Obama Chooses Voice Of Hatred
posted by: Ryan Kerian 340 days ago
Zorro vengefully humiliated his enemies with one well practiced and graceful slash of his sword. Those who dared oppose him painfully had the letter Z sliced into their flesh. On January 20, 2009, Pastor Rick Warren, who has vengefully humiliated another “enemy,” the LGBT community, will be rewarded for his vengeance. Warren will have a national opportunity to slice the number 8 into our souls once more when he gives Barack Obama’s inaugural prayer.
Warren wielded his sword for Proposition 8. He would tell you he did so in the name of God and of all that is good. He did so with adept grace and, although he may not know it, hatred in his heart. He and the voters who followed him into the ballot box, whatever their motivations or personal reasons, sliced 8 into our souls on November 5th, 2008.
We have often been branded perverts, psychopaths, deviants and selfish hedonists, among other things. We’ve been bearing those brands for as long as we care to remember. Warren and Proposition 8 merely rode in on the coattails of over a century of vicious vitriol and homophobia.
Today, we bear a new wound. Most of us will never view the number 8 as we did before; it slices into our soul. The wound smarts when we see a man and a woman holding hands, burns when we see a bridal shower at our local gay bar and pains us when we wake up in the morning unsure of our own worth.
We thought we had an ally in Barack Obama, but now we aren’t so sure. Obama handed the cutlass back to Pastor Warren by inviting him to give the Inaugural prayer. Could this be true?
The same Warren, who played a major role in the passage of Proposition 8?
Slash.
The same Warren, who so adeptly wounded the LGBT community by comparing same-sex marriage to incest, polygamy and pedophilia?
Slice.
Yes. The same Warren.
Proponents of Proposition 8, including Warren, humiliated the LGBT community with their well practiced and hateful rhetoric. Our right to marry was stripped away from us. Our morality was adjudged in the public eye in what was ultimately an open pronouncement that we are far inferior to our heterosexual counterparts.
We are trying to heal and to unite. Yet, we now must bear one more slash of the sword--the pain of seeing a minister who spends part of his life’s work denigrating us--give Obama’s inaugural prayer. Hatred will occupy the national lectern on January 20, 2009.
The ushering in of what is supposed to be a healing chapter of change will now be tainted with this hatred and pain. The joy of Obama’s election was stolen from many of us as soon as we learned that Proposition 8 passed. Now, the joy of seeing the man we tirelessly supported become the next President of the United States has been stolen as well. Mr. President-elect, why do you so easily abandon us? Don’t you understand?
Read more: marriage, lgbt, civil rights, obama, inauguration, kerian, rick warren
comments
It amazes me that religion is an accepted license for intolerance and very often the justification of the ignorant. Religion is used as authorization for rhetoric against gays and lesbians as well as permission to fly planes into buildings.
Perhaps a more appropriate choice to lead the inauguration ceremony at such a pivotal and symbolic time would've been someone who represents greater non-denominational spirituality as opposed to a representative of a specific religious group.
I believe President-elect Obama has pandered and politicked a little too much to the religious right and made an exclusive choice rather than an inclusive one.
The Pope speaks of homosexuality and transsexualism as being against the natural order of things. As an academic, did the Pope ever consider that gay people are as natural to the 'ecology' of the human condition as is humanity itself? Perhaps nature has put in place an element that is not designed to procreate in an already over-populated world; yet this does not exclude gays and lesbians from being productive and contributive people in society. Nature is not to be underestimated, and to do so is perhaps blasphemy in itself.
On a lighter note; Happy Holidays!
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I have to echo Luinda's sentimet. Warren's comments are certainly despicable and hateful, but it's unfair to completely define him as a voice of hate, considering that he has done work to fight global poverty and AIDS.
There have been many leaders in the past that are considered great even though they have held deplorable views on distinct subjects, such as Thomas Jefferson being a slaveholder. Obama also has a civil rights leader, who is pro gay marriage, to give the benediction, but his presence has been overshadowed by Warren. Obama stated that he wanted to bring together leaders of all perspectives, even those he has fundamental differences with. In order to advance civil rights, there needs to be a discourse that includes all perspectives.
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Obama said that he was going to build bridges, to bring us back together as Nation. I don't care for this individual, but I think it was a wise choice on his part. This is not a position of power that he has given him. It's a few minutes in the spotlight. Ease up people. This election isn't just about Gay rights, it's about the mess being left behind by a failed Presidency. It's also a major turning point in history. Celebrate that!
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I don't necessarily go along with Rick Warren's disapproval of anti-gay marriage. However, I see his belief or opinion as a fraction of who the man really is. The kind of qualities that inspired Obama to select Mr. Warren to give the inaugural prayer most likely had to do with other positive aspects of Mr. Warren's personality besides his viewpoint on anti-gay marriage.
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Obama recognizes the USA government is of Checks and Balances and is doing a great job in cabinet appointments as well as other selections. There is no way any one person can please every one so just kick back and don't try to promote special interests. Obama is our president elect and we must support him whether we like it or not. I am a left wing Roosevelt/Truman Democrat which makes me a Right Wing Republican nowadays. Keep the Faith
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Would Obama have been elected without all of the money, time & effort the LGBT put into his compaign? I just know that Ive lost my respect for him as our leader.
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Why at this time of Year when it is supposed to be PEACE on EARTH and GOODWILL to ALL MEN do people have to be hateful whatever your beliefs or hopes. I am a lesbian and the UK half of my relationship, I was turned around at the airport this Christmas, sent home to the UK and stopped from sharing Christmas with my Partner in the USA and as Sad and Hurt as I am I need to, and Will celebrate the true meaning of Christmas no matter what and just for the record I DO NOT believe in "Gay Marriage"....Civil Union with the same rights as Married Couples YES but Marriage NO as in the Bible Marriage is defined as being between a man and woman and maybe when all the Gay groups start accepting that and backing Civil Unions instead then maybe, Just maybe the Churches will get off our backs and stop being against us
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frankly, I wonder if Donald Trump's pre-nuptial contract with a previous mate was probably a lot more realistic and practical than any devised by a church leader or savvy politician, not that 'marriage' contracts are the issue here.
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Please do not be bitter or judgemental. Remember the saying: "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
Also, remember Mother Teresa's view on demonstrations. She would never attend an "anti" anything rally, because they promoted hate, violence and negative thinking. However, she WOULD attend "pro" rallies because they promoted peace, harmony and positive thinking.
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I think it is wrong to frame this solely as a marriage issue. Rather, it is a civil rights issue, as I alluded to in the blog post. Also, I didn't see any reference to trying to "shut down" or block out the opinions of others. Rather, I take offense at Obama inviting someone, who essentially can be characterized as a bigot (and would, in fact, be charactarized in such if he had the same opinion about people of color or a particular economic class). There is a difference between respecting diversity of opinions and giving voice to bigots. I understand that people may disagree with this characterization, but as someone who has been oppressed due to an immutable characteristic I possess, I do not see this as a stretch.
There are no battles being chosen here. Rather, this is merely an expression of a viewpoint. That's the beauty of blogging and the internet.
Lastly, I feel that the comment suggesting that the LGBT community vote for someone more liberal fails to take into account the power/predominance of the two party system in American politics. There were two viable candidates for office, and the community went with the better choice.
Thank you everyone, for sharing your thoughts! Please continue to do so.
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