Apparently, Barack Obama meant what he said about our politics being too small for our problems.
With job layoffs and new miserable financial statistics being announced every day, how else can we explain the press and some Republicans being endlessly fascinated with the non-connection between between Obama and Blagojevich? How else does one explain the thrashing about of some progressives over the idea of Pastor Rick Warren saying a few minutes of prayer at Obama's inauguration?
The answer is simple; we currently practice a mighty small politics in the United States.
You might not like the idea of Prop 8 supporter Rick Warren anywhere near Washington on January 20th. None of my friends do. This isn't hype; the people who are so bent out of shape about Warren are literally all my friends or people I admire.
Like my comrades, I think Warren is dead wrong on same sex marriage. But the reality is that at the end of 2008, a majority of voters in California agreed with him. A majority of Americans agree with Warren about same sex marriage and many more states have made marriage equality unconstitutional than have ratified it.
So Warren isn't out of the mainstream. He seems to agree broadly with the position of Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton in supporting equal legal rights but not gay marriage. Just to underline this again - I think they are all wrong but I also recognize I'm in the minority on this.
I don't understand how anyone who listened to Obama during the campaign would be shocked that Obama lets Warren give the invocation. It's vintage Obama. It does not signal agreement with Warren's political positions, some of which are clearly at odds with Obama's. Warren isn't making policy or even giving a sermon., He's saying a prayer and then possibly dancing later at some inaugural parties. If anything, it's the possibility of this dancing that should be deeply troubling to all Americans.
Rick Warren felt some of this same heat when he invited Barack Obama to speak at his church on World Aids Day. Conservatives railed against Warren for legitimizing Obama. People with different political opinions aren't supposed to come together in anything but a shouting match.
In a few weeks, Barack Obama will be sworn in as President and be joined by two men leading prayers - Rick Warren and Joseph Lowery. Lowery is the 'dean of the Civil Rights movement', the man who founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Martin Luther King Jr. Lowery supports same sex marriage.
There's something bigger at play here and you can't say Obama didn't warn you. He talked about reaching out, about expanding our politics and that crazy bastard actually meant it. Nobody on the left or right quite knows what to make of it. We want to cram Obama into our old, divisive, two toned ideological and political frame and if he doesn't fit, we'll attack him too. Attacking is what we're used to doing.
But in the long run this new politics benefits us all. Ironically, it benefits the minorities and marginalized and ill-treated the most. I know this may be hard for many to see right now but the truth is that this sort of symbol is what America needs. Not seeing just Warren on stage or just Lowery but seeing both of them of there at once
Obama said it in the abstract time and again during the campaign. Now he's showing us. Seeing the things that Pastor Rick Warren and Reverend Joseph Lowery have in common is more important than seeing the things that separate them. America needs to see that. It's a step down the road where a majority of us see the things that straight Americans in love want are the same things that gay Americans in love want, too.
If you are mad about Rick Warren, I'm not attacking you. I understand your anger and I'm not saying it's not justified. But it's all right to let your anger go, too. It doesn't mean surrender, it doesn't mean giving up the struggle for equality.
It means doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. It means winning, right now - because the fight against hate starts whenever you want it, in your own heart. You can win a battle right now by not hating.
Can I get an amen?
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The more this Warren thing keeps spinning around in my head the more I’m agreeing with your friend and fellow Huffington Post contributor Bob Cesca.
I simply can't go along with the president-elect on this one. Warren is already spinning this whole farce into a media circus about himself and is a scandal waiting to happen.
I’m not hating the Pastor. There is a difference between hating and disappointment. Anyone who knows Obama’s message feels the disappointment for this judgment. Saddleback may have altered its website but the message is clearly the same.
The Pastor sees us as some ‘other’ searching to be saved from homosexuality. Like sheep to be lured into his righteous lire. Here have a donut and he will heal us from our evil ways. He is neither inviting nor inclusive so he can keep his bleeping donuts. He can go chest-beating all he likes across the media screaming ‘I Like Gays’ but he is teaching millions globally a totally different kind of message.
