This year’s presidential election has been coined the most influential. The campaigns between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump was by far one of the most divisive, hateful and ugliest campaigns. I thought the race between Obama and Mitt Romney was bad, but this race revealed just how much work we as Americans have left to do.
From the very beginning I was conflicted about which candidate would get my vote. During Obama’s first presidential run I was a big Hillary fan. In large part, my fondness for her was really attributed to my love for Bill Clinton. As we (black people) like to say, Bill Clinton was “our” first black president. I think we crowned Clinton the first black president because none of us actually believed we would ever have a real black president. But just before the democratic primaries ended, I chose to support Obama.
During Obama’s first four years, I, like many African Americans, were living in a euphoria. We now had a real live example we could point to when we encouraged our little black children, nieces, nephews and loved ones that they could be anything, including the President of the United States of America. While I was enjoying the “high” of our first black president, I became grieved by many of Obama’s policies. Specifically, the policies that conflicted with my Christian beliefs.
Even though I was a Christian when I voted for Obama the first time, God really began to deal with my heart about various political issues that I had previously taken a neutral stance on. I’ve always been a believer that the doctrine of separation of church and state should be respected. I also believe we (the church) should avoid trying to legislate righteousness, as this notion seems to be at odds with the idea of free will. Nonetheless, while we (the church) may not be called to legislate righteousness we are called to stand for righteousness and those without a voice. So what does this look like?
If you recall the story of Daniel. A decree was made by the king that anyone caught praying to a god other than the King, he/she would be thrown into the den of lions.[1] Daniel was fully aware of the decree, yet he continued to pray to God, defying the order. Daniel was thrown in the den, but God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lion and he was unharmed. Because Daniel stood for righteousness, God was glorified in the land.
Is it possible to stand for righteousness while also casting a vote for a leader that promotes that which is the opposite of the heart of God? That was a question I had to answer for myself in this election. In answering that question, it became obvious to me that I could not vote for Hillary or Trump. Why? Well, first, I believe that we (the church) must stand for life and cannot be neutral on the issue of abortion. (I also agree with several other conservative issues, but this was a major one for me.) Second, as a minority black woman I could not align myself with a candidate that openly spewed words of bigotry, racism, sexism and other kinds of “ism.”
1. The voice of the unborn
One of the issues that I believe has greatly grieved the heart of God is America’s stance on abortion. The landmark decisions of Roe v. Wade, and later Planned Parenthood vs. Casey, have been so broadly interpreted that thousands of babies, fully capable of surviving outside the womb, have been aborted.[2] Before I continue, let me say this. I do not advocate for a strict “no abortion” rule. I do believe there may be narrow, medical circumstances where an abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother. Second, I believe that in advocating the repeal of Roe v. Wade and Casey, we (the church) must approach this subject with sensitivity and grace rather than judgment and condemnation.
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
And between your offspring and hers;
He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. – Genesis 3:15”
Since the fall of man, there has been attack against the woman and her seed (children). We see various instances throughout the Bible where children have been sacrificed as a result of the enemy’s plan to frustrate the purposes of God.[3] You see, each of us were born with a purpose and a plan to fulfill. Even in your mother’s womb, God knew you and had plans for you. (Jeremiah 1:5). The enemy’s plan has been the same from the beginning: to kill, steal and destroy.[4] What better way to stop the plans of God before they ever have a chance to manifest than by aborting a child before they are ever given a chance at life.
Under the decisions of Roe vs. Wade and Casey, the enemy has once again inspired the hearts of man to legislate the killing of thousands of innocent children. I believe that God is calling us (the church) to take a very decisive stand against these laws and raise our voices for the unborn.[5] Scripture tells us that life does not simply begin at birth, but from the moment of conception.[6] We (the church) must champion the right to life of the unborn.
Hillary, and the Democratic Party, have long advocated for the right of women to decide whether to abort their child. During the final debate, Hillary made clear her position to support late term abortions. We (the church) are called to love what God loves and hate evil.[7] We (the church) cannot neutrally sit by as unrighteousness prevails.
For me, Hillary’s position was a deal breaker. But that did not mean I was going to vote for the “other” lesser evil.
2. Double Consciousness
“It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness, an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. – WEB Du Bois”
WEB Du Bois’ theory of double consciousness explains the conflict between being black and being American. When thinking about who I would vote for in this election, this concept rang ever so true. As a Christian, my beliefs were in conflict with the Democratic agenda. However, as an African American and a woman, Trump’s rhetoric frightened me.
Let me start off by stating that I do not believe all Trump supporters are racist, misogynists. Nonetheless, the privilege enjoyed by Trump’s white, male supporters allowed them to see past his painful comments. For most minorities, it was not that easy to put aside the rhetoric and focus only on the “agenda.”
There’s no denying that Trump won this election with the support of evangelical, white males. (http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2016/november/trump-elected-president-thanks-to-4-in-5-white-evangelicals.html) Yet, unlike white Christian males, we (minorities) could not ignore the racist, discriminatory undertones of Trump’s campaign. Despite our Christian principals, we (minorities) could not overlook the sentiments invoked by the “Make America Great Again” slogan heralded by Trump and his supports. The only time period that seemed to be referenced by this slogan was the time when we (minorities) were segregated and marginalized in society.
So which “consciousness” would win? If I was more “woke” as a Christian did that mean I had to vote for Trump? If I voted for Hillary did that mean I was less conscious as a Christian?
“Follow justice and justice alone… - Deuteronomy 18:20”
Many evangelicals defended their vote for Trump based on biblical principles. But what about championing the voice of the minority? Just as I believe God calls us to stand up for the unborn, we must also stand for justice. My conscious would not allow me to vote for a candidate that made some of the most disparaging remarks against the vulnerable in our society.
3. I didn’t vote for a presidential candidate and I’m still WOKE!
Some people argued that I must choose a candidate, otherwise I was being un-American. Others argued that if I didn’t vote I was disrespecting my ancestors. I understand both of these arguments. However, I did make a choice. I chose not to decide whether I was more Christian or more of a black woman. I voted in the local elections on issues affecting my community, but neither my Christian consciousness nor my black/woman consciousness would allow me to simply pick the “lesser of two evils.” What does that even mean anyway? I had to choose whether to die a slow death by rat poison or cyanide? Ugh, no thank you.
At the end of the day, each person has to live with the decisions they make. When you’re in your home alone, no one is staring back at you in the mirror, but you. Asking me to choose between my faith or my minority, is like asking a bi-racial person to choose between their blackness or their whiteness. I can’t and I shouldn’t have to.
I will always be Christian, black and a woman. As Du Boise put it,
“One ever feels his twoness…two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”
This election revealed to me how important by beliefs are as a Christian, black woman. Each person has to come to their own realization on what values they absolutely have to take a stand on. Hopefully in the next presidential election we will have better candidates to choose from. This year, however, we did not and if presented with the same options, my choice would be the same.
[1] Daniel 6
[2] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), in 2012 there were 699,202 abortions, of which 1.3% occurred during the third trimester. (http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/).
[3] Exodus 1:15, 22; Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 17:17; Jeremiah 19:5; Matthew 2:16; Revelation 12:3
[4] John 10:10
[5] Proverbs 31:8 – “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the destitute.”
[6]Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:5, 14-16;
[7] Psalm 97:10