Shame on Me!

"Shame on you!" I was being taken to task by a Republican friend who was angry about my post on Monday regarding the McCain-Palin rally in our area.

Her complaints were three-fold:
1: "Preachers should keep their mouths shut about politics."
2: "You heard a racist comment where there wasn't one intended."
3: "Real Christians should be more supportive of the Republican platform."

Interesting.

My replies to her complaints went something like this:
1: "I guess the first amendment right guaranteeing freedom of speech only includes certain citizens."

2: "It is certainly possible that I heard a racist comment where none was intended. I will go back back and read what he (McCain) actually said."

3: "Wow. I would encourage you to read 'Jesus for President' by Shane Claiborne, or just about anything by a guy named Jim Wallis. I assure you, there are people who are Christ followers who are not Republicans...or Democrats...or even Americans."

In addition, at some point in the conversation, I said something like, "Your first and third points seem to contradict each other. Should Christians be Republicans or stay out of politics? What about folks like Mike Huckabee?"

Her reply, and I quote: "If they're not going to support the right party then they should keep their mouths shut!"

(Again, wow!)
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After she repeated her claim that I heard a racist comment where one had not been intended, I went back to reevaluate my comments.

Here's what McCain actually said (or intended to say, according to the pre-speech manuscript; keeping in mind that sometimes what is actually written is not what is actually said):

John McCain (on Monday): "Let me give you the state of the race today. We have 22 days to go. We're 6 points down. The national media has written us off. Senator Obama is measuring the drapes, and planning with Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid to raise taxes, increase spending, take away your right to vote by secret ballot in labor elections, and concede defeat in Iraq. But they forgot to let you decide. My friends, we've got them just where we want them."

She is right, there is no racially-based comment included in his remarks. That's what he said. So maybe it's racial hypersensitivity on my part. Here's why I heard it that way:

When I consider the many comments I've heard in recent months like "I never thought I'd live to see the day that a black man was living in our white house", and then hear McCain speak of Obama "measuring the drapes", it seemed to me that he was intentionally putting that image in people's minds to stir up fear and motivate some potential voters. I could be wrong.

His point was that "everyone has written us off, but it's not over yet." What people took away from what he said could be another point altogether, and one that he didn't intend to make.

He probably did tap into some people's fears and/or prejudices with the "measuring the drapes" comment even though that was not his intent.