Black Pastor Receives Death Threats for Supporting Romney-Ryan

I’m a white male.  I live in a red state.  I’m a Catholic.

I’m an American.

No part of any of that allows me to understand stories like this.

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Three thoughts:

1) I’ve said here a number of times during this election season that I worry how this election will impact race relations in this country.  I’m deeply concerned that a rejection of President Obama’s political agenda will be viewed by some as a rejection of Barack Obama, the man.  The former, rather than the latter, opens the debate up to a level of scrutiny that is neither productive nor fundamentally American.

Our collective history has led our nation to a two-party system.  That same history has seen both parties share power over time with one being replaced by the other as socioeconomic conditions and values have changed over time.  When one party is “thrown out” it has been viewed for the most part in one of three ways: as a rejection of a party’s platform; as a rejection of the person because of personal shortcomings; or as an electorate simply looking to move in another direction (the obligatory “change” election).

While I disagree fundamentally across the board with President Obama, I do not see this election as a referendum on Barack Obama, the man.  I see it as a referendum on his record and his administration’s inability to solve the great problems of our day.  And while I do not and can not speak for every Romney supporter out there, I wholeheartedly believe that the vast majority of them share my motivations.  Barack Obama is by all accounts a fine father and husband.  He’s an intelligent man.  He’s a passionate politician.  He’s just been a failure as president.

2) The fact that any block of the American public could potentially vote almost exclusively for one party or one person dumbfounds me.  The fact that anyone would chastise an individual – much less a pastor – for taking his own path seems decidedly un-American on more than one level.  What bond trumps that which exists between a man and his Faith?  Or a man and his country?

3) In 2012, is race really a 95% issue?  What does that say about how far we’ve come?