The “Obama Waffles” episode illustrates the racism that everyone knew would surface around the murky edges of the pro-McCain campaign.  That was inevitable.  What should not be inevitable and certainly not tolerated is that evangelical Christians play a role in such racism.

(For three days the “Obama Waffles” were sold at a Values Voter Summit in D.C., sponsored by the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council which has close connections to James Dobson.  The “Obama Waffles” box has a demeaning, racially stereotypical picture of Obama.)

Even though the creators of “Obama Waffles” sold large numbers of their product to many attendees at the convention, it took three days for the organizers to end the sales with the comment that they had not known that the product contained “offensive material.”

Sadly we all know that racism has not disappeared.  But evangelical Christians of all political persuasions ought to be taking the lead in the next six weeks to oppose every hint of racism in the activities surrounding the political campaigns.

The evangelical Family Research Council owes us a public apology.  James Dobson owes us a public statement unequivocally condemning all racism in this political season.  If the Bob DeMoss who created “Obama Waffles” is the same Bob DeMoss who wrote books with Tim La Haye, Tim LaHaye owes us a public condemnation.

For decades white evangelicals have been among the slowest Americans to abandon racism.  That must change. Now.

Ron Sider

Evangelicals for Social Action