President Obama scheduled a press conference last week to talk about "healthcare reform." Along the way a reporter asked about a developing news story involving Police in Cambridge, a professor, and a reported break-in. By now, we've all heard the rest of this story a thousand times.
The President indicated that he didn't know all the details- a comment which made perfect sense. Then strangely, he proceeded to use his presidential platform to condemn the police who "acted stupidly." We know the President deeply regrets those remarks because he's been trying to amend his remarks or take them back for a week now. The story refuses to die.
Reasonable people wonder why a gifted communicator would continue to answer a question that was off-topic after confessing he didn't know all the facts. Obama's press secretary later indicated they had anticipated this question might come up, and had prepared for it. If they had thought about this in advance, why did the President fall into that trap? Nobody can say for sure, but I suspect all of us can make an educated guess based on personal experience.
Temptation can be a powerful force! Sometimes it is powered by lust. On other occasions, it is driven by pride. How frequently Pride convinces me that my opinions are more important, and my judgments are more informed. Even if I don't know all the facts, my impressions surely feel accurate. Why shouldn't I say something? Haven't lots of soldiers died to protect my freedom of speech?
Yes, tens of thousands of American warriors have paid the ultimate price to defend the President's right to say anything he wants to say. And now he will pay another price for abusing that freedom. He had scheduled the press conference to focus attention on his perception that health care in the USA must be radically reformed. He had been losing momentum and needed to get the ball back in his court. But with one misguided statement, he launched a hot, new debate on "police profiling" which immediately diverted attention from his plans for change. Like all sin, this sin felt good for about 15 seconds. But like all sin, it has blown up in the sinner's face.
James 3:7 warns us "For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison." Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner.
Solomon explains, "When words are many transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." (Proverbs 10:19) Proverbially, there is a time to speak. And there are many times to be silent.
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