Election Day

It's election day, and I am eagerly waiting for the returns to find out who will be the new mayor of Washington. It is my first election day in D.C. since moving back to the city last summer, and I have been amazed at the amount of campaigning taking place all over the city.

There are signs and people everywhere! In fact, it has been hard to go anywhere today without seeing dozens of signs, especially outside of each polling place. It has been impossible to walk along the street without being handed a piece of campaign literature. Everyone wants my vote. Everyone wants to tell me why they should be elected mayor, or city council chair, or something else.

Many promises have been made to the city of Washington in recent weeks. Adrian Fenty has promised one thing. Linda Cropp has promised another thing. It does not matter what the promise is -- affordable housing, stronger schools, lower taxes, less crime -- many of these promises will be nearly impossible to keep once a person is in office. The promises are enough to get someone elected -- but the promises are not always enough to get someone re-elected.

Several of the polling places I have passed today are in churches, making the lawn of the church look rather full -- not with people -- but with a myriad of colorful signs. Each sign has a name on it. Some of the signs will be noticed when people walk in to vote, while many other signs will be ignored. Still, each sign represents a commitment -- a person who has promised to provide leadership in this city for the next few years.

Thankfully, there are other 'signs' at the church that point to promises that will never be broken. The sign of the cross proclaims more promises than any political candidate could ever make or deliver. The cross promises that someone will make sense out of the mess in which we find ourselves. The cross promises that the children will all be blessed -- regardless of where they go to school or on which street they live. The cross promises that the hungry will be satisfied. It promises that the poor will be called 'blessed.' The cross promises life -- life abundant and life eternal. And, well, Linda Cropp, Adrian Fenty, and everyone else is going to have a hard time keeping up with these promises.