The most presidential lorem ipsum in history.
It seems to me that each day, thousands of Americans are going about their lives - dropping the kids off at school, driving to work, shopping at the mall, trying to stay on their diets, trying to kick a cigarette habit - and they're coming to the realization that something is missing. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. We also know that military power alone is not going to solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a slight change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. And right here in the UCC, we're hearing from God about what it means to be a welcoming church that holds on to our Christian witness. It's an idea that's often forgotten or dismissed in cynical times. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.
I wanted to be part of something larger. But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races. King's birthday at his home church, Ebenezer Baptist, in Atlanta. So I've got news for you, John McCain. We also know that military power alone is not going to solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
It's a war I'm proud I opposed from the start - a war that should never have been authorized and never been waged. But this much is clear: governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure.
Religious leaders like my friends Rev. Jim Wallis and Rabbi David Saperstein and Nathan Diament are working for justice and fighting for change. Given my background, my politics, and my professed values and ideals, there will no doubt be those for whom my statements of condemnation are not enough. But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Iraq's sovereignty is its own.
Thank you, and God bless America.