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Now that the long-awaited election is finally behind us and we’ve had a few days to let this all sink in, where do we stand today?
The country is still in a terrible mess. The economy is woeful. We’re involved in two costly wars. Health care is a formidable dilemma. Revamping this country’s infrastructure presents a challenge. The list goes on and on, but you get the idea. Certainly challenges lie ahead for this country, but I want to talk more about the emotional mindset of where we are than specific policy issues. I believe that this election did represent a vote for hope over fear and a vote for change over the status quo. We are tired, I believe, of partisan bickering. We’ve been warned enough about this boogeyman or that one. We’ve been lied to and treated like children for eight years. Many of us finally said that we’re not going to take it anymore. Whether the Democrats can rule much better than the Republicans is yet to be seen, but Americans were so weary of the way the country had been ruled, that we were willing to have faith in a man named Barack Hussein Obama. And faith is what most of us are offering because that’s really all we have. Faith is a belief in, or trust in, somebody or something, especially without logical proof. A lot of folks who did not vote for Obama did so specifically because they felt they couldn’t trust him. And many said that his inexperience represented logical proof that he was not fit to lead and thus those people did not have faith. But enough did have faith that a new day had dawned here in America, and I hope a new day has dawned here in the New River Valley as well. After eight years of a president who implored us to do little except be afraid and shop, we have a president-elect who, in Kennedy-like fashion, is calling for some sacrifice from the American people. We have a president-elect who has called for unity. John F. Kennedy’s famous line from his 1961 inaugural address offered the famous line, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” But that speech offered more words of hope and unity that I suspect we will see repeated come January 20 by President Obama. Kennedy said, “Let both sides unite to heed, in all corners of the earth, the command of Isaiah—to ‘undo the heavy burdens, and let the oppressed go free.’ And, if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor—not a new balance of power, but a new world of law—where the strong are just, and the weak secure, and the peace preserved.” I think that our problems are copious enough that it is imperative that we cooperate, that we unify, that we accept the fact that sacrifice will be necessary in order to overcome our quandaries. Here in the New River Valley, I’ve seen partisan bickering and the push for self-interests become impediments to progress. We live in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The term commonwealth means for the common well-being, or the common good. More of our actions need to be for the well-being of all of us, not just a few. We have lots of rivalries here, ranging from the New River Valley’s rivalry with the Roanoke Valley to those between various municipalities and even between individuals on assorted councils and boards. Now, however, is a time to put aside those differences to create a common well-being. It’s time for the religious community to stand up on those issues that unite us rather than those that divide us. Concern for social justice and for the least among us is common in all religions. Why not concentrate on compassion, helping the poor, and treating our neighbors as we would want to be treated rather than on the wedge issues that cause such bitter rifts. Now is the time for all of the entities that should be pushing for economic progress to work together for the good of the entire NRV. The assorted chambers of commerce, main street organizations, and economic development agencies must cooperate to push our economy forward without worrying about who gets credit for any successes. As consumers, we need to think about our locally owned businesses and support them whenever possible. Buying local not only helps our economy, it creates a partnership that is needed to further economic growth. Groups such as the City of Radford and Radford University need to come together for a better working relationship that will help residents and students alike in creating a town of which all will be proud. Likewise, New River Community College, Radford University, and Virginia Tech need more cooperation to establish the NRV as a world-class educational environment. Indeed, now is a time for hope, but hope never accomplishes anything without actions. And for our actions to be as positive and productive as they need to be, we need a new spirit of cooperation and a commitment to the commonwealth of all.
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