The Way I See Things

I'd been in a sweet l'il blogging groove about Senator Obama's campaign, and it's been a relatively easy process. I could easily articulate my thoughts, feelings and perspectives because, as a previously somewhat jaded member of the electorate, the senator's campaign reflected my hopes, my dreams, my yearning for change in the way we govern.

Then came the tsunami of Pastor Jeremiah Wright coverage.

Like everyone else interested in any aspect of this election, I watched--unavoidably, unless I sequestered myself from every available news source--at the video clips; knowing they'd been extracted out of their full context; not assigning any particular meaning to them because, really, I didn't think they had any association to Senator Obama's campaign. These weren't Senator Obama's statements--they were another person's--and I didn't think anyone could reasonably hold the senator accountable for them. And even hearing that Pastor Wright was associated with Senator Obama as a 'spiritual advisor', I was unwavering in my conviction that the pastor had not been--and would not be--in consideration for any official position in an Obama administration. My rationale was simple: As a former constitutional law professor, and current senator in the Congress of the United States, I was certain he held the principle of 'separation of church and state' sacrosanct.

I thought the issue would soon end, and yet...
It took on an unimagined, almost surreal, life of its own.

The media, Senator Obama's critics, anyone with anything close to resembling what they thought was a reasonable, valid opinion seized on this opportunity to unload every particle of suspicion, mistrust, denigration and vitriol they could obtain...
Theirs and anyone else's they thought they represented.

Considering it's relative importance (which in my opinion was infinitesimal) against other history defining events, the inflation of this issue in the media--and its duration--was beyond anything I'd seen in my lifetime--Martin Luther King's assassination; Robert Kennedy's assassination; the Apollo moon landing; Nixon's resignation; the felling of the Berlin Wall; Space Shuttle tragedies; President Clinton's misdeeds; the 9/11 tragedy; either Iraq war; Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina; etc. I was stunned, if not shaken, by how predatory the response was.

I reserved judgment, as well as statement, hoping to avoid contributing in any possible way to legitimizing this issue.

After Senator Obama's speech, I found that none of my respect or consideration for him had changed. He said many things: some of which are obvious and that we should know in how we act toward each other; think of each other; and forgive each other; others that struck me merely as his personal opinion; and others that attempted to lay the foundation for future discourse and, ultimately, progress toward a better nation.

My only commentary is, on the core issues of not merely racism--I did NOT consider it one of patriotism--but all the other, numerous, manifest discriminations, -isms, -phobias and violences is we should look to, listen to, and connect with substance and legitimacy to those who state they live lives partially influenced, if not defined, by inequity, by inequality.

For those that think these problems have past, that believe these issues no longer exist, I'd offer that you'd consider these questions:
^ How many men of darker hues drive the roads of this country legitimately concerned about the police car behind them, and the dangers it may hold?
^ How many women go to bed at night with the conviction that violence can befall them walking even the safest streets and campuses of this country, as well as in their own office building, or home?
^ How many people who are gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgendered fear ridicule, derision and possibly violence as they go about their daily lives?

Then ask...
How many of those people go to sleep worrying MORE about...
A...
Terrorist Attack?

When people have the conviction that they're being protected from threats within with the same zeal and commitment that's extended to threats without, then...
We will be well on the way to true unity in our great nation.

While detractors will continue to abound, now that Senator Obama has spoken, authoritatively, on the issue of Pastor Wright, I hope it can be put to rest and we--this country--can move on to more substantive, relevant and important issues.