Too many of us Brits (and in the church too!) display a casual and lazy racism about Americans. It's probably part of adjusting to having no empire anymore; but whatever the reasons, yesterday was a time to rejoice. I'm aware of the huge obstacles ahead and there is so much that remains to be revealed about the substance of President-elect Obama; but his acceptance speech gave us a taster of such stirring possibility. The rhetoric was brilliant; and rhetoric is a good thing when it is done well: "The change you see is not the change but the chance for change"; "We bring our specific stories but share a common destiny". The story of the black woman voter aged 106.....the caution that the road will be hard and long.....invoking relationships that need to be restored.....hope not fear.........environmental challenges. Dizzying stuff.
I'm unashamed to have had tears in my eyes listening to him. And yes, the USA is not the centre of the universe. People continue to die in Afghanistan, the Congo etc. However hardened we are to the political scene, a white person like me can never know what it means for a black President to have been elected for an African American where slavery is more than just a section in history books. Obama's mixed parentage would have been illegal in some states at the time of his birth. We all know that racism did not end yesterday; but one heaven of a message was proclaimed.
A cynical, leftie British Christian like me is allowed, every once in a while, to be lifted in optimism and, dare I say it, faith.
Was talking with an old friend today who mentioned your blog and I said 'Yes, SUCH a shame he stopped blogging' and he said 'No, he's back, and with a book as well!'
So I'm overjoyed by that, and I'm equally overjoyed to re-encounter your blog on such an optimistic post! God bless America indeed.
Posted by: Steve | November 07, 2008 at 10:09 PM