Politics and Religion

I know there are two topics that friends are not supposed to discuss if they want to remain friends, but, since we talk religion all the time, I figure it's no big risk to bring politics in behind it. Anyways, here is my plea from a late-primary state to those of you who have super-Tuesday primaries.

This should be no surprise: I want to encourage you to vote in the primary for Barack Obama. There are a number reasons based in foreign and domestic policy that make me support Obama, but here is the main reason-- the core reason-- that I support him (have supported him for about a year now) and think that you should also. This text appears at the top of the screen on Barack Obama's website: "I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about change in Washington... I'm asking you to believe in yours." It is, I know, a little cheesy, but it represents a view of politics and national potential that places the burden of hope-- and thereby earns the right to hope-- on the nation as a whole, on the citizens, on the people, and not on his own shoulders, however capable. He does not claim that he can change the country for us (none of the "stand up for me in the ballot box and I'll stand up for you" tripe); he stands as a voice calling us to live up to our own potential, to listen to our own consciences, to dare to believe in our own ideals. Change in this country, movement towards equality and justice and freedom, will not (cannot) come from the government or the "halls of power"; it must come from the people, our effort, our sacrifices. Barack understands that. He understands the necessity of inspiring the American people to work for justice. He understands that this government of the poeple will only work for the people when it is led by the people.

I know we don't normally talk politics on the blog, but I do feel the urgency of this moment (to paraphrase Dr. King), and for the first time in my life I want to vote for a candidate and not just against their opponent. If you are voting in a Democratic primary, your vote would be well used in support of Barack. I will be voting for him in Texas, but they don't let us vote until mid-March. Even those of you who are Republicans-- I think you should consider crossing over for the primary and voting for a candidate who takes such a sincerely inspiring and sincerely moral position. We all know how rare that is in American politics.

http://www.barackobama.com/