On the issue of Rick Warren speaking at Obama's inauguration

[pegkerr]

I agree with bekkio and choralreef: of all of the commentary I've seen on Obama's choice to have Rick Warren give the invocation at his inauguration, this dovetails with my own thinking the most. Yes, I understand why some people are smarting over Proposition 8 and are angry over this. I'm hurting over Proposition 8, too. But I agree: Obama understands that we need to build upon our common ground, rather than exacerbating our wounds.

Comments

[daharyn.livejournal.com]

Gosh, kinda easy for you to say, don'cha think?

It's bigoted bullshit, and a slap in the face to every queer person who supported the guy.

[folk.livejournal.com]

At the moment, I'm more in the camp that's incredibly frustrated and disappointed. I am, quite simply, not okay with gay rights being a civil right that it's okay for folks to disagree about.

[dreamflower]

I just think he's keeping his promise to be *everyone's* president. Yes, there will be people he disagrees with--he's not willing to consign anyone to the sidelines if there is any common ground at all to be found.

The real solution to the problem is to take government out of the marriage business completely: *all* unions should be civil unions if they are sanctioned by the gov't. And marriage should be a private matter decided by the people involved and their own preferences.

But I suppose that idea is too radical for *either* side.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

As has been noted elsewhere (e.g., http://www.electoral-vote.com/) Rick Warren has been active in positive ways on issues such as AIDS and poverty. Reaching out to people, including people, with whom we share some values, even if we disagree on other issues, is the ONLY way anything will be accomplished.

There is hardly anyone--hardly any one of us--who has no blind spots at all when it comes to issues of justice and equality. Rick Warren has his, but he also has done some real good according to my values.

I'll bet there are a lot of people who said, "Just because Obama attends his church doesn't mean he accepts everything Rev. Wright says" who are now unwilling to take that same viewpoint toward his friendship (yes, I think it is) with Rick Warren. But the wisest people I have ever known have been those who took what lessons resonated with them, from any source they found.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

I see this choice as exacerbating our wounds. I do not see any room for the kinds of bigotry that Warren has built his career on in the big tent; it's big, but it's still flammable.

[magicwoman.livejournal.com]

I think he could have made a less inflammatory choice. I think it's Obama's right to pick the person he wants to do the innvocation, but I (and this is my opinion only) think it's a less than ideal choice.

[schnoogle.livejournal.com]

It seems to me that the main issue isn't that Rick Warren is against same-sex marriage, it's that he was actively campaigning against established marriage rights just weeks ago, and lying in the course of doing so. "Reaching across the aisle", so to speak, is certainly an honorable goal, but srely Obama could have found someone of similar views but without the recent political activity against Prop 8 to invite?