President Obama Trims Bush!

The "Not My President" sticker finally comes down!Depending on how you count it, the so-called presidency of George Walker Bush went on for four years or eight years too long. Sometime in the wake of the 2004 election, I was given the following sticker to put on my truck. As I write, it is just a few hours after this sticker has been made gloriously irrelevant with the swearing in of Barack Obama. I'm glad that it is a significant historical election what with being the first of its kind to elect a black man, but I really feel that the man is so much more presidential in his way, and so much better fit to lead and certainly to inspire something in people. I only hope that he isn't carried away into the rip currents that that exalted office brings with it. Nonetheless, his campaign was exemplary and while one can fairly say he is unknown, one cannot say that he is unable to step up to the plate. I think he can do so. So I consider him my president now, and gladly. After eight years of Dubya, it is nice to have someone who caters to our better nature and isn't loading us up with fear. It isn't that I think he is our savior; there are whole sections of his policies that I don't really like. But he does seem to provoke people to take interest in their own lives, and that can't be bad. What this nation needs more than successful policies is an evaluation of our personal and cultural priorities in an historical hour with no precedent.

You can see the short series of pix of me finally getting rid of the sticker in the Liberation gallery.

Buber's Two Cents

Buber the Dog wanted me to share with you the fact that he is quite happy that a fellow black-and-white has ascended to the rank of president. Even though he can't vote he is most pleased with those who read his little doggy mind and elected Obama this year. But, since Obama is a Rorschach test for everyone with an agenda, Buber is of the mind that he can expect more doggy bone handouts and extensive petting.

The Road To The White House

Emancipation.
Jazz.
A King's dream.
Obama.

My Two Cents

After eight years of the party that wrecked America, I think it is time to hope again that integrity and transparency will have a chance to be the tools of the presidential trade. I think a man of principle and honor has won this election, and one who has demonstrated unparalleled ability to excite people to action for their own good. I think this election trumps the 2004 go around because this was not an anybody-but-Bush election. This time, I felt like we had a good man on the ticket—as good as has been found in national politics for a long while.

It happens that he is also of my denomination, the United Church of Christ. I didn't vote for him solely for that reason, but it was something that helped me understand something of what makes him tick. No two UCC congregations are alike, so his at Trinity is very different from any I have attended, but in the UCC, social justice is a major concern and he has worked for that for many years now, and he understands there is more to it than handing out checks to people. These days, his grassroots empowerment and consensus building expertise is desperately needed. But I think his greatest strength, even before any of that is accomplished, is that he seems to be a keen listener. That alone will be a radical regime change from the status quo!

While I wasn't the stunned and joyfully weeping Jesse Jackson or Oprah, I did find myself a little verklemt as it dawned on me what happened tonight. The camera's sweep across the masses gathered in Chicago reminded me a little of the images of the night when the Berlin Wall fell. And in some ways, this event is as momentous. It is a victory just the same, a victory over the fearfulness and divisiveness of bankrupt ideologies.

Now, jubilation aside, I have my concerns that even Barack Obama—soundly principled as he is—is entering a total shitstorm of history and even he will be a small figure before the wave of events before us. But if we have to simultaneously face assorted crises like peak oil, global warming, terrorism, economic wipeout (that might end up leading us to a new economic philosophy that reins in the excesses of capitalism I hope), and all the woes before us, then I'd prefer Obama as a leader who can talk cool and tough, knowing when it is time to listen more than talk. With the Bushies, the adage of "when all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail" was the prevailing but bankrupt logic. I think Obama's tool chest is larger than that.

I heard a section of NPR's All Things Considered where black voters were being asked to share their opinion of a pending victory for Barack Obama. One fellow told a story of how his friend sent a text message to many friends with something like the following:

Rosa sat so that Martin could walk.
Martin walked so that Barack could run.
Barack ran so that our children could fly.

Today

A black man might be our next president.
A dream lingers on, bound for sweet fulfillment.
Four years on, wedded love is evident.
I wonder, is this what Jesus meant?

The UCC Ad For NY Times

The following is an ad that the United Church of Christ posted in the New York Times in the wake of the flap about Barack Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright at Trinity UCC in Chicago.

Much has been said about the United Church of Christ in recent weeks, much of it hurtful for many in our country, including members of Trinity UCC in Chicago. That is why we are eager to share the broad and diverse story of the United Church of Christ, one that we celebrate.

With all Christians, we rest in God’s amazing grace and hear God’s voice in the words of Scripture. Yet, the UCC is unique to some because we do not require uniformity of belief. We are a church of open ideas, extravagant welcome and evangelical courage. Our passion for democracy extends to both government and church, where decision-making rests within each congregation. We support liberty in our pulpits, just as we affirm the individual conscience of our 1.2-million members to agree, disagree and wrestle with life’s biggest questions in a spirit of love.

Our story is this nation’s story. We are the people of the Mayflower. More than 600 of our 5,700 congregations were formed before 1776. Eleven signers of the Declaration of Independence were members of UCC predecessor bodies.

As early abolitionists, we came to the aid of the Amistad captives and founded hundreds of schools across the South after the Civil War. We were the first mainline church to ordain an African-American (1785), a woman (1853) and an openly gay pastor (1972). We were also the first to form a foreign mission society (1810). Our multi-ethnic membership includes persons from every immigrant group, as well as native peoples and descendants of freed slaves.

Our unity is not dependent upon uniform agreement, but in our shared allegiance to Jesus Christ. Ours is a risk-taking church, because ours is a risk-taking God.

God is still speaking, ®