Wednesday, February 27, 2008

My first time

Well, this is my first time to blog. I called it "from my armchair" well frankly, that is where I am writing from. I also called it that because I am sitting from the sidelines looking in. I am just a white guy from the Midwest offering my thoughts on life, politics, sports and whatever else crosses my line of sight.

Today, I wanted to talk about a conversation I had earlier today with my boss. We are all of the time talking about politics. My boss fancies herself a liberal (though I think she is more of a centrist on some issues than she will admit) and I find myself on the other side of the aisle (though I would say that I am not too far to the right). What I really like when we talk, is that we are still friends despite our differences. We have candid, intellectual conversations and I really feel that I learn something when I walk away from the conversation.

Today we talked about race and the campaigns for the presidency. I had said to my boss that I was really impressed how Obama hasn't seemed to bring his race up while on the campaign trail. Then my boss brought up that if he had he would be branded as playing the race card. That kind of made some sense to me. I mean, those on the far right seem to be looking for something to grab hold and run with. Don't get me wrong, I think a lot of what the pundits on the right say makes sense to me, but sometimes it feels like those on the far reaches of either side are out for blood and would latch on to anything that they can run with and blow it out of proportion.

We started to talk about his church, the United Church of Christ in Chicago and their commitment to the "Black Values System." I had asked my boss that if Barack should have to answer the question of what that means. My boss felt like he shouldn't have to answer that. I said that I thought he did simply because I as a white person don't understand what the "black values system" is. I am not saying that it is wrong or any different from my own for that matter, but I don't understand what it is. My boss, who is black, said from her side, there isn't much difference than the values that you hold as a law-abiding, decent human being. The system is built, though, from experiences that I can't really understand. I really understood that. I am not a black person and I can't begin to know the experiences of someone of another race.

As we continued to talk, I told my boss that I fell that idea of diversity is more that tolerance. How am I to understand what built those values unless I am told. I as a white person cannot figure that out on my own. That is why I feel like that if Barack uses those principles to guide his life and decisions that I need to, as an informed voter, understand what a "black values system" means. Again, it may be nothing different that someone saying, "my Midwestern values," but I don't expect someone from Oregon to necessarily understand what that means even though they may not be different than "northwestern values."

I know many of the Democratic candidates don't generally build their platform from their religion. Many if not all state they are Christian but beyond that they really don't beyond that. Just the opposite on the Republican side. But I say that if you say that you are a Christian then the values and principles that guide you to be a Christian must have an impact in your decision-making process and if you prescribe to a "black values system" as stated by the church of which you attend that should be explained. Even if it is no different that the majority of people's value system. My thought is if it is the same, than call it the same, if you separate your values system from that of let's say a Christian values system then please explain it to me. If there is no difference than tell me so. It makes sense to me the "black values system" of the church is developed from experiences that I can't understand, but again how can I be someone who understands what you have gone through when you don't talk to me about it.

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