Where Do You Stand?

It was on this day in 1521 that a man stood before the supreme court of his land and answered charges brought by the most powerful figures of his time. The man was an outspoken rebel in the eyes of the authorities, a well-loved hero to his followers. His friends advised him to go into hiding and avoid the unpleasantness that would surely ensue from his court appearance. He did nothing to mask his fearfulness, as reports from those watching reveal. With shaking knees and wavering voice he stood at his arraignment and said, loosely translated, "Guilty as charged."

Fast forward a few centuries. Last night another world famous leader stood before an assembly of powerful people. His directive was not to answer explicit charges, but rather to report on how successfully his agenda has been implemented and how he hoped to continue his program. There are those in this country who do bring explicit charges: deception, dissembling, arrogance and broken promises have led Democrat and Republican alike to find occasion for indictment. Unlike the man from the sixteenth century, the man on stage last night ran into hiding in plain sight behind empty rhetoric, vacuous platitudes and disingenuous distortion.

What is the connection between Martin Luther and Barak Obama, one might ask. I was struck by the stark contrast between the two approaches to public commitment of private belief. True, one is hard pressed to know exactly what Barak Obama thinks about anything. He sat in a church where black liberation theology was preached for twenty years, yet claims he holds none of the beliefs that were espoused. During his presidential campaign he decried the lack of transparency in Washington politics, yet once elected he backtracked on Internet review of all legislation, C-span broadcasted hearings, and other open door ideas. Candidate Obama said lobbyists were the bane of D.C. until he filled his advisory posts with them. He said he'd close Guantanamo, end the war, stop global warming and cure acne. (I just wrote that to see if you were paying attention.)

Unless I am totally misreading history, there was once a day when men said what they meant and meant what they said. Try to imagine what the 1776 deliberations in Philadelphia would have been like if today's typical politicians were seated in that tiny hall. Instead of Hale's philosophy that dared to say, "my only regret is that I have not more lives than one to offer in [my country's] service.," it would have been, "Let us attempt nothing here except that which will ensure bountiful payment for our service." Jefferson's pledge to sacrifice, "our lives, our fortunes, our sacred honor," sounds distant, foreign, even foolish to modern ears.

Let's all join the Marines, at least in spirit: we are looking for a few good men. If last night's performance by President Obama upset you, remember that feeling when candidates begin to knock on your door or ring your phone soliciting support ahead of the elections this November. Tell it like it is, "We're mad as hell, and we're not going to take it anymore!" Support only men, if you can find those of whom you can approve, who will say of their position, "Here I stand; God help me. Amen." Make Luther proud, even if you're not Lutheran.