Hey, did you hear the one about the Professor, the Policeman and the President getting together for a beer at the White House? Probably not since I just made it up...
The President, a professor and a policeman were invited to the White House for a beer. When asked what beer they would like to drink, the policeman said, "Give me whatever you've got on tap." The professor answered, "I don't drink beer; may I see your wine list?" And the President responded, "I'll have to confer with my political advisors first to see which beer is least offensive to both religious and non-religious groups, as well as the beer making cities of America. In the meantime, just bring me water, but not in a bottle, because that's not ecologically friendly; oh, and not from a tap, because that's surely not safe either. Instead, fly some in from a pristine moutain stream in one of the most economically depressed areas in the country and pay them a million dollars for it. Better yet, hold the water and I'll go there myself for a great photo op; Mr. Vice-President, take over!"
My feeble attempt at humor is not to make fun of the real-life meeting that took place yesterday between President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and Cambridge, Massachusetts police sergeant Joseph Crowley, but rather to illustrate the vast diversity of experiences and perspectives represented at the small table on the White House lawn. Ok, maybe it was also intended to make a little fun of it too.
The famed "Beer Summit" was caused by events in July that led to the arrest of Professor Gates, an African-American, at his own home by Sergeant Crowley, a white man. The cause of the arrest was disorderly conduct, allegedly after Gates protested for being questioned from trying to forcibly enter his home due to not having his house keys. The details of the situation have been murky and both sides have continued to justify their actions and responses.
What fueled the intensity of the situation was President Obama's answer when asked about Gates' arrest. The President strongly stated that the Cambridge police department "acted stupidly," when they arrested his friend, Gates, at his home. The Cambridge police quickly dropped the charges, but the debate has only intensified. The Gates situation has highlighted, once again, that race is still an issue in America, even within a year of the election of the nation's first African-American president.
I have been, as the President described, "fascinated by the fascination," to the meeting yesterday. Cable news pundits, bloggers, and even my own Facebook friends, have weighed in heavily on whether the President had any business meeting with Gates and Crowley, and whether or not this was just a staged photo-op to help the President smooth over his statements about the Cambridge police. Well, here's my two-cents: the President not only had the right to engage in this dialogue, but the responsibility, especially after commenting as strongly as he did about the situation.
What President Obama displayed at the July 22nd press conference, in using the now infamous adverb, "stupidly," was that he is not just the nation's first African-American president, but also a human being. He is personally affected when a friend is arrested and it appears race was an issue. He understands that racism still exists in America and his legacy will largely rest on how he addressed those issues as president. While President Obama has an ambitious agenda, the fact is, he will be judged primarily on whether or not he narrowed the racial divide in the U.S., or split it even further.
I believe much of the motivation in scheduling yesterday's unique event was for the President to calm reactions to his rhetoric about the situation. How many of us have said things in haste that we later regretted? How many of us did something to correct it afterward? I'd like to commend the President for having the guts to do something different, even if it looked a little cheesy.
The responses I see from some of my fellow Republicans, about this situation, are down-right ridiculous. Fox News conservative talk-show host, Glen Beck, recently accused the President of hating "white culture." "White culture," what is that? If Beck means monster-truck rallies, wall-mounted singing toy fish, and the mullet hairstyle, then count me in as a "hater" as well. Beck's comments and the knee jerk responses from Republicans, who automatically take issue with anything Democrats propose (which also happens vice-versally), displays that our country has a communication problem. Which is why what happened at the White House lawn yesterday was so refreshing; and I don't mean the cold brewskies that were served.
In all realms of life, many people do not know how to dialogue with those whom they have disagreements. From pastors and parishoners, to politicians and passionate idealogues, statements are made about others we disagree with without first understanding their point of view. It is much easier to blog, post a YouTube video, make a statement to the press, or just complain to someone else, than talk to the person you disagree with and gain a better understanding. This does not mean you will walk away in agreement, but it does mean that you can disagree with dignity and open the door for some sort of reconciliation in the future.
Yesterday's White House "Brew Ha Ha" may have been only a publicity stunt or political ploy in order to improve the President's poll numbers. However, the symbolism of the pictures was dramatic! It was just fifty years ago that in much of the country, a black person could not eat in the same restaurant or use the same toilet as a white person. Now, a U.S. president and Harvard professor, both black, could sit peacefully at the White House and have a beer with two other white men, the Vice-President of the United States and a police office, and discuss one of the most sensitive issues of our time.
As I saw the limited pictures and video from yesterday's meeting, I began thinking about how this approach should be utilized more in the church. Yes, I know there are Christians who don't want anything to do with alcohol, so insert your favorite frosty or hot, non-alcoholic beverage here. The point is, how many theological and ministry differences could be handled better if believers just sat down and talked to one another? Instead of rattling off Bible verses, writing letters to denominational agencies, or leading coups to get pastors fired, why not go to the person you have an issue with and dialogue? Have a beer, get a coffee, go for ice cream, whatever, but at least talk AND listen. Who knows, maybe you'll end up learning something and become a better person - how audaciously hopeful!
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