My mother taught me something early in life: be good to the people you meet on the way up because these are the same people you’ll see on the way down.

In other words, don’t turn your back on where you come from because you never know who you might need to lean on in the future.

So, when Barack Obama talks about his Christian faith then, naturally, there is likely a church in the picture. This is the place where he is going to be fed spiritually and fellowship with like-minded believers. This is place where he is going to hear the words that give him inspiration.

But, it appears that when one wants to be President, even one’s faith is negotiable.

Obama is a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. This is a predominately-black church on Chicago’s south side. In the church, the deal with Christianity from an Afrocentric perspective. In other words, they understand that the experience of black folks in America is different. So, they talk about the upliftment of the black community and the need to be responsible black men and women. Basically, they advocate doing all the things that conservatives claim that black people need to do for themselves.

So, who would have a problem with black folks being responsible men and women, handling their business and building up their communities? Apparently, a lot of folks. Somehow, in America, you can be black as long as it doesn’t come up in the conversation. Even worse, if you express some cultural pride, you’re a black separatist.

This brings me back to Obama. Apparently, some people in his camp want him to deny the very people who helped him get where he is. Obama’s spiritual advisor is Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., senior pastor at Trinity United. Because of the politically-active and unapologetically-black positions the pastor takes, Obama’s handlers had him dis-invite the pastor from giving the invocation at Obama’s Feb. 10 presidential announcement.

So, upon word from his handlers, Obama has begun distancing himself from the person he calls his spiritual advisor.

In regards to this, I have heard some discuss how, if he wants to be President, Obama needs to do this. However, I know a lot of black folks with whom this won’t sit well. For one, many in the churchgoing crowd will ask what type of man turns his back on his pastor for political reasons? For those not in this group, some will ask, “if he is willing to compromise on this, what else is negotiable?”

Understand something — this has a great deal to do with him being black. Before he ever took office, George Bush’s family had dealings with the family of Osama bin Laden. By the time Bush was campaigning, bin Laden had his followers had bombed the World Trade Center, an embassy in Kenya and the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen. However, no one called Bush on the carpet for his family doing business with the family of a known terrorist. Hell, on September 11, 2001, George Bush’s father was meeting with Osama bin Laden’s brother the day the planes struck the towers. But, this didn’t stop the younger Bush from getting a second term.

Now, contrast that to this pastor who has been outspoken against apartheid, who helped organize the Million Man March and whose membership includes openly-gay worshipers. Apparently, Pastor Wright is too black and too “radical” for Obama’s handlers and, by extension, Obama.

Obama has lost some major points with me today. Some will say that he is running for President of the United States and not President of Black America. However, what I remind people is that black folks are a part of America and you can’t turn your back on your people and still expect their support.

So, Barack Obama, who are you?

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