Gay rights leader pulling out of the inauguration

[FreeState]

via email:

Dear Freestate,

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.

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.

I 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 where one group is pitted against another.

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. He compared "gay marriage to incest, pedophilia and polygamy and repeated the inaccurate charge that without Prop 8, conservative preachers could be prosecuted for hate crimes. He described 'social gospel' Christians of the 20th century as closet Marxists."1

It would be impossible for me to attend the inauguration where a person who has worked to deny my and Equality California members' equality is setting the tone.

Respectfully,


Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California

[wryter2000]

1. It's his decision

Were I in his position, I would have considered attending and simply turning my back on the invocation. I don't know that anyone will miss him being there. They'd see him and everyone who agreed with him turning their backs.

His, call, though.

[Gman]

2. Simply childish

[FreeState]

4. Taking a stand is childish? n/t

[Gman]

11. No throwing a tantrum is childish

I'm amazed at so many allegedly politically savy people that cannot even see what Obama is doing when it's plain as day. Obama is neutralizing these fundie nuts. They were the biggest threat to his election. Obama is going to take the wind out of their sails by doing ceremonial bullshit stuff like this with them and maybe giving them legislative fluff that doesn't matter anyway and leave them few reasons to actively campaign against him in 4 years. The fundies will have little enthusiasm for opposing Obama.

But let's throw tantrums instead.

[ronnykmarshall]

13. Yeah standing up for my marriage is a tantrum.

:eyes:

[Gman]

31. You didn't read a word I wrote. Did you?

[ronnykmarshall]

37. Yeah I did.

You wrote "Simply Childish". What else did you write? Is there some code that I don't know about.

[Gman]

35. Your marriage is in no danger whatsoever

and you know it.

[ronnykmarshall]

39. The hell it's not.

Rev "Wrong" and his fucking flock won't stop until all of the gay marriages in California are invalidated. And YOU know i

[FreeState]

40. My marriage is now 100% impossible

I can not get married to my partner of 7 years - in part because of Mr. Warren.

[Ms. Toad]

41. What fantasy land are you living in?

There is a very real legal question as to whether Proposition 8 invalidates existing marriages. The marriage of any same gender couple married in California prior to the passage of Proposition 8 is very much in danger.

[ronnykmarshall]

46. Even if my marriage stays legal ....

the fact that my brothers and sisters can't get married make it a hallow victory. Just like election night. While I was thrilled that Barack won, when Prop 8 passed that took all the joy out of it. This makes it even worse.

[Ms. Toad]

48. I'm in a similar boat.

We were married in Canada - and our marriage would have been recognized when we visited California, but for Proposition 8.

My marriage was not directly affected - and will still be legal - I just lost one more pocket in which my marriage would have been recognized in my travels.

I've been describing it in other posts as backing the same bus that ran over us on Nov 4 up for a second shot at us.

[LostinVA]

50. NJ is currently the only state who recognizes international same sex marriages

Come visit us!

[Ms. Toad]

54. I'm pretty sure both New York and Mass would, if the question

were ever formally raised. It usually comes up in the context of litigating inheritance rights (there is usually a first spouse with a "questionable" marriage (common law, bigamous, questionable divorce, first spouse would not have been eligible to marry spouse in the state in which the death occurred) and a later spouse, and no will - that's how all the interstate common-law marriage and divorce questions got answered. t may take a while for it to formally be determined - but I am confident that any state that recognizes its own marriages will also recognize interstate and international marriages.

(As an aside, the principle on which New York recognizes marriages from other states is virtually identical to the principle upon which international heterosexual marriages are recognized.)

(As a second aside, I was in NJ at least once this year - don't recall if it was more than once :D)

[LostinVA]

42. To reiterate: GET THE FUCK OUT OF THIS FORUM IF YOU CAN'T BE SUPPORTIVE OF GLBT RIGHTS

[Midlodemocrat]

49. Wow. Staggeringly ignorant comment. But you knew that.

[yardwork]

56. I'm not allowed to get married.

[Name removed]

38. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[FreeState]

14. Wow - you did not have your Civil Rights taken away a month ago did you?

He is not neutralizing anyone.

Thanks for your support and understanding anyway...

[Name removed]

33. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bluedawg12]

17. That's not a tantrum, it's reasoned and calm.

This is dreaming: "The fundies will have little enthusiasm for opposing Obama."- Gman :rofl:

[AntiFascist]

53. Hey, let's engage the Aryan Nation!

after all, they need to be neutralized as well, don't they? :eyes:

[bluedawg12]

12. It's principled. You remember that word?

[QC]

36. Principles? Pffft! We're all pragmatic and post-ideological now.

We don't need principles anymore.

