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Rick Warren and the Inauguration: Can We Find Common Ground?

When President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration team announced the pick of pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation a firestorm of controversy was unleashed.

A wide range of groups on the left and the right immediately denounced Obama's choice. Supporters of gay rights, still reeling from the passage of Proposition 8 in California, joined women, pro-choice supporters and progressives of many stripes in criticizing Obama for the choice and calling for the invitation to be revoked. Some conservatives denounced Warren for accepting Obama's invitation because of Obama's support for abortion rights.

Many Americans know Warren as the genial Hawaiian shirt-wearing author of one of the all time best-selling books, The Purpose Driven Life. Warren is also known for championing issues such as fighting global warming, poverty and HIV/AIDS. In an era where evangelical Christian leaders are better known for their opposition to gay marriage and abortion, why the controversy over the choice of Warren?

Despite Warren's support for issues that cause some in the Christian Right to view him as unacceptably moderate, Warren is a Southern Baptist who, consistent with his denomination's theology, holds a very conservative, fundamental Christian perspective on social issues. [Note: Billy Graham who has counseled every sitting president for decades is also a Southern Baptist who did not garner such protest] Those who are hurt, disappointed, insulted and angry at the choice of Warren point to his comparisons of gay marriage to pedophilia, polygamy and incest, his equating abortion rights supporters to Nazis and Holocaust deniers, his preaching of Southern Baptist theology of wifely submission and a central fundamental Christian view that non-Christians of any sort are condemned to hell. Accordingly, his church's work abroad to combat HIV and AIDS includes a healthy component of conversion work which further taints the image of Warren pushing for some sort of new selfless, liberal evangelical Christianity.

In the ensuing debate cynicism, disappointment and mistrust abound. Some pundits claim that this is merely a political calculation on the part of Obama - throw a bone to the right to create cover so he can move left once in office. Some progressives claim that this is further evidence that Obama merely claimed to be a lefty liberal and is moving to the "center-right." Some women and members of the LGBT community who supported Obama warily feel sucker punched and view this as proof that he does not actually support their causes. Others are having flashbacks to Bill Clinton's promises to the gay community which he immediately caved on instituting "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the "Defense of Marriage Act" and therefore are understandably suspicious of Obama's claims of being a "fierce advocate for equality." One prominent LGBT leader has decided not to attend the inauguration. Others still plan to go but will turn their backs to Warren in silent protest.

Some are asking if there is a way in which we can overcome this divide. Obama campaigned on a belief and promise that he would reach out to even those who disagree with him, that there are ways in which we can find common ground and that there is no red America, no blue America, just the United States of America. Obama has spoken about Warren's willingness to invite him to Saddleback church when many on the right were outraged that Warren would offer him a platform. Some point to the Reverend Joseph Lowrey, civil rights activist and icon and gay marriage supporter who will also share the stage with Obama and bless his inauguration by giving the benediction. Others point out that Warren's prayer will be short and symbolic and that he will not make policy and therefore should not be seen as representative of what Obama's administration will mean for gays, women, non-Christians and liberals.

I am torn. Everytime I read an opinion on this topic I wobble back and forth. I absolutely understand why many are outraged over Obama's invitation to Warren. I too wonder along with others why couldn't Jim Wallis of Sojurners been the evangelical to get the invitation? Others suggest recently ousted leader of the National Association of Evangelicals, Rev. Richard Cizik. Despite Warren's explanations and claims of support for civil unions, his "slippery slope" argument against gay marriage which certainly sound like he puts gay people in the same class as pedophilia, polygamy and incest is hateful and I agree with Stephen Waldman of Beliefnet and political reporter and author of Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics after the Religious Right, E.J. Dionne Jr. that Warren should apologize. Making what many view as too little, too late progress and then making videos dismissing such views as "silly" and calling it just the rants of slacker bloggers does not make me feel better about seeking common ground and reconciliation. I totally get why those of us who disagree so thoroughly with Warren wonder why it is we who supported Obama who are asked to compromise and understand while those who vehemently opposed Obama are offered an olive branch.

