That's right - I saw Obama

Not only did I get to see this incredible man who I believe is undoubtly the best and most reasonable choice for the Presidency - the AP snagged me for my thoughts and today my quotes are flourishing throughout the online news world. four of us fought hard to get tickets to his rally in Portland yesterday, and waited in line for 3 hours to get floor access. It was quite the day. He is so humble and an incredible speaker. I believe he will make quite the fine President.

Here is a short clip from the National Examiner online....

PORTLAND, Ore. (Map, News) - Scoring an endorsement of national importance, Barack Obama threw down a marker Friday in the race for Oregon's suddenly important 65 votes for the Democratic presidential nomination.

A former challenger, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, took the stage to endorse the Illinois senator and repeat the Obama campaign theme - "yes we can" - in Spanish: "Si se puede."

The nation's only Hispanic governor called Obama a "once-a-lifetime leader" who will be a "historic and great president."

Obama responded with praise for Richardson, citing his leadership on alternative energy and saying he "understands diplomacy" and the need for an improved foreign policy.

Both had kind words for Sen. Hillary Clinton, who is expected to make a campaign appearance in Oregon within the next couple of weeks, well before ballots are mailed to voters in the Oregon primary.

Obama told a crowd of about 12,000 cheering supporters that during his campaign travels he found the American people desperate a politics based not on tearing each other down but on lifting the country up.

The message resonated with crowd members such as Brenulla White, a nutritionist.

"Obama talks about doors that have not been opened, and it's time for those doors to be opened," she said.

White said her son served two tours of duty in Iraq in the Army, and she praised Obama for promising to start bringing home the troops and for confronting racial issues.

"It's time for racial differences to come to the forefront and be resolved," she said. "How can a country fight if it's divided?"

White and other black woman at the rally said Obama can reach average people, define the issues for them and bring them together.

"I find him absolutely inspiring," said Melissa Marley, a graduate student. Despite talking to a large crowd, she said Obama can engage people individually and make them feel like he's listening. "I truly feel it's like he's in my living room," she said.

Voting starts in Oregon's primary in early May, and the ballots are tallied May 20.

The candidates will divide 52 pledged delegates in proportion to their primary vote totals. Twelve more so-called superdelegates, party leaders and officials, will go to the national convention without being formally committed. One more delegate to the national convention is to be chosen at the party's state convention in June.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Thoughts on Race

So... sure enough, this week's events concerning race have brought me out of blogger aloofness and into blogging engagement.

First - if you have not read the transcript of Obama's thoughts on race in America, please check that out anywhere on the web. google it.

Second - if you have only heard Jeremiah Wright's comments based on the small fractions the media has been feeding you, please check that out on the web as well. Google the whole sermon and you will find the context - always important when considering what any pastor is trying to convey.

And now for the rant.

America - wake up. The reaction over this past weeks remarks only convince me more, that not only has the United States of America forgotten its history, here I mean years of oppression and slavery leading to jim crow leading to MLK and the civil rights which only occured less then 50 years ago leading to a continued quited institutionalized racism, but has chosen to ignore present realities that continue to oppress millions of Americans and hold back this country from being a truly great nation - indeed this week reminded me that we are far far far from that.

If the remarks that were aired, realites that people of privilidge continue to gain privlidge whiles those who are poor and oppressed - regardless of skin color or ethnicity - only remain poor and oppressed -or the notion that God might not be pleased, even disappointed, in a nation that has so much - but does so little to help those in need and continues to oppress, manipulate, murder, with hold, betray, and humiliate these under class brothers and sisters...- if these remarks make you upset, possibly even rattle you a bit- good. They are meant to - beacause they are true. If truth is hard for you America then don't vote for Obama, because evidently that's what you are going to get. Something we as a country have not seen in a long time, even past the Bush monoarchy.

And something, unfortunatley, this week America is starting to ignore again. The fact is, America can't handle the truth and that statement is one that every American should weep and nash teeth over.

On another note - a much calmer note.
The church has a role in this. Christians have a role in this. Jesus was the one who said - I am the truth. Our calling is simple, love. What an opportunity we have - to say as communities of faith to one another and the world, what does this mean for us? This does not mean that we trun our heads and avoid the question or the conversation- no matter how uncomfortable you might feel. What does it mean to be a people who say we love our neighbor? Who is your neighbor friend? Not the one who lives directly beside you - who looks like you, acts like etc... but the one who you are afraid of because they are different. Because their skin is a different shade then yours. When you truly love your neighbor, then friend - you are truly - truly a Christian and understanding the Truth that provides transformation and reconcilliation. If the church has anything to say - now is the time to stand up and claim = instead of forgetting we will listen, instead of ignoring we will remember, we will choose to walk in the other shoe instead of throwing it in the river, we will choose to love instead of hate...because only when we love do we choose to live.

There is no other solution. So if you think you might turn it off or drown it out - you're wrong. There is no turning back now. Stop talking, start listening, choose love.

May God help us all.