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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 can’t help but wonder how it must feel for the tens of thousands – or possibly more – gay men and women who chose Obama over Hillary Clinton last spring. Hillary Clinton would have NEVER allowed such a man as Warren to attend her inauguration.
This is the first Obama betrayal. How many more are to come, I wonder as I shudder.
I can assure you that I will not support nor will I donate funds to any organization that participates in this inauguration. I think that there will be plenty out there that will post those involved as they have those involved in Prop8!
Give Obama a chance people. He is not even the president yet. He has not had a chance to work for the gay rights as he has promised. We need our ‘leaders’ to be close to him to loby for these changes, not boycotting him just because he is allowing some religious wako to say a prayer.
Mr. Cole, You’ve seen the enemies’ many TV ads lying shamelessly about gays and about gay marriage.
Geoff Kors and his group tried all that was humanly to stay on top of this situation and endlessly keep the community informed of everything that happened.
It was a very desperate and very difficult battle, and he and Equality California might not have been perfect but being a minority fighting to gain marriage again, again and again and then to work to keep marriage, etc.
Since you Mr.Cole have all the answers to this situation, I suggest you stop your heartless condemnations and instead offer your expert knowledge, suggestions and services to Mr. Kors and his group to help do an even better job.
Please let us know when you constructive things to offer our community and to offer the CA gay marriage fight. If kors isn’t doing a good enough job, why don’t personally get up their and lead things yourself and just how well you do.
Just like our community to relentlessly tear everyone down each and every time things don’t work out, instead of offering constructive help and suggestions.
Not going is a huge mistake. It is handing power over to Warren and others like him. We need to stand tall. We need to be visible We need to look into their eyes and make it clear that we will not go away.
Morgan,
I do not see how avoiding situations, groups of people, or positions that we object to can lead us to the rights we all so desperately want. The facts are that our side in the fight against Prop. 8 raised more money than the side fighting for Prop.8, polls showed our side winning in the months leading up to the election. All the signs point to a failed advertising campaign and ground game. Am I the only one who thinks our leaders should stop wining and start taking some responsibility?
No, Tana, we can’t act like what he did is minor. We can’t let him keep saying he believes in equality for us while treating us in a separate way. That’s a lie. I repeat. That’s a lie. Maybe he can’t back treating us as equals, but he should stop saying it. He said it again yesterday. No, he is not for equal rights for all people. He is against gay marriage, and that means he is against treating people equally. He can justify it with religion etc.(that’s one of the reasons people are religious…it gives them a way to justify their own bigotry,) but to bring this bigot on the stage with him is a disgrace. You think this is gunna be easy? It’s not. You can’t expect to be treated as equal citizens unless you hold good men totally accountable. He is wrong. Hold him accountable. Give a brave man a real test, and he will pass it. If you never test him, he will continue to take the path of least resistance(that’s what he is doing.)Don’t watch or partipate in this man’s party. He will take it as weakness(rightly so.)
Separate but equal- all over again. How can a person from a race that has been opressed for centuries turn around and oppress another when he finally gets into a position to change the legacy of hate for homosexuals. Obama is dead to me.
Cole, you say give him a chance? Sorry, but this is like a shepherd looking at his flock, and sacrificing the one he thought would be easiest to sacrifice. He’s made his choice. He is letting you know he considers your particular group the easiest one of all to sacrifice. That’s the message. He’s looked at it. Measured it all, and we’re “it.” Somebody who considers us pedophile-like is gunna be up there getting embraced by Obama. We gave him support. He snowed us. Kick back, or be kicked repeatedly. Be a nuissance. You think he is gunna ever recognize the Armenian Genocide? I doubt it. The reason is the Turks make it very costly to do it. We don’t make it costly enough to keep politicians from throwing us under the truck. That’s why they do it. It doesn’t hurt enough. He’s smart. He picked this fight. He wants this fight. He thanks he can easily handle what he have to throw back. Show him differently. He’s expecting weakness. I’m sure Rahm etc. told him we are the ones to sacrifice. Don’t Cower. He is expecting that.
I’m pissed that there is a religous invocation no matter who delivers it. Equality California executive director Geoff Kors needs to get his butt to the ceremony so that it is not completely taken over by the evangelical freak show.
Obama is going to have to provide political balance for the changes that are about to be made in favor of the GLBT community, and having Warren in his rear-view mirror when he does will do just that. Have a little faith in what you believed in when you campaigned and voted for him. I wish he had not picked Warren, but I can see the usefulness of the move. I still strongly believe Obama is about to be the best friend our people ever had. I urge you to trust his instincts. When don’t-ask-don’t-tell is gone, and the defense of marriage act is gone, few people will even care that Rick Warren said a prayer.
I am livid over Rick Warrens participation. I have signed a couple petitions and written outraged remarks on a couple of pages/blogs. When I first read this article I thought, commendable, but about half way thru the comments it hit me. Does it seem Geoff Kors is really high enough politically to have been INVITED to attend? Apparently so! Geoff, you better go. In all our outrage, no one really expects Obama will recind Warrens invitation. Now that we have been heard, let’s let the month play out. This could help 1/10 across the country. There will be media at every JTI protest to see how many turn out and what the signs say.
We can’t sit back and let this pass without being heard. Most of my straight friends haven’t a clue as to the outrage this has caused in the gay community. On January 20th, I propose that we get into our cars and start honking our horns the minute “reverend” Warren ascends to the podium. Not “honk-honk-honk”, but one continuous annoying HONK that symbolically shouts down the “reverend” and possibly distracts our neighbors from his speech. The blaring horns should stop the second he leaves the stage.
Hate speech is hate speech regardless of who is comes from…mininster,politician or a ‘regular joe’. Warren’s past statements about the GLBT community isn’t just about degrading those of us who are GLBT; it was a remark that also insulted our supportive family and friends…all of us whose hard work help put Obama into office. Rick Warren giving the invocation at this sacred and remarkable occasion is as inappropriate as inviting the Grand Wizrd of the KKK to the dedication of a synagogue. Bridging the gap between opposing ideals can be done only when each party has some modicum of respect and dignity in the humanity and value of each individual present. Pastor Warren has shown nothing but distain and contempt for the GLBT community and a profound disrespect for any equal rights of that community. I am so angered and insulted by this decdision that I am not sure I can now bring myself to watch the upcoming festivities. I have listened to media ‘talking heads’ state Mr. Obama was returning the ‘favor’ to Pastor Warren for his invitation to the debate that Warren mediated during the campaign. I find it abusrd and even more insulting that the ‘evangelicals’ who showed absolutely no support for Mr. Obama are being ‘rewarded’ with one of their most vocal and bigoted representatives being given a privledge that he does not deserve. In spite of Mr Obamas statements that he is ‘firmly committed to the ‘equal rights’ of the GLBT his actions are obviously not in line with his supposed convictions.
Have we made a serious mistake?
Tana Goodwin Said: December 19th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
“Not going is a huge mistake. It is handing power over to Warren and others like him.”
No Tana, going would be the only huge mistake because it would only serve to legitimize people like Warren.
‘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.’
What an idiot.