It is now a little over three weeks until we have a new president, and it really can't come soon enough. A somewhat early election that couldn't come soon enough, combined with an especially short holiday shopping season...not to mention a late Inauguration date-- has left the country in limbo. Surprisingly, Obama has gotten major support from those who did not vote for him. Yes, his ratings are through the roof (mostly attributable to an amazing election night speech), but once he steps in, the public will be waiting for mind-blowing change. Change that can be seen in every facet of life. Hell, I'm sure there's someone out there who expects that he'll be able to give us cheap health care, millions of jobs, short lines at the DMV, a cure for cancer, and legalized pot in the first week of his administration.
To be honest, I hope he is that good. I don't know if anyone willing to go into politics could possibly do so without compromising at least some portion of their values. Perhaps it's better to have a slick dude in the White House--willing to concede some moral ground here and there--for the better of the everyone. There's a reason every recent president in history has gone gray within the first term.
So where do we stand? A young and inexperienced President, in charge in one of the most difficult situations in history, that has one huge factor going for him...massive support. Unbelievable support..even semi-racists aren't so afraid to say they like what Obama has done in the last couple of weeks to their fully-racist friends. 80% of us are willing to give him a chance--only time will tell whether he's up to the job.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A country changed? Notes from off the trail.
I was doing my daily stalking on facebook when I came across a note left by someone who grew up in the same small town as I did. He has decided on an honorable path of serving his church.
"I'm sitting here at my computer, the tv is tuned to the 2008 election results, my binder is opened. I am supposed to be studying for a "Spiritual Life & Evangelism" exam that I have in less than 12 hours. I'm supposed to be memorizing Scripture and yet I'm finding myself strangely distracted. I just read "Obama Elected President" on the tv and I have to be honest with you, my stomach sank. But then I was reminded that my first allegiance is to a King and a Kingdom; it's not to a country or a flag. Don't get me wrong, I love the USA, and am so thankful to have been born here. But, now more than ever I am realizing that long after the U.S. is ash and dust God's Kingdom will be as strong as it's ever been. To those who pulled for McCain don't lose hope. Our country is strong, and our God is even stronger. Before you lay your head down tonight thank God for the United States, and thank Him for making a place for you in His Kingdom."
While I cannot argue with his reaction, I must say that my heart sank reading this almost as much as his stomach did when he learned Obama was our President-Elect.
Perhaps a victory has been notched this year for civil rights and the black community. But lurking in the wake of progress is dissent and disdain. A country changed? Not entirely.
The fact that Obama had won not only meant acceptance of the black race in America, but I was hopeful it also meant that the so called religious right had lost a foothold in American politics. Either that, or the religious right was now the religious center.
If we were able to move beyond race, the larger question is whether or not people were looking at their vote and their government as something larger than themselves and larger than their belief system? Were they indeed putting 'country first' or their beliefs first?
While my old friend was correct in that every thing happens for a reason, I was disheartened that people were looking to God to console them for having a President that was not preaching the doctrine. Separation of Church and State lives as a governing principle, but dissipates in the minds of the electorate.
Racial relations have been improving, at least for the short time I have been alive and kicking. What this means is that in today's time, was voting for America's first black president a question of when and not if? And if it was a question of when, were some of those votes cast in the novelty of it all?
The point is that the religious right is alive and well. And America is not voting for the good of the country, but voting in an attempt to conform America to each voter's belief system. Maybe it's not the religious right anymore, but just religious influence in American politics. Sure the church has perhaps been able to move beyond the issue of race, but not gays and other doctrines such as abortions.
One of the larger reasons the Christian religion strays from the Democratic party is on one single issue-- abortion. Without opening a can of worms here, the point being made is that the Church is influencing it's congregations stance on abortion rights, and that is how they are in turn voting. It's that last step that's dangerous, where people make a religious truth a universal truth.
This statement is backed by the anti-gay vote and the battering the gay community took in this years election while the black population flourished. Florida voted to ban gay marriage. California voted to ban gay marriage. Arizona voted to ban gay marriage. Arkansas voted to ban gay couples from adopting. Gay is the new black.
This post is not to say that we have not achieved something great in this election, or to argue the stance religion takes on issues is wrong. This is to merely point out that people are voting for themselves, not for their country.
