Racism as an election issue

Have you heard any preaching from the pulpit against racism in the voting booth?

Timothy Shriver at Religion From the Heart has an essay about how the turn to racism in the presidential campaign presents a "bold opportunity for American religious leaders -- a way to promote core religious beliefs and make themselves relevant at the same time."

This is more of an emergency that we may realize. Just last week, ugly crowd responses were reported at some McCain-Palin events. The Washington Post reported that one person at a rally shouted, "Kill him" about Obama while an African-American member of a TV crew had to be escorted from the building after being taunted with racial slurs.

No matter how you vote, Shriver says, "Shame on people of faith if we don't confront it with a united voice."