The conversation around Pastor Rick Warren and the inauguration of our 44th president is a lot like the conversation about President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet picks. The uniting thread is a basic misapprehension regarding the underlying logic of Obama's so-called "team of rivals." They are chaos without the president. This is the logic of leadership.
At first glance, sure, the president-elect might seem to be the ultimate confidence man. His manner is unflappable as he looks you right in the eye, calms you with that winning smile, and robs you blind. He's from Illinois, after all. To many on the progressive side, the campaign for change seems like a good old fashioned bait and switch, with the final indication being Team Obama's announcement last week that Rick Warren would deliver the invocation at the inauguration on January 20.
Here's what's missing from the grouch and brainstorm so rife among the dyspeptic tide of liberal resentment: a coherent thought. Obama is precisely who we wanted. He's going to deliver the promised change, and we just can't see it. And that's how it should be, folks, because if we could see what Obama sees, we wouldn't need a transformative leader. Remember, we elected him because he had the vision thing.
Still, here's a guy who pointed a righteous finger at hawks like Hillary Clinton and then invited her to be his secretary of state. Is she a hawk? Sure. Is Obama? Indeed. He always was. The troops under Commander in Chief Obama aren't coming home. They're going to another war. What about something less controversial, like agriculture? Will we see change there? Tom Vilsack is a corndog Big Ag Iowa huckster who has made a career bivouacked in the deep lobby pockets of Monsanto. How will he do the right thing? He'll do it because it's his job. None of the appointees stand out as shockingly vital choices. They are old hands with a new kind of boss.
No? Okay, since it's almost Christmas let's try this tack: Obama is Santa Claus and these appointees are his reindeer; he's got the reins, and the magic, and the sled doesn't fly till he says so, and it only goes where he says it goes.
Here's a strong possibility: the 2008 election was won by one of the greatest political minds this country has seen in my lifetime.
With that in mind, what do you make of Rick Warren? Leave aside what you think of his politics (he's a professional homophobe among other things), was this a gaffe? I'd respectfully submit that it was a strong marketing move.
While the absurdly stupid among us might applaud the bravado of selecting Rev. Jeremiah Wright to deliver the invocation, and the mainstream dullards among our ranks might nod approbation were the choice someone more anodyne like Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, or, indeed, any other distinguished minister of African-American descent, the real test here is not what you or I would like to see happen (because we both know it never will this side of Sweden). The real test is how it plays in the country as a whole.
Rick Warren was the perfect choice. Obama is not throwing the LGBT community under Rosa Parks's bus. He's doing what Markos Moulitsas and Jerome Armstrong advocated in their book Crashing the Gate. He's saying to the lefty throng: I'll take care of your needs later. Right now, let's get everyone on the same page. The page we want everyone on right now is the one that says the president-elect can do no wrong. Once we're there, he can be an incredible ally to the LGBT community and realize the many promises he made during the election cycle.
How does picking Warren get him closer to the ideal power position? A lot of folks out there in the votersphere don't yet know that Obama is not a militant Muslim. Among that segment of voters, Muslim was code for African-American. Were it not for Rev. Wright entering the national conversation and the ensuing slimefest, we would not be looking down barrel of a Warren invocation. Warren is the strange fruit of the McCain-Obama collision.
As it stands, we've got a president-elect who is putting Rev. Jeremiah Wright behind him for good so he can deliver on some campaign promises. Stay tuned... And keep the faith.
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"I think if he had even one gay or lesbian person in his inner circle, or even in the second tier of his leadership, they would have told him this would happen. He doesn't. Maybe he doesn't because he's just no the right guy for gay and lesbian America after all."
Do some more research Michale and then get back to here..... you are absolutely wrong on this point...
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Uhhh... That wasn't me that made that comment. It was the person I was quoting...
Michale.....
And Obama understands that. That's why he invited Warren. Because you have to build bridges and build coalitions to get crucial pieces of legislation through. Even legislation that benefits gays and lesbians.
Oh, what was your reaction when Bill Clinton invited Billy Graham to his inauguration - man who preached against gay marriage and made outrageous comments about gays?
Rosa parks did not help her cause by being rabidly angry, all she did was refuse to give up her seat. Do you see the difference here? You don't see that by making comparisons like these, you are showing that you are absolutely tone deaf about the situation. It's not Obama who needs a lesson on reality and history, it's you!!!
