Obama '08

For a very ling time I have been leaning toward Obama over Clinton. I like them both and if Mrs. Clinton is nominated I'm 90% sure she will get my vote. Yet after reading Obama's speech on race and on his pastor he has my vote. As has been the case over the course of this blog I written about race and my struggle with my own racial identity. I think racism and the concept of race are two issues that I feel most passionate about in my life. I also feel the connection to this particular scenario, because I stand in a pulpit every week and I am working toward my ordination. So this case could not hit any loser to home.

Obama has true vision and hope for this country. Without vision and hope we have nothing. We are a country that is spiraling downward, economically, socially, educationally, etc. I think Barack Obama can be the leader who turns us around, who bring some sense of unity to congress and to our nation.

I applaud his honesty in what it is to live the black experience, what it is to come from a multiracial/ multicultural family. He didn't let anyone off the hook, not his pastor, not even his own grandmother. What he did was name real experience. For all those who question his political experience, I say to them you may be right, he may not have as many votes in the senate, he may not have deep connections through out the world, he may not already be connected to the inner workings of Washington and then I say but all of that has not worked for us so far. All of those connections and types of world experience is great but if you lack hope and vision what good are they?

ETA: I hope no one sitting in my congregation runs for office and is held accountable for my statements!

Good Things Happening at Seminary

I have to say we are more then half-way through the semester, and this experience has been such a blessing so far. It's seems funny to me that people have a fear of losing their faith in seminary. I guess I can understand where that could come from, but for me so far this has been nothing but a spiritually enriching experience. I have met amazing people, had the most amazing discussions, and even learned a think or two in class. Yes, there is a ton of reading and work to be done. And yes it can be overwhelming, and yes there have been a few times when I have said to myself why the heck am I here, but even in all that it has been a joy.

I simply can not get over the depth of the conversations we are having. Especially conversations on race. Race is almost becoming a four letter word around here these days. Particularly for the non-minority students. It sound as though they feel as if they are being blamed for actions that they had no control over. It is true they had no control over them. I agree we need to stop living in the past. But that is not to say that we should forget about it either. Being at Drew has allowed me to see so many side of this conversation. And has allowed and encouraged me to embrace my biracial heritage. To not have to hide or favor one side or the other.

I was struggling very heavily that identity for a very long time. The struggle is by no means over, but not I have realized it ok to feel uncomfortable. Along with that it is ok just to say this is ME, this is Who I AM, I can't change it and I don't want to change, and I don't need to fit into a constructed racial identity. I think that if we would stop trying to put people in boxes as a way to understand them we could make progress in our ( the world's) discussion on race.