Was the Warren Pick An Effort at Neutralizing Gay Animus From Religious Zealots?

I'm wondering if Obama is just a mere politician pandering to those that voted for him and triangulating support - or if he really is pulling Ninja stealth moves and we're really slow on the uptake? Is he giving oxygen to haters or sucking out poison from a snake? The pick of Rick Warren to deliver the Inauguration Invocation, which is the opening prayer and lasts 5-10 minutes, caused a major uproar from Gay Rights advocates and rightfully so. I wondered however if people were overreacting and placing more significance than it warranted. 

Dr. Joseph Lowery is giving the Benediction, the closing prayer, which is 15-20 minutes or so and he is an advocate. Also there are other 'openly gay' scheduled participants scattered throughout the events of the day. I have a problem with those advocates who want to decry the Warren pick but won't examine their own privilege as well as those that don't build relationships with others across various communities. 

I find it very telling when so many white gays were quick to attack Black people when they didn't get what they wanted. I am also equally if not more appalled by the animus displayed by many Black people who are claiming moral hierarchy in condemning homosexuality and some people's stubborn insistence that they are "only quoting the word of God". Meanwhile, the Black community such that it is, has fast disintegrated into a cesspool of dysfunction and evil that far permeates any argument against teh gay. 

But people don't want to hear it. I'm having an ongoing conversation - argument if you will - at a black-oriented political blog about this very issue. Those people that cling to their very selective Bible quotations do not want to have a real conversation about dogma versus compassion. Or even a brief review of history, from the Crusades, to slave trading, to bombing health care workers and clinics. It's all in the name of the Lord! So there may never be a point of agreement. What didn't go unnoticed was the voting trends of the so-called evangelicals who voted for the Democratic nominee in such large numbers this election cycle while white gays and lesbians voted Republican.

What I also find interesting is how Warren is making nice nice with teh gay, well Melissa Etheridge and one owner of a store in West Hollywood. You know, other white people, because yet again Blacks are not a part of this conversation except to blame or to bash each other. Warren has also been busy sanitizing his web site of all the fire and brimstone condemnation. Which only proves my point that he is a false prophet and snake oil salesman hawking 'religion' to make his name and fortune. 

If he really believed what he preached he should not publicly change his stance to curry favor with the incoming President. Which brings me back to Obama and wondering if he chose Warren knowing he would start backpedaling in favor of.....a favorable spotlight. Of course it could also be because of the pressure he's getting from gay advocates, though he didn't seem to care about them before under cloak of "my religious beliefs are this". 

If the Warren choice neuters his animus then Obama may have accomplished more in the course of a few weeks than others have tried for years. Those that follow Warren will be forced to disavow themselves - as some have done - or rethink their position because their "leader" has done so. Even though the effort is minor, any budging at all signifies a huge shift. Maybe people will start thinking for themselves for a change instead of blinding following a guy on a pulpit. 

I could be wrong though. Now can we also talk about his views on abortion?

photo source: Getty

Can Everyone Just Take A Chill Pill- Please!!!

OPEN LETTER TO THE USA

Primary Agent Saboteur Rick Warren is giving the Inauguration Invocation and the blogosphere has flewn into a tizzy. Yawn. He's not totally down with teh gay, but he's also not calling for a torch....or a noose. Unlike some other self-appointed religious 'leaders'. One could just go ahead and label him the Purpose Driven False Prophet but that would piss off a few million sheep. Baaah! Obama supposedly hasn't hired enough blue insects that mate once every three years. Or grandmothers who make flan. Or purple people. Or insert your own cause/group and more identity politic. 

We have far too many who've drawn a definitive line in the sand when it comes to forcing people to see things their way. Under the threat of retaliation. That's not the same thing as structured activism and fighting for justice. It's having standards versus being unyielding and close-minded. People fall too easily into disarray, anger and spiral into the distraction pit. Where's the agenda building, the focus, the seeing the big picture? 

We've got some white gays and their water carriers still playing the "we are victims" song instead of admitting areas where they've benefited from all the /isms. Try doing some soul searching! We've got the so-called liberal media and progressives ready to drop a dime on Obama for not meeting their unrealistic expectations of perfection and trying to tie him to every political lowlife who isn't Bush or Cheney. That is, when they're not running their never-ending "satires" that would get a compliment from the "real" racists. 

We've got those who've been burned by false religion give up on any spiritual practice but reacting negatively to those that haven't. We've got a lot of people in those Red States who are still skeptical that Obama must reach out to. People are being so reactive because they did little during the Bush years. You can't go back and change history. You can only learn from it and move forward. If everyone doesn't calm down how will we make it through the next 4-8 years?

I think it's time for a refresher of his Presidential acceptance speech. Write it down if you must because too many have already forgotten what he said:

"Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long."

"And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too."

Do we want to revert back to the Bush Administration and all of its secrets and lies, corruption and incompetence?  Heck no! We also can't club people over the head to jockey for a more favorable position. Legit concerns are ok, griping is not. 

Updated to add that in the brouhaha it seems no one is discussing that Joseph Lowery will also be speaking at the Inauguration, giving the Benediction. He is also a Gay Rights advocate and Civil Rights supporter and will have a much longer speech than Warren's opener, but that goes against the Obama + Warren = BAD argument. So is this about bigotry or is this about the few trying to call the shots as they see it? Like I stated above, I don't defend Warren or follow him but because a lot of people feel he represents them I'd prefer him to Dobson or some of the other right-wing aggressors. I just read a great piece by blog host Genia at Sistertalk asking if the religious right are being more tolerant than gays.