"Purple"

"Like a bracing dash of water to the face, it's useful to have a dose of realism added to America's innate idealistic instincts every now and then."    --Walter Isaacson

"In reality, most of us find ourselves somewhere in the middle of our felt-board nation, not on the extremes."    --Christopher Latondresse

I spent some time looking over an Electoral College map of the United States during the 2004 election.  "Moral Values" was the buzzword.  Much of the nation was a vibrant red; blue dotted the fringes.  And President Bush was elected for a second term.  The scent of change lingers as 2006 draws to a close.  The Democrats have regained control of Congress and are eager to open the windows in Washington... 

Jay Leno sporadically hits the streets for a segment on his show entitled "Jaywalking."  Approaching everyone from soccer moms to tourists, from teenagers to senior citizens, Jay asks simple questions that generally center on popular culture.  In fact, he queries the political knowledge of respondents from time to time.  For instance, this question recently came up: "Who is the Vice President of the United States?"  She thought about it a moment as her eyes rolled around.  Unsure, she offered this response: "Bill Gates?"

I cannot stop myself from laughing at the thought of this memory.  Oddly enough, I am also alarmed, frustrated, saddened.  I will be the first to admit I do not stay fully informed of political matters.  Reading and periodic news coverage have assisted me, but I will continue to exercise due diligence.  I have also discovered a revelation amidst this political shift: voters and elected officials alike are moving away from the poles, inching towards the center.  "Conservative Democrat" is no longer an oxymoron, nor is "Green Republican."  It is the essence of a quiet movement, hands that are reaching across party lines.  Action cannot begin without cooperation, compromise, agreement.

I am also coming to the conclusion that select matters are not reserved exclusively for Republicans or Democrats.  Everyone shares responsibility for sustaining the environment; poverty touches all lives; genocide must cease.  I am humbled to know that life is springing on dying continents, that societies are becoming self-sustainable, that education is nurturing young minds, that the human spirit is triumphing.

America has mastered many of these problems, only to see a set of new ones emerge.  Incidentally, many seem trite and inconsequential when men and women many miles away hope to have enough water for survival tomorrow.  Nonetheless, I hope leaders continue to rise, mending the tears in the fabric of this nation.  A substantial portion of this restoration process begins at the top, with leaders who exhibit strength, integrity, and strong principles.

The kingdom of God expands when followers of Christ are less concerned about what to protest and more concerned about sheltering the poor, clothing the shamed, embracing the rejected.  Politics are well beyond reduction thinking, the stereotypical summation of two parties: Republicans vs. Democrats.  Pro-life Democrats are being elected; conservative Republicans are acknowledging the problem of global warming. 

I am becoming less concerned with my own identity in political terms.  The issues at hand count for importance.  Politics are a collage of colors and Americans seem to be looking for someone who will paint a rainbow.  The center is the new place to be.  And finger paints provide the perfect analogy.  The center is the collision of red and blue...