It could be that Barack Obama is simply smarter than the rest of us. The first black president of the Harvard Law Review has made a career of turning conventional wisdom on its head.
When people said that America was not ready for an African American president, he ran anyway – and won. He was counseled by countless talking heads to “go negative” against Hillary Clinton in the primaries and then John McCain – but he largely stuck to his strategy of staying positive – and won. In the middle of the campaign, Obama hit an iceberg named Rev. Jeremiah Wright, injecting race into a campaign that had desperately tried to shy away from this explosive issue. Obama discarded advice to spin the crisis and instead delivered a lecture on race relations that has gone down as one of the greatest speeches in the history of American politics – not to mention it saved his campaign. So, at this point in his rocket-propelled career, it is unwise to bet against the political instincts of Barack Obama.
Still, choosing pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration seemed like a gaffe that has served, if nothing else, as a distraction to Obama’s central message of unifying America. This olive branch to evangelical Christians, who largely supported John McCain, felt more like poison ivy to gay and lesbian voters, who overwhelmingly cast ballots for Obama.
After all, Warren has a program to “help” homosexuals “pray away the gay” and played a prominent role in passing Proposition 8, which prohibits same-sex couples from marrying in California. He has even compared same-sex couples marrying to incest and child abuse.
Even if scientists find that homosexuality is genetic, Warren would still counsel gay people to fight their “sin,” reducing our love to nothing more than perverted impulses. While Warren presumably gets his basic needs met by his wife, he expects gay people to abandon fulfilling relationships for dour lives of loneliness, severe depression and suicidal thoughts.
Obama can talk about unity all he wants, but what he is really doing is upholding the “Great Gay Exception. Obama would never have an anti-Semite on stage in the name of common ground. If so, why did he distance himself from fellow Chicagoan Louis Farrakhan during his campaign? Obama would also never dream of giving a platform to an open racist. But, Obama seems to think we should not object to him elevating Warren, who we find deeply offensive.
My hope is that Obama’s plan is to offer heavy doses of symbolism and style to power hungry preachers, like Warren – while delivering substantive policy achievements to the gay and lesbian community. When gay and lesbian leaders reacted with understandable indignation, Obama’s rebuttal was, people need to “learn to agree to disagree without being disagreeable.”
This phrase, that many Evangelicals are nodding their heads to in agreement, is a rhetorical trap. If they agree to this principle over the Warren flap, they have essentially forfeited their moral high ground if they get “disagreeable” when Congress passes a law that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
The only flaw in this logic is that social conservatives rarely play by the same rules because they think they represent God. It is possible that Obama may have outsmarted himself by appealing to his sanctimonious enemies, who will never return the favor, while forfeiting support among his closest friends.
But, then again, maybe he really can buy goodwill by stroking the egos of narcissistic holy men. Rick Warren begins his best selling book The Purpose Driven Life with the refrain, “this is not about you.” Of course not! It’s always been about Rick Warren – whose camera-ready compassion is legendary.
If any good can come from this controversy, it is that many Americans now realize that Warren is masquerading as a moderate and posing as a pragmatist. Many Americans – who previously respected Warren – now view him as a poll-tested Pat Robertson who hides hate behind a Hawaiian shirt. He seemed arrogant and out of touch on NBC’s Dateline when he told Ann Curry that he wasn’t homophobic because he provided protesters outside his church with doughnuts. Gee, thanks, maybe next time you take away our rights we’ll get ice cream from His holiness.
The alternative storyline is really unthinkable.
In this version, Obama cynically used gay and lesbian people for money, votes and volunteers. Then before he is sworn in, he swears off equality. This plot was certainly advanced when not a single openly gay person was appointed to a high-level cabinet position.
Within a year, we will learn whether Obama’s decision to choose Warren was cagey, careless or cruel. If it is the former, we will soon view this cultural flashpoint as a flash in the pan. If it is the latter, it will cause an explosion of gay activism, giving many people who were previously apolitical, purpose driven lives – protesting Barack Obama.
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I cannot stand how religiously conservative people do as they wis with the law, promoting whatever they believe and pushing it into law, believing that God is on their side, and say that they are “respectfully expressing their viewpoint”.
But when a legality (such as gay marriage) goes into effect that contradicts their beliefs, it’s not so much as “respectfully expressing their viewpoint”. It is then considered “attacking the house of God”. Then, when they try and fight it, and lose, they cry religious prosecution.
Comment by James — December 22, 2008 @ 12:41 pm
Excellent post, especially the part about the ‘great gay exception’. My FB post tried to make the same point – A racist, ala David Duke, would never have been invited to the inauguration, for obvious and good reasons. The fact that people won’t see gay rights and the right to marry as being morally equivalent to all other struggles for civil rights is shameful. We have a long way to go. But, as one commenter on a CNN article on the subject said, paraphrasing ‘if you want to score some political points, go kick a gay’. Things haven’t changed that much since the bully days on the school playground.
