"..significance of the outcome of the recent presidential election..."

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
BAHÁ'ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES

February 16, 2009

To the American Bahá'í community

Dearly loved Friends,

Your National Spiritual Assembly has reflected on the significance of the outcome of the recent presidential election in light of the Bahá'í teachings about the oneness of humanity and their compelling vision of the destiny of America, and we wish to share the following thoughts.

The election of an African American for the first time to the presidency of the United States is an event that transcends partisan politics. It clearly marks an important new stage in the social evolution of the American people and is an achievement that all Bahá'ís can wholeheartedly celebrate. The citizens of the United States have with this action, as much as with any in the long struggle to combat racial prejudice-the "most vital and challenging issue" confronting the nation-demonstrated their will to embrace more fully the unifying spirit of the age.

The many statements of 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His sojourn in this country nearly a century ago, praising America's material achievements, her spirit of enterprise, and her democratic form of government, still inspire us. Yet He was also uncompromising in His assessment that our nation, sunk in the morass of engrained racial prejudice, materialism, and accelerating moral decay, would go through a long and difficult period of trials that would gradually cleanse these various impurities from its social fabric, thereby preparing it to realize its ultimate destiny to "lead all nations spiritually."

Concerning racial issues, much progress has been made since the beloved Master visited these shores. Undoubtedly, it is in large measure a credit to the courage, leadership, and sacrifice of countless individuals, the persistent efforts of organizations of civil society and of various religious institutions, and the bold actions of judicial and legislative bodies that such progress has been possible. The Bahá'í community also played a role, having striven earnestly for nearly a century to uphold by word and deed, in every region of the country, the pivotal principle of the oneness of humankind.

But there can be no sense of complacency nor any rest. The ideals of justice, equality, and unity have yet to be fully realized; the roots of racial prejudice are old, deep, and widespread. No single victory, political or otherwise, however groundbreaking, is sufficient to remove conditions so intractable and institutionalized.

Bahá'ís believe that the ultimate solution lies in the application of spiritual principle in the lives of individuals, in approaches to community-building, and in the operation of social institutions. People of every age and background can increase their individual and collective capacity to further progress through a learning process that is founded upon essential truths contained in the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. Promising patterns of activity, now emerging in every part of the country and throughout the world, should give us the confidence to strive with even greater urgency to address the needs of humanity.

Our ultimate success in this will depend, as the Universal House of Justice recently reminded us, "on the qualities that distinguish your service to the peoples of the world. So free must be your thoughts and actions of any trace of prejudice-racial, religious, economic, national, tribal, class, or cultural-that even the stranger sees in you loving friends. So high must be your standard of excellence and so pure and chaste your lives that the moral influence you exert penetrates the consciousness of the wider community. Only if you demonstrate the rectitude of conduct to which the writings of the Faith call every soul will you be able to struggle against the myriad forms of corruption, overt and subtle, eating at the vitals of society. Only if you perceive honour and nobility in every human being-this independent of wealth or poverty-will you be able to champion the cause of justice."

Bahá'ís of every race and ethnicity rejoice with our countrymen in this significant step forward. We remain aware of the challenges ahead and are unswervingly committed to facing and overcoming them. We march forward with unshakeable confidence that God's purpose for His children will not be thwarted, and that Bahá'u'lláh's statement of spiritual reality will be fully realized: "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."

With loving Bahá'í greetings,

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
BAHÁ'ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES
Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary-General