Obama's Pastor Warren Pick; A Bridge Too Far
In the '90s, the Clintons convinced me that the Democratic Party was in the tank for global capital, so I voted for Nader in 2000. Eight years of Bush convinced me that Democrats, bad as they are, really are better. So I've been for Obama, knowing he would govern from the center -- and I've been blogging to tell those who are disappointed to grow up and play the game, if they're in the game.
Now Obama's version of the game has always been bridge building. He's completely serious about reaching out, transcending red and blue, and etc.
But this is a bridge too far. Warren isn't just against same-sex marriage. He has used the most disgusting analogies to justify his opposition. What this blunder tells me is that Obama has never had a gay person in his life whom he cared deeply about, someone who could look him in the eye and convey what it means to be told that you can't marry the person you love, that your love is lesser. I have had that experience. Before that, I thought that, because same-sex marriage was so charged for so many people who might otherwise be lured into a progressive coalition, why not settle for civil unions for a couple of decades? Why insist on the word "marriage" at such a cost?
That's probably what Obama was thinking when he decided to reach out to that expanding group of younger, less bigoted, evangelicals in this way. The general strategy is essential to victory in 2012, I understand that. But there are other ways to pursue it. This pick hurts too many good people too damn much. Obama needs a gay friend to set him straight.
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I look at the inaugruation sort of like a bus. The LGBT community was on the bus, almost from the beginning. That's why they were sitting near the front. Obama is the bus driver. We're heading wherever he's taking us. The price of riding the bus is hope. Rick Warren is a late-comer to the bus. All the seat are filled with Obama supporters, there's no place for Rick to sit on this journey. So Obama tells the gays and lesbians at the front of the bus that they must give up their seat to Rick Warren. These gays and lesbians who have been with Obama since the beginning of the bus ride are now being thrown under the bus. As they are forced to leave the bus, they can't get back the hope we paid for admission. They must either fight to keep their seat or seek a refund for the hope they invested in Obama.
Cindy!
Well said! That is it, exactly!
Over and over again, we've heard advocates of same sex marriage say, "how does my marriage in any way deminish the sanctity of yours?"
And excellent question.
In that same spirit, I ask you, Mr. de Zengotita, if you believe in the concept of building bridges, how does PE Obama's reaching out to the Christian right, not through any policy changes but through a personal invitation, diminish the work he will do for the LGBT community. If you look at his attempts to be as inclusive as possible as preparation to push forward a progressive agenda, then you should be happy about this ceremonial (and not policy) decision.
Yeah - we are just about ready to dance in the streets over the choice of this:
1) hatefully demeaning (comparing LGBT people to pedophiles and rapists)
2) lying, fear-mongering (he joined the chorus of Prop 8 sponsors telling lies about the impact of the California Supreme Court Decision they sought to overturn - lying about it's impact on children in school and their own freedom of religion rights)
3) charlatan politico (whitewashing his website to remove his anti-LGBT stance now that he has garnered the media attention he craves, and snake charming folks like Melissa Etheridge and that LGBT book store owner in his recent whitewashing tour photo op)
to take his place on the international stage at this historical event. Because after-all it's "just a ceremonial" thing, and NO ONE really cares.
NOT.
On This Week With George...Vice President-Elect Biden defended Obama's choice of Warren, saying that Obama wanted to heal old wounds. Fact: Most pro-lifers and thinking gays are devastated. Question to Biden: How do you heal wounds by creating other wounds?
and if you don't talk to someone who thinks differently than you how can you change their minds or help them to understand your point of view.
So nomo...you seem SO emphatic about this two questions:
1. Do you support equal marriage rights for GLBT citizens?
2. Do you support the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell?
3. Do you support the ENDA? (Employment non-discrimination Act?)
I'm curious to know if you think this accommodation will work or if you're just against rights for gay people?
"and if you don't talk to someone who thinks differently than you how can you change their minds or help them to understand your point of view."
"Talking" is not the same as giving them the place of honor at your flagship event. Not matter what Obama *says* about this man, his placement at the iunaguration is an ENDORSEMENT.
Those are self-inflicted wounds. Show tolerance and tolerance will come back at you.
Tolerance is a level of homophobia. Refer to The Homophobia Scale by Dr. Dorothy Riddle.
The word tolerance is frequently misused as it actually represents homophobia. Refer to Dr. Dorothy Riddle's Homophobia Scale: http://www.wiu.edu/ucoso/riddle.htm
Support, Admiration, Appreciation, and Nurturance are the positive levels. Tolerance is not among them.
