About 20 years ago, I wrote a sermon titled: On Hope. It was shortly after I started my job at HDS, and I delivered it there to the UU students as well as at my church for a summer service. I remember it pretty well. I hadn’t written many sermons at that point, and I was spectacularly nervous about it. The deliveries went well, and I shared it with a few ministers I knew. One — my Uncle David— loved it and told me he was proud, but the other two weren’t as enthused. One wasn’t sure that a quote I’d used was attributed to the correct person and the other simply said: “Well if you don’t know what else to give them, give them hope,” which felt like a backhanded compliment. She followed up with: “Now imagine having to do that every week!” which stung. But the thing is: they weren’t wrong. I have reread that sermon and found myself wincing. It was an academic piece of writing, and I don’t mean that in a good way. There were quotes— SO many quotes— but not a lot of heart. Certainly, damn little hope. In hindsight, the title was ironic.
But last week, I felt something I haven’t felt in quite awhile: Hope. I spent last week with hundreds of UUs at a gathering I’d heard about but never been to: Southeast UU Summer Institute: SUUSI. Imagine a cross between camp, a folk festival, a nightclub and the cool courses you always wanted to take but without pressure of grades and blend them into one glorious tapestry of humans: dancing, singing, dressing colorfully, being in healthy community and you’ll kind of get the idea.
On the first day of SUUSI, Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection. After the shock wore off, I began to see what was taking shape. I’d read pundits who’d said if President Biden would step down from running, it would be a complete reset of the election - which it was. It felt like the do-over to end all do-overs.
Kamala Harris stepped up. I started seeing appreciative memes. Over the course of the week, I saw something emerge that I hadn’t seen since Obama: enthusiasm. Excitement. It felt like a deep breath, like water I didn’t know I needed, like I had come back to myself. Hope. Hope had arrived. Today, I feel it wash over me, and I’m struggling to put it to words.
I know Kamala Harris isn’t perfect. I have dear friends who reject her for reasons that are valid. The criminal justice system in this country is inhuman, brutal, corrupt and she’s been a part of it. It’s true. I wish it wasn’t, but I won’t pretend otherwise.
Last week at a rally, Trump said openly that he plans to end the democratic process. He was addressing the Turning Points Network and urged Christians to turn out for him ahead of Election Day, calling it the "most important election ever." He added that if elected, Christian-related concerns will be "fixed" so much so that they would no longer need to be politically engaged.
"You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians," he said.
Once again, he said the quiet part out loud.
But my focus is not on, honestly, what a lousy Christian he is but what the possibility of him in office again could mean.
I started this piece by mentioning where I was this past week because it’s relevant. My Unitarian Universalist identity is key to who I am. If you know anything about our denomination, it’s probably that we’re liberal and social justice oriented. True.
What I believe is that if my life is to have any meaning, it is to live in love and to decrease injustices everywhere. Being with those who share this passion AND to feel momentum building with the possibility of the first black woman to become president was breathtaking.
I’ve just started to see the ugliness come out. I read on NPR this morning about the conspiracy theories. (Joe Biden is either dying or dead. He didn’t actually give a speech; they used AI for his voice…etc) I expect this to all get a lot worse and a lot uglier.
I am going to campaign my butt off for Kamala Harris. For all the kids who need to see this kind of leadership — and especially the kids of color — I am going to step up. For voting rights, reproductive rights, planetary health and all of us who are STILL waiting for the Equal Rights Amendment to be passed, I will participate. If democracy is to exist, she has to be elected. It’s really that simple. No, she may not get it all done, but I believe she will try.
Today, I feel hope. Deep, good hope. God, it feels good. I hope you feel some of it, too.
Peace.