November 06, 2008
There's a new sheriff in town...
I don't normally talk politics. But this is, after all, an incredible time in history. Truth is, I didn't believe the US was ready to elect a black president yet. But they did and now I think some people watch cautiously, some watch with anticipation, some are afraid and some are hopeful, but regardless of how you're watching, most people are watching.
The reason pastors don't like to talk politics, especially in the states, is because religion and politics seem to be pretty entrenched. If you're not a republican can you really be a Christian, seems to be the rhetoric. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I don't buy into that. Having said that it doesn't mean I buy into all of the Democratic platform, but I don't buy into all of the Republican platform either. I think we make a mistake when, at least it seems, that we think government is going to be the voice for Christianity, there are too many factors that will stand against that.
The point now is waiting. I think that most people are tired of politics. Most people in the US, Canada and most places in the world, don't really feel it makes much of a difference who you vote for, because you seem to end up with the same results in the end. Some things you might like, lots you don't. A lot of the time you seem to be deciding between who's worst rather than the opposite. It's the reason why in the states, it's hard to see a running where the adds aren't as much about what the candidate has to offer, but about picking them because the opposition is worst. The same is true in Canada these days.
Now about the new Sherriff. People are watching. In the very least, this is unprecedented. We've never been here before in history. The Campaign motto was "Change you can believe in" - it won't take long to see whether that was campaign rhetoric, or whether Obama will be a president that will be remembered in a positive way throughout history.
If I can reveal my cards for a second, I didn't think John M. was able to distance himself enough from George Bush policy. He sounded too much the same, although the republican platform tried hard to say it wasn't so. And republican or not George Bush will probably not be remembered positively throughout history. There are still factors affecting our world that could change that. Although I'm not going there in this post.
Many, many things needed to line up just perfectly in order for this election to turn out the way it did. Had the war not gone on the way it did, had the economic crisis not hit when it did (just two out of many factors) there is likely very little chance Obama would be sitting in the white house.
But the perfect storm did brew and it did happen, and now he is. Obama has opportunity and responsibility ahead of him. In the very least, I think he has the power, maybe even the ability to bring some needed healing to a nation that is very broken and secondly healing with a world that has lost, or is quickly loosing faith in the United States of America.
Although still holding the title of the world's Superpower, the US is struggling. The scales are turning. Power is being determined not by how many nuclear missiles you have, although that still plays into the equation, but the real issue going into the future is resources, not just natural but people. It's a little (lot) more complicated than that. Obama has an unprecedented opportunity to bring about change not just US citizens, but the world can believe in. But in order for this to happen Obama will have to lead in a way that leads the American people to rethink issues of consumption and waste. The US being at the top of world when it comes to the numbers on both of those.
For now, whether you like him or the decision, the truth is, the whole world is watching with anticipation. And if you're a follower of Christ, we've all been called to pray for the government. Not just your country's and if you're an American, not just if your party is in power.
Well said! We do need to pray for government .. municipal, provincial, federal and foreign.
Posted by: ianOn Election Night, I was glued to the screen watching the US results coming thru on CNN. Why? I was about to witness a tremendous shift in the the way the US was going to be perceived by the world. To me, I did not want to miss a period in history when as a Nation, people of all races stood up and said that they wanted better, and as a Nation, they said that race did not matter. I did not think that I would witness this event. I did not think that my boys were going to witness a Black President! So for myself, an overwhelming sense of hope swelled up inside of me. I witnessed that "Glass Ceiling" being shattered. On the steps of the White House that was built by slaves, a Black President will become the 44th President of the US. For the first time. I felt secure to say to my boys that you could achieve anything that you put your mind to. To me it is not about the politics, it is about a Nation deciding to not let the past dictate what their future is going to be. A powerful statement! I will leave it up the the citizens of the US to decide what their political situation is going to be. All I know is that race can not be used as a reason for not achieve all that you could be in the US, and I look forward to see where the US goes from here as a Nation. Personally, when I woke up the next day, I looked out over Lake Erie to the US and it look different to me. Can't explain it... all I know is that there is a change happening.
Posted by: Nick ReidNick, for over half a decade my family were refugees in a country that didn't want us there, and often mistreated and in some cases abused people, not because of the colour of their skin, but where they came from. There was, isn't anymore, a glass ceiling there as well.
Don't get me wrong, I'm in no way trying to suggest it's the same thing. I'm well aware of the history of slavery and the fall out in the times since. Having said that, in a very, very small way I can relate to your feelings in this. More than that one of my aunts is black (I guess by adoption). In Angola my grandmother found her mom, her and her twin on the side of the road, my aunt, being the only one that survived an early birth on the side of the road. My grandmother cared for her as her own. And she became a daughter, sister aunt; she became part of our family. When we moved to Portugal, neither being a refugee or being black was good, and our family had both.
I too didn't think I would see a black president in the US in my lifetime. And as I mentioned, I believe, that had not the right things happened, it probably wouldn't have turned out this way. In that sense, I'm not sure this is about a whole group of people coming together and saying we are together and believe it is the right time for this, although they certainly are there more than they have ever been before. But I think the rallying cry was, "we want change and we'll take it any way we can get it." Having said that it can't be ignored that the the country believes Obama could help bring that change at this point. That is huge. I don't want to demean him and the work he did to get here and what he could do from here on. I believe he could be a good president.
A lot of healing needs to happen in the states. I hope this event, and this President are able to help that. But the event alone will not be able to do it, there will have to be intentionality about it. Because the prejudice that began with white on black - and I understand why, has also become the prejudice of black on white. Trust me, I found that out personally walking the streets of Atlanta at 1AM. Like I said I understand it, but if the US (in particular) is to heal, the animosity and prejudice needs to end wherever it exists. Although slavery doesn't look like it used to in the states, there are many people white and black who have become slaves to their own prejudice.
Ok, wrapping up, I too believe this is historical. I too believe further than that this is a time of opportunity for healing in the States and outside. As a Christ-follower I also believe that the things that needed to line up the way they did in order for the US to vote together for a black president didn't line up by accident but that God's hand was in it.
And with that I'll stop. For now. There's so much that could be said...
Posted by: edThis Man will change the world looks at USA, on so many levels, finaly someone that is level headed.
Posted by: LoriObama is a wicked man. His liberal political agenda will slaughter thousands of unborn children and advance injustice in place of justice, perniciousness in place of mercy and war in place of peace.
Posted by: Daveinteresting thoughts Dave, I know I can't, but let me try to provide some level headedness.
Thousands of unborn children have been slaughtered under republican governments as well. War in place of peace? You clearly mean as opposed to the peace the Republican governments have brought in the last twenty years.
As for injustice in the place of justice and perniciousness in place of mercy, we'll just have to see, sure can't do a lot worst than where things are at.
I'm playing devil's advocate here, as I'm neither Republican nor Democrat. Certainly I have my opinions on policies that are typically attached to either side. But I don't agree with general blanket statements such as the ones you made. But eh, it's a free country.
Posted by: ed