 
December 19, 2008
LGBT Criticism of Evangelical Pastor at Inauguration
President-elect Barack Obama has rejected criticism that his selection of Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration disrespects LGBTs, Yahoo! News reports.
America needs to "come together" even when there is disagreement on social issues, Obama said. He also reaffirmed that he was and will continue to be a "fierce advocate for equality" for LGBTs.
Warren founded and leads the evangelical Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. His wife, Kay, is executive director of Saddleback Church's HIV/AIDS Initiative. Their dedication to solving social issues such as poverty and HIV/AIDS has won them praise. However, LGBT activists take issue with their support of Proposition 8, which banned marriage for same-sex couples.
"We feel a deep level of disrespect when one of the architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination," declared the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBT civil rights group in the United States.
According to the Yahoo! News article, Obama said a "wide range of viewpoints" will be represented during the inauguration. "That dialogue is part of what my campaign is all about," he said.
Click here to watch a POZ video of Rick Warren talking with President Bush about PEPFAR.
Search: Barack Obama, Rick Warren, Human Rights Campaign, Saddleback Church
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comments 1 - 3 (of 3 total)
David, Houston, TX, 2008-12-23 12:47:58
In some ways, this is no big deal. I believe a President Obama will be a friend of the BLBT and Poz community.
The real question that needs to be asked of Rick Warren, Hagee, Pat Robertson and the Falwells of the world is if they believe Jews and Catholics can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That would cause an uproar and open more eyes to the hate and discrimanation they stand for.
Greg747, Patchogue LI, 2008-12-23 11:08:24
After 20+ years in this field of living with and working on behalf of PWAs, I am considering ditching it all and renewing Queer Nation. We GLBTs are so casually thrown under the bus over and over and over and over and no one gets it.
Tempest in a tea cup, eh?
You have no idea, friends, ACT UP and Queer Nation arise!
Mrs Warren has an AIDS group, how quaint. Tell her to stuff it. She nor her charity are welcome here any more.
dave, denver, 2008-12-19 21:44:00
It's not like Obama is making him part of the cabinet! This is a bit of a storm in a tea cup.
comments 1 - 3 (of 3 total)
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