However, when I read calls to embrace what I have in common with Rick Warren such as Lee Stranahan's I want to get there. I voted for Obama because he is pragmatic and seeks compromise. I don't think that by maintaining divides we can accomplish anything. I think we must find a way to heal partisan divides and find common ground. I have a perhaps crazy, naive belief that if we can just listen to and hear each other we will find that most of us want most of the same things. But I don't know how we get there.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Are you mad, sad or glad about the choice to invite Warren to give the invocation? Should Warren's invitation be rescinded? Should Warren reject the invitation? Is there a way to resolve this issue?

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Important and Urgent Health Insurance Information

First, if you have not had employer health insurance for the past three months or longer and you have children, investigate the California Healthy Families Children's Health Insurance Program and put in an application.  Due to budget cuts the program will start putting families on a waiting list later this week (December 18th). 

Unfortunately, this will not be available for the many people who've just lost their jobs and insurance.  If you are a recent victim of the economy, if you can at all swing it, sign up for COBRA coverage.  If you are in California you can have federal COBRA for 18 months, then California COBRA for another 18 months and then you can get a HIPAA plan.  All insurers that sell in a state have to offer their 2 most popular plans under this option.  It's all expensive but it's the only way you can maintain guaranteed access as you get with group, employer plans.

And, I was going to share with you my favorite source of information on health insurance policy in each state but unfortunately they are also victims of the economy and have lost their funding.  Sigh.

Check your individual states health insurance department.  California's is here.  You must do the work to educate yourself and be persistent with the insurance companies who will, in my experience, give you bad information and the run around.  Sadly, even if you can get individual insurance on the open market (difficult unless you are a skinny, non-smoking 25 year old dude who has never seen a doctor as an adult), you don't have much protection from losing that insurance if the company decides you are not profitable enough.

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The Future of Race and Politics After Electing Obama

The election of Barack Obama to serve as the 44th President of the United States does not bring and end to racism nor racial politics. However, the election of the first non-white president will likely have an effect on political engagement and involvement (empowerment) of not only African Americans but other racial and ethnic groups as well.

Academic literature in political science has long considered the effect of the election of members of minority groups and their presence in governance on increasing political empowerment. The examination of the election of black mayors has been most prevalent. Without a doubt, Obama's election as President will lead to many years of research and study of what empowerment it brings.

Election dynamics on the national level are very different, of course, than on a local level. Given the relatively small percentage of the population blacks are nationally and even at a state level (affecting electoral college votes), blacks alone cannot elect a president as can happen with a mayor or congressional representative. Obama was elected by a coalition of every racial and ethnic group including the majority group of whites. Obama's election likely would not have been possible had he not received a larger percentage of whites than voted for John Kerry and Al Gore though he did not receive a majority. This election dynamic may lead to increased engagement from minority groups other than African Americans as they see that multi-ethnic coalitions can succeed.

One possibility is that Obama's election may signal, for the African American electorate at least, less of a need to see one of our own elected in local or state election in order to feel politically empowered. Similarly, increasing numbers of black politicians represent majority white districts. As I previously noted, in a majority black congressional district in Tennessee, voters chose a white candidate who better represented their views rather than a black candidate in a Democratic primary.

However, Obama's election may encourage more African Americans to run for office at all levels. Other groups may also see his election as a sign of the success of political empowerment and seek to increase their own through electing group members to office.

In the not-too-distant future, Americans of color will collectively outnumber white Americans. Younger Americans show less interest in identity and more in political competence. These two forces combined with increasing political engagement of Latino and Asian American voters along with increased political coalition building will likely lead to a very different future of race and politics than the form it has taken in recent history.

I for one will be watching with great interest the exciting promise this future holds.

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