Moral Failure

In 2003, Rev. Jeremiah Wright roared from the pulpit: “God damn America.” He was not calling for destruction, but for accountability. He was condemning a nation whose policies had betrayed its own ideals, whose injustices had metastasized while its leaders wrapped themselves in a hypocritical patriotism.

Two decades later, his words echo with chilling relevance. America stands again at a precipice. We witness the rise of voter suppression masquerading as “election integrity.” We watch as billionaires warp democracy to protect their wealth while working families struggle to survive. We see school boards and state legislatures banning books while children die from bullets politicians refuse to regulate. We hear the shrill cries of “freedom” from those who would take bodily autonomy from women and strip LGBTQ Americans of their basic rights.

And above all, we see the soul of the nation, once proudly proclaiming “liberty and justice for all,” cracking under the weight of lies, corruption, and moral cowardice.

Rev. Wright’s righteous anger was born of a deep love for what America could be. He wanted this country to face its sins, to atone, to change. Condemnation, in his view, was the first step toward redemption. If we still claim to be a people of conscience, we should ask whether today’s America deserves blessing or rebuke.

How can we bless a nation that leaves unhoused veterans to die on sidewalks while billionaires launch vanity rockets into orbit?

How can we bless a nation that punishes the poor for being poor, while handing tax breaks to the already rich? 

How can we bless a nation where the police can kill a Black child in seconds but a mass shooter can be taken alive?

In the face of such perversions of justice, is it truly “anti-American” to demand better? Or is it the most American thing we can do?

America loves to pat itself on the back for its ideals, but ideals are meaningless without accountability. As Rev. Wright thundered, “Not God bless America, God damn America!”, until America lives up to its own creed. Until this nation becomes what it claims to be.

That challenge is no less urgent today. We cannot wrap ourselves in the flag while ignoring the children in cages at the border. We cannot preach “freedom” while banning the telling of history that makes us uncomfortable. We cannot stand idly by while climate change robs our grandchildren of a livable planet.

If we truly believe in redemption, then let us hear Wright’s cry as a warning:

 America must be damned, until it repents.

 America must be damned, until it is just.

 America must be damned, until it lives up to its promise.

Or better yet: let us help America, by telling the truth, demanding change, and refusing to let hollow nationalism drown out a moral call for justice.

Does God damn America? Maybe.

Will God help America? Absolutely, if we have the courage to face ourselves.