Gays outraged by President Elect Obama’s selection of Rick Warren…

December 19, 2008 Rhonda M. Cartwright, BA, M.L.S

I haven’t written about anything since prior to the November election. It’s not that I have not wanted to mind you, but I have not had a great deal of “excess” time for writing; not even to show my ABSOLUTE JUBILATION that Barack Obama is President Elect of the United States. OMG!!! What more can I say?

Well, on the eve of January’s change of administration within our government, some groups are already expressing their objections for one reason or another about their disdain of the President Elect. Some think  and state, incorrectly of course, that Barack Obama is not a citizen of the United States and still others think he is a socialist (but isn’t socialism what the current administration is reflecting by bailing out banks and the auto industry…just spreading the wealth around?). Well, this blog pertains to the many people who are gay/lesbian who oppose Barack Obama’s selection of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation during inauguration.

I am a bit on the fence with this issue, as it is complex and very sensitive. Notwithstanding, President Elect Obama has the right to choose whom he will to deliver this prayer or any other for that matter. Furthermore, I still believe he is a “man about the people”; his selection does not hinder my admiration of his intelligence nor his character. However in saying that, I must be cognizant of the fact that Rick Warren’s belief about homosexuality is that it is a sin against God. End of story. I am a believer and I must admit homosexuality is not my preference and yes I struggle with it because the Bible does clearly speak against it as an abomination. But God has given us all the power to choose and ultimately we all shall come before His throne of judgment for whatever we’ve lived or neglected to live hear on earth. But I wonder if President Elect Obama chose someone who is more “universal” would there be the discontent that we see from the gay community? Universal meaning someone who speaks of love and not necessarily of damnation and please know that this is a difficult topic for me because again, I’m sitting on the fence here. But why not Maya Angelou, Desmond Tutu or even Nelson Mandela to deliver the invocation? I don’t think you have to be a minister to give prayer, or in this case do you? Nonetheless I digress…though I  don’t agree with homosexuality I still recognize that they make up, not represent, the whole of us. This being the case, shouldn’t we all feel that we are included in this prayer?

Consider the struggle of African-Americans in the United States throughout it’s history. To this day, I’m not fully sure that I can “lift up” the Constitution as it left people of my heritage as little more than property…not even human. That stings because I want to be proud, but I know that wonderful document had nothing to do with my people. And there’s a certain bitterness I have about it because I feel that I/we am not exactly a beneficiary of that document. Am I a whiner? I ask the question because an associate of mine states that she believes that’s what gays are doing regarding Obama’s choice. I don’t think I am whining about it, I’m just stating a fact. It is what it is, and that’s it.

Ultimately I suppose we all should ask what is the intent behind a person’s choice or action. And from there, you can only accept what he/she tells you as truth. In saying this, I pray that on Inaugaration Day all Americans, as well as citizens of the world, can look upon the day as a cause to be different, to think differently, to open our hearts and listen instead of immediately criticizing a person’s choice. It goes without saying that choices that put in jeopardy the lives of the indivudual, or others, is unacceptable.

The road to peace is easy; I want so badly to walk that path. I know that on that path I will find God for all that He is and all that He wants me to be!

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