reyes-chow :: FAITH

Standing and more standing in DC

As some of you have heard, Robin and I have the privilege of attending various events at the Presidential Inauguration including the swearing in ceremonies.  This has come up because of my role as Moderator so I will blog over on the other blog for most of the time about my inaug time.  Needless to say, we are very excited about it.

One "funny" as I was buying one of those winter coat thingies.

Bruce: "Excuse me ma'am, i am looking for a winter jacket.  Not too puffy, something I can wear here, but is also okay for cold weather, say 30's, a little windy."
Salesperson: "So what will you be doing: snow boarding, hiking, skiing?"
Bruce: "Um, nope.  Standing. Walking. Standing.  Lots of standing"
Salesperson: Blank stare, "Standing?"
Bruce: 'Yes, Standing."
Salesperson: "Okay"

Our plans are still being worked out, which ball shall we attend, should we even try to sleep, etc.  I suspect that my body will be "paying" for this for a while . . . but so worth it. You can see the complete Mr. Moderator Goes to Washington schedule or if you want to follow along, I will be twittering like a mad man with other folks at #inaug09, so feel free to pretend you are there with us ;-)

Musings on race in a post-race America

[image: chrisjfry]

While I have posted more specifically about race and church in Does Race Matters When Pastoring?, lately more general thoughts on race have been swirling around my head. It there have been many alerts as of late that have passed across "my desk" addressing issues of race in the church, politics and culture. Now with the election of Barack Obama this week, the shifts in the demographics of the electorate and the historic nature of an African American person being elected, race has once again taken center stage in American politics . . . at least for a night.

First a personal note . . .

When the announcement, "Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States of America" rang out, I wept, I cheered, I prayed.  Our world has changed.  OUR children's view of what is "American" will never be the same.  And not just here, but around the world.  While he is clearly not just a person of racial designation, we must not, for one moment, underestimate the symbolic nature and corresponding power of having a person of color as president.  The memories of what my grandparents went through as they struggled through injustice in this country came flooding back and a wave of gratitude swept over my spirit. From the days when my Filipino grandmother in Alabama struggled with where to sit on the bus because no one knew if she was white or black to anti-miscegenation laws repealed just decades ago that would have prohibited my White wife from marrying this Filipino man, at least a few layers of historical injustice were pealed back to reveal a reality of pure joy.  As the results were was announced I felt, if not just for a moment, a promise was fulfilled.

At some level I still cannot allow myself to REALLY believe it.

But in honor of those White, Black and Brown folks who have fought the good fight and have lived up to God's intentions for humanity, thank you.  Your sacrifices, struggles and perseverance were not and will not be in vain.

But . . . and isn't there always a "but" especially when it comes to change that seems too good to be true?  Unfortunately in this case, yes.

As we revel in the magnitude of the election, let us not be so naive as to think that we have somehow become "post-race" as a culture and world.  We still have a long way to go as a world and society before we can, at any level, claim we have "solved" racism.  Now please don't get me wrong, I am trying mightily not to give into the confining cynicism of the world.  I am only trying to be wise as I try to hold onto the compelling nature of my faith, the hope and new life that Christ offers.

I think the biggest issue/concern I have right now is the idea that this generation is somehow so past race that we no longer need institutional safeguards against systematic and institutional injustice.  I strongly believe that we would be foolish to begin to toss out the proverbial baby with proverbial bath water and now claim that we have succeeded in the defeat of racism simply because we have elected an African American president and/or all the generational assessments about race that has punctuated the political discourse.

But let me start on a positive note.  I will not only acknowledge but I wholeheartedly embrace the intent of my statement above because this idea is not totally off.   The glimpses of truth for me lie in a few observations about our this burgeoning culture that would say, yes, lets dramatically change the way we deal with issues of race.

Technology and the Flattening World - With the growing ways that we simply engage today, there is no doubt that interactions between different ethnic groups creates a greater understanding of and exposure to different cultures thus breaking down fears and misconceptions.  This can only be good.

Open Source Technology - Open Source, the idea behind Wikipedia says that over time, we will collectively determine the truth and that the community will correct and police itself along the way. I very much agree with this and see it happening all around within certain groups as we move towards some collective truth.  This is goes beyond methodology, but an understood way of being in a healthy and thriving community.

Numbers - The sheer population percentages are a changing.  Combine this reality with the ease of interactions that technology brings and all of a sudden we are all living in multi-cultural America at some point every day.  Whether or not we as individuals can actually deal with the increased pressure of cross-race interactions, they will only continue to increase.

And here is the, "yes, but" section of this post.  In a vacuum and a confined demographic we may indeed be pretty darn close to not just getting beyond race, but downright embracing the joyful complexity of race.  But we do not live in a vacuum . . . so here are my rebuttal statements . . . to myself?

There is no such thing as a cultural blank slate - Not everyone is playing the same game and has the same historical worldview as those who are redefining our cultural experience of race.  In fact, I fear that the idea that "the next generation is over race" will be used as a tool to justify ongoing or prolonged situations of institutional racism.  Sure, if the system is made of up people with this worldview about race, maybe there is some merit, but that is just NOT the case.  For the most part our cultural, religious and political institutions are still made up of and lead by those for whom institutional safeguards were originally intended to monitor and protect.

