January 20, 2009

Dear Mr. President:

First, congratulations on your historic election.  As the first African-American elected to the nation’s highest office, your election is being hailed as an advancement of a people as well as a personal triumph.

Unfortunately, your actions and policies while in office will be subjected to an unprecedented microscope because of your historic election.  I would prefer that your presidency is judged as any other presidency is judged.  You are not, “The Messiah”. That title is already taken.  This is true even though your chief of staff is a guy named Emanuel.  You are not “The One”, or even, “That One”. You are merely the 44th custodian of the Office of the Presidency of the United States. Nothing more, nothing less.

Your first press conference contained a moment which suggests that you are not as uncomfortable with race as many of your countrymen are.  When asked about what kind of puppy you would bring to the White House, you replied, “A mutt—like me”.  As a dog lover and proud “parent” of, “a mutt like you”, I totally agree.  Mutts are the best kind.

I confess I did not vote for you, nevertheless, I wish you well and you will be in my thoughts and prayers as you face the deep challenges of leadership in these trying times.  Having said that, however, I have very serious concerns about the future under your presidency.

You have already named as your chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, a highly partisan individual described as a Chicago thug. Of course, the proof is in the pudding.  However, past history is all we have to go on now.  And this appointment has a number of people, some of whom are in the loyal opposition, quite concerned.

You are expected to appoint Henry Rivera to serve as your transition chief to the FCC, and some are concerned that you may try resurrecting the old Fairness Doctrine for broadcast stations in an effort to get rid of talk radio, which has become more conservative. This follows the pattern that liberal Democrats have been following for years—preach honest debate with the loyal opposition—but silence them.

You of all people should know better than that.  As an African American whose ancestors suffered under the curse of slavery, you should not wish second-class citizenship on anyone. How you can pursue such a course is unconscionable.

You also have had a number of associations with some very questionable people. Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who by your own admission, was your pastor and mentor for over two decades.  Wright presided over your wedding and also baptized your children.  However, when a number of his infamous quotes such as, “the US of KKKA” came to light, under the bus he went.

You also served on boards with William Ayers, a leader of the 1960’s group, Weather Underground, which claimed credit for the bombings of the New York police headquarters and the World Trade Center to name a few and went on to complain that he didn’t do enough bombing.

It seemed that you were willing to do anything to get elected—including breaking your promise to use federal campaign funds, or at least sit down with your opponent and discuss the issue and reach agreement with him, as you promised to do, so you both did the same thing. Once you saw how much money you could raise, that was out the window. Now some are suggesting that you didn’t win the presidency—you bought it.  This places a sad tarnish on your historic election.

There are other ties you maintain with questionable people and you have not fully explained any of them.

This does not bode well for a unifier.  We still want to know who you are really.

My number one concern I save for last.

As an African American you know full well the feeling of being the least among us.  Your ancestors have unjustly suffered that indignation for centuries in the land of the free.  And that was wrong.

However, it is just as wrong to deny medical attention to a baby born alive as a result of a botched abortion.  You voted to allow doctors not to treat such an infant while in the Illinois legislature. This is infanticide, pure and simple. Now, I’ve heard your explanations of that vote.  But you still voted three times to let those babies die.  Sounds like Guilty with an explanation to me.

In your first weeks in office, you and your advisors are facing some of the most serious problems concerning the economy.  Companies are lining up to announce the latest rounds of layoffs as the problems only seem to get worse.  

Mr. President, you placed your hand on the Bible that was used by President Abraham Lincoln as you took the oath of office.  This was a fitting reminder to all who saw you do that of how far we have come as a nation in a little less than two hundred years.

I respectfully remind you that you are sentencing unborn babies to the same fate your ancestors once faced as slaves in America. During that struggle, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that your ancestors were not persons, but property, and thus could be disposed of at the will of their owners.  Ditto for unborn babies today.

Have you ever considered what the American landscape might look like today had those 50 million babies aborted since 1973 been allowed to be born and grow up into mature adults?  Would we be dealing with a problem as serious with today's economy if 50 million additional workers were allowed to contribute their skills, some of which might be just what we need to cure what ails us?  Remember, every human life is unique.  And the one baby with the skills to save us from our present troubles may already have been aborted.  Or, God may have mercy on us and that person may not have been born yet.

Mr. President, I plead with you for his life--and the lives of every unborn baby who may hold the keys to the improvement of mankind.

May God be with you, Mr. President, and may you feel His presence every moment of your presidency.

Very respectfully,

Mike Sheeran

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