Comment by Bill DeMuth — December 22, 2008 @ 12:42 pm
Bingo, my thoughts exactly. Ever noticed how balanced well organized writings come out in 5 sentence paragraphs? Thanks for the insights Wayne. I had the same thoughts when this situtation came down, that there is a silver lining waiting to be tracked. I still think it hurts in present time but if nothing else, exposure to Rick Warren’s fanaticism will do more good for the world in general regarding right wing religious persecution, and what it really means to humanity’s emotional health, than not. I will hold a positive thought around this O’bama/Warren angle and hope it unfolds for the better.
Comment by DavidW — December 22, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
Although the thought, sight and sound of Rick Warren makes my skin crawl, I do think it’s a good thing he’s getting all this attention lately.
Why? Because each time the camera and mic is turned towards him, he takes another crazy step forward and says something even more psychotic than the time before. Calling him a “loose cannon” is barely scraping the surface.
With Obama’s help, Rick Warren is chasing off EVEN MORE people from the church, which in turn will create more agnostics, Atheists and anti-”christians”. Hey, the way I look at it – more players for my team!
Comment by Scott — December 22, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
I’m afraid my wife and I lost trust in Obama and any support he might provide for the LGBT community more than a year ago. We’re firmly in the “alternative storyline ” camp. McClurkin, Caldwell, Warren, no gay cabinet members, constant broken promises… How many times does he have to throw us under the bus before we all say “Enough!”.
Comment by Buffy — December 22, 2008 @ 2:54 pm
It is quite obvious that all Americans have suffered from having a fundamentalist administration for the last eight years. I wonder if Obama realizes that this is not just an issue for the gay community.
To be honest, my concern lies not only in the issue of Warren, but other issues that Obama seems to be sliding on.
I have not heard him stand up for the taxpayers on the Wall Street bailout, which appears to have just given more money to the rich. If I have been hearing correctly he will not change Bush tax policy immediately, which means not taxing upper income as he promised.
Growing up in the 60s and being somewhat paranoid, I can only pray that the establishment hasn’t duped us again and it will be politics as usual. I am not seeing a whole lot of change here.
Comment by deborah — December 22, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
I’m really wondering…and don’t get me wrong, I detest Rick Warren, and I’m pissed off that he’s going to be there…but I’m starting to wonder if some people are getting a little TOO pissed off.
What’s his name Cloud wrote in Time that Obama is a “bigot” the other day and I just kind of stopped in my tracks and went, “Seriously?”
Because I really don’t see the case for that. Yes, the McClurkin thing was a mess, and it might be annoying that qualified gay people were passed over in the cabinet, but come on: He’s not even president yet. Let’s, as you say in the post, see what Obama DOES in office. I think we may be so accustomed to the BS of the last 8 years that we might be a little too trigger-happy in assuming that we’re being “thrown under the bus.” Yes, there was the McClurkin thing, and yes, this Warren thing, but let’s also remember that Barack Obama was the candidate who wasn’t afraid to mention the gay community by name in front of the Ebenezer Baptist folks, and whose wife showed up impromptu at the gay and lesbian whatever caucus in Denver and gave an absolutely impassioned speech.
I haven’t seen enough from Obama to write him off as having “thrown us under the bus.” So, let’s see what he does when the inauguration is actually over and the presidency has actually begun.
Comment by Evan — December 22, 2008 @ 6:43 pm
Inviting Rick Warren to speak at the Presidential inauguration is tantamount to inviting O.J. Simpson to speak at a women’s shelter.
Evan Wolfson guesstimates we will have Federal Marriage Equality in about 30 years (which would almost certainly require equality in employment and the military also). So we need to either EMBRACE the fact that most of us over 40 will NOT see Full Federal Equality in our lifetime and remain “patient” as our civil rights crawl to the finish line. – OR – We could begin to TREAT the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT as it treats US.
Two American Myths:
* Equal Protection Under the Law (except for gays)
* Separation of Church & State (except when the law applies to gays or a woman’s womb)
When Obama invited this “christian” to his speak at his inauguration, he invited a man who believes the Q-community are INFERIOR; “less than”. Being asked to “respect other’s opinions” doesn’t fly when those “opinions” are harmful lies about an entire segment of the population. Those “opinions” are tantamount to the extremely offensive beliefs and ideas our country once had about “negros” and “wives”, words and ideas that would NEVER FLY TODAY at an inauguration. Words and ideas that would incite riots today.
If you have HAD ENOUGH – The National Equality Tax Protest will be on Wednesday, April 15, 2009. NO TAXATION UNTIL EQUAL – It’s only fair.
Comment by John Bisceglia — December 22, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
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Comment by Dffcbifj — May 8, 2009 @ 4:55 am