With all due respect, President-Elect Obama, your response to lesbian and gay Americans that "it is important for America to come together, even though we may have disagreements on certain social issues" completely misses the point of our objection to your selection of Rick Warren to deliver the Invocation at the Inauguration.
At best, your response is an example of inept and cynical messaging and your communications staff should be taken to task. At worst, your response shows a lack of true understanding of what it means to be a lesbian or gay American.
Our spiritual integrity is NOT a "social issue" - it is part of our very humanity, as are our sexual orientation, our capacity to love and form relationships, and our desire to create and protect our families.
The strong emotional response of the lesbian and gay community to the selection of Rick Warren is not just about a disagreement on policy. Rick Warren's views on policy are a reflection of his core beliefs about millions of lesbian and gay American citizens.
"Shared values and ideals"? The reality is that Warren does not recognize lesbian and gay people as being spiritually whole. He does not "value" us as beloved children of God exactly as we are. His "ideals" include a world in which lesbian and gay people are enrolled in programs to de-gay them, to cure them of what he believes to be a behavioral disorder or manifestation of sinful sexual activities.
The Presidential Inauguration is - by definition - a symbolic event. That's its entire purpose.
What it is NOT is a policy roundtable. No one disputes your right to seek a variety of viewpoints about policy concerns.
The point is that - with an entire world of spiritual leaders chomping at the bit to participate in this Inauguration - there is simply no valid reason that you could not have chosen someone to perform the Invocation who actually recognizes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as whole and perfect children of God exactly how they are.
What impact do you think this choice will have on the millions of LGBT people of faith in this country to see this man who equates our relationships with the abuses and perversions of incest and pedophilia being put forth as a spiritual representative for the nation as a whole? What impact do you imagine this will have on LGBT people of faith who have been damaged by being forced into so-called "ex-gay ministries" - which Warren supports?
And, as importantly, what "advocacy" on our behalf are you demonstrating by choosing a speaker who does not see our rights as being civil rights because he doesn't see our sexual orientations as being an integrated and authentic aspect of our entire selves?
I, like you, had a grandmother who had a profound influence on my life. One thing my grandmother always told me was, "If the mouth is talking and the feet are moving, watch the feet." Perhaps your grandmother conveyed similar wisdom to you.
President-Elect Obama, you are wrong on this choice. It is not inclusive. It is not a reflection of our shared ideals and values as Americans.
We've had eight years of a President whose character flaws included the inability to admit his mistakes. Show us true change and reconsider your selection of Rick Warren.
I am not against Gays, or anything, I am tolerant, but it is not for me.
Question for someone stupid like me: Why does if "HAVE" to be Gay MARRAGE? I mean what is wrong with Gay Partner? Or something. Seems to me that if someone wants their favorite animal to get the inheritance they can do it. Is there not a legal system to get it all worked out legally? And it also seems to me that a man and a woman are different than a man and man or visa versa. Or did I totally miss it? Thank You :)
It comes down to this, we all should be tolerant, but tolerant and agree? No way, you may not agree to this or that and nor would I (whatever topic we may not agree on). If there was no prayer and someone wanted a prayer would people that didnt want a prayer defend those that do? If Obama said he believed in purple juice as the beginning of people would he still be President? It just seems to me that this is the same old thing, some people do not want a prayer (or any God) and there are those that do. In America it is (out of all the beliefs, and there are many) normal to pray for those that do and Obama does. Obama will do fine and I voted Rebublican :) Total Texan :) Thank you.
Just kidding..... :-)
Please don't presume to speak for ALL of us who are GLBT! I am but one of many of us who are sick and tired of being lumped in with the "Far Left" or "The Far Right". So many of us do exist comfortably right here in the middle where Tolerance isn't a buzzword, but rather a way of life. I am glad to finally have a President Elect who stands firmly in the middle where I live and is trying courageously to bridge the every increasing gap between the many extremists in our country! Life is about compromise. If you choose to continue with your "All or Nothing" attitudes, you will never experience true joy or true victory and you'll not be any better off than the extreme other side which you are so vehemently against/
Quick reminder!
When Obama spoke did he mentioned…
There is no Blue/Red America…There is the United States of America.
Did he said that he will reach across the aisle?
Did he said that we should talk to our adversaries?
I’m sure you heard Obama said this!
Rick Warren is delivering an invocation?
It’s a prayer that lasts for a couple of minutes.
What’s the big deal?
Is it because he’s ignorant? Because of his views?
He’s not going to be in Obama’s administration!
He’s not going to affect Obama’s judgment!
He’s not going to affect Obama’s policy making!
GOING TO BRING UP DAVID DUKE OR THE KKK? GO ON AHEAD!
I see no comparison!
David Duke and the KKK are terrorists!
You can’t negotiate or reason with them!
Yes, Rick Warren believes homosexuality is a sin and should not marry.
But, it appears that he has no problem with civil unions!
Heard of George Wallace?
He was pro-segregation!
Later in life, he spoke at Black Churches and NAACP meetings!
Forgeting Martin Luther King Jr.?
He’s a strong believer of Jesus Christ!
He was part of the Civil Rights movement!
Also, HE PREACHED ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD LOVE OUR ENEMIES!
People seem to forget that Dr. King wanted to forgive his abusers!
Shall I continue?
Why are you bringing yourself down to the same level of intolerance?
You are no better than the people on the right!
It's too much...
I'm gonna pretend Obama has chosen Bill Moyers
and pull the covers over my head for a month.
I need to refuel.
I heard Obama's rationalization the other day.
He deliberately misrepresented his position saying he and Rev. Warren disagree on LGBT rights:
Obama =opposes= marriage equality=.
Separate but not equal wasn't justice for my parents or Obama's parents and neither is it for the liberal "civil union" sop.
I always suspected Obama would turn out to be another clueless straight guy, and he has already repeated the same mistake as he (excuse me, his staff) made with Donnie McClurkin (as well as a couple of other anti-gay figures—see http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18956221&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6 ).
I'll just continue to support Obama because he probably won't train-wreck the economy as badly or quickly as the present administration.
And to call marriage equality and reproductive choice for women "social issues" rather than civil rights demeans all of us, really.
We SHALL overcome. Maybe not with Obama at the helm, but someday, with a president who gets it, stands up proudly to fight oppression and really wants to make the country more inclusive and just. I believe that.
No individual’s personal integrity equates to a “social issue”, yet the existence of any civil society demands compromise and tolerance when dealing with those whom we disagree or those who disagree with us. Suppose the views of Rick Warren and those of his ilk represents one end of a continuum and the views of many in the LGBT community represents the other. Because each side firmly believes in their position, the question of right or wrong seems wholly subjective; the better question may be how do we co-exist and work together to bridge our divisions.
My point – we test the strength of our collective civility when we find practical ways to work together notwithstanding the magnitude of our differences. We live together; fellow citizens (national and world) will inevitably have vastly different perspectives. This reality presents a test for the strength of our union and the civility of our system of governance. The bigger the differences, the greater the test of a society’s strength and civility - balkanize or unify? Unity requires pragmatism.
Though I fundamentally disagree with Rick Warren on social issues, he represents a substantial group of people with whom I would like to have a better relationship. Perhaps this symbolic gesture will progress the national discussion beyond deaf divisiveness.
It never fails that someone pulls this silly argument out of the hat every time one of these discussions comes up.