't understand what the fuss is all about. It was a freaking picture. I have my own copy and I have read (for the most part) the controversial issue. So what Lebron looked like King Kong (which didn't cross my mind until Jemele Hill of espn.com conspiracy theory)? Maybe it was implied he's the King Kong of Basketball. And the grimace on his face, gosh I've seen guys with worse scowls at the gym.

This was Vogue's Body issue featuring superstar athletes in their individual sport's trademark gear with the fashion industry's top models. That's the reason he was not donning any Prada or Armani formal suit. Like other athletes in the issue such as Olympic swimmer Mike Phelps in trunks and Olympic skater Apollo Anton Ohno in some catsuit, and Lebron James wore his Basketball practice suit and posed with Gisele and the other guys posed with models name I don't know off the top of my head. So kudos to Lebron for following the theme of the editorial and showing solidarity with his fellow atheletes!

Sent by Moji | 10:37 PM ET | 03-26-2008