HRC Letter in Response To Rick Warren Invite to Obama Inauguration

Brad Luna of the Human Rights Campaign released the following letter by HRC President Joe Solmonese addressing Barack Obama's announcement that anti-gay preacher Rick Warren would be giving the invocation at Obama's inauguration on January 20th:

Dear President-elect Obama -

Let me get right to the point. Your invitation to Reverend Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at your inauguration is a genuine blow to LGBT Americans. Our loss in California over the passage of Proposition 8 which stripped loving, committed same-sex couples of their given legal right to marry is the greatest loss our community has faced in 40 years. And by inviting Rick Warren to your inauguration, you have tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place at your table.

Rick Warren has not sat on the sidelines in the fight for basic equality and fairness. In fact, Rev. Warren spoke out vocally in support of Prop 8 in California saying, “there is no need to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2 percent of our population ... This is not a political issue -- it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about." Furthermore, he continues to misrepresent marriage equality as silencing his religious views. This was a lie during the battle over Proposition 8, and it's a lie today.

Rev. Warren cannot name a single theological issue that he and vehemently, anti-gay theologian James Dobson disagree on. Rev. Warren is not a moderate pastor who is trying to bring all sides together. Instead, Rev. Warren has often played the role of general in the cultural war waged against LGBT Americans, many of whom also share a strong tradition of religion and faith.

We have been moved by your calls to religious leaders to own up to the homophobia and racism that has stood in the way of combating HIV and AIDS in this country. And that you have publicly called on religious leaders to open their hearts to their LGBT family members, neighbors and friends.

But in this case, we feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination. Only when Rev. Warren and others support basic legislative protections for LGBT Americans can we believe their claim that they are not four-square against our rights and dignity. In that light, we urge you to reconsider this announcement.

Sincerely,

Joe Solmonese

UPDATE 3:04PM PST: many LGBT and progressive bloggers (like MadProfessah) are incensed over this selection of a homophobe in such a prominent role in the inauguration. Joe My God has posted the video of Rick Warren exhorting his flock to vote YES ON PROP 8. Pam of Pam's House Blend has posted the email address of the LGBT Liaison to the Obama Transition Team: parag.mehta@ptt.gov and invited people to send their own letters letting them know how they feel. Atrios has named Barack Obama "wanker of the day" for selecting Warren for the benediction. Oxdown at Firedoglake.com has the story on the front page.