Concerning Beyonce

Dear Diary,

Today is Sunday. I slept in, and thus did not go to church. I was far too tired.
Part of our "orienteering" activities, we were assigned to groups to go out and do a "scavenger" hunt in the city.

Scavenger, I like that word. Just say it slowly : ska-vaaaahhhhhn-juuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhrrrr.
Some one get me the etymology of that.

Anyway, I was assigned to a group that consisted of Ryan from Bethel, Chad and Melissa. Chad is from LA, while Melissa is from Chicago. Our assignment was as such:

1. Find and take group photos at:
An embassy from North America
The Department of HUD
Cato Institute
Watergate Hotel

2. Talk with three of these four kinds of Washingtonians
A. DC police officer
B. DC merchant
C. Someone who lives in DC
D. Someone who works for the federal government

We began our jaunt, another word I love, jaaaawwwwww-nt, with walking down to the Eastern Market Station. For you faithfuls, that is the same station that I will be going to to get to my internship in Rosslyn. It was a brisk walk, maybe taking 10 minutes. We stopped at a local flea market, pictures you will see on my picasa (http://picasaweb.google.com/thekerrywake), where we interviewed a "DC merchant." It was a bit empty this day, but it was really cool, and I look forward to going back soon.

We got to the station and went down the escalators. If you haven't been to "The District," then you won't understand how neat the metro transit is. I cannot describe it entirely for sake of time and attention span.

We take the train to L'Enfant Plaza, go see HUD, and then make our way to the Mall. 'Twas backed, but we managed to get a good spot near the WWII Memorial. I was excited to hear that Beyonce was performing, so I could not leave until we saw her. Luckily enough, Ryan is a fan of Beyonce too (take that all who disagree that I am...Sasha Fierce is incredible). Unfortunately, she sang at the end, and keeping with the patriotic theme, she did not sing Single Ladies. She just sang If I Were a Boy. HA! No, I'm just kidding. The whole thing was patriotic, so you had your John Mellencamp singing his America song, you have Garth Brooks singing his America song, and interestingly enough, you have Will.I.Am, Cheryl Crow, and (can't remember the other person) singing Bob Marley. Hmm...

Reflections on the Event at the Reflecting Pool. I myself was very excited to be there, for it was such a wonderful experience. So many people, so much happening. There was black couple in front of me, mother/father/daughter etc. The mother was so excited to see Obama, but the daughter was not. She was bored with it all, not caring about seeing Obama here. "I've seen him all these months on TV," she said, to which her mother replied, "But it's the experience of it happening, the significance of it."
So it seems that the apathy of my generation continues to grow. A girl of African-American ethnicity does not care, unlike millions of other African-Americans, that an African-American is going to be president. Hmm, I'd like to ponder that more, but along the same lines:

Ok, so, you'll talk to me and know I hate politics. Some of that's cynicism, sure, but I don't like to talk about it primarily (hopefully) because the discussion, I feel, is futile. I think its futile, at least for me, because, and to put it bluntly, all politics falls flat on its face at the foot of the Cross. I feel that so much people discuss about politics is uber-secular. They fail to appreciatively integrate their faith into their political discussions, let alone all of their discussions. Its like there is a disconnect between the two, which there is most certainly not! In my case, however, I choose not to discuss certain political issues if the discussion does not allow an integration of my faith.

Example:

Bad question: So, what do you think about universal health care?
The question asks me simply my opinions on the structure of a potential governmental program plagued by partisan politics (I am on a role with the alliterations!)

Good question: Is everyone entitled to health care? Does everyone deserve it? How do we take care of the sick?
This set of questions opens up the conversation to way more than bureaucratics. It involves the articulation of deep personal theological, philosophical, and pisteuological (new word I made up, meaning faith-logical, or study of faith, something I want to persure). This is what I'm interested in, this is what I want to discuss.

I say this because of the idolatry I witnessed on the Mall, which has and continues to irritate me greatly. People LOVE Obama, they admire him, and many worship him. People have embraced this message of change and hope as their gospel. They evangelize it with T-shirts (a hilarious one that I saw today is on picasa as well http://picasaweb.google.com/thekerrywake), bumper stickers, and posters. Salvation is found in Obama/Biden, and no one else alone.

Ok, don't get me wrong, I like the guys and I like their beliefs. But I recognize that change does not come from the Oval Office, change that the world needs. The hope the world needs is found solely in Christ, and no government can propogate that. It takes the mustard seed of individuals to meet peoples needs and direct them into a live with God through Christ. That is what I believe, and that is not compromised by any t-shirt of the O-Bamz.

Yes, we can vote, support issues, develop opinions, and even work in government, but that is not our end. Our end in is Christ alone.

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