Why the Obama Messiah complex could lead to crucifixion
One has to feel sorry to a degree for the President-elect Obama. Much of the US populace (and many others internationally) see him as a potential saviour of the United States. He has been cast, and not of his own volition, as a Christ like figure. It is against such unrealistic expectations that he will take office. A country ravaged by two wars, 8 years of executive incompetence and neglect, and in the beginnings of what appears to be a systemic global economic meltdown. He has inherited a pit of snakes that somehow he has to tame. It is a recipe for potential disappointment and one that could quickly lead to the public crucifixion of Obama.
The right wing pejoratively term Obama, ‘The One’. It implies that he sees himself as being called to office like Christ was called to save the world. It seems an ironic title given that the present incumbent, President Bush, is actually the one that felt he had a calling and we all saw how that worked out. Obama does not have a lot of room to manoeuvre or much time to do so. He has to manage the US withdrawal from Iraq, a task in and of itself enough to keep the administration busy. He has to make progress in the war in Afghanistan in a climate of Taliban resurgence. Above all, he has to try and work out how to improve the US and global economy. In at least one of these tasks, he will stumble. In at least one, he may well fail. It will require a superhuman and unrealistic effort to simultaneously resolve all the domestic and global challenges he faces.
The right wing wing world is looking for him to fail. It will scream with glee at his merest stumble. The extreme right wing, whose anger appears alreacy close to violence, is waiting to ambush his every action. If you have the stomach for it, take a visit even if briefly, into the scary world of the right wing blogs. Prior to entry take a deep breath and it is advisable to make sure you have an airline style sick bag or similar close to hand. If you are the type to jump into the deep end, head straight to http://pajamasmedia.com/. It is a scary world picture where they hope for a US and Obama failure as a catalyst to return the country to the neo-conservative path. If you are of a delicate constitution, instead head over to http://michellemalkin.com/, some times Fox columnist. While her views are also objectionable, fact-light and rabid – you might find it slightly less extreme. This fascination with the extreme right wing blogs is akin to slowing down to view a car crash. It is a dim, angry world - resistant to change, clinging to the past, and seeing little hope for the future of the US. The anger there is palpable. The threat of violence barely below the surface. The racism? Judge that for yourself.
There is a lynch mob ready out there, in what Palin termed, the ‘real America’. They want to see Obama fail and given the problems that he is inheriting, that may well happen to some degree. The extreme right is itching for an Obama crucifixion. The US needs to adjust its expectation level to avoid this. The post-election euphoria needs to be replaced with a work ethic. The US needs a population committed to doing the hard yards over the next few years. There will be disappointments and there will be mistakes. Setbacks are going to be a daily reality as Obama attempts to fix the 8 year legacy of failure by the Bush administration. Pontius Pilate crucified Jesus reluctantly, and only in response to a public calling for him to do so. If Obama is to avoid the same fate, the public needs to stand behind him and let the extreme right wing wallow in the bile of its own creation.
