Obama Pastor’s Texas, Florida Appearances Canceled for Security Reasons
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. — the former pastor of the church Barack Obama has attended for 20 years — has canceled scheduled appearances in Houston and Fort Worth, Texas, and Tampa, Fla., citing security issues.
The Rev. Marcus Cosby, pastor at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, told Houston television station KTRK and the Houston Chronicle that safety concerns had prompted Wright’s decision. Wright was scheduled to give three sermons there on Sunday.
Cosby told the Chronicle that Wright cited three reasons for canceling: “the safety of the institution to which he has been invited; the safety of his family, which has been placed in harm’s way; and for his own safety.”
Wright was also supposed to go to Fort Worth to accept an award at the Brite Divinity School, but a spokesperson for the school told FOX News Wright has canceled. The award will still be given to Wright, but a surrogate is expected to pick it up for him.
The changes to his Texas schedule came after his appearance was called off at the Bible-Based Fellowship Church of Temple Terrace, Fla., near Tampa, where he was previously set to speak for three nights starting Tuesday evening.
Rev. Earl Mason, senior pastor at the church, said he canceled Wright’s visit because the local sheriff’s office would not agree to provide the necessary security without charging the church extra, and that he had concerns about escorting Wright and maintaining crowd control.
Mason said the church was under no pressure from the Obama campaign to cancel the appearance. He praised Wright, calling him a friend and mentor, and blasted the media for taking his statements out of context.
It’s unclear whether Wright will attend other scheduled events this weekend in North Texas.
“His schedule is pending,” Joan Harrell, minister of communications for Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where Wright was pastor for nearly four decades, told The Dallas Morning News for its Tuesday online editions. The newspaper said that she wouldn’t elaborate.
A call to the church placed before business hours by The Associated Press was not immediately returned Wednesday.
In North Texas over the weekend, Wright is supposed to speak at a Saturday luncheon at Paul Quinn College in Oak Cliff and be honored that night at Friendship-West Baptist Church in the Red Bird area.
Frederick Haynes III, pastor of Friendship-West Baptist, said Tuesday night that the Dallas events are “all systems go,” but he acknowledged that security issues could keep Wright away.
“We’re going to honor him,” he said. “The question is, basically, regarding his presence.”
Wright retired last month from the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago after nearly 40 years of service. He has been criticized in recent weeks for making anti-American and racially charged statements in his sermons. Obama condemned some of those remarks in a high-profile speech a week ago in Philadelphia.
Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that Wright “would not have been my pastor.”
Click here to read more about Wright’s canceled appearance at MyFox Tampa Bay.
FOX News’ Steve Harrigan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Where is the Reverend Wright hiding?????
Any one can take recordings and take excerts out of context and have them say anything they want. They could take the Fox Reporters comment on Rev. Wright and have them saying “God Damn America”. when in reality they were just reporting what he said. Listen to the whole sermon and do not just take a few sentences out of context. What a funny political game all “so call, fair reporting news stations play.” If Fox News and other stations keep fanning the fire of race…we will have riots and racial wars as we had in the past…but then that will keep you in job security….the blood be on your hands…fox news, cnn news..all new casters..
This is ridiculous. Jeremiah Wright, this man has not harmed anyone, but America wants to suppress, or should I say oppress this man’s security by degrading him through the press and other candidate’s. They would be totally suprised to see their ’secluded guru’s ‘masses control’ like Saul Alinsky, the little ‘prayer meetings’ at the capitol, or other’s that are associated with Clinton. How about the jewish population that control’s Hillary’s media condemnation, or the staff that work for/ and speak for her, that are favored to treat Isrealite’s with passion for their security and their own country is treating some of it’s mosaic community with such oppression. This is so wrong. All for vote’s. Do you really think the Dems would elect Leiberman? Not. All for the jewish vote, the black vote, the spanish vote. But don’t get to close to the jewels.
This is what the World wonder’s, and this is what will always hamper American’s values. The Cox Report. Chinagate, Whitewater, filegate, Waco. This Country is preferential to certain groups and has not healed by honestly looking at why the global community has such distaste for America. Sure it has all the bells and whistles for those ‘old white men’ that are comfortable in their ‘world’, making decisions for the rest. Really, they live on taxpayer’s dime and ‘bash’ a President so bad, he cannot win a war because of his own opposing party, or they sit around deciding how to trash their opponants for the election. Simply said, They do not have the capacity to feel empathy for their voter’s, only their candidate.
Twenty five years ago…..the image of America was almost the same…..but America does not grow in wisdom…only size.
Puffed up with pride, they talk silly, childish, immature and truthfully ridiculous, while in a position to ‘heal’ and understand your country. This is America the great…America the brave…America the oppressor. Many times the justice department had a chance to disown the Coup..couple. Instead they straddle them both for another 4-8 yrs. and security goes to Hell. The irrisponsible manner in which the Clinton’s governed and left the World..open from ‘breaches of security’, disease, sold out for campaign financing and America look’s the other way. I could only conclude, if they do nothing to them legally, they must be doing the same. God Bless America.
Obama has chosen to continue his association with Rev. Wright; loyalty above principle.
If Obama becomes president and he has a choice between loyalty and protecting the American
people, what would he choose.? What other ties does Obama have with the far left?
Perhaps Obama, who seems to be a follower instead of a leader, should not be seeking the highest office in the land. It appears strong, dictatorial personalities cloud his ability to discern (W)right from wrong.
Just because you stand in a garage…does not make U a car….just because you stand in a pulpit does not make you a man of God…I am sure that Wright will stand one day in front of the Lord Jesus the Christ and he will say but Lord didnt I do your work….Christ will then say …depart from me U worker of iniquity…..I never knew U….Does anyone truly believe that this is a man of God? The bible says you will know my disciples by the love the have for one another. Hes just a bigot…thats all he is…but like all bigots hes really not very important….what is important is that Obama…listened to him for 20 years…..duh….is anyone still considering voting for this man…..I could listen to this imposter…for 5 min…and know this. And where is my brothers in Christ of color….U know he is a false prophet….U know the gospel…would Christ say these things?…are his words from God? If your pastor is is praising this bigot…find another church……This is Christ we are talking…surley U will stand up for the son of God.
Each day I try to find something to be thankful for. Today I’m thankful that Reverand Wright is not welcome to spead any more Anti-American sentiment; It is a great day!
I find it hard to believe that the organizers of these events at which this racist man is appearing actually expect the police departments to provide security for him. Perhaps it’s part of the entitlement mentality that infects this man and many of his followers and spawns this virulent hatred. I just can’t help but wonder what notions and ideas Obama’s children have picked up in the confines of that so called Christian church.
How convenient for Obama……keeping him quiet works out well for Obama.
The more the good Reverend speaks, the more we learn about Obama real feelings.
The security issue is OBAMA’S SECURITY!
It would be interesting as to how his message would change being under the spot light.
How he would try to deliver his message of anger and hate in a politically correct fashion.
I saw Rev Wright was interviewed by Sean Hanity in Fox News back in 2007. How arrogant he was! This guy has declared war of hate to Americans for a long time and we just found out about it! Thanks Fox News for your contribution regarding to this hateful pastor. Wake up Americans! the hatred is comes from our own backyard, not just abroad!