Bay Area Barack
Election Day is over. Barack Obama is America's President-elect, the first biracial man, the first man of African American descent, to serve as our country's leader.This is a massive moment for America.It was only a generation ago that segregation laws perpetuated racism in our nation, preventing many African Americans from attending "white" schools, eating at "white" restaurants, using "white" restrooms, etc. As one African American Bay Area resident put it in the San Francisco Chronicle earlier today, "We went from the outhouse to the Whitehouse!" I praise God for what Obama's election signifies about the redemption of race relations in the U.S. Today's a good day to read some American history from a generation or two or three ago and to be reminded of how far we've come.Yet (just to single out one of several policy issues of great concern) I'm also deeply saddened and frightened for what Obama's election is surely to mean for the most helpless and marginalized members of our society: unborn babies. The prospect of death that lies before us, the prospect of harming the helpless, makes me tremble.I wonder what this election is going to mean in the Bay Area.I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, at the bustling intersection of San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Where I live approximately 3 people voted for John McCain. At least it feels like that great of an exaggeration.Yesterday, instead of driving home from work, I decided to the run the 9 miles from our church campus to my house. My run home took me through 4 Bay Area cities: Foster City, San Mateo, Belmont, and San Carlos. I stopped counting Obama/Biden signs once I got to 300. I counted exactly 3 McCain/Palin signs. On numerous street corners I ran past crowds of sign-waving, honk-if-you're-with-us Obama supporters. I didn't run past a single McCain supporter.(Incidentally, I also ran past hundreds of "No on Prop 8" signs and supporters, but not a single "Yes on Prop 8" sign or supporter and, surprisingly, Prop 8 passed! Those votes didn't come from the Bay Area--8 of the 9 Bay Area counties voted No on 8--but from the more conservative inland cities of California. I'm so thankful Prop 8 passed).Barack is a big deal in the Bay Area. Much of what I read in today's San Francisco Chronicle sounded not so much like support and excitement, but worship. These will be an interesting next few months and next few years.I like Michael Brown's take on the election. Michael is a 52 year old African American homeless man who stopped by our church office just a few hours ago. I spent 45 minutes or so talking with Michael about his problems, about Jesus, and about Obama. Michael has mixed emotions over the election.One the one hand, Michael expressed wide-eyed amazement that an African American is headed for the Oval Office. Michael never thought he'd see this in his lifetime. On the other hand, Michael expressed skepticism over what Obama will actually deliver the American people. Michael believes many Obama supporters will be let down...the high hopes won't be met, the radical change won't take place. The worship will prove hollow. Why? Because, in Michael's words, "Jesus is wonderful," but Barack is "just a man."