I say now the damage is done, let Warren get on with his 3-minute prayer and hope no queens are armed with donuts. Let Obama keep his eye on Rick Warren but we’ll be holding Obama to his promise.
You need to read this: It's not Obama I'm mad at; it's way too many of you
(http://christiekeith.dailykos.com/)
And this: You Just Screwed Up, Buddy: Giving Comfort to Those Who Prey on Hate
(http://vitavagabonda.blogspot.com/2008/12/you-just-screwed-up-buddy-giving.html)
It's not about "hating" anybody. It's about being respected and recognized fully as citizens and as human beings. No more back of the bus. No more being "understanding." Y'all had your chance to do the right thing and you didn't do it. And now we're ticked. Deal with it.
This is NOT about Prop 8 nor about gays nor about ANY particular issue. This is NOT even about disagreeing with Rick Warren. Warren is a man who incites hate, anger, fear, and encourages division. Obama wants to be a uniter, so he invites a hatemonger??!! Hello????!! Earth to Barack!!! Rather, this is about being principled, as I have believed Obama to be. Here's a statement by Kathryn Kolbert that says it best for me:
'But Rick Warren is a powerful leader who marginalizes and dehumanizes those who disagree with him -- he does nothing to help unite Americans! [... ] We strongly agree with President-elect Obama that everyone should have a seat at the table, but only those who treat others with respect should get a seat of honor.' - Kathryn Kolbert, President of People for the American Way
She goes on to say:
'In an interview just last week, Warren compared reproductive choice to the Holocaust and compared same-sex marriage to incest and pedophilia, and he called Christians who work to advance social justice gospel "Marxism in Christian clothing." '
Anti-gay marriage proponents think it's a matter of respecting the institution of marriage and that same-sex marriage proponents are the ones being disrespectful. Rick Warren is catching hell from his followers about "supporting" Obama by associating with him. They feel that Obama is wrong for even being ok with civil unions. What would either side gain by these two men not finding common ground?
The common ground would be what is going on in CA now: civil unions which afford gays legal rights with their romantic partners.
It's impossible to have true "equal rights" for every American. True equal rights would be that EVERYONE has the right to drink, drive, vote, etc. when clearly that is not the case, nor should it be.
"Anti-gay marriage proponents think it's a matter of respecting the institution of marriage" Yeah - they respect an "institution" We want respect for PEOPLE.
"civil unions which afford gays legal rights" - They are NOT Equal. So you don't want equal rights? Which civil rights are YOU willing to accept an inferior version of because 50%+1 (hey majority rules doesn't it?) think YOU don't deserve them.
"It's impossible to have true "equal rights" for every American" Hmmmm . . . nice conflation of issues or really really bad analogy., I can't decide. EVERY 18 year old citizen has the right to vote unless that right is disabled by something such as incompetancy or criminal record. Every 21 year old has the right to drink, unless . . .
What is your justification for EVERY Consenting Adult has the right to marry one other Consenting Adult unless . . . .
We're waiting . . . .
Do you think we should have a creationist on the science team Obama has formed?
There is DIVERSITY and there is CONTRADICTION. This choice is a contradiction.
Obama is trying to demonstrate "reaching across the aisle" to Americans since we seem to not really understand what that means. You can get more bees with honey. What does Obama gain by rejecting Rick Warren? Does he gain an ally in Rick, a very influential religious person? Does he persuade Rick to see the error of his ways? NO! The quickest way to inspire opposition and resistance in someone is to take the position of "you're wrong, I'm right". The quickest way to lower resistance is to take the position of "I see your point..." Even if you add a "but..." after that, people will still at least hear you out after they feel they've been heard, too.
It's ironic to me that much of the criticism for this choice is coming from Christians, who supposedly model themselves after a man FAMOUS for his ability to forgive people of their sins, hear people out, act non-judgmentally, etc. I guess it doesn't matter to them that Jesus would probably approve of Obama's actions here.
Btw, Bush actually allows dogmatic people to create policy so save your righteous indignation for criticism of him.
Why is no one celebrating Obama's deliberate insult to 26% of the electorate?
Jeepers you'd think Warren was the only shill for god chosen to share the stage.
