Editor's Note: Mike Smith reported for our Off the Bus feature. Recently, Bishop Desmond Tutu was a featured speaker in Washington, DC and shared his joy at the reality of a Black President coming to office in January, 2009.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, international peace activist, and Nobel Peace Laureate, referred to the recent presidential election of Barack Obama as a "Mandela Moment" at an American Program Bureau event held at the Grand Hyatt this month.
Archbishop Tutu was appointed by President Nelson Mandela as the Chairman of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1995 and has been internationally celebrated for his role ending apartheid in South Africa. He called the Obama win "a new era" for all Americans and echoed the words of Martin Luther King saying Barack Obama has brought a message of hope for a more "gentle, compassionate, [and] caring world".
Archbishop Tutu hailed American voters for "giving hope not just for yourselves, but for the world," comparing Barack Obama to pioneers like Baseball Great Jackie Robinson, Musician Fats Waller, and Actress Lena Horne. They are the same African American icons that led him to challenge racial limitations imposed upon him as a child in South Africa.
Archbishop Tutu referred to the Obama win as an "example" to set for the rest of the world, where billions of people are being persecuted for their race, ethnicity, or religious beliefs. He also cited Obama's visit to Berlin, where the presidential candidate was met with approximately 200,000 Germans, as indicative of President-Elect Obama's potential to unite all countries with messages of change, hope, and prosperity.
"Did you know you are wonderful people?" Archbishop Tutu asked the APB audience, encouraging them to applaud for the Obama victory. He went on to acknowledge the American people's vote for change despite current fears and conflict. The bishop noted that it is easier to accept an appalling situation than to incite real change in government.He then added, "you are a crazy bunch, I must say!" Pointing up the sometimes contradictory issues surround race in the U.S. -- his praise of the recent presidential election was tempered by his observation that less than a decade ago, many Americans were still reacting negatively towards all black Americans, particularly those in power.
Archbishop Tutu made close ties between Barack Obama and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., saying that Martin Luther King's "dream has come true" with the election of the first Black President of the United States, and that while the American people "take many things for granted", he praised their ability to demand change from their political leaders.Archbishop Tutu spoke on behalf of the American Program Bureau, a 44-year-old lecture organization founded by Robert Walker that represents political, social, and academic speakers. Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been the recipient of the Martin Luther King peace prize, the Ghandi peace prize, and over 140 honorary degrees from universities around the world.
Ashley Houghton Contributed to this StoryPhotos Courtesy of Al Rickard for Association Vision in Washington, DCPhoto Caption:Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Laureate, pictured