Obama welcomes non-believers

There is a great commentary over at CNN about Obama's reaching out to non-believers in his inaugural address:

President Obama's mention of "nonbelievers" in his inaugural address represents an important broadening of the circle of acceptability in American life, an acknowledgement of our growing diversity and a fuller embrace of the principles articulated in our nation's charter documents...

Our rhetoric, in fact, has always lagged behind our reality. When President Obama declared, "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers," he sent a signal that it's time, once again, to enlarge the circle of inclusiveness, consistent with the great American tradition of equality and toleration.

Although I'm sure that Buddhists and Jains and Sikhs and countless other religious adherents would like to have been included in the president's roll call, the message was clear: We are a diverse nation, and the "free exercise" of religion guaranteed in the First Amendment also protects the exercise of no religion at all.

You know what's funny about being an atheist in a country where well over 90% of people claim to have some sort of belief in a higher power? You tend to get ignored, unless we're asking that you not shove your belief down our throats (and then we get to be the bad guys).

People forget that, for some of us, there is no God. Period.

I don't believe. Though I tried to become somewhat of a devout Presbyterian (is there such a thing) back when I was like 13 and still trying to masturbate to images of women in my head to be normal (I would come out a year later), it never worked. I just don't feel it, I don't see it, I don't believe it. I could give you every completely reasonable and logical argument in the book about the non-existence of deity, but, in the end, it boils down, for me, to one simple point: I just don't believe.

Back to my point, though:

We tend to get ignored. We're all for religious pluralism, right? We're all about holding hands and embracing each other despite our religious differences (unless you're Muslim)(and so long as we all worship at the altar of capitalism), but atheists? Who are those? It's funny, I think people can't put their head around the idea of non-belief. Much like my own thoughts on people that belief, I don't think believers can comprehend a world without their God. I can't imagine a world with one.

The universe is so amazing and so inexplicably logical, that I can't see anything else. And that's ok. [snarkyjoke] And, besides, Sunday mornings are for hangovers, not for sermons. [/snarkyjoke]

Anyways, I keep getting distracted. It was nice to not only hear myself as a gay man mentioned in Barack Obama's acceptance speech that wonder election night... but it was nicer still to hear myself mentioned as a non-believer in his inaugural address. It's nice to know that I'm remembered.

Because, for 8 years, I really really wasn't...

...unless you count the fact that I'm white. There's plenty of attention there.

Strange, this is the first time "atheism" appears as a label in my label list. Is it, perhaps, that this is new information because I've never actually talked about it? Jeez. So much for being proud of what you are :-).

I want to make out with Barack Obama

Can I just say that?

My coworker is lodging an official complaint against that statement, btw.

Oh, and PS, what's up with Jill Biden's outfit for the inauguration???

Picture thanks to the ShoeMinx blog

PRESIDENT OBAMA's speech

It's nice to say that, isn't it? President Obama.

For the full work, go to the CNN article here:

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Oh, and to the text message I sent to people this morning... "Morning again in America" ... is it weird that I referenced Reagan when talking about Obama? 

And many many heartfelt thoughts to Senator Ted Kennedy and his family...

Congratulations, President Obama!

I'll be in clinical while the inauguration goes on.

Here's to a new age.

I can admit when I'm wrong....

FUCK RICK WARREN.



Seriously? Scariest thing I've ever read.

And we're giving him a platform. Jesus -- literally. (Thanks to America Blog Twitter for this.)

Bishop Gene Robinson to deliver invocation

It appears that the Rick Warren debacle has yielded one exciting result: openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson has been invited to deliver and invocation at the Lincoln Memorial for the inauguration of Pres-elect Obama. (That will be on Sunday before the inauguration to kick off the week of events, not the actually day itself.)

See, kids, you whine enough and something good does happen.

Although, it's funny to see how the other side is swinging this:

Barack Obama took a lot of heat for his selection of Rev. Rick Warren to say the invocation at his inauguration. Warren is of couse loathed (yes, maybe even Hated) by Gay Rights groups for his strong support of the gay marriage ban in California.

So what is his response? He tags a gay bishop by the name of Gene Robinson to say prayer on this special day. It is no secret that I am opposed to gay marriage and fine with any person that decides that they WANT to be gay (and yes, I mean WANT to be GAY), however this decision is poor and may be a prelude to his actions in the future...

Gene Robinson has more problems than just being gay. In fact, he has the pleasure of splitting an entire fact of the Episcopal Church. He also was married, had two kids, and later divorced because of his homosexuality. He would later be accused of impropriety. These allegations would later prove to have little merit if any at all, however in 2006 he entered rehab for alcohol abuse...

