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The purpose-driven hypocrisy

Explaining why he would invite California Prop 8 advocate Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration, President-elect Barak Obama said, "We have to disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans."

Which is why David Duke will be acting as an usher.

Marginalizing gays is relatively safe, politically speaking, since there's not another election for a few years. Just pat them on the head and put them back in the box.

If Obama is pandering to the religious right, that's not good.

If Obama genuinely believes that this is the way to bring us together, that's worse.

Comments

Brian Miller said…
It's funny how Obama supporters bristle at the comparison with David Duke... scratch a bristly Obama supporter on this issue and chances are high that, if you're in California, you're also scratching a Proposition 8 supporter.
I would be curious to know who you would have selected to do the invocation (or, perhaps you would have chosen not to have one).

Any thoughts? Is that actually someone who is non-offensive to everyone?
Bowly said…
Obama also said that he was a "fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans".

Really? Did I miss his "fierce" advocacy against Prop 8? Or did the right-wing (or is that left-wing) media refuse to cover his speeches about it?

I'm confused.
ChrisNC said…
This has been the tactic of the Democrats for decades: just recall Bill Clinton and DOMA. The media-connected gay activist organizations, such as NGLTF and HRC, pander to the Democrats, regardless of their actual actions in government, simply on the grounds that they aren't Republicans. Here in North Carolina. Queerty.com published a gushing description of "gay-friendly" Kay Hagan, the Democrat nominee versus Elizabeth Dole. This was in spite of her stated opposition to marriage equality, and refusal to respond to "family issues" questionnaires or reporters from gay-market publications. Silence is NOT support! (In defense of Queerty.com, they did publish my own response in full.)
Anonymous said…
The majority of the people should be censored from participating in the inaugration. President Obama opposes same sex marriage fraud, why should he censor someone with that point of view? Not only do the polls show this to be true, but every state where this has ever come to a public vote has voted to prevent the hijacking of marriage.

I am disappointed that you are joining the censorship brigade. You can not have a prayer by a real Jew, Christian, Moslem, or Hindu if you take this point of view. That begins to sound a little stupid.

Rick Warren's efforts have saved many lives. He has given 18 million dollars in book royalties to charity and has helped the AIDS sufffers, the starving, and the downtrodden. David Duke was best known for taking over an organization founding upon oppression and murder. You don't see a difference? Did you lose your mind or are you being coy?
Brian Miller said…
Let's be TRULY united.

Racists, like Christianists, constitute a large number of Americans -- perhaps the majority.

Thus, it's only fair that Louis Farrakhan and David Duke also be invited to participate in the invocation.

Both of them are religious ministers -- Farrakhan is a Muslim cleric.

Both have participated in numerous charitable initiatives, fed poor people, helped the sick, prayed for the sinner, etc.

We cannot allow the fact that they have a genuine disagreement about multiculturalism to interfere with the more important need to unite the country, right?
Bowly said…
David,

I don't see anyone advocating censorship in this post or these comments. Take down your straw man. Instead, we advocate freedom--and are using that freedom to criticize a man who opposes freedom.
Anonymous said…
David Duke is not a minister. He teaches for a living. Louis F. does not represent President-elect Obama's point of view. His stated point of view is that he opposes Gay marriage.

He doesn't oppose freedom. He opposes the step by step dismantling of law and culture. This is one important front to protect. There has never been gay marriage. It doesn't take anyone's freedom to not recognize it. It would be like demanding health insurance pay for an artificial womb so people can be free to have children if they are men. It is just stupid.

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