published: Thursday | September 11, 2008
Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
Pastor Ed Goldson - Contributed
AS A youngster travelling around Jamaica with his father, a pastor, Ed Goldson was inspired to follow in his footsteps and preach from a church pulpit.
Last year, another inspirational figure altered his life.
Goldson said Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate for United States president, influenced his decision to become an American citizen.
Citizenship application
"Once he declared himself for the presidency I applied for citizenship," Reverend Goldson told The Gleaner by telephone from his home in Seattle, Washington.
The 63-year-old Goldson is pastor at the Renton First United Methodist Church in Seattle. He became a US citizen on July 31.
Along with another Jamaican and 74 immigrants from 36 countries, the Kingston-born preacher swore allegiance to the country he has lived in since 1965, at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services in Seattle.
In February, he attended Obama's rally in that city which drew a crowd of evangelic proportions. Goldson believes Obama, son of an African father and white American mother, has the right ingredients to become the next president of the United States.
Obama's vision
"He has a vision not just for America but for a new world, and I want to be part of that world," Goldson said.
Obama announced his candidacy in February, 2007. He not only won handsomely in state primaries where there is a large black base, but in predominantly white states.
Goldson said friends, parishioners and neighbours have long known which candidate is going to get his vote. Not only does he discuss Obama's policies, his home is adorned with campaign merchandise supporting the charismatic Illinois Senator.
He believes given America's checkered racial history, it would be good if Obama wins.
"It would speak loudly not only for America, but the world," he said.
Goldson has been a pastor with the United Church for over 35 years. He has served that time in the Pacific Northwest, a region that does not have a large black population.
He started out at the Mallory Avenue Christian Church in Portland, Oregon in 1972. Six years later, he moved to Seattle in neighbouring Washington state to become pastor at the Grace United Methodist Church.
America was not receptive to blacks when Ed Goldson arrived in New York City in 1965. The Civil Rights movement, led by Martin Luther King, was in full cry and militant groups like the Black Panthers prowled urban centres.
Goldson began his theological studies at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri, a largely white area.
"There wasn't a lot of riots in the town where I went to school but there was certainly a lot of racism," he recalled. "There had been another Jamaican there before me, Carmen Lyons. I thought to myself, 'if she can survive, so can I'," he added.
Served Jamaica well
Goldson is the eldest of the Reverend Selvin Sydney Goldson's four children. Goldson senior served the United Church in Jamaica throughout St Mary for many years.
In over 40 years living in the US, he has seen token runs for president by black activists like Julian Bond and Eldridge Cleaver. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton put in spirited showings in 1984, 1988 and 2004, respectively.
None of them, however, compares to the 47-year-old Obama whose message of change has gone beyond the US. In Jamaica, reggae singer Coco Tea has done a song in tribute to him, so too dancehall star Mavado.
Goldson, who is married to an African-American and father of one son, is confident Obama will create history in November.
"Up to recently I thought he would win a landslide, but there's a category I'm concerned about (white women for Hillary Clinton) who could have a big say. But I think he's going to definitely win," he said.
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