From JMU With Zeal

I waited through a full day, questioning the worthiness of showing up hours after thousands of other students had already lined up, not wanting to withstand the freezing weather (we had snow in Harrisonburg, VA today). Not to mention the fear of feeling like an outcast. As time passed the historical significance of this event helped me face that fear. I decided at 3:09 PM, during a phonecall with my Grandma, that it would be a mistake to pass up this opportunity.

I walked to JMU's Convocation Center hoping to catch a sneak preview of the man who may very well be announced our President-elect in the early morning hours next Wednesday. Senator Barack Obama came to my very own James Madison University today to give the first of two speeches in Virginia one week prior to election day next Tuesday. I mean it when I say that, as a history major, there is something incredible and special about this man. This kind of person does not come around often. Someone with his charisma, his fresh ideas, and his always-repeated desire for change, change, change. I went to listen to Senator Obama give his stump speech. Although these speeches are given daily (and I have heard it countless times on CNN), the exciting thing was that this time I was a part of it. I get to say I was there. I heard him in person - although I was outside of the Convocation Center listening on speakers. Did I get to see him? Yes I did. He gave a 10-minute meet and greet outside where I saw him up close - like 20 feet away - before he went indoors for the main event. So much of what he said I aligned myself with. As Catholics, it is our job to help the less fortunate, create opportunities for others to reach their full potential, and make sure we give our children the educations they deserve. It was awesome to hear a candidate talk about these things. It got me excited to hear that the corporate thieves and corrupt leaders are being found and hopefully being punished, but at the very least are going away. It was inspiring to hear how much we can do to help those in need. And these are ideals that, as human beings, we cannot overlook.

After the dust settled, the crowd dispersed, and Senator Obama got in his Chevy Suburban and left, I was still excited because I just witnessed history. I thought to myself "Sweet, I was part of this." Moments later I found myself on a familiar 15 minute walk back to my apartment. This time gave me a chance to think about my perspective of the event without being influenced by the group I was surrounded by just a few minutes before - people who, for my entire life, I thought I could never see eye-to-eye with. Little did I know how much we have in common. I soul-searched about what this man stands for and the inspiration he could provide for this country. He stands for much good and offers promise. But it is what he does not stand for that left my hands at my side while others clapped during his speech. I stood silently with my hands in my pockets for warmth, listened, and watched those around me. I took it in, forgetting that I was probably the only person thinking about it. While the few hundred outside around me cheered at the Obama platform, I wondered why I had difficulty supporting him; a large part of me wants to. I like Barack Obama. But while I can indeed say that, I know why I had that feeling: It is the atrocity of abortion. The silent holocaust that gets pushed back on political agendas, while at the same time becoming a non-issue for many Americans. Face it, as a country, and sometimes even as Catholics, we do not like to think about abortion.

Barack Obama calls abortion a "moral issue" because its truth creates a slipperiness on the campaign trail that no pro-choice politician wants to face head-on. We who seek to protect the unborn need to look right now at how we are trying to influence the issue and cause awareness. If we can learn one thing from the Obama campaign, it is that we must be smart about presenting change to America. Ending abortion in this country is not going to be a flip-of-the-switch event. Unfortunately, I don't see it even becoming a true primary election topic for quite some time - I surely hope I'm wrong. As a country we seem to not care, and many believe that this is an issue nobody can change their mind on. Just like integration, women's rights, other all-encompassing equal rights, and past hot-button issues, great change is a slow process that is created by small changes. Once we implement these smalls changes, the ability to influence the masses becomes systematic, for lack of a better word. When I come across a moral issue, or one I cannot easily see the right answer in, I pray, and I often recall a certain quote from John F. Kennedy. While filling out my absentee ballot for the 2008 elections, I had to look, think, and pray for quite some time. When I realized the angel Gabriel wasn't going to show up, put my pencil to the ballot, and make a decision for me, I thought about that JFK quote and how it could be applied to my personal struggle. While facing drastic options during the Cuban Missile Crisis with Russia, JFK strove to make what he felt was the right decision while his cabinet members argued across the table for aggressive action. He reflected on this, debated with himself, and finally said to his brother, "You know, there's something immoral about abandoning your own judgment."

God Bless those who took the time to read this. It is our religious and patriotic duty to pray that America gets the leadership it deserves, the changes it needs, and that all life becomes sacred and defended one day.