Well said. You get right to the heart of it.
when the dust settles here is what the good folks over at the Obama bashing community... sorry i meant gay community will see PE Obama has done more to enlighten America about the plight of the gay community than maybe anybody in history.
As a person who has gay family members and gay friends, I'm so upset at this whole situation. I have protested on the courthouse steps in Dallas against Prop 8. I believe that all couples that want to marry should be afforded the right to do as they choose. I can't believe that the LGBT community is behaving this way towards Obama. I mean what if the anti-gay community were bashing Obama for having pro gay-rights Rev. Dr. Lowery on itinerary? Would they be up in arms like this? I mean I don't agree with hardly anything that Warren has to say, but I can understand Obama 'reaching' across the aisle to the evangelicals. If you don't have two opposing views at the table, how will you ever get the chance to change someone's mind?
Placing this guy at the head of the inaguration is not reaching across the aisle, it's ENDORSING the man's actions. Funny, I don't see the grand wizard of the KKK anywhere in the line up. Could it be that Obama doesn't want to lose the support of the 67% of black folk that voted for him an prop 8?
As person who has a gay lover, who caucused for Obama, I'm really tired of being equated with pedophiles and bestialists. I'm already really tired of being told to support this man who broke his first rights-related campaign promise regarding FISA, before he even won the election.
Whose essential rights are next?
No, Obama did not do squat to enlighten America about the plight of the gay community...the people he pissed off did.
I voted for Obama, but as a straight woman I am deeply disturbed by his reaching out to the reactionary right wing of Christianity because they not only make it their life's work to oppress me and other feminists but my gay friends as well. We've already had 8 years of their ilk whispering in the ear of the Neocons and the hacking away at rights for myself and my friends.
The folks who are rising up in opposition are doing the work, all Obama did was instigate it.
I voted for the guy because he was better than McCain, but give me a break with this Obama is Omnipotent bullsh*t. He's not The Great And Powerful Oz, he's the guy behind the curtain.
The last sentence - exactly. Does he ever. This is major myopia. And I say we raise Cain about it until he changes his mind. Go to change.gov and let him have it. Send letters to the editor to your local paper. Call your Congressperson.
the pot calling the kettle
Yeah. Either that, or maybe realize that it is going to happen no matter what you do, and withhold your judgement until after.
Thank you Tom for the kind words during the Holiday Season. Most people are not going to empathize or relate to what you're saying. When you've spent a lot of years believing that change is coming, you finally wise up and say, Yeh right, changes is coming when I'm a dead rotting corpse. The the right change arrives, when you let go of all the opinions and just let it be. Happy New Year
For all you straight folks who are tired of hearing about this issue and writing about it, I have a suggestion. Go somewhere else. It's easy, you can just click your mouse and go to another web page or article.
Really, though, I think you do protest too much (i.e., if this is upsetting you so much, perhaps you should examine your own internal homophobia.)
and your heterophobia
Wow. What if straight people said to gays, if you are tired of hearing about traditional marriage in the United States, go somewhere else? Would that be acceptable to you? I doubt it. And yet you practice the same intolerance.
What a hypocrite.
I'll talk about it all day long. I just happen to disagree with you. And I'll happily go back and forth with you exchanging our views.
It's called a conversation.
I guess it's no wonder that you only want the next President to engage those you agree with. It seems that's the only people you want to hear from too. Try talking to somebody who disagrees with you. Perhaps you or they will learn something.
For me, Obama took the inauguration away from me, by inviting Rick Warren. I was an Obama support. Did Rick Warren support Obama? This inauguration should have been the celebration for all of Obama's supporters. Bridge building can begin before or after the inauguration, not during it. I've mentioned this in other posts - I've taken this so personally, that my partner and I have changed parties from Dem to Independent.
Imagine that the US just elected a gay white President, and this new President-elect chose David Duke to speak at the inauguration. Do you think that blacks, and other groups would be upset by this selection? Of course they would - with good reason. That's how I feel about Obama's selection of Warren for the inauguration.
stop with the david duke comparison. what are you doing besides name calling to further your cause.
The Rev. Lowery, who has spoken out in support of gay rights, has been selected to deliver the benediction, the final word of the ceremony. And what thanks does he get for his support? You completely ignore him and treat him like a piece of dirt.
He took the innauguration away from you?
Either the innauguration belongs to him (he's the one being innaugurated) or it belongs to all of us (those who voted for him and those who didn't). Defining it the way you did is very convenient, but not consistant with any logical view of our democratic process.
