In just over three weeks, we will inaugurate our 44th President of the United States. The whole world will be watching. American minorities, especially blacks, will see with their own eyes something they may not have dared to wish for, let alone expect: a black man sworn in as President of the United States of America. As a people --American people, white, black, and all shades in between-- together, we will take that step forward. It is a significant step in the right direction, long overdue, and truly a momentous occasion. The moment itself, Barack Obama's hand on Abraham Lincoln's bible, tears streaming down the cheeks of Americans everywhere, bespeaks of the long and arduous journey to get here. It might yet be short of the Promised Land that Dr. King spoke of, but it is a giant leap forward, nonetheless. The whole world will take notice.
So what the fuck is Über Pastor Rick Warren doing there? This is what the majority of Obama's base are doing these days, scratching their heads and shouting, "Hey, Barack. WE WON! You can stop with the politicking and the canoodling with the Right!" I think many people on the left feel that his landslide election is a mandate, and that people of Rick Warren's political bent can suck eggs. It's interesting, this angry reaction from the left. I understand the feeling, and it's not hard to argue that such feelings are justified. From the liberal point of view, Warren's brand of fundamentalist Christianity is particularly intolerant and arrogantly certain. In their world, gay people choose to be "deviants" who are ridiculed, hated, and often beaten for their "choice." In their world, a fertilized human egg has more rights than the woman of indisputable personhood who carries it, and more than the millions of suffering people who would benefit from well-funded stem cell research. In their world, the cornerstone of modern biology, a demonstrable fact that impacts all of the life-sciences, medicine, disease control-- biological evolution-- is just some elaborate ruse concocted by Satan, with no real merit at all. In their world, all of our children should be forced to listen to their pseudo-scientific drivel a.k.a. "Creationism" a.k.a. "Intelligent Design," all of which amount to nothing more than religious wishful thinking.
So yes, I'm not immune to those feelings of irritation at the thought of this glorious moment being tainted by the appearance of this anti-intellectualist, gay-bashing, woman-hater. So I had to ask myself, "Why did Barack pick this guy to lead the invocation prayer at his inauguration? Does he know how most of the people who voted for him feel about this guy?" Following his campaign for the last nearly two years, I have seen a very keen intellect and an astute observer in Barack Obama. I think he is politically left of center just as his opponents accused him of being, and that there is probably precious little that he and Pastor Warren agree on in terms of social issues and politics. He's certainly smart enough to know how his base feels about the man. So why did he pick him?
I'm convinced it's all part of his Grand Vision of the future of American politics. We're becoming more and more divided and angry and entrenched. Let's take the abortion issue as a microcosm. I guess that one is big enough to be a macrocosm, but it serves as a great example of what I mean. However one may feel about it, unexpected and unwanted pregnancies can be a terrifying experience. However one may feel about it, some young women will go to any lengths to terminate such pregnancies, including suicide. When it comes to Life's Problems, it's a Real Big One. Prior to Roe v Wade, thousands of women were dying or being made infertile each year due to illegal abortions performed by non-healthcare professionals. Any invasive procedure has risks and should not be entrusted to anyone without the proper credentials. Think about it: women were drinking home-spun concoctions to force miscarriage or literally letting someone fish out their fetuses from their wombs with wire hangers. There's a reason you keep hearing about those old hangers. Can you imagine any female you love lying there while some non-doctor feels around inside her with a fucking coat hanger? But I digress. Obviously there are strong opinions on this issue.
I was fortunate enough to attend the Civil Forum at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church when Senators John McCain and Barack Obama were questioned separately by the Pastor. On this issue of abortion, Senator Obama said from the start that he supports Roe v Wade and a woman's right to choose. He was also quick to point out that he and others who share that opinion are not "pro abortion." It's not as if we all sit around saying, "Abortions fucking rule! I wish everyone would get one!" He didn't quite put it that way, but that's what he said. Actually he was a bit too professorial for me, or rather, for most, because he tends to overthink when he's speaking off-the-cuff, in my opinion. But essentially he conveyed this: Roe v Wade is in the books for some 35 years. In that time, pro-life and pro-choice have shouted and screamed at each other and claimed moral victories and gotten more and more entrenched and inflexible. Neither side really even cares to listen to the other, meanwhile, as Pastor Rick mentioned, the number of abortions are on the rise. And Barack said an amazing thing. We can fight and argue and scream all we like, but that won't change anything. Let's look for the common ground, for that stuff we can agree on. I think we can all agree that unwanted pregnancies lead directly to abortions. I think we can all agree that fewer abortions is a good thing. I think we can find a way to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, and thereby, the number of abortions.
That's his magic. Let's see if we can even try to find what we agree about and work from there. He know that, while a large number of Americans can't wait for him to take office, a similar number of Americans feel like they lost and the country's going to go to hell in a handbasket. With the choice of Rick Warren, and presumably many other decisions he'll make, he's saying, "I am not the Opposition. I am your president. I hear your cries. I care about what you care about. We have common goals. Let us strive to work together to reach those goals. Yes, we have many different opinions about things, but this doesn't make us foes. It makes us human. When Americans work together, great things are achieved." His Rick Warren choice speaks to Evangelical Christians with that message, hopefully, but it also speaks to us on the left. It says to us, "Look, this business of progress and American security is going to require you, the Janeane Garafolos of the world, to stop shooting from the hip and to try your best to take these other Americans seriously. Yes, we find much of their philosophy and world view repulsive. But not all of it. Let's all try to hear each other and respect each other and try to find areas of common ground."
Couldn't have said it better myself. Oh wait... I did say it myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment