Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 1:01am
Obama is good for our national will and spirit
Column: All Paths
I find it amusing to listen to the talking heads on all the network news shows trying to explain what I call OBAMMANIA. They are trying to explain why so many are drawn to this successful, untested and inexperienced political newcomer on the national scene. Some say it's because he has presented himself as an agent for change. Others say it's his charm and charisma. Well, it's far more complicated than just a great smile, good looks and inspirational rhetoric. Yes, it's far deeper than that.
Let me break it down for those talking heads who get the big bucks to explain and analyze these things for you. I'll begin by referencing a speech made by Jimmy Carter in 1979. In this speech he said that "there was a fundamental threat to American democracy that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will." He called this threat "a crisis of confidence." This crisis of confidence that President Carter referred to was the broad, growing disrespect for our government, churches, media, schools and other social institutions by Americans.
Mr. Carter's "crisis of confidence" can be used to explain the emergence of Sen. Barack Obama. I submit that there is a crisis of confidence in America far greater than when President Carter first talked about it. We have no heroes, institutions or people with moral authority or credibility to motivate and inspire our national will. Even our national past time, Major League Baseball, has violated our trust.
We need to feel good about America again, because our national will and spirit are depleted and need replenishing and uplifting. Yes, we need a National Cheerleader. So this is why I believe Obama has emerged.
You see, many who currently hold office and those who are seeking office are part of a political culture and institutional approach to politics that fosters an "us against them" form of enemy thinking that creates hostility and divides us. Think about it — are you from a Red State or a Blue State? This Red State vs. Blue State paradigm is the basis for which the two major parties and national candidates formulate campaign strategies. Obama has repeatedly said, "There's not a liberal America and a conservative America. There's the United States of America."
This is unifying speech, and maybe that's what people want to hear now. I know I am tired of hearing our religious leaders and media, along with our politicians, use divisive language. No wonder we are an angry and hostile country. It's reinforced on so many levels by so many institutions and leaders. All we hear is, "It's us against them or Blue vs. Red, Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Jew, black vs. white, gay vs. straight, rich vs. poor, etc. In other words, if he or she doesn't look like me, worship like me, or vote like I vote, then he or she is absolutely wrong and I am absolutely right." This form of enemy thinking has plunged America not only into a "crisis of confidence" but a spiritual crisis as well.
When I was studying political science at Howard University, I learned that the president of the United States had many functions. One of those functions was Chief of National Morale. That's right — our president is supposed to lift our spirit and focus our national will in a positive direction. Presidents set the tone for how we relate to each other and even the rest of the world.
So it's about time that someone has come along and asked us to "listen to the better angels of our nature," as Abraham Lincoln did so many years ago. (Hey, Obama is from Illinois like Lincoln. Maybe there's some metaphysical connection.) I hope Obama's success and his fresh and non-divisive approach to politics foster a permanent shift in how those who ask for our trust and confidence by seeking elective office approach campaigning and governing. Our collective spiritual state and national will need it.
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Rev. Jay Speights has an MA in public policy and is an interfaith minister and the main U.N. representative for The New Seminary in New York. You can learn more about his work at The New Seminary website or at http://jayspeights.blogspot.com/. His email address is {email jayspeights@newseminary.org}jayspeights@newseminary.org{/email}. © Copyright 2008 by Jay Speights.
Let me break it down for those talking heads who get the big bucks to explain and analyze these things for you. I'll begin by referencing a speech made by Jimmy Carter in 1979. In this speech he said that "there was a fundamental threat to American democracy that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will." He called this threat "a crisis of confidence." This crisis of confidence that President Carter referred to was the broad, growing disrespect for our government, churches, media, schools and other social institutions by Americans.
Mr. Carter's "crisis of confidence" can be used to explain the emergence of Sen. Barack Obama. I submit that there is a crisis of confidence in America far greater than when President Carter first talked about it. We have no heroes, institutions or people with moral authority or credibility to motivate and inspire our national will. Even our national past time, Major League Baseball, has violated our trust.
We need to feel good about America again, because our national will and spirit are depleted and need replenishing and uplifting. Yes, we need a National Cheerleader. So this is why I believe Obama has emerged.
You see, many who currently hold office and those who are seeking office are part of a political culture and institutional approach to politics that fosters an "us against them" form of enemy thinking that creates hostility and divides us. Think about it — are you from a Red State or a Blue State? This Red State vs. Blue State paradigm is the basis for which the two major parties and national candidates formulate campaign strategies. Obama has repeatedly said, "There's not a liberal America and a conservative America. There's the United States of America."
This is unifying speech, and maybe that's what people want to hear now. I know I am tired of hearing our religious leaders and media, along with our politicians, use divisive language. No wonder we are an angry and hostile country. It's reinforced on so many levels by so many institutions and leaders. All we hear is, "It's us against them or Blue vs. Red, Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Jew, black vs. white, gay vs. straight, rich vs. poor, etc. In other words, if he or she doesn't look like me, worship like me, or vote like I vote, then he or she is absolutely wrong and I am absolutely right." This form of enemy thinking has plunged America not only into a "crisis of confidence" but a spiritual crisis as well.
When I was studying political science at Howard University, I learned that the president of the United States had many functions. One of those functions was Chief of National Morale. That's right — our president is supposed to lift our spirit and focus our national will in a positive direction. Presidents set the tone for how we relate to each other and even the rest of the world.
So it's about time that someone has come along and asked us to "listen to the better angels of our nature," as Abraham Lincoln did so many years ago. (Hey, Obama is from Illinois like Lincoln. Maybe there's some metaphysical connection.) I hope Obama's success and his fresh and non-divisive approach to politics foster a permanent shift in how those who ask for our trust and confidence by seeking elective office approach campaigning and governing. Our collective spiritual state and national will need it.
— — —
Rev. Jay Speights has an MA in public policy and is an interfaith minister and the main U.N. representative for The New Seminary in New York. You can learn more about his work at The New Seminary website or at http://jayspeights.blogspot.com/. His email address is {email jayspeights@newseminary.org}jayspeights@newseminary.org{/email}. © Copyright 2008 by Jay Speights.