Here is my biggest problem with him. He has decided that he will not read from the Bible because "not everyone believes that way." Interesting, because not everyone believe you should be gay, you do it anyway because that is what you believe in. As a bishop, it seems to me that he abandons his "sacred" beliefs in the Bible for the same reason he has fought to be gay. It looks as if he has a double-standard on his own beliefs.

That's from Jordan B. Huff over at Election Junkie, who was an interesting right-winger to read during the election. Now he's just boring me.

Follow up to Rick Warren

I got hate mail from a gay person today about my Rick Warren opinion, effectively calling me a race traitor. I'm not reposting it. Once, I asked on Twitter whether it is a requirement to be both a bigot and illiterate. Apparently that is just the style of hate letters... seemingly illiterate.

Since we're picking apart Obama's LGBT stuff right now, let's make note of some of the things that have happened that apparently we care nothing about:

1) Nancy Sutley is named into one of the highest appointed positions an (openly) LGBT person has ever held in the executive branch.

2) A gay man is being considered for the job of Secretary of Navy, the first time an openly gay person will have ever led a branch of the armed forces.

3) A lesbian was shortlisted for the Secretary of Labor -- she did not get it over someone actually more qualified.

4) Oh, and Barack Obama is the only president to date to be very clear and specific (what we Kenneth Starr's words about Prop 8? "brevity...match with clarity") on his views of LGBT people -- “it is no secret that I am a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans.”

And, please remember, this is all Barack Obama has the power to do right now, nominate people. But if you want to get angry about something...

How about this:

During the campaign all the Democratic nominees for President stated on a live, nationally televised debate that they would seek to repeal DADT. None of the nominees indicated how high a priority it would be, not how quickly they would seek such action. Obama, who recently reiterated his support of the LGBTQ community still plans to pursue a removal of the DADT policy, but his camp is now saying that such action will not start until at least 2010.

No? You want to get angry over a preacher at the inauguration?

Other things matter, Rick Warren does not.

PS For the Prop8'ers out there... good try. I thought we were still angry at the Mormons? No? We've changed that to include white evangelical Baptist members -- who preach to the largest Protestant denomination in the country? Oh, thanks for the memo. See, here I thought it was Equality California's gross mistreatment of the situation and belief that of course we'll win, as well as the rest of our (the greater "community") apathy and belief that of course we'll win.

If change is going to happen in the deep South, if change is going to happen in the hearts and minds of those so viciously against us -- the viciously devout, the Rick Warren debate was perfect.

See, I'm not the only one...

...who doesn't care about Rick Warren, from the LA Times via Joe.My.God. commentator:

Finally, Warren is among a group of younger evangelicals who, without renouncing traditional views about abortion and sexuality, have expanded their mission to include environmental stewardship and efforts to eradicate poverty and AIDS. It's because of such views that Obama can credibly include him in his effort to bring Americans together despite differences about social issues.

These explanations won't salve the hurt felt by gays and lesbians over Warren's prominent role in the inauguration, even if (as is likely) the prayer he offers is unobjectionable. But those who oppose Obama's choice must be careful not to exaggerate its importance.

See. Get over it.

PS To those who say this is like inviting a member of the KKK to preach. You're wrong and engaging in hyperbole... and you know it. There's a pretty clear line between "hate-mongering violent white power advocate" and "prominent evangelical preacher." Now stop spewing vitriole (I like that word today); Rick Warren, to my knowledge, has incited no violence against LGBT people.

Cincinnati LGBT Band Members @ Inauguration Parade

Via TheSkeptikOne (who is the subject of an upcoming column, even though she doesn't know it :-), and will be blogrolled soon), via the Ohio Beacon News Network Twitter Feed...

Several members of Cincinnati's lesbian and gay marching band will take part in the historic first march of an LGBT band in the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, prior to the swearing in of President Elect Barack Obama. The marching band, itself, will be comprised of band members representing lesbian and gay marching bands from around the country. The marchers are members of bands which make up the Lesbian and Gay Band Association.

Cincinnati resident, Lisa D’Amore, who is the current president of the national organization, tells me that the organization participated in both Clinton inaugurals, back in 1993 and 1997, but the unit was seated and did not march. The band performed “America the Beautiful” during the 1993 Clinton festivities, to which the new president gave them a big “thumbs up.”

2009 will be the first time, she says, that the combined band will get to show off its marching stuff. The national organization was formed 26 years ago, while some of the founding member bands have been in existence for nearly 30 years. The Queen City Rainbow Marching Band and Color Guard was formed in 2002, and consisted of just 5 musicians and two flag twirlers. Today the band has 35 marching members with a 7 member flag corp. The Rainbow Band performs at many functions and events throughout the year in Cincinnati and Kentucky, and can be seen every year leading off the Cincinnati Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade which takes place in June, which for those of you who don’t know, is LGBT pride month.

Congratulations to the always fabulous, Queen City Rainbow Band!!!! I just think this is FABULOUS.