c. 2000 Religion News Service

(The Rev. C. Welton Gaddy is executive director of the Interfaith Alliance)

(UNDATED) As the leader of an interfaith organization and as a Baptist pastor from Louisiana, I was encouraged by the figurative olive branch extended by both Vice President Al Gore and President-elect George W. Bush in an effort to move our bitterly divided country forward.

However, as I listened carefully to their prime-time appeals it occurred to me that something was missing: a call for an element that is critical to genuine healing _ addressing and remedying injustice.

The Holy Scriptures and oral traditions of our nation’s diverse religions instruct us clearly on the prerequisites for genuine healing: confronting and correcting the source of our wounds.

The imperative to find common ground will cause some to ignore the difficult task that we face as a nation. That must not happen.

It is critical we learn the truth about the allegations of voter intimidation, irregularities and barriers to equal participation in our democracy.

Following the trail of words sure to come from pundits and politicians, there must be a path of action that demonstrates a willingness to confront the truth about how our nation finds itself so divided and whether our system of voting treats all our citizens equally.

First, searching for the truth about the allegations that arose around the counting of votes must be among the highest priorities of those who genuinely seek healing in our nation.

Second, the quest for healing and “moving on” must address fears of exclusion and the rampant sense among many that their voice and participation in the American political process have been and will be ignored.

At the end of their speeches, both Gore and Bush asked for our prayers and for God to bless our nation in this difficult moment.

I too pray.

I pray that our leaders will have the fortitude and courage to embark on a path of healing that abandons the tendency of politicians to view civil and patriotic rhetoric as a quick fix.

DEA END GADDY