Go Gradual

In “Offensive Medicine” (January 2010), Ed Spivey Jr. suggests that President Obama’s next book will be titled The Audacity of Gradual Change. But this humorous suggestion may also be prophetic. In our polarized political culture, it takes courage and hopeful grittiness to keep working for change over time. William Wilberforce proved the effectiveness of gradual change when he spent decades building support for abolishing the slave trade. I hope President Obama follows his example.