People have every right to vote as they chose, and believe what they want. But, I was just hopeful we were finally voting in a way that had every one's beliefs in mind, in a way that incorporated the diverse people who live in this country. People who considered others before they cast their ballot or fervently wanted someone to win because their platform aligned with their religious and personal views.
We may have hit a milestone, but underpinning this election lurk the same issues that have always existed in American society.
"I'm sitting here at my computer, the tv is tuned to the 2008 election results, my binder is opened. I am supposed to be studying for a "Spiritual Life & Evangelism" exam that I have in less than 12 hours. I'm supposed to be memorizing Scripture and yet I'm finding myself strangely distracted. I just read "Obama Elected President" on the tv and I have to be honest with you, my stomach sank. But then I was reminded that my first allegiance is to a King and a Kingdom; it's not to a country or a flag. Don't get me wrong, I love the USA, and am so thankful to have been born here. But, now more than ever I am realizing that long after the U.S. is ash and dust God's Kingdom will be as strong as it's ever been. To those who pulled for McCain don't lose hope. Our country is strong, and our God is even stronger. Before you lay your head down tonight thank God for the United States, and thank Him for making a place for you in His Kingdom."
While I cannot argue with his reaction, I must say that my heart sank reading this almost as much as his stomach did when he learned Obama was our President-Elect.
Perhaps a victory has been notched this year for civil rights and the black community. But lurking in the wake of progress is dissent and disdain. A country changed? Not entirely.
The fact that Obama had won not only meant acceptance of the black race in America, but I was hopeful it also meant that the so called religious right had lost a foothold in American politics. Either that, or the religious right was now the religious center.
If we were able to move beyond race, the larger question is whether or not people were looking at their vote and their government as something larger than themselves and larger than their belief system? Were they indeed putting 'country first' or their beliefs first?
While my old friend was correct in that every thing happens for a reason, I was disheartened that people were looking to God to console them for having a President that was not preaching the doctrine. Separation of Church and State lives as a governing principle, but dissipates in the minds of the electorate.
Racial relations have been improving, at least for the short time I have been alive and kicking. What this means is that in today's time, was voting for America's first black president a question of when and not if? And if it was a question of when, were some of those votes cast in the novelty of it all?
The point is that the religious right is alive and well. And America is not voting for the good of the country, but voting in an attempt to conform America to each voter's belief system. Maybe it's not the religious right anymore, but just religious influence in American politics. Sure the church has perhaps been able to move beyond the issue of race, but not gays and other doctrines such as abortions.
One of the larger reasons the Christian religion strays from the Democratic party is on one single issue-- abortion. Without opening a can of worms here, the point being made is that the Church is influencing it's congregations stance on abortion rights, and that is how they are in turn voting. It's that last step that's dangerous, where people make a religious truth a universal truth.
This statement is backed by the anti-gay vote and the battering the gay community took in this years election while the black population flourished. Florida voted to ban gay marriage. California voted to ban gay marriage. Arizona voted to ban gay marriage. Arkansas voted to ban gay couples from adopting. Gay is the new black.
This post is not to say that we have not achieved something great in this election, or to argue the stance religion takes on issues is wrong. This is to merely point out that people are voting for themselves, not for their country.
People have every right to vote as they chose, and believe what they want. But, I was just hopeful we were finally voting in a way that had every one's beliefs in mind, in a way that incorporated the diverse people who live in this country. People who considered others before they cast their ballot or fervently wanted someone to win because their platform aligned with their religious and personal views.
We may have hit a milestone, but underpinning this election lurk the same issues that have always existed in American society.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
OBAMA WINS!!!
We are going to go ahead and be the first to say it at 8:01 p.m. CST. The next President of the United States will be Barack Obama.
Based on much conferencing with inside sources, we believe it's safe to say that history will be made next January when the first man with African-American heritage is sworn is as President.
For the sake of due diligence, our sources are CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, and Luke Gibson.
History has been made!
Scotty and Luke
Based on much conferencing with inside sources, we believe it's safe to say that history will be made next January when the first man with African-American heritage is sworn is as President.
For the sake of due diligence, our sources are CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, and Luke Gibson.
History has been made!
Scotty and Luke
Live Updates from Grant Park on Twitter
We have the twitter profile all set up and will be bringing live updates all throughout the night. Our profile name is electionroad. Check us out!
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