NOT a Good Thing

I posted last Tuesday that it was a good thing to have an African-American as president. However, being a person of color is NOT enough. You can read my thoughts on my worship blog.

http://hilldaleworship.blogspot.com/2009/01/not-good-thing.html

Here's an article titled "A Dangerous Time to Be a Black Baby."
http://thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2008.10.28.001.pdart

Hannah Loves Papa's Camera

If Hannah sees my camera she has to take it and start taking pictures.

She says, "say cheeeese."

But she hasn't completely figured out how to aim.

And usually she has her finger in front of the lens.

But she has a wondeful time.

A Good Thing

It would be easy for me to make a list of reasons why I would have liked to see a different result in last November's election. As a social conservative and a fiscal conservative (you give away enough trillions and pretty soon you're talking real money) I have many concerns about congress and President Obama being from the same party that has many things in it's platform that I disagree with.

My hope is that in the years to come black conservatives will have their voices heard as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_conservatism_in_the_United_States

But even though I have concerns, I am glad to have a president of African-American decent. Why? Because I have grandchildren who are. (Notice how beautiful they are.)

And we, as a nation, have generations of blacks who feel disconnected and overlooked and they must realize that the American dream is their dream also. I want my grandchildren - and the children of Bordeaux and Detroit and Harlem and wherever - to have black men and women who are successful and godly and strong and courageous to look up to. It is a good thing that we as a nation have elected a black man to be our President.

Benjamin doesn't know about skin color yet. He thinks his Papa is one of the coolest people around. (He's right, of course.) I know some day he'll realize that he and his Papa are different shades, but I don't think he'll care. I sure don't.

But I also know that someday - probably much sooner than I hope or imagine - he will experience the hatred of racism. I hear things now and see the looks and notice the whispers. I've heard many rude things said by white people about our new President because of the color of his skin. It's OK to disagree with proposed policies and ideas, but only because of a different view of how to solve a problem, not because the one offering the solution is black.

My prayer is that an African-American president will not only inspire and encourage the black community, but that ALL communities will realize Martin Luther King Jr's dream of seeing all men judged by the content of their character and not their skin color.