Heeellloooo - major Obama insult, bus toss, face slap, disrespect and insult and NO ONE is celebrating and giving him props for the insult of choosing Lowery?
Where's the celebration that the other side of the god coin is on full display and not just insulting but for a longer time?
Grinches....
If the gay community wants to liken itself to the Civil Rights movement, they should take a couple of lessons from it. The movement in large part didn't succeed because black folks got self-righteous and in your face about civil rights. It succeeded because the non-violent tactics they used got the die-hards to show their true, violent, colors and the moderates to start thinking, "My God, is this what I really believe in?"
Isn't it ironic that we admire people like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Ghandi, Jesus, etc. but can't seem to practice what they preached or apply their principles in real life? No wonder they are so revered. That level of emotional and spiritual and mental maturity is rare...
He's sucking some of the wind out of the sails of those on the other side who still believe that he's commie, terrorist, bleeding heart liberal that wants to give out abortions on every corner and the code keys to our nuclear weapons to Osama Bin Laden. These folks are perfectly happy to sit there with their fingers in their ears every time Obama opens his mouth for the next four years. The fact that he asked Rick Warren to give his invocation at the inaugauration (and more, the fact the Warren accepted), has made them pull their fingers out of their ears and go "Huh?" Those die hards on the other side are attacking Warren for giving the prayer while those more moderate voices are questioning themselves and others on whether it's right to be so militant that the man can't even give a prayer for someone who sees things differently that he does. And that's the conversation that needs to happen before the gay community can get want they want.
The only thing pure about the guy is he's a pure politician. He sees everything not as right or wrong but whether it will make things better or worse than they were, a step in the right direction or a step in the wrong direction. He's an effects and outcomes artist.
And I think the effect that he's after here is to get a few 100,000 right wing wack jobs who might otherwise be praying down fire and brimstone on the inauguration, to get off their knees and turn on their TV. Every percentage point of bigotry that is relaxed by people actually watching and getting a feeling he ain't quite as evil as they thought, gives the new govt. a little bit more political room to manoeuvre. That's what Obama is about. Nothing he does is just show. Every opportunity he gets is about political advantage. You could say he is a veritable Warren Buffett of political capital. Never wastes a chance to make some, never squanders any, doesn't despise it no matter where it comes from, plays the long game.
Obama cares about you personally, because he's a liberal kind of guy. He doesn't give a crap about you politically, because you're in his pocket already. And that's the kind of leader who can achieve the most for you.
We did not elect a saint on November 4th, but rather an evolved blend of principled public servant and gifted politician. They ate Jimmy Carter alive in the cesspool we call national politics and Washington D.C. They will find Barack Obama to be considerably more "chewey." And I suspect they will also discover that - by the time they figure out how to react to his last move - he's several steps further along in the game. I bet he plays a mean game of chess ....
Meanwhile, it's his inauguration and he has the right to choose anyone he wants to deliver the invocation.
We don't respect serious theologians or the christian religion(different reasons: agnosticism vs. pop theology and christocaptalism, but we end up in the same place)
We don't let unrepentant gays into our churches(this is primarily because i don't have a church, but we can count it anyway)
we both think African orphans dying of aids is bad (puts me and him in exclusive company, doesn't it?)
we both agree we should both stop global warming because it is god's will-(oh wait, i just think it would be bad for living things on this planet, not really any divine reason-maybe scratch that one)
and we will both be legitimized as America's Pastor, by a fierce advocate for gays and lesbians no less(oops again, I forgot, I narrowly missed out on that one, it seems i forgot the "compare your opponents to pedophiles" prerequisite)
Also, now that I have truly examined the issue, I actually wouldn't be so quick to vote NO. While I am all for equal rights for homosexuals in theory, I also understand the YES point of view. What many people don't understand/know is that in CA, civil unions are legal for same-sex couples. They have all of the LEGAL rights of married hetero couples, so to portray this as an equal rights issues is a misnomer. The argument is really about how to DEFINE marriage. Since I'm not a strong proponent of marriage for anyone, I really don't understand all the gay fuss of being able to call it a "marriage".