"Turn Your Back on Rick Warren" Campaign
President-elect Barack Obama's decision to invite Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration is an insult to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people and their allies of equality. Warren's outspoken work to cement LGBT people's status as second-class citizens is a disgrace. President-elect Obama received the support and votes of millions of LGBT people. We do not deserve to have to see a man who believes that we are unequal speak from the podium at the inauguration of our new president.
www.TurnYourBackOnRickWarren.org
We are asking all LGBT people and allies in attendance at the inauguration to turn their backs to the podium when Rick Warren speaks. This silent act is not disruptive, but will send a simple message to President-elect Obama: we refuse to be treated like second-class citizens any longer.
Obama says that he asked Warren to speak in an effort to include differing views in his administration. But could you imagine if the President-elect had asked an anti-Semite, or a preacher that was in favor of segregation, to speak at his inauguration? There would be outrage in America. Today, that outrage is being felt in the LGBT community. It is one thing to invite people of differing views to the White House for a meeting, but it is completely different to invite them to open the inaugural ceremonies. Hatred and bigotry should not be celebrated in America and will not be tolerated from this new administration.
Watch Rick Warren endorse Proposition 8 and take a strong stance ag...
The “Turn Your Back on Rick Warren” campaign was created by Chris Mason, an activist and founder of Driving Equality, a three-month trek through all of the lower 48 states to advance LGBT Equality. Chris was incredibly excited to learn that he would be receiving tickets to attend President-elect Obama’s inauguration. He felt a sense of pride in his country and in his future president that, as a gay American, he was not accustomed to feeling.
“I was thrilled at the chance to witness the inauguration of my new President,” Mason explains. “I volunteered for Obama’s campaign, donated the most money I could afford on my student budget, wore an Obama button everyday for months before the election, and made sure everyone I knew at school and in my neighborhood got out to vote on Election Day. I convinced my skeptical friends that Obama would be a true friend to the LGBT community. When I heard that he chose Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration, I got a lump in my throat. I recognized that name. Rick Warren is a staunch opponent of equal rights for LGBT people. He was a leader in the fight to strip gays and lesbians of their right to marry in California.”
“I had second thoughts about going to the inauguration,” Mason said. “I no longer feel welcome at the event. It is hard to believe that such a strong opponent of equality will be speaking at what was supposed to be such a joyous occasion. A lot of my friends that were going to travel down to D.C., have decided not to go.”
“I decided that I would still go to the inauguration, but that I would turn my back on Rick Warren while he speaks. This is a simple gesture that makes a strong statement; I am not a second-class citizen and I will not allow anyone to tell me otherwise. I believe that a young Barack Obama would have done the same thing if he were at a ceremony and a speaker who favored segregation took the stage.”
www.TurnYourBackOnRickWarren.org
We are asking all LGBT people and allies in attendance at the inauguration to turn their backs to the podium when Rick Warren speaks. This silent act is not disruptive, but will send a simple message to President-elect Obama: we refuse to be treated like second-class citizens any longer.
Obama says that he asked Warren to speak in an effort to include differing views in his administration. But could you imagine if the President-elect had asked an anti-Semite, or a preacher that was in favor of segregation, to speak at his inauguration? There would be outrage in America. Today, that outrage is being felt in the LGBT community. It is one thing to invite people of differing views to the White House for a meeting, but it is completely different to invite them to open the inaugural ceremonies. Hatred and bigotry should not be celebrated in America and will not be tolerated from this new administration.
Watch Rick Warren endorse Proposition 8 and take a strong stance ag...
The “Turn Your Back on Rick Warren” campaign was created by Chris Mason, an activist and founder of Driving Equality, a three-month trek through all of the lower 48 states to advance LGBT Equality. Chris was incredibly excited to learn that he would be receiving tickets to attend President-elect Obama’s inauguration. He felt a sense of pride in his country and in his future president that, as a gay American, he was not accustomed to feeling.
“I was thrilled at the chance to witness the inauguration of my new President,” Mason explains. “I volunteered for Obama’s campaign, donated the most money I could afford on my student budget, wore an Obama button everyday for months before the election, and made sure everyone I knew at school and in my neighborhood got out to vote on Election Day. I convinced my skeptical friends that Obama would be a true friend to the LGBT community. When I heard that he chose Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration, I got a lump in my throat. I recognized that name. Rick Warren is a staunch opponent of equal rights for LGBT people. He was a leader in the fight to strip gays and lesbians of their right to marry in California.”
“I had second thoughts about going to the inauguration,” Mason said. “I no longer feel welcome at the event. It is hard to believe that such a strong opponent of equality will be speaking at what was supposed to be such a joyous occasion. A lot of my friends that were going to travel down to D.C., have decided not to go.”
“I decided that I would still go to the inauguration, but that I would turn my back on Rick Warren while he speaks. This is a simple gesture that makes a strong statement; I am not a second-class citizen and I will not allow anyone to tell me otherwise. I believe that a young Barack Obama would have done the same thing if he were at a ceremony and a speaker who favored segregation took the stage.”
6 Comments
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Comment by Chris Mason on December 19, 2008 at 7:23pm - I'm fine with Obama meeting with Warren and discussing politics, in fact I hope that happens often. It is the symbolism of inviting a staunch opponent of LGBT civil rights to open the inauguration ceremony that makes my stomach turn. As far as Hilary and the rest of the appointment goes; he says he will be leading them, not the other way around. I hope that is the case.
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Comment by Mark Daniel Snyder on December 19, 2008 at 9:15pm - yeah it certainly makes my stomach turn too.. why not have like 12 pastors/leaders of all kinds of faiths and stuff open it up? you know? so i feel the spirit of your protest. And yet I also think some people who are making such a huuuuge deal over this aren't expressing anger over other things Obama has chosen to do that is worse.. there's a long list - clean coal, escelating troops in afghanistan, etc. etc.
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Comment by Rev. Paul M. Turner on December 20, 2008 at 1:16pm -
see my blog...
:-)
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Comment by Richard on December 20, 2008 at 7:49pm -
I would never at my age stand out on a cold day in January to witness this display of upholders of hawkdom and this perpetuation of diluted monarchy which is tricksterly called the presidency. Nor am I pleased by this bible thumping denier of my rights and the rights of our people being given top billing by the prince of change.
I will have to ask who is this God that Rick Warren is calling down to join in the celebration? Is he as narrow as Rick Wareen is? I remember a wonderful little poem that went simply like this, God, If God, is ALL. God would never be so mean and small.
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Comment by Kimbo on January 14, 2009 at 8:51am - Chris, your fundraising ideas are great; however, I just want to make the suggestion to keep an open mind and open heart -- that when an opportunity might come up to actually speak with someone like Rev. Warren (or one of his disciples), I hope you will take the time to have a dialogue, not just throw darts. ;-)
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Where is the outrage that Hillary - who supported the war in Iraq - was chosen for Secretary of State? Where is the outrage all of his other conservative, pro-war appointments? Instead we are outraged over a prayer. It's a bit confusing to me.