Most of us who support Barack Obama recognize that race is an issue in this election. The campaign can't address it without being taggd with playing the race card and it's a delicate issue to address as a supporter. As a canvasser, the issue comes up a lot. Sometimes people are outwardly and blatantly racist. I don't think there is any way to reach someone consumed with that kind of blind hate, so I typically document their response and move on. But a voters struggle with race is not always expressed in an outwardly racist or angry tone, but as a question or as an expression of some kind of internal conflict. People may say "I like his ideas, but I just can't see a black man as our President" or "I don't think a black person can make the change he's talking about" or "I just can't see myself voting for a black person". I truly believe that the people who make these types of comments should not be written off as racist people who will never vote for Obama. But I've struggled with a way to reach them.
So yesterday I'm watching Roland Martin on CNN and he has on a few members of the religious community. One of the members of the panel had a few insightful things to say and she referenced the story of the Good Samaritan. So I started to do a little research. For those of you who don't know this story from the Bible, here it is:
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: (the parable starts here) "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
The story of The Good Samaritan among those of us who know it on the surface has basically come to mean "Be good to your neighbor". But there is more meaning to that story when you look at the audience that Jesus was addressing and the historical context. During this time, the Samaritans were a disliked group in this society. They were looked down on and rejected. In the story, the man that was robbed and laying on the side of the road was ignored by those that would be perceived as expected to help him. But it was the Samaritan who offered the help and the man accepted it from him. The story teaches us that being a good neighbor is about different groups looking out for each other and taking care of each other.
Think about it - George Bush, Dick Cheney, and John McCain are expected to represent the white, working class voter simply because they are white males. But when it comes to their record on helping that demographic, they have done nothing. In fact, they have ignored the suffering of this demographic, much like the passers by in The Good Samaritan. Barack Obama is offering his help to the white, working class voter and it's time for them to accept this help from their true neighbor.
I'm not sure how this discussion will work, but I may try it out when I'm canvassing next week. I live in a pretty church going community and I think it will make people think. There are practical lessons in the Bible that apply to the economy, politics, and our communities. When we think about this in the "What Would Jesus Do" frame, we can never presume to guess who Jesus would vote for, but we do get some insight into which candidate he'd think is the best neighbor.