Alice Walker: An Open Letter to Barack Obama
Nov 11th, 2008 by admin
Nov. 5, 2008
Dear Brother Obama,You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done…
I would … advise you not to take on other people’s enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, “hate the sin, but love the sinner.” There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people’s spirit. This has already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led…
I love Alice Walker, and her deepending cronehood so becomes her. The rest of her wise words are here, with thanks to Lynette Dumble of the Global Sisterhood Network for the link.
Heart
Beautiful, Heart. Just beautiful. Alice Walker is a wise one indeed.
I don’t like Barack Obama at all, really, but this essay and the words of many others goes to show how high expectations of our leaders have become…and that is a good thing.
Much love,
Claire (CJ).
I’m sorry, but for all her eloquence, I don’t see Walker saying anything different from what Robin Morgan, NOW, Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda have said.
It’s just more Oprah-ization of Barack Obama.
Say what? Somehow I wonder about how Ms. Walker reads men.
I would agree with that, but Obama has promised (in the first debate) to “crush al Qaeda,” and also stated, “You don’t muddle through stamping out the Taliban.” Does Ms. Walker think, or hope, Obama did not mean what he said?
Indeed
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