If you really think that Rick Warren is the equivalent of David Duke, fine. But I doubt you really think that.
I think you are speaking of the Democratic National Convention, not the Presidential Inaguration. This is the day all Americans rejoice and celebrate a new chapter in American politics, not just progressives and liberals.
And David Duke? So you think that the murder, rape, lynchings, red-lining, police brutality, Slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, incarceration, of African Americans is synynomous to you not being able to get married in this country, or Rick Warren not co-signing with your particular ideology.
Tough luck, welcome to earth, now what are you going to do about it? You have no tact, nor game plan, your premises are completely lacking of any pragmatism, you are insensitive demanding sensitivity, irreverent, demanding reverence, unreasonable and attempting to speak to reason.
If your situation was comparable to the civil rights freedom fight and the casualties thereof, you would stop crying for acceptance and peacefully demand your rights nonviolently, there's not a legal prescription for gaining acceptance, but there is for gaining one's civil rights.
Keep alienating yourself, and you will stay alien, listen and you will be heard, try to understand, and people might try and understand your perspective, stop demonizing people, and you will stop being demonized.
Amoung the numerous vices mentioned in the bible, this one presents a obstacle for full acceptance of Homosexual ACTS by christian parishioners, ("You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." (NKJ, Leviticus 18:22), but no Christian should judge another person (Matt. 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.")
So while God does not admonish any Christian to judge another PERSON, God does admonish Christians to judge the ACTS that they partake of. (i.e. Homosexuality)
Yet another Rick Warren blog post? This website is turning into the Dailykos...yikes.
You guys should read this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-sedaei/on-abortion-pro-choice-is_b_152744.html
Somehow, we have taken a teachable moment, an opportunity for discussion, and turned it into a great national hissy-fit that resonates little with the vast majority of Americans, most of whom support Warren. For proof, look at Prop 8.
Obama handed us a great opportunity for a non-disagreeable disagreement, for changing hearts and minds. Unfortunately, we responded with nasty rants and invective against the President-Elect. One article here on Huffingtonpost called Obama a "bigot"; others claimed he "threw us under the bus". Rachel Maddow declared the invocation will be remembered for a hundred years.
Hysteria.
Despite the inflated claims to critical symbolism, this is a 90-second prayer that will make not one whit of difference in our lives or our rights and will not be remembered five minutes after it's uttered. On the other hand, the good will of Barack Obama will have a critical impact on our futures, our families and our acceptance for generations to come. He will appoint a number of federal judges, and as many as three Supreme Court Justices. He will be responsible for pushing critical equal-rights legislation through congress and signing it.
What kind of people are we when we castigate our friends and refuse to educate our enemies?
C'mon, gays, let's grow up, let's become politically effective. Let's change hearts and minds and end homophobia once and for all.
Calling our friends names is not the way to accomplish that.
Alan A. Katz
Great post!
Thanks Alan,
I agree with you wholeheartedly, but I think you're getting ready to get hit with a whole lot of said hissy-fits right about now......
The invocation will be remembered for 100 years, if Rick Warren rises to the occassion and reaches out to all with a message of conciliation.
Otherwise, it'll be forgotten as soon as Obama repeals Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
"A bridge too far"????
Oh Poop!! It's a prayer.
Really, well have it be an inaugural prayer given by some dude that for years practiced hate-speech on YOUR lifestyle. Ever take a walk in your brother's shoes?
he voiced an opinion. he didn't say you should be harmed or killed for your life style/ and does not the term lifestyle imply choice instead being born that way.
A lot of you people have parents and grandparents who supported the prevalent national attitudes during Jim Crow, ie, they believed segregation, anti-miscegenation was correct, etc. even though it was dead wrong. Warren is a representative of people who think the current prevalent national attitudes, also wrong, also prejudiced, are correct. Altho wrong, they are in the majority. As such, it would be to all of our best interest to treat them like part of the national family rather than the enemy, a better position from which to eventually speak to them civilly about more enlightened viewpoints. Would you have thought it best to vilify your parents and grandparents and treat them like the enemy? Would that have won them over and helped build a stronger America? Obama is doing what MLK did, namely finding common ground with bigoted people who are our fellow countrymen. Treating them inclusively and respectfully will be better in the long run. We don't need them as our enemies. He'll get more legislation passed if he doesn't have to fight people who see themselves at war against him. This will de-fuse them. Be smart, peeps.
Perhaps he did it as a way to mend his comment about Americans clinging to their guns & bibles. I hope he learns from this poor choice & finds a gay friend to enlighten him on the issues.
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