But what about Prop 8? What about the three other propositions that passed in other states, setting gay rights back ten years?
What about the fact that there is not one gay or lesbian member of cabinet?
And what about the fact that Mr. Obama-comes-lately tells us he's all about gay rights - he says the words - but when it comes to action - nada?
As to the back of the bus, we have no choice. It's where we've been for the past eight years anyway. But there is no joy whatsoever on January 20 - relief? maybe.
But no joy ...
You do have choices. Get out there and actually get things going. Make your voices heard, have dialogue, educate, and fight as hard as you can for your rights, and never give up. Maybe that's one reason why Prop. 8 failed. Sitting on the computer constantly complaining will get you absolutely nowhere but increasingly deaf ears.
to leverage legislation just like he has done in the past.
and THAT is why this was a horrible mistake on Obama's part and his mother would be saddened.
He just gave the same arguments used against her relationship with his father...creedence and leverage to be used ...and will be used to leverage legislation against many of the different populations that got him elected...that fought the bigotry that held him from getting that position.
We got it...the gays are outraged that Warren will be speaking and instead of organizing they are complaining and making stupid statements about this being comparied to the civil rights movement. I think that getting more people to understand would have gone a lot further than pushing the black community away with the stupid comparison. But good luck with getting the marriage law pass and I hope others that have lived together for a long time can get something out of the new law also.
Coretta Scott King:
"Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood," King stated. "This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group." "For many years now, I have been an outspoken supporter of civil and human rights for gay and lesbian people," King said at the 25th Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund....
"Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Ga. and St. Augustine, Fla., and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement," she said. "Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions."
"For too long, our nation has tolerated the insidious form of discrimination against this group of Americans, who have worked as hard as any other group, paid their taxes like everyone else, and yet have been DENIED EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW.... I believe that freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. My husband said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
It's not. It's killing the cause.
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He is the president for the Sean Hannity's and the Rush Limbaughs and the Ann Coulters. He has made that pretty clear at this point.
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Yes he has..
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The question is, is he the president for gay and lesbian America.
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Yes he is..
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I think if he had even one gay or lesbian person in his inner circle, or even in the second tier of his leadership, they would have told him this would happen. He doesn't. Maybe he doesn't because he's just no the right guy for gay and lesbian America after all.
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Baby steps... Do you think this country is mature enough to have a gay or lesbian President? Personally, I don't have ANY problem with that. But I don't think this country is mature enough to have the same attitude..
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But thanks for calling us hysterical. Our marriage are about to be invalidated after all. That does tend to get one worked up a bit.
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The ONLY people who can "invalidate" a marriage are those who are part of said marriage..
Michale.....
I am in completely agreement with most of what you said...
Michale.....
Do some more research Michale and then get back to here..... you are absolutely wrong on this point...
Prove it.
And I think you're wrong about the Warren pick. Choosing Warren to say the invocation isn't going to make anyone who was already predisposed against President Obama to like him. What it may do... is get these people to realize if they make a big enough stink... Obama is more likely to listen to them... than the people who elected him.
To be honest (and I apologize to the gay HuffPosters for this in advance).... I personally could care less about Warren giving the invocation... BUT... I don't see it as a wise choice by Obama. First... he can no longer claim to be above the drama (and for what????) Second... he's made himself a lot of enemies in his base camp (again... and for what????) Third... he's not going to get any brownie points from the right. In fact... he just may have made himself even more indebted to them as they will want more and more to prove that he has their interest at heart.
We support equal human and civil rights for all people, Obama doesn't. Q. E. D.
McCain Lite. If reaching across the aisle to get votes loses you votes from your own base how smart is that? I've denounced the Democratic party and have become an independent.
We will see what his actions are over the next 4 years.
I'm not going to hold my breath.
Funny you say I haven't been thrown under Rosa Parks bus then why do I feel like I have?
Judge him by what he does in office, not who he invites to his party.
Maybe I'm wrong, I'll be happy if it turns out that I am, but the view from "under Rosa Parks' bus" doesn't look all that great.
I've been waiting a very long time. I'm tired of waiting. It's time for Barack Obama to reach out to gay and lesbian America.
We've been betrayed before.
I am shocked and disheartened. And feel no small sense of betrayal. Shame, shame shame on Obama.