The reaction from pundits to the comments of the Reverend Wright reinforces my concern regarding the low level of political analysis and discourse provided by the mainstream media. I applaud former Republican candidate Mike Hukabee for his candor during his March 19 appearance on the MSNBC Morning Joe show (the video is available on YouTube). Huckabee said he can understand Wright's statements, and he encouraged people to put the comments in the context of Wright's personal experience and the social text of racial discrimination.

I offer the following hypothetical situation:

The charismatic presidential candidate of Native American descent is conducting a high ground, inclusive campaign, reaching out to all people - white, black, brown, no matter their ethnic heritage. As the result of his ability to articulate a vision of a more perfect union, this candidate leads in the primary delegate race.

It is revealed, however, that on several occasions his pastor, also of Native American descent, railed from the pulpit about the current social inequities Native Americans face. In his passion, this pastor "damns" the US government under President Andrew Jackson for the Indian Removal Strategy that sowed the seeds of today's plight.

What should that candidate do or say?

It amazes me that Senator Obama is said to have had a bad week politically because of comments by his pastor. In response to the blatantly out-of-context replaying of Wright's comments, Senator Obama gave one of the most insightful, courageous, and balanced speeches on America's legacy of racism that I have ever heard.

The reaction to Wright's comments indicates that "collective America" needs a vetting process similar to South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation program. The objective would not be to lay blame but to paint a clear picture of the inequities reflecting the underbelly of life in America (health and health care, education, underemployment and unemployment, representation in positions of power and influence): inequities that are strongly correlated to race. Our collective responsibility would be to support agents of change who are committed to a path to a common-wealth society that reflects the principle that all men are created equal.

Without a rational "war" on America's pernicious inequities, we will collectively sleepwalk to society's collapse, awakening to the truth only at our last breaths.

I encourage everyone to read Obama's speech in its entirety and view the YouTube video of former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee commenting on Reverend Wright's statements.

JOSE DA COSTA, ROCHESTER