Rally 'Round the Flag
| By Mike Tenbusch - Nov 13, 2008 2:17:28 PM ET |
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Categories: Education, Volunteerism, Advocacy, How I Live United, The LiveUnitedSEM Network
Categories: Education, Volunteerism, Advocacy, How I Live United, The LiveUnitedSEM Network
I didn't make it to Grant Park in Chicago for Obama's victory celebration last week, but we had a celebration in church on Sunday that felt like the same thing. Our pastor had been challenging us for weeks leading up to the campaign to look at issues from a Biblical perspective and to vote accordingly. She didn't advocate for one candidate over the other, and I imagine that our church, like most of America, was pretty evenly split between the candidates. But five days after the election she was very clear: Obama's victory was a victory for racial healing in our country.
After talking about what a great thing Obama's victory was from a spiritual perspective, our pastor shook things up a little bit. "I want all you white people to get out of your seats. Go hug an African-American, and ask for their forgiveness." Now I couldn't imagine anything more hokey, and so I slunk into my chair and hugged my kids.
Proudly Puerto-Rican and Irish, my kids certainly have African blood in their veins and I hugged them accordingly--trying to avoid everyone else in the congregation.
When I stood up again, there was hugging and crying and laughing going on all over the place, and I couldn't wait to get this all over with. Then a good friend approached. An African-American man and proud lifelong resident of Ypsilanti, he said to me, "Brother, I figure I should apologize to you for all the hurt that has been caused to Detroit." It was ironic, funny and powerful. We joined the mass of hugging people.
An elder of the church picked up the microphone and interrupted our celebration.
"My grandparents were slaves," she began as we stopped abruptly. "When I was a kid, my grandparents filled our days with stories about what it was like to live in slavery. And one story they told was about how the troops came to free them, and the troops were singing, 'Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys, Rally 'Round the Flag.' That song always stuck with me," she said. "And now it's time for all of us to rally round that flag."
A joyous celebration followed.
We still have our work cut out for us in America, but I thank God that we have freed ourselves from the issue of not being able to elect an African-American to lead us. Breaking that barrier down is a huge step forward for us as a country, no matter which way you look at it. It allows us to focus on what's next--but with a collective sense of progress and unity, and that is something worth celebrating.
After talking about what a great thing Obama's victory was from a spiritual perspective, our pastor shook things up a little bit. "I want all you white people to get out of your seats. Go hug an African-American, and ask for their forgiveness." Now I couldn't imagine anything more hokey, and so I slunk into my chair and hugged my kids.
Proudly Puerto-Rican and Irish, my kids certainly have African blood in their veins and I hugged them accordingly--trying to avoid everyone else in the congregation.
When I stood up again, there was hugging and crying and laughing going on all over the place, and I couldn't wait to get this all over with. Then a good friend approached. An African-American man and proud lifelong resident of Ypsilanti, he said to me, "Brother, I figure I should apologize to you for all the hurt that has been caused to Detroit." It was ironic, funny and powerful. We joined the mass of hugging people.
An elder of the church picked up the microphone and interrupted our celebration.
"My grandparents were slaves," she began as we stopped abruptly. "When I was a kid, my grandparents filled our days with stories about what it was like to live in slavery. And one story they told was about how the troops came to free them, and the troops were singing, 'Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys, Rally 'Round the Flag.' That song always stuck with me," she said. "And now it's time for all of us to rally round that flag."
A joyous celebration followed.
We still have our work cut out for us in America, but I thank God that we have freed ourselves from the issue of not being able to elect an African-American to lead us. Breaking that barrier down is a huge step forward for us as a country, no matter which way you look at it. It allows us to focus on what's next--but with a collective sense of progress and unity, and that is something worth celebrating.
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I have to admit though, that I would have been uncomfortable being told to apologize to people I had not personally offended (assuming that was the case). I don't think whites owe anything than, open minds, open hearts and aversion to prejudice to any other people.
I once directed an employee to apologize for something she didn't intend in order to satisfy a customer. I immediately understood how wrong that was, after seeing how upset she was at the order, and never did that again.
I get the symbolism in your pastor's gesture, and do appreciate the attempt at fostering greater racial harmony. That is definitely something our country can use more of.