Reconciliation: Our Inevitable Destination

Keeping in mind the limitations of human institutions, today the country of my birth eradicated one of many enduring obstacles that aim to block the path towards our inevitable destination of reconciliation. Like rain in the desert, today quenched an eight-year thirst for those of us eager for truth and integrity. President Obama spoke powerfully the truth of integrity saying, “…As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals…” He understands correctly that we endanger our safety when we forsake our humanitarian ideals for the barbaric instruments of torture.

Yet more important than my eight-year thirst for change, today African-American citizens old and young witnessed a great harvest of seeds planted more than forty years ago. Non-violent civil rights activists planted those seeds by enduring the brutality of nightsticks and jail cells so they might cultivate the soil of their citizenship with the tools of the 1960s civil rights legislation. While researching my thesis I had the opportunity to meet one of those courageous seed planters, the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. Here was a man who survived the bombing of his home, the sting of bike chains and brass knuckles, while never allowing himself to succumb to hate.

Where do we go from here? For those who claim Christ, we must continue to temper our reliance on a fallen government. Though I believe this new administration will seek to implement Godly principles, it will not give itself fully to the will of God. Therefore, we cannot depend on Obama to bring us to our journey’s end, but rely on Christ alone. For it is Christ who makes possible the ministry of reconciliation that eliminates the barriers not only between God and man, but also tears down the walls between each other.

CJE

Read more...

I'm Ready

Promoting an odd platform

"If you're ready for change, we can start reinvesting in America, in the cities. We are spending $9 billion a month in Iraq, $9 billion. We can invest that money in rebuilding roads and bridges and hospitals right here in Houston, building schools, laying broadband lines, putting people back to work, employing young men and young women in our inner cities, in our rural communities. That is possible if you're ready for change.

We can create the kind of foreign policy that will make us safe and will lead to renewed respect of America around the world.

You know, as your commander-in-chief, my job will be to keep you safe.

My job will be to keep you safe. And I will not hesitate to strike against any who would do us harm. I will do whatever is required.

"But part of keeping you safe is maintaining the finest military in the world, and that means providing our troops with the proper equipment and the proper training and the proper rotations.

And it means caring for our troops when they come home, not forgetting about our troops. No more homeless veterans; no more begging for disability payments; no more waiting in line for the V.A. We have a solemn obligation to honor those who have served on our behalf.

But part of keeping you safe is also deploying our military wisely. And the war in Iraq was unwise.

It distracted us from the fight that needed to be fought in Afghanistan against Al Qaida. They're the ones who killed 3,000 Americans. It fanned the flames of anti-American sentiment. It has cost us dearly in blood and in treasure.

I opposed this war in 2002. I will bring this war to an end in 2009. It is time to bring our troops home.


But I don't want to just end the war; I want to end the mindset that got us into war.

I want to end a politics based on fear that uses 9/11 as a way to scare up votes instead of a way to bring the country together against a common enemy. I want to rediscover the power of our diplomacy... because I remember what John F. Kennedy said. He said we should never negotiate out of fear, but we should never fear to negotiate. Strong countries and strong presidents talk to their adversaries, and tell them where America stands, and try to resolve differences without resort to war.

And when we do that, I believe the world is waiting. I want to go before the world community and say, "America's back, and we are ready to lead."

We are going to lead by example, by maintaining the highest standards of civil liberties and human rights, which is why I will close Guantanamo and restore habeas corpus and say no to torture.

Because if you are ready for change, then you can elect a president who has taught the Constitution, and believes in the Constitution, and will obey the Constitution of the United States of America.

All these things are possible, if you are ready for change."

- Barack Obama 02/19/08

I recently attended a Obama rally along with 13,000 others at the University of Cincinnati's Fifth Third Bank Area. It was an incredible and inspiring forty-five minutes listening to someone speak a language we have not heard in more than 40 years. That being the language of diplomacy, negotiation and justice. After the past seven years, listening him to propose a unique vision was like rain falling on the desert. For all my hope for the future I kept asking myself, "Is it really possible?" Well I do believe it's possible and I'm ready for change. Are you?




CJE

Read more...