In The Fullness of Time

It's said that all will be revealed in the fullness of time. Right now, there is a steadily emerging picture of a young man, an African-American who is challenging as a front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, whose background is continually being scrutinized and questioned.

Much of what has been revealed seems scurrilous in nature, designed to utterly discredit him as a patriotic American. His detractors paint a picture of a scheming, under-handed man whose agenda, should he succeed in being elevated to the presidency, will do great harm to the country.

But he presents as a forthright, decent man whose integrity cannot be questioned, whose dedication to his country of birth should be obvious by his many impassioned declarations. Whose reasonable assertions about his qualifications as an American of conscience and consensus-building, anxious to repair ancient rifts between white and black America has earned him great plaudits from a large number of supporters whose soaring numbers have frightened his nearest competitor.

His elevated discourse of hope and promise for the future has endeared him to the young and the educated, women and men alike. Barack Obama has captured the imagination and the hopes of Americans. It would appear, from the sheer numbers of those who support his candidacy, that he has assumed a decided lead. Leaving his opponent in the race, the redoubtable Hillary Clinton, in his wake, but determined to battle on regardless.

People are mesmerized by this assuming man. By his auspicious presence. He presents as a vision for the future. Standing proud and straight, an emerging political colossus, with one foot firmly planted in the white world of his mother, the other in that of his black father, he has integrated himself into the black community and partaken of its traditional bitter cup of oppression. His is a healing mission.

Except, how to adequately explain his provisional lapses from moderation in submitting his person to the near and dear proximity of a cleric who vehemently preaches hate? His explanation that he listened only to the message of brotherly love inherent in the words of Christ, not the political messages emanating from that same mouth, of a "beloved uncle" has been accepted, but it rankles as too slight.

Prejudice, discriminatory declarations of suspicion and hate should be rejected by all thoughtfully well-intentioned people, no matter the locale or the audience. Barack Obama has done this, in public, before specific audiences, to claim their trust - just as he has upbraided the racism of others of his followers, publicly, to berate their lack of trust. Who is this man? Is he the sum of the parts he assembles about him, those whose speech is hateful?

Is he the man whom so much of America pines for, to help solve innumerable problems within the community at large? Is there any merit at all to the claims of individuals such as Ali Abunimah, who has written extensively on his years-long acquaintanceship with Senator Obama, and the Senator's appearance at Palestinian-affiliated events which routinely discredit Israel? That is his right, after all, to select positions.

But this is not how he has presented himself as a candidate for the highest office of the land. He has posed himself as a supporter of the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish State, free from neighbourly violence, espousing the need of a peace agreement, upholding Israel's responses to terror. He can, needless to say, hold both opinions; be in support of both positions. That is his right, after all. But clarity is required.

The vile rantings of his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, while in a sense to be understood in the light of African Americans' tragic history, has no currency in the present day; they are inflammatory, where Senator Obama's intent is to join black and white in harmony, not in battle. Senator Obama should rightly have removed himself from that particular church, and sought out instead membership in one that is inclusive of both colours. In support of his even-handed approach.

Instead, he has chosen, in the interests of gaining popularity ("street creds") among blacks, to occasionally frequent the church of another, Reverend James Meeks, whose speciality is the hate-baiting of homosexuals. Who speaks with utter derision of "the Hollywood Jews" responsible for the production of Brokeback Mountain. Again, who is this man and what, precisely, does he represent?

We are none of us one-dimensional, we all have our complex personality and character traits.
We all attempt to portray ourselves in the best possible light. And it is an especial trait of politicians to be aware of what will not go down well with a broad audience, and the manner in which they should groom themselves for broad popular appeal. Wouldn't it be just wonderful if Barack Obama really were the outstanding human being he appears, at first blush, to be?

And then, might it be possible for us to enquire of him how it is that such a well-balanced psyche as his, could tolerate the hate-filled spume of bigots, so close to his inner sanctorum.