Racism, Hope, and Barack Obama

I believe in all three.

Yesterday, I got into a discussion with a coworker friend of mine about politics. He's got very strong views, and as many of my friends and family know, I like to have heavy conversations. The conversation was couched in a week or so of conversations about race. My friend, Lee, is a black man, originally from Jamaica, but raised in Philly. We've been discussing Michael Vick, OJ, the Jena Six, and many other current events that have racial overtones, and Lee has been giving me lots of perspective on how he responds to these issues. Mostly, I've been listening, as I have little to no voice as one raised in majority culture to pass judgement on his views. And he's a pretty smart guy.

But yesterday, I asked the question, "Would your perspective change if Barack Obama were elected president?" Lee's response caught me off guard. He wouldn't even discuss the viability of Obama winning because, as he put it, "The country will never elect a black man." That led us into a discussion about racism, and Lee to state that it was one of those things that will just always be there. You can't change it, it's just the way it is. He called it realism. And I got mad. Not at racism, but at Lee.

And I started to think about why that made me so angry. I completely agree, which surprised Lee, that racism is still rampant in America, and that Obama's chances of getting the presidency are slimmer due to that fact. But what leapt to mind were the Christians who take Scriptures like "The poor you will have with you always," and use them to jettison responsibility to serve and intercede on behalf of the needy. "Poverty is just one of those things that will always be there. You can't change it." There is, in the words of Christ there, an acknowledgement of evil, but not an acceptance of it. And further, there is a bizarre invitation, if not a mandate, to wade into that evil and start fighting, despite what may seem to be overwhelming evidence that you're battle is a lost cause.

What Lee called realism struck me as defeatism. And I understand that I haven't been in that fight my whole life like Lee has. And I understand that I can't hold it against him for feeling the way he does. But I realized yesterday that there is something I have that would seem to be foolishness to those who are wise. Hope. I believe that Christ is resurrected. And I believe he is renewing all things. I believe the apostles lay hands and the sick are healed. I believe the church is a body that sees Christ in our differences of race and culture. And I can understand why, when I expressed that sentiment, (in much fewer words) Lee didn't understand, even thought me naive. Because what evidence does he have to believe otherwise? There will still be racism tomorrow when he wakes up. But what I fear for him is that his "realism" will keep him from letting a light shine in the darkness. "The poor you will have with you always." So you can stand around and complain, or you can roll up your sleeves and start bringing some resurrection.

All that to say, I'm voting for Barack Obama.

And you should too.

Just kidding.