Desmond Tutu: God Is Waiting To Hear 'Yes We Can'

In a speech that was both impassioned and humorous, Archbishop Desmond Tutu heralded the upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama as a moment nearly mythical in its importance.

"Is this for real? Is tomorrow for real?" Tutu asked the gathered crowd at the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington D.C. "No, no, no, no, no, no... It can't be true. A black man will be inaugurated tomorrow ... A black man, President of the United States, in the White House."

At the color contrast, the crowd thundered.

"Oh God, God, you are so good," Tutu went on. "God, how many tears have we cried. God, how much pain have we endured. How many of our people have died? Oh, God thank you, thank you god. Thank you for this... awesome miracle."

A hero of the anti-apartheid movement and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Tutu's remarks came during a ceremony honoring the career of Martin Luther King Jr. He was preceded on stage by a host of officials, including several members of the Congressional Black Caucus. While much of the discussion from the pew found its way towards the upcoming inauguration, Tutu brought the roughly two-hour program to its emotional apex.

He framed the current climate in the United States as similar to what he and others experienced when they cast off the shackles of South African apartheid in 1994. Obama's win, he declared, was a victory not just for America's moral compass but for people of color throughout the world.

"We are walking with a new spirit in our step. Our shoulders are straighter," he said in a soft-spoken voice dripping with emotion and expression. "And now, people of color know: we are not God's step-children... the sky is the limit even for us. And we can reach for the stars. Yes we can!"

And he did not shy away from bringing politics to the forefront of what was ostensibly a religious affair.

"The world has been waiting for an America that says no to torture," he said, referencing the facilities at Guantanamo Bay. "The world is waiting for an America that says yes we will ratify the Rome Statute. Yes we will accept an International Criminal Court. Of course we want all titans and dictators to know there is no impunity, there is nowhere for you to hide when you have committed violations of human rights ... We will not spend obscene amounts on what we call a defense budget when a small fraction would ensure that children everywhere will have clean water to drink ... We want to thank all of you Americans for filling us with a new hope that yes, our earth can be hospitable."

Tutu went on to address the cause on which he has been considered most controversial. Saying that God must be crying over the bloodshed in Gaza, he added that Hamas, too, should be condemned for the launching of rockets into Israel and the unnecessary civilian deaths. On this ground, he and Obama seem to be on the same page -- at least rhetorically.

But Tutu's focus was not to make political arguments for the president-elect, but rather to celebrate the achievement of his election. Borrowing heavily from Obama's themes, he compelled the congregants to appreciate the spirituality of the '08 election.

"America you are a beautiful, wonderful land. You have become a picture of hope for so many," he said. "God is waiting to hear us say, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can."

Comments

[johnnyjust]

God is working no matter who is in office.

[Patricia84]

Normally, I'd push for the separation of church and state but this time, I'll give Archbishop Tutu a pass;]