Hope

Hope. Whatever your opinion of the president-elect, it it clear that, for a very visible segment of the population of the United States, he inspires hope. And while fear may have been a compelling reason for some voters on either side of the political spectrum, the impression one got from the McCain campaign wasn't one of hope. Pictures of people cheering, crying, shouting, and dancing. The depth of emotion was astonishing. Yet it was completely understandable. As I listened to NPR that Wednesday morning, there were callers who were black that admitted, with a deep sense of relief, that they had been unsure whether mainstream America would vote for a black president. They also added that they felt that they were truly proud to be American. Being a minority myself, I understand that sentiment, though I would not necessarily appropriate it for myself. For most people, anywhere in the world, it is an unknown experience, to live in a setting where most people do not look like yourself; America's claims for equality make it even more difficult since we often see the dissonance between what is and what should be. From that perspective, then, one can understand better the immensity and potency of feeling that Obama's election elicited. And let's be frank. For many voters, this was not just about the issues. This election was also about race. The idealist would say that an election should not be about the person, but rather the issues that they advocate. But one cannot so easily divorce a person from their position; I am, after all, voting for a person, not a slate of policies. The fundamental question became then: Would race matter in the evaluation of the person? Ironically, the answer was yes and no. Race did matter to some, but it didn't matter to others. The New York Times Exit Polls report is an amazing resource. The coolest thing is to see how the demographic categories are weighted. The interesting thing to note, with regard to race, is that minorities voted overwhelming for the minority candidate (one could interpret the exit polls as indicating that race was not a factor for whites). This doesn't mean that race was the only factor for minorities (you can click on previous years to see that there is a trend amongst blacks and latinos to vote Democrat). But, it seems that race matters more if you a minority. This is somewhat counter-intuitive since it has been a common argument that the pigmentation of one's skin shouldn't affect the judgment of one's ability and character. On the other hand, one can make the argument that, perhaps, many white Americans voted for Obama because he was black. And while this penchant for race-based voting may bother some, let us remember that for years every Caucasian American not only had the chance to pick someone that they thought represented them both ideologically and physically, but they had a choice. The assumption that I am going with is that most people don't pick a candidate based upon a careful examination of the issues that the candidates themselves present. Rather they select a candidate who they feel best represents them. The curious thing about Barack Obama is the messiah complex that people seemed to anoint him with. I heard ideas espoused on NPR like "Our country is going to be great again" or "I think this proves that racism is dead in our country". These raise the expectations of Obama's presidency, unreasonably I think. Perhaps this is expected, though, when you run a campaign whose catchword was Hope. Hope inspires. Hope motivates. It lifts us up to where belong. ☺ The kind of hope that Obama inspired challenges me to think of the kind of hope that Christ inspires. What are our greatest hopes and do we truly believe that those hopes could be realized in Christ? What kind of life would reflect that kind of hope? Even though I voted for Obama, I am not under the illusion that he was the perfect candidate. His record on abortion is distinctly pro-choice. I disagree strongly with his proposal for universal healthcare. On the other hand I felt that he would be able to navigate the economic crisis better than McCain. I felt that his approach to diplomacy and foreign relations would be better than that of a maverick. And, in the end, it was the fact that I could understand Obama that made him the most attractive candidate; even if I didn't agree with him on everything, I could understand him. There were times when I wanted to understand McCain, but I just couldn't (Sarah Palin for vice president?). In looking at Christ, we see someone who is complete, lacking in nothing. I feel uncomfortable saying that Christ can make our dreams can come true. That sounds too Disney-esque, petty, unrealistic. It rings hollow. But to say that in Christ our hopes are realized means something completely different to me. Hope reminds me that my current situation isn't the best, but there is something to look forward to. Hope tilts the down-trodden heart upward and gives us an impetus to move on. In Christ, hope is fulfilled. Our hope for love. Our hope for life. Our hope for a relationship with God.