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FeedWarren Selection Sparks Outrage
The announcement that Rick Warren, pastor of Southern California’s Saddleback Megachurch, was chosen to give the invocation at Barrack Obama’s inauguration has sparked outrage among the gay community. And with good reason.
Warren helped lead the fight for Proposition 8, which stripped us of our right to marry. Even more upsetting, in a recent interview, Warren said that legalizing gay marriage is akin to legalizing incest and pedophilia.
These kind of comments are small-minded, bigoted and hateful, and the rhetoric has no place in Obama’s progressive administration—an administration that we helped usher in.
While Warren is touted as a moderate and known for reaching across party and religious lines, his stance on gay rights is in direct opposition to the ideals of an Obama White House.
As politically active gay citizens, we must call on Obama to rescind his invitation to Pastor Warren. If we are to truly believe that change has come to the white house, we must see it on the first day.
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Reader Comments:
As much as I dislike the outcome of Prop. 8, lambasting Obama for choosing Rick Warren won't move the gay community forward, but rather further from a road to progress.
While Warren's ministry will never be my cup of tea, he is, as you said, a moderate choice. His ideals are not, though, in opposition of an Obama White House.
Obama made clear throughout the campaign that he is not in favor of gay marriage. He never made false promises. Sure, he opposed Prop. 8, but supporting marriage and opposing its discontinuance are very different things - and a political agenda is always present. Debra Saunders of the San Francisco Cronicle pointed some of these things out in a Dec. 23 article.
Obama has learned that every choice he makes is political. In a country as divided as ours, Obama's development of a centrist image is, for the moment, good. (Note also, Obama's election is a historic moment for the black community and he did not choose a black pastor)
I'm a lesbian. But I'm so much more and so is anyone reading this. Obama supports gay rights. He is also about to become the president of a country that has two wars, a recession, millions without healthcare, a tarnished world image and image of itself in the world.
If you want to get married in a church, go talk to the pope. Ultimately, marriage should not be litigated - for or against. On January 20th, we will have for the first time a president who vocally supports equal rights for gay couples under the law. Why undermine that?
You can't have your cake and eat it too . . . or maybe you can . . . but in the case of a marriage that comes on the first anniversary.
I couldn't agree less with the last post. As many have found out before, separate is never equal. I believe it does the internal damage to attempt to accept anything less for oneself. It may be the politician's job to move slowly, but its our job to demand right now what is rightfully ours. Not just for us, but for the next generation that follows us
That said, the real issue behind Warren, is not his opposition to gay marriage. I wouldn't care so much if it was. The real problem is his hateful rhetoric in which he stated that gay marriage was comparable to incest and pedophilia. This is not just a difference of opinion - its an attack. He is not reaching out to an acceptable other side, he is inviting bigotry up on the podium.
This was a real mistake by Obama.
It's not just about gay marriage! It's about intolerance that leads to hate and violence for anyone perceived to be Queer! It is not acceptable there is no gray area for violence and hate!
blessing
goddessboi
www.butchculture.com