Observation of the Day!
I thought it was an admirable choice that Barrack Obama ask Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration. Obama stated that, although they disagree on several issues there was also common ground. To me it was a gesture of trying to bring the country closer together. The closing prayer will be offered by Reverend Joseph Lowry,who is at the other end of the political and religious spectrum. Obama has bookended his inauguration. Equal time
Rick Warren's statement
"I commend President-elect Obama for his courage to willingly take enormous heat from his base by inviting someone like me, with whom he doesn't agree on every issue, to offer the Invocation at his historic Inaugural ceremony.
Hopefully individuals passionately expressing opinions from the left and the right will recognize that both of us have shown a commitment to model civility in America.
The Bible admonishes us to pray for our leaders. I am honored by this opportunity to pray God's blessing on the office of the President and its current and future inhabitant, asking the Lord to provide wisdom to America's leaders during this critical time in our nation's history."Obama's statement.
At a news conference in Chicago, Obama called himself a "fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans" and said he will remain so as president. But he said it's important for people who disagree on social issues to work together.
"We're not going to agree on every single issue, but what we have to do is be able to create an atmosphere … where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans," Obama said.
Compare those statements to the statement by the Green Party and other activists.“Unless we make our anger known now, Mr. Obama will continue to betray gay people,” said Starlene Rankin, co-chair of the party’s Lavender Green Caucus (http://www.lavendergreens.us). “Barack Obama’s claim to be a ‘fierce advocate for equality’ is not credible when he chooses a pastor notorious for his ill-informed and slanderous opinions about homosexuality and vigorous support for Proposition 8.”
Gay rights groups say they are appalled at the selection of Warren, whose church is 22,000 strong. Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solomnese sent Obama a letter asking him to reconsider what they say is a show of "disrespect" and a "genuine blow" to the gay community.
The invitation to Warren has "tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place" at Obama's table, reads the letter.
"[W]e feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination," Solomnese wrote.Words in articles about the invitation say "Warren defends his selection" and "Obama defends his selection of Warren".
Why on earth should they have to defend an invitation. There was no call to defend Obama's selection of Reverend Lowry and outspoken gay rights supporter.
To me, this shows intolerance of the gays rights activists to any beliefs that are not there own. Intolerance is a one way street. Either agree my position or hit the highway. It is Warren and his believers who are more tolerant. I don't mean to say that there is not outrageous intolerance on the religious right. Some on the religious right attack Warren because he accepted the invitation. There is intolerance on both sides. Both add little to an inclusive America but hate and anger.
I commend Obama. I believe he has done the right thing.
In the immortal words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"
Have a nice day!
Samuel C. Arnold
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