Obama won. I have prayed for him and will continue to do so.
When I awoke this morning, I had someone ask me about the election, specifically the fact that few of the 50 largest cities voted for McCain. After I shared my response to my friend, I thought I would just post it for the world to see this morning (though I have revised it a tad).
I think there was a primary factor expressed in a variety of ways. Now I admit I haven’t examined the exit polling, just my thoughts on what I have seen and heard over the past year or so.
I don’t believe this was a vote on ideology; in fact, the extreme liberal-voting Obama moved right during the general election. This was an emotion-based election. It was displayed in the following ways:
The Chains are Gone
First, I think part of it is the emotional compulsion of the African-American vote. I think it was an embracing of a messiah-figure. Obama was Moses and they believe that this is their exodus. I saw (or maybe heard) video of an African-American lady who believed that she will never have to pay for gas again if Obama became president. Centuries of repression – whether real or perceived – were released in this vote. It may be this is the opportunity for race relations in our country to totally heal en masse, though not en total – it will always exist.
I think even outside the African-American vote, this was a messiah-istic election for many who have felt repressed, again, whether that repression is perceived or real.
I also think that this was a referendum against George Bush. There was great anger towards him. I think had Bush been a true conservative, in the likeness of Reagan, instead of a pseudo-conservative who attempted to placate the democrats to win their support, this would have been a different election.
I think Europe loves Obama because they perceive he will move the country more socialist. The Europeans finally believe they will have someone that will make us like them, thus ending (in their minds) the domination of the US in a variety of areas. Again, an expression of emotional repression.
I think for the democrats, this was emotional in that they felt a right to be in power and would do anything to get it back. I think there is an unhealthy fear within the liberal expression of our democracy. They want to bring back the fairness doctrine not because they want fairness in the media, but because of the loss they have felt since the 1990′s. Again, this is an emotional issue, not a fairness issue.
I think the polarization of the country was brought to full display in this vote. People are so emotionally unhealthy that civility and integrity are gone (and has been for a few years). Our country is looking for meaning and wholeness, but they are trying to achieve it through destructive behaviors.
Finally, I think this was a guy who could really communicated in a way that moved the emotions. While there was little substance with his style (in general) he was soooo much better than McCain in communicating that he influenced the influencers. Communication theory has taught us that commercials are not the major factor in an election. They actually just influence the opinion-leaders. It’s the opinion-leaders who are the influencers.
Syndrome, from The Incredibles
I’ll close with a thought from the movie The Incredibles – yeah that cartoon a couple of years ago. At the movie’s conclusion, Syndrome applauds what Dash had bemoaned in the movie’s opening — his master plan to kill all the superheroes and stage a false save-the-world story for himself ends with him selling his inventions to the general public. At this point, he says, “Everyone will be special, and then no one is.”
The danger of fairness is that it destroys uniqueness, both individually and corporately. Who wants to be average? Well if you have felt repressed for years, average is better than where you feel you are. The issues will come when those who become average want to become better than average, and what they will do to achieve it.
In addition, Christians have to recognize the reality that fairness is not part of God’s plan. Wholeness and Uniqueness are. Unless we are able to live out our uniqueness, our identity in Christi will be repressed and we will not be able to discover who we are in Christ. Even in heaven, we will not all be the same. We will be who we were created to be.
Just my thoughts…
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Tags: Politics
I agree David. I’m not happy with Bush. The Republicans need to go back to being true Conservatives.
Well said.
First, love the Syndrome quote, because I have heard that movie millions of times driving my van with kids in the back and thought it summed up many of the problems with politically correct and liberal people.
I had much hope when Bush was elected, but became quickly disappointed with many of his policies.
One of the things that is amazing to me from the election is that in one exit poll I heard 34% of people who voted for Obama identified themselves as conservative. That is an indictment on Bush’s Presidency and McCain’s looking a lot like Bush.
My prayer is that Republicans will not think they need more towards the Democrats but that they to make clearer the distinctions that should exist.
[...] My reaction to the 2008 Election Posted on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 in Feature Articles – Views: (144) Obama won. I have prayed for him and will continue to do so.When I awoke this morning, I had someone ask me about the election, specifically the fact that few of the 50 largest cities voted for McCain. After I shared my response to my friend, I thought I would just post it for the world to see this morning (though I have revised it a tad). [...]