Learning Political Lessons from Moses

Discussing contemporary politics, I feel a bit like Moses felt in the Bible.  If you recall the story, when Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from God, the Israelites made and worshiped an idol.  God saw the event and told Moses to leave Him alone so that He could destroy the Israelites, but Moses pleaded with God not to kill the Israelites.  Both Moses and God agreed that Israel was an "obstinate" people, undeserving of salvation, but they spared Israel so that their enemies (i.e. Egyptians) would not use the Israelites' failures to mock God.

Anti-racists are at a similar political moment in the United States.  President Obama is not all that we had hoped.  I contend that he is severely limited by the structure of our political system (e.g. bicameral houses rather than a parliament; filibusters; winner-take-all rather than proportional representation, etc).  Whatever the causes, there is no question that he has not yet directly addressed the institutional racism confronting African Americans, which is devastating the Black community economically. 

Anti-racists, especially African Americans, are in a tough situation.  Many whites, and people touched by their media around the world, tout Obama's election as evidence of a "post-racial America."  Yet, whites continue to practice racism and racial inequality persists without redress.  We people of color are getting very little tangible benefit for all our efforts.  At the same time, politically conservative whites are pulling out every stop to guarantee Obama fails.  They want to use him as a symbol of failure.  

We are in a catch-22.  Like Moses, we must choose in the short-term between defending the life of a wayward administration or granting our enemies a potent image of our failure, an image they will certainly use for racist purposes for years to come.

We must take note of this moment.  The mid-term elections are a referendum on Obama, and the election results will determine how much power he has for the rest of his presidency.  The election is also a referendum on the anti-racist idea that people of color are as competent as whites.  As usual, whites are demanding that we meet impossibly high standards before acknowledging our competence.  No one is asking President Obama to be as effective as President Fillmore [off the top of your head, list his top 3 achievements].  He is only measured by the mythical versions of Lincoln and Roosevelt. 

Faced with Moses' political situation, we must follow his lead and defend our flawed countryman rather than surrender to racist attacks.  The anger and energy is with those diametrically opposed to our politics (i.e. arch conservatives and many Tea-party members).  But we must acknowledge the stakes and mobilize to promote our interests again this electoral cycle.  That will take planning and organization.  Start talking to your friends now.  Be sure they register and actually cast votes, including during primaries.  Like those before us, we must be shrewd and ever vigilant.