Friday, January 23, 2009

Our New President




This week our country inaugerated the 44th president of the United States of America. This is an historic occasion. Supporters of this president are still celebrating the beginning of a new era…a new world. As the first African-American president in this country, President Obama will have a special place in the history books that no other can claim. We congratulate the new president and his supporters who worked long and hard to make his presidency happen.

Those of us who were not supporters of President Obama are trying to find our place in this new administration. As concerned Christian voters who have been labeled ‘the religious right’, we are looking for signs that President Obama will offer hope to all Americans; not just those who support his positions. And it is the left leaning, progressive stance that this president champions that causes consternation among christian voters.

As a white, southern, Christian, I want to state for the record that I am not against this president because his skin is black. I am completely aware of this moment in history and although I do not share the black experience, close association with my black friends and co-workers has made me aware of the day to day small indignities endured by black Americans. I am constantly appalled by the manner in which some of the best people in the world are treated.

No, my concerns are strictly about his core values and beliefs. The media made light of the long term relationship with Pastor Jeremiah Wright and dismissed concerns as trivial and vicious right wing attacks. I sincerely hope that my fears that President Obama shares the views of his former pastor about black theology and black/white issues will prove to be false. I find it hard to believe that a man who sat on the pews of this church for twenty years never heard the message his pastor was presenting to the people.

In spite of my concerns and differences in philosophy, I pray that God will bless President Obama and give him wisdom to lead this great nation. We are a great people with many differences, but we are still one nation. God Bless America!

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