You've read my mind. That's exactly how I see it.

The 'we've come so far' theme is both true and critically misleading. True healing and reconciliation can not be brought about by sweeping past and present divisions under the rug, by pretending they're not there. In under-the-rug darkness they just fester and reinforce the delusions of both whites and blacks.

At he time of Obama's race speech, I said it came at the wrong time, in one sense. I don't think the kind of dialogue that is needed can happen in the context of a political campaign, because the political competition would oversahdaow and devour it.

I don't know if it's possible for Obama to make the kind of post-Wright speech that needs to be made as long as he is a candidate. He is walking on a very dangerous tightrope, and this is a very dog-eat-dog world we live in, where a viscious drive to win can outmaneuver the most potent of visions.

I only know that the Wright controververy has left me more bitter amd ,more disillusioned than I've been since the 60s of Marin L. King and the Viet Nam war.

It's been brought home to me with a blow to the stomach how far we haven't come and how more likely people are to internalize myths rather than face some truths..