No. Of course not.
But, and of course, Orombi would feature. As would many other many non-gay friendly priests and priestesses. Obama has invited Rick Warren. And the gay people of America are not amused.
Joe Solomnese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, has sent a blistering letter to President-elect Obama, accusing him of delivering a "genuine blow" to the gay community in choosing Rev. Rick Warren to give the formal invocation at next month's inauguration.
"Let me get right to the point. Your invitation to Reverend Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at your inauguration is a genuine blow to LGBT Americans. Our loss in California over the passage of Proposition 8 which stripped loving, committed same-sex couples of their given legal right to marry is the greatest loss our community has faced in 40 years. And by inviting Rick Warren to your inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place at your table.
Rick Warren has not sat on the sidelines in the fight for basic equality and fairness. In fact, Rev. Warren spoke out vocally in support of Prop 8 in California saying, "there is no need to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2 percent of our population ... This is not a political issue -- it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about." Furthermore, he continues to misrepresent marriage equality as silencing his religious views. This was a lie during the battle over Proposition 8, and it's a lie today."
A cheeky thought came to mind. How would Orombi think of me , gayuganda, standing on the podium with him and his excellency during the swearing in? He would most likely be apopletic too! Errr, and I would also reason that it is my right as a Ugandan.
Sigh. It is all a matter of imagery and the meanings we decide to cloud our minds with. Should Rick Warren be 'officially' invited or not? It matters to me, of course. Cause I am gay. But to a pragmatist politician like Obama, how much does it?
gug
UPDATE
Huh comrade 27th. Seen your comment vis a vis the rights of the atheist. Very funny!
No wonder I am not a politician. I would never ever be able to satisfy each and everyone. I have just seen this, seems like Obama is determined to balance the act, as well as is actually possible. Check out this. The person who will give the 'benediction' [something like the closing prayer] is this one.
The Rev. Joseph Lowery, 87, is best known as a civil rights icon and co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He also comes from a liberal Christian mainline religious tradition, the United Methodist Church.
In 2000, Lowery, gave what was described as an electrifying speech calling for gay clergy, to the dinner during the general convention of the United Methodist Church, the nation's second largest Protestant denomination.
1 comment:
I find it strange, though, that the atheists, for example, are not complaining. Obama spent his campaignn professing God and hugging preachers almost sexually. But the atheists didn't complain ...
Yet his acceptance speech, the parts I got to see had some bouts of effusive pro-LGBT lines. I guess the ambiguity, like many other things political, is calculated.
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