Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. The religious holiday took on new meaning this year after Barack Obama rejuvenated his presidential campaign with a speech on March 18 that focused on the state of race relations in the United States.
Part history lesson and part life story, Obama's call for racial reconciliation struck a chord with millions of people because it was genuine. He turned what started out as a controversy over inflammatory sermons delivered by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, into an opportunity to address the impact of racism as well as the influence of religion. Not only that, but in the course of 37 minutes, he showed that everyone has a vested interest in facing these complex issues.
It's hypocritical for commentators, whether they support fellow presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton or John McCain, to try to hold Obama accountable for words he didn't speak. If they're going to travel down the slippery slope of guilt by association, Clinton should distance herself from Bill Clinton, who's been more of a liability than an asset to her bid for the White House ... and McCain should sever ties with Rod Parsley, who called for the destruction of Islam in his book, Silent No More.
Given everything at stake in this election, the public can't afford to let partisan politics distract them from demanding solutions to pressing matters like improving the economy or ending the war in Iraq. Obama is a breath of fresh air on the political scene because he's the antithesis of business as usual. While he's not without his shortcomings, his willingness to engage the masses in the electoral process and think outside the box to resolve major crises is inspiring. Such qualities are why he'll likely be the last person standing on Election Day -- just like Jesus Christ rose above his followers on that fateful Sunday many centuries ago.
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