Corporate sin is real - As much as I believe in Open Source culture, I am not willing to give up my belief in the ability for a body of well-intentioned people to unintentionally oppress those with less power or who live on the margins of society.  While I believe that God has great intentions for us and that we will most often choose a path of grace, I think evil and human brokenness are just too strong to simply think we can or will be able to ever fully be corporately self-regulating.

We are solely defined by race - Not that we were ever REALLY able to be defined by one thing, I think it is safe to say that issues of class, economics, gender, sexual orientation, geography, age, etc. now muddy up the pursuit of racial reconciliation.  Now that there is simply a greater number of ethnic groups located in a growing complexity of lifestyles and situations one's race is no longer the sole determining factor of one's reality in the world.  While we may indeed be getting closer on issues of race, to lay upon that one descriptor, the determination of the presence or absence of institutional injustice is far too simplistic.

Okay so now what?  Oh that's simple ;-)

1. Admit that issue of race today is far more complex than, "this generation is post-race so let's get rid of all civil rights inspired mechanisms of protection."
2. Admit that while we are experiencing race differently today, institutional racism still exists, albeit in different and more nuanced ways.
3. Admit that some of the structures that have been built up over the years in order to protect may have outlived their time of effectiveness.
4. Embrace the opportunity and challenge to talk about and deal with issues of race in new ways, with new vernacular and new institutional approaches.
5. Listen to the next generation telling us that there is indeed a new day.
6. Live in hope.

See wasn't that easy ;-)

Lastly, I end with one a clip that I have commented on before, but is easily one of the greatest speeches I have ever heard and one that makes me believe that our nation is ready to approach issues of race differently.  This was then candidate Barack Obama's speech on race given in the midst of the controversy about his relationship with Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright.

"Irregular Voting Patterns"

So today I woke up as excited as a little kid on Christmas morn as I got ready to beat the crowd and head down to my polling place.  Sure, I should be excited every time I get to exercise my right to vote, but REALLY, this year is special.

When I got to the polls about 10 minutes early I was disappointment to see that I would not be first. Apparently even standing in line is come kind of competition for this Eldest child.  Still after being asked to take off my billboard/t-shirt with a certain prez ticket and a few propositions proudly displayed, I began talking with some of my new found neighborhood friends.  All of us in line were trying to beat the rush and were very excited that The Sunnyside Neighborhood was representing well!  In fact, about that time, up pulled a Chronicle photographer to snap some photos of us waiting in line, me twittering and the general good nature of the experience [see SFGate image]

Out walks a poll worker, "The polls are now open."

Applause and a couple of "whoop whoops" are heard.

I go through ID checking and get my ballots.  I pull out my index card and walk into my booth.  As I turned over the first ballot, I found myself at a loss.  I felt moved by something and said a quick prayer, not only for our country and the hopes that we vote well, but I found myself a little weepy thinking about my daughters future.  Today, regardless of what you may believe politically, either way, history would be made and in some small way, when we tell our children, "You can be president" if you want, there is truth behind that statement.  Many have thought that a woman would never make it this far.  Many thought an African American would never have a chance.  Well today, that all changes. And has been changing.  Sarah, Hilary and Barack - yep, on a first name basis I am - have forever changed the way we look at the possibilities for the future of our children and that fact has not been missed by my daughters.

It is a new day.

Anyway . . . so after I voted, I ended up being the first to complete my ballots so was able to see that voting machine change from 000 to 001.  A "click" was heard behind me and said photographer caught the moment.  With a line of people inexplicably captivated by the process, on the entry of my third sheet, there was a beep and a paper shot out that said "Irregular Voting Pattern."  There was an audible gasp from the workers and the people in line.  If you think folks are not on edge about the importance of this election, guess again.  I half expected them to say, "Sir, sorry, no postmodern worldview voting patterns allowed, party line or no line.  Please come back when you have figured out if you are a Green, Libertarian, Democrat or Republican."  They soon figured it out and it was NOT because of my postmodern worldview and rejection of old school polemics, but because our funky voting rules for SF Supervisor.  Apparently I can't vote for the same person three times in our "ranked voting" procedure.

In any case, the buzz in person, on FB and in twitter land has been pretty amazing today.  This is momentous and I am going to fully embrace the day, the passions and the excitement.

Tomorrow I'll reflect on the results.

Today is for simply embracing a movement.

Stickerheads in 2012

I do this every year . . . now it looks like there is a movement.  Well, at least my cousin shares the "you are a dork" gene.  Love ya Trina!  Laugh all you want, stranger movements have found traction ;-)

And just to prove that anyone can get a little PR, apparently if you just show up at the polls a little early, you can get some press time.  Go Stickers Heads!

[Original image w/description]

PBS Kids Go rawks the vote as well

I voted this AM and will post my reflections in a bit. But before I did that, I wanted to share this cool little tidbit. This week, Eldest was REALLY upset that she could not vote in this year's election.  Last night she sat with us and watched political pundits jabber on about the election.  And in case you are wondering, we have a real live honest-to-God, postmodern, Gen Y, Millennial living in our home, so only does she want to be part of the system, but she thinks her particaption will make a difference.  Go figure.

