Memo to Rachel Maddow,
I’m glad you are not letting Barack off the hook on this Rick Warren thing. And it’s not just because Warren is reactionary and medieval in his thinking about homosexuality. Choosing him for such an honor is a slap in the face to the millions of sincerely religious people who labor in the vineyards every day and don’t ask for notoriety.
Rick Warren is a pop star and snake oil salesman compared to the devout Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus working for peace and justice here and around the world.
Choosing Warren is also so incredibly transparent as a political ploy, it’s unseemly. It’s not about being “inclusive.” It’s about pandering to voters, most of whom think being “inclusive” is allowing atheists time off for good behavior. And to claim to be on the side of science and factual knowledge?? The APA condems the kind of nonsense practiced by Warren’s church where they try to pray gay people into becoming non-gay, or at least not expressing their love in gay ways.
So it’s not just about Prop 8 and how Barack is honoring people who denigrate a class of our fellow Americans. It’s more than that. Can you imagine him inviting someone who preaches that people with disabilities deserve their fate because God is punishing their family????? There was a time when people believed THAT too ! And that it was okay for men to beat their wives. And that Jews were a sign of Satan. Imagine what an uproar there would be if someone like that was invited to the most important event in Barack’s life?
I am SO fond of Obama and really admire his attempt to bring all kinds of people into his administration. I know he’s not perfect and will make decisions I won’t like. BUT THIS????
What a waste of a part of my respect for him.
It's not just about Prop 8
20 Saturday Dec 2008
Posted in Uncategorized
But the assumption that it is safe politically to select an anti-gay bigot should not be diminished in importance. Many are trying to reassure those who are saddened by this choice by noting that the invocation is only a symbolic moment–but, given the significance of this inauguration to those of us who have grown up with the civil rights movement, the symbolic nature of the choice is actually why it is such a slap in the face.
You can bet that Obama would never have selected an avowed racist for this symbolic moment, but the fact that he has no problems allowing political considerations to justify legitimizing an anti-gay bigot really hurts. It will continue to be OK to direct hatred toward this group as long as those in power condone it, implicitly, as Obama has just done, or, as in the case of the Bush administration, explicitly.
At any rate, the inauguration is now ruined for me. I still support Obama and expect him to reach out to people like Warren, to be willing to listen and look for common ground–I just didn’t expect him to elevate somebody like this at this important moment.
(here) which I think really sums up all the issues surrounding this choice.