Rev. Jeremiah Wright Speaks in Md.

After being out of the national spotlight for more than a year, Reverend Jeremiah Wright is still stirring up controversy.

This time, it's his invitation to be the keynote speaker for the Anne Arundel County NAACP. The civil rights organization and at least one of its honorees received menacing e-mails about Wright's appearance, and State Delegate Nic Kipke (R-Pasadena) announced he would boycott the dinner.

Wright is President Barack Obama's former pastor. During the run for the White House, YouTube videos of Wright's fiery sermons surfaced. Some critics labeled them racist and anti-American. The controversy nearly derailed the campaign.

At the dinner in Glen Burnie, syndicated radio talk show host Joe Madison called the criticism unfair. He defended Wright as intelligent, patriotic and a Christian. And the group's President, Jacqueline Allsup, says members wanted to hear from the man himself-- not sound bites taken out of context.

But controversy sells. The awards dinner is the organization's big fundraiser. Wright spoke to a packed house.