American Civility

    This week we witnessed a remarkable event in American history: a black candidate, whose loyalty for and love of his country is being essentially questioned by hyperkinetic pundits seeking any negative association in a person’s life to cast him from the public debate, deliver a powerful, thought-provoking speech on race in America. Obama has eloquently challenged us as a nation to have a meaningful, respectful national conversation about race, to work together to heal the wounds that divide us, and to solve together problems shared by all races—economic, personal, and national.
    The speech, entitled “A More Perfect Union” ¹ and delivered, fittingly, in Philadelphia spoke with welcome candor about the issues of race from both sides, black and white. It attempted to explain the anger lingering in an older black generation that feels left out of the American dream and the resentment remnant in whites resulting from meddling government intervention that brought us busing and affirmative action and its consequence, reverse discrimination. Here is Obama, fighting prejudices from both sides that seek to frame him as the black candidate, being steadfastly true to his ambition of unifying the country, courageously acknowledging like no other leader has or can fundamental issues with empathy and perspective, and transcending the gravitational force of history that pulls others to ossified views.
    What I find so encouraging is Obama’s notable objectivity in calling out the best of conservative ideas and honoring their authors in his call for unity. Recall the bashing he endured when he correctly credited President Reagan with changing the course of American policy? Yet, confidently he persists: he challenges African-Americans to “tak[e] full responsibility for [their] own lives” and calls this the “quintessentially American – and yes, conservative – notion of self-help”. While he “condemn[s], in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright”, he refuses to “disown” this man who taught him that notion and who brought him to Christianity. Clearly, Obama learned well both lessons.
    While Obama calls for healing and open dialogue across the nation, some in the media insist on pouring salt in the wounds. These radio and television hosts and op-ed writers continue to sound the tocsin of apostasy, “Why didn’t Obama leave his Church?”, to which one cannot help but feel guilty at neglecting to administer to one’s own pastor a political aptitude test.
    Then there are the leaders who understand that conservatism succeeds when it is about ideas that apply equally to all people; ideas that are inclusive. Take Jack Kemp, for example, who wrestled one of the most vociferous of Obama’s detractors in this matter, Sean Hannity, arguing that we should accept Obama’s words as sincere and distinct from his minister because there is no reason to do otherwise ². Kemp goes on: we should welcome Obama’s challenge to productive dialogue and use the opportunity to demonstrate that conservative economic principles can help the impoverished in ways the empty promises of the government patrimony can only hope to touch. And take the gracious and profound Peggy Noonan, who admires Obama’s speech as thinking man’s speech, “strong, thoughtful, and important”, even “beautiful” ³. She says about the Wright affair, “Obama condemns the sin without condemning the sinner.” ⁴ and observes the uplifting appeal of this better way. And then there is gentleman John McCain, who rightly dismissed a member of his staff for having distributed material against Obama that one would expect from the likes of, well, Reverend Wright. These are the sides of conservatism in America that are attractive both intellectually and spiritually: the very kind associated with President Reagan.

    Obama declares he has “unyielding faith in the decency and generosity of the American people”. May we, as a nation, be worthy of his faith and of those of others who like to think of America in these terms.

1- Remarks of Senator Barack Obama: 'A More Perfect Union', Philadelphia, 18 March 2008
2- Hannity and Colmes, FOXNews, 21 March 2008
3- "Declarations", Peggy Noonan, The Wall Street Journal, 22 March 2008
4-  Peggy Noonan on Good Morning America, 19 March 2008