Markos on Warren
My father and I had a breif discussion abut the Rick Warren appearance yesterday, which began with dad saying “Oh Come ON” about my objections.
There were a number of reasons I was upset, I explained, and the rhetoric about “reaching out” doesn’t impress me. Normalizing the beliefs of anti-reproductive rights, anti-gay, anti-evolution, war-mongering people like Warren has far-reaching consequences. It’s no secret that the Democratic party is seeking to bring evangelicals under its tent: but when these beliefs are normalized and accepted, you can find yourself in a country where both parties refuse to stand for gays and reproductive freedom. The right-wing fundamentalists, as I’ve written repeatedly, aren’t just after gay people: they are after all of us. It’s a matter of social control
But beyond that, Obama’s pattern thus far has been to slap his base around, whether it’s putting Warren on a stage or voting for FISA. And because politicians always seem to tack right, they have to be slapped back. Via Americablog, here’s Markos:
Obama wouldn’t be out there making perhaps the strongest statement in support of gays and lesbians by a president (though he’s still not technically one, I know) if it wasn’t for the sturm and drang this choice generated. It is precisely this backlash that has forced Obama to clearly affirm his commitment to equality. And it will be continued pressure that will force him to do the right thing on the issue.
If we shut up, he’ll take the path of least resistance. And that path of least resistance is kowtowing to the conservative media, the clueless punditocracy, and bigots like Warren.
Agreed. That’s why pushback is ALWAYS necessary.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Could you some of us a favor and put Christian in quotes when referring to Warren, Robertson and co.? Just because one very vocal wing of a religion sanctions bigotry doesn’t mean the rest of us agree. By the way, Jesus said nothing about homosexuality and many rules in Leviticus are being ignored. If someone’s wearing shirts made of 2 kinds of material, touching pigskin, and eating food that’s not Kosher, they have no right to be quoting Leviticus about gay people!
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
When calling Rick Warren a “Christian” please use quotes. Some of us don’t find homophobia to be very Christlike.