Dear President Elect Obama,
Last night, I wept, danced, shouted with joy as I felt the yoke of shame lightened which I have carried all of my life as an American, knowing of the injustice, apartheid, violence and genocide to which people of color have been subjected by white people since the very founding of this nation. Millions of tireless steps have been taken by countless African Americans, both famous and unnamed, leading up to this moment in history when our country would at long last relinquish the whip-hand of prejudice and embrace the diversity that is the true foundation of our greatness as a united people.

I will never forget the pure joy I felt last night.

This is a time for celebration. But, it is also a time of utter seriousness. If I could speak to you in person, as a friend, this is the video I would show to you. I would like to sit down with you and we could watch this video together, and then, as Christians, we would agree with Dr. King that we must stand together for justice - not oppression, for the poor - not the exploitative forces in the world - for peace and not war.

When you enter the White House, you will be surrounded by the history of war, and even the players in the wars of the past decades. You will be working in an atmosphere of executives who believe that war on the innocent is the solution to economic hardships at home, that war is the solution to acquiring treasure, that war is the solution to cultural and political differences.

As people of faith, we cannot allow ourselves to be corrupted by this atmosphere. We cannot justify the deaths of innocent peoples because we need oil, need subservience, need to stand at the top.

I believe in your hope. I believe you are sincere in your wish for real change. I believe the change we need is a break, once and for all, with the politics of violence and fear that have so unjustly ended the lives of incalculable numbers of God’s children over the sorrowful course of history.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. At long last, we have said no to prejudice, to hatred and the history of violence in our own country. Now is your chance to teach America to say no to these evils everywhere.

I’m praying for you and your family.
Mim

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