Tom Grady's Letter to Barack

Tom Grady is a member of Pax Christi and the Sierra Club. He is very wise and is someone I greatly admire. He recently wrote this letter to Sen Obama. There is much truth to it, America is in great need of fixing.


From: Tom Grady
Berkley, MI


To: Sen. Barack Obama
Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. 40B
Washington, DC 20510


Dear Barack and Fellow Patriots,

This morning as I attempted to fit the top to my hair tonic onto the tube, the threads would not line up and I said to God beneath my breath, "God damn it." Apparently He did, because on the next attempt it went together, and the calamity was easily resolved. Afterwards, however, reflecting on my use of the word, "Damn," I questioned myself as to what I had meant by my request of "God damn it"? I realized that this is a phrase which I use not infrequently in the context of asking God to "fix it," "change it," or "heal it." It is not invective, but a request for intercession. Some might be shocked by my use of this phrase, but in essence, is it not a prayer? I never direct it toward a single person, nor out loud, but only toward inanimate objects and institutions whose behavior I regard as being in need of redemption.

Thus, looking back a few weeks at the remarks of your former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, I think he was objectively correct in asking God to heal America as he did. Regrettably, most in our society took offense to the tone with which he delivered his message, missing the truth of his words, and you were put on the defensive. Fortunately, however, you made lemonade out of the lemons which were delivered to you, and you made one the greatest speeches ever delivered in our nation's history, showing the insight, leadership, compassion and patriotism which our nation so sorely needs.

Looking back through American history, what words do we suppose the Native American Chiefs used when speaking to their Great Spirits about the white settlers who were stealing their lands? Did the Vietnamese people say "God Bless America" while their villages were being desecrated by napalm bombs and land mines maimed their citizens and posed a danger to the generations of their children yet to be born? Have the Iraqi citizens rushed out to onto their streets to greet us as liberators, as was fallaciously predicted, and should they be grateful to America for the millions of their neighbors who have had to flee for safety in other countries since the night of "Shock and Awe" in 2002? What of the nearly half million or so who have been killed in their homeland and the devastation which has turned their cities and ancient culture into rubble? Do these people say "God Bless America"? or do they more correctly ask for America's redemption? "God Bless America by fixing our vision!" May we heed Rev. Wright's words as a prophetic call for our growth and healing.


Sincerely,

Thomas Grady
Member of Pax Christi, USA