Obama Ipsum

Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. America, now is not the time for small plans. And yet Al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale.

Those stories - of survival, and freedom, and hope - became our story, my story; the blood that had spilled was our blood, the tears our tears; until this black church, on this bright day, seemed once more a vessel carrying the story of a people into future generations and into a larger world. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. But we have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world we seek - a world where extremists no longer threaten our people, and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own, and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes; a world where governments serve their citizens, and the rights of all God's children are respected.

For some, nagging questions remain. He does not say that he was there because of Barack Obama. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can.

The profound mistake of Reverend Wright's sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.

That has been my experience at Trinity. But what we know - what we have seen - is that America can change. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. We are the party of Roosevelt. Six million Jews were killed - more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. The Holy Bible tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Thank you, and God bless America.