In case you haven’t noticed this year’s presidential campaign has taken an ugly turn, and religion is once again at the center of controversy.
First came false rumors that Sen. Barack Obama is a Muslim, followed by fallout over remarks his pastor made about the United States and nasty, low-class criticism Obama received from New York pastor James D. Manning, a supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Now the nation is reacting to comments Obama made recently at a fundraiser in San Francisco as he discussed and sympathized with the plight of people who live in industrial Midwest towns hit hard by job loss.
“Each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not,” Obama said. “And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”
Although some people who actually attended the fundraiser said Obama’s comments made sense in the context of his entire speech, Clinton and presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain immediately seized the opportunity to attack Obama.
They both called Obama “elitist,” “out of touch” and “condescending” to small town working class voters. They also noted that small town Americans embrace faith not out of resentment against the government, but because it has given their families hope.
Obama, a man who was raised in a single parent household, once made less than $12,000 a year (while Clinton was a corporate lawyer) and just recently paid off his student loans, can hardly be described as “elitist.” However, Clinton and McCain are correct that most people of faith “cling” to their religion for positive reasons, not out of bitterness.
Still, Obama was also correct in his comments, although he admits he should have worded them differently. While campaigning in Indiana last week he said Clinton should be ashamed for trying to drive a wedge between him and small town America, and noted that he was merely stating that people take refuge in the things they know they can count on when they don’t feel like they can “count on Washington.”
After all, the “bitterness” Obama described in small-town America doesn’t sound much different from the frustration of urban Americans, who also have had to “cling to guns and religion” as a response to severe job loss, racism and high rates of crime.
As presidential candidates go tit-for-tat against each other, it is important for the Christian community to remember its proper place in this election. I strongly encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to not get caught up in the negative hype and personal attacks of this campaign.
Let us focus on the positive fact that in the race for the Democratic nomination both candidates respect and have strong ties to African-American churches. Clinton, a lifelong Methodist, has been active in outreach ministries since a young age, and Obama, a member of the United Church of Christ, has been involved with churches on a grassroots level as a community organizer in Chicago.
Clinton and Obama are both fine members of the Body of Christ, and our ministers should encourage them to stick to the issues and conduct campaigns of integrity instead of tearing each other down.
McCain, the likely Republican candidate, is relatively unknown to the Black Christian community. Until recently even white religious activists greeted him with suspicion.
So if he is serious about attracting significant Black support, McCain must establish a relationship with leaders in the church.
This can be done in part by selecting a running mate who has a relationship with Black spiritual leaders. Suggestions include former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who picked up support from Black religious conservatives in the Republican primary, or Maryland Gov. Bob Erhlich, who has close ties to Black pastors in Baltimore.
In the meantime, Indiana will play a crucial role in determining who wins the Democratic nomination with its primary on May 6. Here is a checklist I hope Christian voters will consider as they help choose the next president:
• We need a president who can come as close as possible to uniting the country across racial, religious, economic, cultural and political differences as possible. Our nation’s leader should be someone who can emphasize more of what we have in common and our shared concerns.
• We need a president who (at least publicly) behaves in a Christ-like manner and conducts his/herself with dignity, integrity, kindness, compassion and respect. How candidates behave on the campaign trail is an indicator of how they will conduct themselves in office.
• We need a president who can uphold their own Christian values while also respecting our Constitution and ensuring that America is a nation where people of all faiths can feel comfortable to worship.
• We need a president who is willing to use bold leadership and proactive diplomacy to reduce violent conflict and mistrust between people of different faiths across the world, especially in the Middle East, “the Holy Land.”
• We need a president who can strengthen the White House Office of Faith Based Initiatives(OFBI). This agency was created by President Bush to assist faith-based groups serving the community, but it has failed to meet expectations, like his No Child Left Behind Act. I have spoken with many pastors who still don’t know how or where to get federal assistance for their community programs. We need a president who will make OFBI more visible and viable.