Hey, have you reached out to the Grand Dragon today? I hear he's real nice to his mother.

[dana_b]

45. I was wondering where his invitation was? n/t

[QC]

47. Well, it's a funny thing about Obama's reaching out: it never involves racists

or antisemites and the like--only homophobes.

Surely it's just a coincidence, though, nothing to worry about.

[Maven]

15. No it isn't.

You've forgotten what it means to really stand for something.

[nichomachus]

21. No, not seeing the problem is childish n/t

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

28. Oh yes, standing up for civil rights is childish

Which civil rights of yours can I take away?

[yardwork]

57. You can call it what you like. Your intimidation won't change my mind about Obama.

[Creideiki]

59. Why are you here again?

Was the Bigots Forum too busy?

[Cattledog]

3. Can I have his ticket?

[bluedawg12]

20. If not call Warren he has a spot for you.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

23. Get the fuck out of here, this is a forum for GLBT ALLIES

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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[ronnykmarshall]

5. Right on Geoff!

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

9. Deleted sub-thread

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[Critters2]

18. I'm guessing you can legally get married. nt

[bluedawg12]

25. Sycophants for intolerance unite! Your tickets waiting

Rick is holding it for you. :evilgrin:

[baldguy]

7. .

:patriot: :applause:

[Historic NY]

8. What does it accomplish? Nothing, nothing at all.

[FreeState]

10. It sends a very strong message IMO

that if you want to build bridges you do not do it at the expense of civil rights.

[bluedawg12]

What does having a bigot accomplish? Nothing at all.

Unless you call blow back from gays and progressives productive.

[LostinVA]

32. What did Ghandi accomlish by refusing to show his papers? Nothing, nothing at all

Oh, GET TEH FUCK OUT OF TEH GLBT FORUM!

[Critters2]

44. Wait. What about the independence of India?

There's that. :)

[LostinVA]

52. Oh gosh, so I guess it DID do something, eh???

[emilyg]

16. Bad decision.

[FreeState]

26. Bad post n/t

[emilyg]

58. Matter of opinion.

[bluedawg12]

29. Having fundy f*ck bigot is a bad decision

but Rick agrees with you--it was just on KO.

You and Warren agree, nice.

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nichomachus]

19. I saw Milk the other day

Very powerful film. It affected me a great deal, but one thing I took away is that Harvey Milk worked very very hard to "reach across the aisle." He really did.

But he never never compromised on his support for his constituency. He never sold them out to get a vote from the other side of the aisle.

That's what principle is -- and that's why there a movie about him.

[Critters2]

22. Yay!! Taking a stand!! I wish more would do the same.

I saw a thing on CNN last night about how many Hollywood celebs are going. It would be great if some of them would pull out and make a statement. That might have more impact than my e-mails to change.gov.

[IndianaGreen]

27. Obama's invitation to Warren is akin to inviting skin heads to Holocaust Museum

A dark chapter in Obama's young administration!

[bluedawg12]

34. But, but fat f*ck fundy is not a homophobe - he told Curry so

it must be true. :sarcasm:

[Riverman]

43. Yeah, Maybe Lyndon Johnson should have invited to his 1964

Inauguration, on the eve of his signing the Civil Right Act and Voter Rights Act - George Wallace or The Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Clan in hopes that they would come along and accept African-Americans as equals. Warren is as the fellow just said on Olberman - "Falwell in an Hawaiian Shirt." I've been saying today in my rants that he is Falwell Incarnate!

Obama is making the political mistake of his life by inviting this evil to share his stage - a day that should be a great celebration of one of the most historical days in human hitory, that after centuries of enslavement and violence and purposeful denial of basic human rights to one clas of people - black people, that Obama would give this bigot a platform to spew his hateful speech.

This takes the joy away from this inauguration. It is far more than just the issues important to GLBT people - which would be well enough - but the real issue is that anyone would defend the rights of the majority to vote down the rights of any minority group. The Constitution of the United States of America, despite its early and obvious denial of equal rights to women and black people, was clearly written to protect the rights of the minorities against the prejudices of the majority. This is fundamental to being an American and those who would defend violation of this basic human right are traitors to the United States of America.

Shame, Shame, Shame on you Obama - you of all people ought to know better! God Damm it! You must understand this and act accordingly! Be brave, you have an opportunity to show real courage - recind that invitation now. Face the music, admit, unlike the man you are replacing, that you made a mistake and you are going to correct it.

[bluedawg12]

51. I was thinking the same analogy

He is dancing too fast explaining this lame choice and in the mean time, Warren already released a statement thanking him for the brave move.

[glitch]

55. Excellent post. nt