Wright and Wise: Race, Politics, and the Next Right Thing

I followed the Jeremiah Wright controversy with interest after his remarks were presented and discussed in various media, and   recently read a Blog from Tim Wise  on White Privilege wherein he contrasts perceptions about the McCain and Obama tickets.  Whatever one believes about race or religion and their impact on politics in America,  it’s a fact  that polemicists like either Wright or Wise serve us individually  by shaking us out of complacency and indecision.  We are forced to polish our own skills for disputation and jump into the fray because of their painful spurring and prodding.  The result is passionate examination of our positions on issues that matter deeply.   While polemicists intend to foment change, and this is usually a good thing,  two standards  apply for me as I settle my own thoughts: 1)  That I scrupulously search for  valid and reasoned arguments  and evidence no matter what the source; and 2)  That I take care  that in  biting  and devouring others with my arguments,    I am not out to  consume or destroy  another person.    I believe our wars of words and ideas ought to be aimed at  changing  systemic  error, not  at destruction of others  or of further social division.

 I have to say that I am glad that Jeremiah Wright, intentionally or not, has made the race/religion interface a more  open topic for discussion in America.  I am not in the same camp as he is theologically, but  certainly  I believe the conversations  he has inspired need to be ongoing discussions, not just   embarrassing and hidden factors in deciding for whom to vote. I also see it as  a very good thing that Tim Wise has unmasked social privilege in a way that allows specific issues to be laid out clearly. However, with that said, it is time for the mistakes of the past to stop dominating the choices of the future.  A culture of blame serves no one, and hope is strangled if one cannot believe that change is possible and real.  In all fairness, I believe that is the goal of Tim Wise’s analyses and his efforts to address racism.

 At this point in our life together as a nation, race  does matter in America, despite anything we might prefer; and religion does unavoidably inform political decisions.   It is nonsense to deny this and we’ll never separate religion from politics if the goal is to have a representative government.  The entire process of this 2008 election year will be more than a footnote in history because of such factors.   There is an irony though.  The simple truth is we do not have the luxury to spend even one more moment on such externals as the  gender or race of the candidates. The only thing that matters in this election is who is best equipped for leadership.  What are the right things to do for our nation, and who will do those things?  Which candidate has  the best ideas and can execute the best ideas for the next right thing for America?  The complex and historic crises we are facing  force  responsible voters  to ignore externals , and focus on this next right thing, whatever it is.

   Our most important task, and the challenge we can ill afford to fail, is to help formulate the next right things and to work together on achieving the things that promote our common good, regardless of race, creed, color or political party.