The invitation of the Rev. Rick Warren, an outspoken opponent of gay and lesbian rights, to deliver the invocation at President Barack Obama’s inauguration is an unpleasant contrast to Obama’s promises of civil rights for all Americans.It’s hard to understate the outrage some gays and lesbians feel when asked to reach out to Warren. In a recent video interview with Beliefnet.com, he explicitly equated same-sex relationships with incest, pedophilia and misogynistic forms of polygamy.Gays and lesbians aren’t the only targets of Warren’s scorn. On the Aug. 18 airing of Larry King Live, he declared atheists are unfit to serve as presidents. He’s also an opponent of stem cell research, abortion rights and even access to contraception.In response to liberal concerns over Warren’s selection, Obama offered this statement at a Dec. 18 press conference: “What we have to do is create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable, and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans.”In principle, this kind of reconciliation is laudable. For Christians like Obama and Warren, it’s even a moral obligation to seek it out. It would be wonderful if the political discourse of the moment encouraged more examination of “those things that we hold in common as Americans.”The problem here is only Obama has demonstrated such a commitment to inclusion. The aforementioned interviews and others indicate Warren is committed to exactly the opposite.He thinks same-sex relationships are inferior to heterosexual ones, and by extension, gay and lesbian people are inferior to heterosexuals. To him, gays and lesbians are neither fully citizens nor fully human.The issue is not whether same-sex relationships contradict Warren’s religious beliefs. Preaching that any act is morally depraved or theologically wrongheaded is entirely within his purview as a pastor.But when Warren offers opinions about how the law should view same-sex relationships, he isn’t speaking as a preacher to his flock but as a political leader trying to influence civil society. In this context, it is inherently “disagreeable” to suggest millions of Americans are morally equivalent to pedophiles solely because of the gender of their partners.Obama has gone out of his way in his campaigns and policy proposals to affirm the dignity and civil rights of gays and lesbians.Warren has done just the opposite. It can’t be productive, or even sensible, to insist both perspectives can somehow be accommodated in the law.The urge to legitimize all possible points of view in the interest of tolerance or objectivity often leads politicians — and journalists — to assert a false equivalence between opinions that can’t possibly be reconciled.Unfortunately, Obama’s attempts at damage control have only compounded this basic error.On Jan. 13, the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church, was invited to deliver an invocation at a pre-inaugural concert two days before the swearing-in.Robinson said in response to his invitation, “just seeing someone like you up front matters.” But even if Robinson’s participation could somehow cancel out Warren’s, his inclusion in the festivities pales in comparison.Warren was announced and discussed a month in advance, Robinson less than a week before.Warren offered his blessing at the inauguration itself, but Robinson was relegated to a sideline event.Worst of all, Robinson wasn’t even “up front” in any sense — every news camera in the world caught Warren’s inaugural prayer, but, in a total slap in the face, the inaugural committee scheduled Robinson to speak before the TV coverage of the pre-show began.This invocation business was mishandled at every step. A presidential inauguration is meant to be a celebration of national unity. Featuring a speaker who has belittled the dignity and humanity of millions of American citizens undermines the purpose of the festivities and Obama’s stated philosophy as a leader.Ideally, Warren would have recognized the divisiveness his invitation caused and demonstrated his Christian humility by recusing himself. Instead, the inaugural committee treated the country to a blessing offered by a man who barely considers gays and lesbians to be human and ensured a contrasting view would barely be seen.Obama isn’t wrong in his desire to bring together as many opposing views as he can. But he won’t be able to execute his own favored policies if he embraces those who not only disagree with his philosophies but consider them entirely illegitimate.Obama must find a better way to reach out to his opponents without insulting and demeaning his existing supporters. The way the Warren affair played out demonstrates how much he has to learn.–Contact Matthew Patterson at [email protected]
Warren pick undermines Obama spirit of unity
January 20, 2009
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