Was inspired by the benediction given at Barack Obama’s inauguration and thought I’d share some with everyone.
We go now to walk together, children, pledging that we won’t get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone, with your hands of power and your heart of love.
Help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid; when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back; when brown can stick around; when yellow will be mellow; when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right.
Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.
via Rev. Lowery Inauguration benediction. Transcript. – Lynn Sweet.
I am totally finishing all my public prayers with “Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen” from now on.
Cool except you didn't find the last bit to be racist? Hmmm.
In what way? I'm not a big fan of telling yellow to be mellow – is that your concern?
this is the bit he is referring to…
“Dr. Lowery also ended his speech with the controversial statement “When white will embrace what is right”, meaning that white people as of now do not embrace what is right. Racism is Racism no matter who says it.” (from wikipedia….although I doubt it will be there for much longer)
Personally, I dont know whether it is 'reverse racism' or not. I get the feeling it is a common saying, and with Lowery's track record, he probably has earnt the right to push back a bit.
have you seen this clip of him? Its a beauty!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=a3j9ltp1qM8
Thanks Mark, I wondered if that might have been it, but I still think the yellow comment is probably the most racist part. I take your point Rick though (assuming Mark's right about your opinion) – I understand why it's possible to take that as a racist slur, but I'd see it as a call on the people in power (and black president or not, white people still hold the power across the western world) to do right. And I think it's a very true sentiment that if more “whites” would “embrace what is right”, the picture in the previous paragraph becomes much more possible.
I took the “yellow to mellow” as just silliness to make a rhyme – my paradigm doesn't get bothered by that. I do that kind of thing all of the time and I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it.
Perhaps because of my own prejudice, I thought the white embracing right comment tainted the prayer. Politics aside, a high percentage of the excitement around Obama is the forward progress against racism. Personally, this is great and long overdue. Unfortunately, the expression of celebration is laced with reverse discrimination. My assumption is that an inaugural prayer is not some ad hoc sort of thing and I would have been more cautious with my words.
On a related note, I had a warm fuzzy feeling regarding Warren's prayer.