Never fear, she along with her sisters will get to vote today via PBS Kids Go.  Very sweet.  So if your kids want to vote send them to pbskids.org/go and click on the "Zoom" section where there are many of electoral activities to be done.

Too bad if you disagree with those darn kidz

There as a really good article published this last week in the SF Gate, "Millenial Generation" set to rock the vote, where a case was made that largest generation in American History is driving the presidential election and will drive the future of our political culture.

Unlike their Boomer parents - those millions of 50- and 60-something activists born of protest and conflict who accept politics as a blood sport - the younger generation has come of age in an era of burgeoning new technologies providing tangible evidence of the promise of change.

"Unlike the conservative Gen-Xers who preceded them, or the harshly divided Baby Boomer Generation, the Millennials are united across gender and race in their desire to find win-win solutions to America's problems," Winograd and Hais write.

I was talking with my someone about this and they were saying that they just didn't agree with the generation's worldview - okay he didn't use the word, "worldview," but that's what he meant - so he just didn't think that was the way things should go.

I responded that the article was not saying that this was a choice.  The article was saying that it does not matter if we agree with it or not.  It is happening. This generations is driving the future of our society and that we now have to figure out how to respond, engage and embrace the new day.  Part of that process will certainly need to include discerning where we should be counter-cultural, but for the most part, we need to develop a way adapt.

Good times.

Follow-up to Center on Asian American Ministry lunch

Much love and thanks to Virstan Choy for inviting me to be part of a series of lunches hosted by the Center for Asian American Ministry at McCormick Theological Semianry.  It was quite fun as talking with seminary students always is.  With enough Indian food to feed a small army, we settled in for some good discussion.  Thanks folks for hanging out a bit and talking about ministry and call.

I was basically asked to reflect on the my calling/experience of being a racial ethic person that has pastored churches that are not traditionally racial ethnic in it's roots, self-awareness or reality.

Here is a little recap along with some parts that we just never quite got to.

Questions to ponder as you approach the possibilities of pastoring a congregation that is of a different racial ethnic reality:

Who are you? // Claim and be comfortable in your own skin and context: ethnicity, gender, theology, class, etc. AND be able to articulate that reality to those around you in ways that are real.

Who are they? // If not, racial ethnic, know what the homogenizing culture is of the community AND have a nuanced understanding of the positive and negative realities of the common culture.

Who are we? // Understand the  complex implications, obstacles and possibilities, that your particular cultural context brings to the community your serve.

Out of those questions, if you can't do this, well . . .

• Assume the best of people and move away from initial responses of suspicion.
• Make no assumptions about people's experience with issues of cultural diversity and race.
• Articulate issues of race in ways that are best heard rather than using old-school vernacular and making over arching generalizations about people's experiences of race.
• While challenging issues of individual and institutional racism be able to humbly understand and have compassion for the experiences of the majority.

Resources

• Blog Post: Does Race Matter When Pastoring?
• Blog Post: Characteristics of a Postmodern Pastor
• Book on knowing your past: America Is in the Heart: A Personal History by Carlos Bulosan
• Book on generationsl shifts: Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence by Keli Goff.
• Book on the-post-something: A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McClaren
• Listen to a song that gets the racial debate: Everyone's a Little Bit Racist from the Broadway Musical Avenue Q.

Watch: Barack Obama's Historic Speech on Race.

the promise of our ideals . . .

I just listened to the speech on race delivered today by Barack Obama.  As I listened to his words, I could only think about Esther and her calling, for such a time as this.  The time, the person, the context, the words.  All seemed to come together today.  This speech was in all aspects, moving and will sit with me for quite a while.  I was particularly moved by his appreciation for the struggle, past and present when he talked of the movement towards a more just America.

And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States. What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part – through protests and struggle, on the streets and in the courts, through a civil war and civil disobedience and always at great risk - to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time.

The thing that moved me the most was that he was able to deal straight up with the complexities of race.  He captured the complexities of the realities of race, while speaking with a directness that, I suspect, will speak to people across the many lines of our society.   I have never heard a politician speak so much to my experience and understandings of such an overwhelming reality. 

You can read the entire transcript [here] or watch it in it's entirety [here].  It will be the best 37 minutes of your day.

[image: Alex Brandon/AP]

Whew!

[h/t: Brian]

I have taken these Presidential quizzes before and much to my chagrin, I have often been a big Ron Paul supporter.  Hmmmmmm . . . 

In any case, I of course, like the Change.org version because of the results ;-)

246-4

At my daughters' school they take a mock vote at every election.  This year Eldest is at the upper campus, grades 5-8.  Roughly 250 students.  This year's results were as follows.

Barack Obama = 86%
Hilary Clinton = 13%
Any Republican = 1%

That means than between McCain, Romney and Huckabee they received approximately 4 out of 250 votes. Yes, we may live in a bubble, but it is our bubble.