'... Like an Ever-Flowing Stream'

It was Sunday, and with just two days left before the election, I couldn't put off an "election sermon" any longer. It was a depressing topic.

Fortunately, the lectionary readings for the day were right to the point. The scripture was timely, prophetic, and actually quite comforting.

In Psalm 50, verse 9 seemed a divine response to all the campaign ads, slogans, and rhetoric we had all suffered through: "I will accept no bull from your house...." But the heart of the sermon came from Amos 5, as the fiery prophet offered fitting commentary on the pathetic political contest. Verse 19 speaks of woes that had befallen, "as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him...." We, I remarked, had fled an elephant only to encounter an ass.

We had the truest representative of the rich, white, male, elite, political establishment in years, whose favorite issue was the Pledge of Allegiance. Against him was a man who kept saying he would make a good president because he had been a good governor.

The night before the elections, Bill Moyers revealed a little historical irony. "Little did these people know that the Pledge of Allegiance was written by an American socialist one hundred years ago who helped to organize the Society of Christian Socialists. Among their very un-Republican notions was the belief that the teachings of Jesus Christ would lead to the public ownership of industry."

Bush said we already had peace and prosperity. Reagan said, "Facts are stupid things." Dukakis said, "This election is about competence and not ideology." Amos said, "Take away from me all your noise.... But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."

The lack of bumper stickers across the country mirrored the nation's lack of enthusiasm and even revulsion at this election. Half of all those eligible voted with their feet by staying away from the polls in the lowest turnout in 40 years. It was also the worst discussion, or non-discussion, of serious public issues in recent memory.

Instead, symbols were manipulated, lies were told, ugly instincts were awakened, and most people were disgusted. And with the election results, there will be many victims--especially among South Africans, Central Americans, and the poor and lower-income families at home who ceased to exist politically after Jesse Jackson was out of the race.

Michael Dukakis made clear in his concession speech what he had been running for: "the highest honor the American people can bestow on anyone." George Bush kept telling us, "I am that man." May God save us from the affliction of political superegos who believe elections are popular confirmations of their personal ambitions rather than serious public discussions and decisions about values, choices, and directions for the nation.

A POST-ELECTION WEEKEND retreat did my heart good. Friends from around the country gathered for Bible study, prayer, and "reading the signs of the times." They had all been busy. Some are ministering to the homeless, others accompanying Salvadoran refugees risking their lives to return home. Many are still waging peace at military bases and nuclear installations, even though the media tell us the peace movement is dead. They are organizing in the inner cities, working in rural parishes, having retreats on "faith and resistance," and caring for people with AIDS.

An amazing effort had just been put together to help the Nicaraguan victims of Hurricane Joan. And one of the principal organizers of that relief effort was waiting to hear any day when he might be sent to jail for refusing to pay war taxes. During the weekend, letters were written to many friends now in prison for numerous acts of nonviolent protest.

I think Amos would have been pleased and felt quite at home. Such wonderful friends to have, I thought many times throughout the weekend. We all shared our disappointment or discouragement the "morning after" the election. But that spirit didn't last long. Listening to one another, singing, and laughing uproariously soon lifted every spirit.

After all, God has given us so much to do and so much to be thankful for. Anyway, these people are too busy to stay discouraged. What they're busy doing is changing their lives and their country.

The river still flows, the weekend reminded me. It will take more than a miserable election to stop that ever-flowing stream.

Jim Wallis is editor-in-chief of Sojourners.