Not by the colour of his skin, but by...

...well, turns out it is by the colour of his skin we judge a man.

"...The election of a black pontiff would 'send a splendid signal to the world' about the universal Church." Wilton Gregory, President of the US Bishops' Conference.

Sorry Dr. King.

Nobel Meme

So, I was at a press briefing with a v. nice Ghanaian Archbishop and, sitting in the back, was wondering with the the Zenit guy what the Nobel Prize committee could have been thinking of.

But this nice African seemed to put his finger right spot on the reason.

It's 'cause he's black, see.

Duh!

So, after the meeting, I went to lunch with a friend and we worked out a list of other stuff they can give Obama prizes for.

Next year, in keeping with the theme, the Nobel Prizes will go to Barack Obama for

Peace - For his contribution to Changey Hope

and the following year, we can give it to him again, for

Peace - Hopey Change

Literature - for "Audacity of Hope"

Chemistry - for caring deeply about global warming

Physics - for walking on water

Economics - for improving the global economy by causing the US dollar to plummet

Moreover, we propose that in honour of the Greatness that is Obama, a new series of Nobel Prizes be established.

For racial reconciliation:

for being the world's first white man in a black man's body.

Come up with your own, and send them to The Nobel Prize committee.

Update:

Zach said (on facebook)

Another new Nobel Prize. The Not-Being-George-Bush Nobel Prize.

Zach comments:

"Here, President Obama, have the Nobel Peace Prize. Everyone will know you didn’t earn it, or do anything to deserve it, but you seem like a nice man, and well, we really hated your predecessor. So you get a special award just for not being him. Kind of the Miss Congeniality for world leaders...."

A “divine sign” of racial healing

I was in the same room as John Allen today.

I feel so privileged.

Without even showing up, Obama's a force at African Synod

So far, various African bishops have hailed the election of the first African-American President in U.S. history as:

• A potentially powerful new force for justice and good government across Africa;
• A “divine sign” of racial healing, in some ways a recapitulation of the Biblical story of Joseph;
• A potential herald of further breakthroughs down the line, such as the election of a black pope.

Whatever one makes of all this, it’s at least a different perspective than one often gets in Catholic circles in the United States, where attention is usually focused on Obama’s controversial stands on abortion and other life issues.

So, let me get this straight.

John Allen says it makes a nice change because the Africans talking about how great it is that Obama has been elected President because he's black...oops, sorry, because of his ethnic origin, I meant...of course.

Because back home, all anyone can ever blather on about is the man's policies.

Sheesh! What is it with American Catholics anyway?

Policies?

Who cares about that stuff?!

You'd think, listening to them bang on about his 100 per cent rating from NARAL that a politician's stand on killing innocent people is more important than the colour of his skin.

Don't they know anything about modern politics?

That's not racist!

"We've had Kofi Annan as Secretary General of the United Nations ... he had his problems, but he did it. Now we have Obama in the United States. So, if by divine providence, God would wish to have a black man as pope, I say thanks be to God!" Peter Cardinal Turkson on the possibility of a Ghanaian becoming Pope.

'Cause you know, saying it is necessarily a good thing for a man to hold high public office just because he is black or African ISN'T RACIST!!!


Update:

Obama election a "divine sign": African bishop

Not off the plantation yet, it seems.