Spread The Outrage

First let me say that I've just heard on the Lehrer News Hour that Rev. Lowry, a civil rights advocate, will pronounce the benediction at the inaugural. That news has been totally ignored in the main stream media, which has jumped all over the more controversial selection of Rick Warren to make the invocation.

The selection of Lowry is, of course, commendable, but it doesn't offset the effect of selecting Rick Warren for the invocation. As the gay rights guy on the News Hour just observed, selecting a rabbi to pronounce a benediction after an openly anti-semitic minister made an invocation wouldn't somehow make Jews all satisfied and happy.

But secondly, the media is focusing only on the insult to homosexuals. They absolutely have a right to feel outraged.

But so do decent, reasonable people of all faiths and decent, reasonable people who ascribe to no religious faith.

Rick Warren, by his own story, says he differs from the right wingnut James Dobson only in tone. By that admission he likens himself to a bigot. He deserves respect and credit for his human rights work and his AIDS work. However, he is still way far right in the Fundamentalist Evangelical Christian movement, and his selection does not, as Obama insisted today, add to the prospect of healing he preaches any more than would the selection of Jeremiah Wright.

It's being said in the media that Rick Warren is becoming the successor to Billy Graham as the nations' minister, the guy presidents of both parties will welcome to the White House and whose counsel they might seek. It's also been said that the selection of Warren for the invocation is not a nomination for a cabinet position. Both observations are relevant. But one might also say that a member of the cabinet in only one administration is not likely to be as influential or carry as much weight as someone who is called the nation's minister.

Obama is naive if he's counting on his selection from two extreme views to balance out somehow. Five is the average of zero and ten, but it doesn't reduce the meaning or value of zero and ten. It's much more likely that his selections will stir passions in the ranks of both the extreme conservative and the extreme liberal camps.

As a congregant of the United Church of Christ surely he must be aware of any number of religious leaders whose participation would not be polarizing, but still effective and meaningful.

Then again, sometimes I think Obama actually likes to stir the pot and turn up the heat. Only time will tell if he also has the wisdom to cool things down. He's become known for his intellect and his cool, but that's not the same as wisdom.

Leanderthal, Lighthouse Keeper