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Loading ...Calif. Gay rights leader rejects inauguration invite
12.19.2008 9:10am EST
(San Francisco, California) The head of California’s largest gay civil rights organization has declined an invitation to attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama because Rev. Rick Warren will deliver the invocation.
“It is extremely disappointing and hurtful that President-elect Obama has chosen California Rev. Rick Warren, who actively supported Prop 8 and the elimination of existing civil rights for LGBT Californians, to give the invocation at his inauguration,” said Equality California executive director Geoff Kors in a statement.“Accordingly, I have decided to decline the invitation to attend the inauguration as I cannot be part of a celebration that highlights and gives voice to someone who advocated repealing rights from me and millions of other Californians.”
Kors said he was looking forward to hearing a speech by the new President about his vision of a new America and an end to the politics of division.
“Rick Warren does not share that vision. Far from it. Instead, he actively works to divide Americans based on who we are and has been an ardent supporter of efforts to ostracize LGBT Americans,” said Kors.
Warren is the outspoken evangelical pastor of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. – one of the state’s largest megachurches.
He was a major supporter of Proposition 8, the measure that amended the California constitution to ban same-sex marriage in the state.
“There is no need to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2 percent of our population,” he said during the Prop 8 campaign “This is not a political issue – it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about.”
Despite outrage over Warren’s selection to deliver the invocation Obama has defended the choice.
Obama told reporters in Chicago Thursday that America needs to “come together,” even when there’s disagreement on social issues. “That dialogue is part of what my campaign is all about,” he said.
In a statement Thursday night, Warren said he commends the President-elect “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.”
So far no other LGBT rights leaders have said they will boycott the inauguration. Among those scheduled to take part is the Lesbian and Gay Band Association.
I am truly disgusted with Obama and his administration for not hearing us out on this. This isn’t about prop 8 or considering homosexuality a sin. THIS IS ABOUT COMPARING US, OR BETTER YET, EQUATING US TO PEDOPHILES (FORCE) AND INCEST. I am disgusted and outraged by this choice.
I think that he should go—snuggle up as closely as possible to Rick, and just keep staring at his crotch!
I think you need to get off the computer until you grow up!
I strongly agree with Geof Kors on this. Inviting Rick Warren to deliver the invocation is an insult to LGBT people. It is important for our community to make the statement that this is not acceptable to us. If Kors went to the inauguration, he would be window dressing – one of many faces in a crowd. By declining the invitation, he makes a statement that Obama might actually notice. I call on the other LGBT leaders to join Kors in this.
Ramsey…”Comparisons to the KKK are not warranted here. Rick Warren may be staunchly against gay marriage, but the KKK grand-dragon he is not.” Warren is not just against gay marriage, the point is that Warren is against gays, period. In the media it has been shown as a gay marriage issue, but it is far more then that. You are correct, Warren is not the grand dragon – he doesn’t cover up to hide his bigotry. He puts it all out on ugly display.
Sorry Frankly Speaking and anyone else who hit that link. The Democratic Socialists of America’s web address is http://www.dsausa.org
Whoops; that was a typo. The parties website is http://www.dsausa.org
Why are we not considering taking it to the streets on inauguration day?! We must speak up, and the only way to do it effectively is by getting together and PROTESTING! I am hoping jointheimpact will organize a protest on inauguration day or that some other organization will. It’s time we grow some balls and get on the offensive.
To Frankly Speaking. That party already exists, so to speak. The Democratic Socialists of America. Go to http://www.dsusa.org to learn more.
Just as I said in my comment yesterday…if you’re going to be at the inauguration ceremony, turn your back to the podium when Mr. Warren delivers his invocation. TURN YOUR BACKS TO THE BIGOTS!
Comparisons to the KKK are not warranted here. Rick Warren may be staunchly against gay marriage, but the KKK grand-dragon he is not. Let’s not resort to hyperbole here, folks. This is certainly disappointing from the gay perspective, but Warren himself is getting huge flack from the right for agreeing to speak for a pro-Abortion, Democrat president (and abortion is a much bigger issue for Conservatives than gay marriage is for liberals). Though I would’ve liked a different decision, if you look at this objectively, it’s a “big picture” decision that does reflect what we need to do as a nation…talk to each other to work out our differences.
I think not attending might be a mistake, however it is Geof’s mistake to make. If I had the opportunity to go I would; and when Rev. Rick Warren stood up to the podium I would turn my back to the stage for the rest of his speech. That would be making a statement. You can’t make a statement if you’re not there.
Dave S. – what a tired and trite expression about the cross and the wood. Kors has shown more of a spine in this one gesture than Obama has shown toward the entire GLBT community since winning the election. Rationalize all you want, that’s the way it is.
“Look people we will never have gay marriage. We will eventually have civil unions which will offer us the same equality as every american citizen.”
We certainly won’t have gay marriage as long as there are weak sisters like you out there!
Obama is hopelessly nieve if he thinks he can make common ground with fundamentalists like Rick Warren. (It is kind of interesting that some of the most homophobic ministers like Falwell and Warren are really fat.) Obama is going to find out that betraying those that ‘brung ya’ is going to be very costly.
No. After donating my time and money to the Obama campaign, for him to turn around and embrace someone who considers same sex relationships to be evil sinful and akin to bestiality, incest and child rape, to invite him to say some magic words at his inauguration is just wrong and I withdraw any further support. Let his new friends at Saddleback Church pick up the slack.