Obviously even the election of Barack Obama cannot allow some people to let go of the past. While a lot of focus was on Obama's decision to invite Pastor Rick Warren to be a part of his inauguration, we managed to get an old timer named Joseph Lowery chosen to deliver the benediction at the end, and proceeded to get a bit of nonsense tossed in at the end of his prayer:
"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around . . . when yellow will be mellow . . . when the red man can get ahead, man . . . and when white will embrace what is right. Let all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."
Excuse me? Now, it has been brought to my attention that this came from an old song or saying from back in the days of segregation. So that makes it perfectly appropriate to say... 30, 40, 50 years ago, but NOT now. It is sad that such a comment would be made on the day an African-American becomes the President of the United States of America. I guess white people helping a black man achieve such a goal is not considered embracing what is "right". Give me a break. This stuff certainly is not beneficial when it comes to further improving race relations.
Oh wait. According to Lowery, I guess relations haven't actually improved over the last 40 years after all. Silly me.
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Yeah, that part in the prayer threw me off a little. The poem made me doze off.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I was already expecting a lot of comments pertaining to race; to the point that sometimes it was over-sensationalized.
Yes, I was not a witness of the inequality that took place half a century ago. But like I said, that happened HALF A CENTURY AGO. It's time we move on.