Inclusion: Not always a good thing

Earlier in the week, when I heard of the brouhaha over President-Elect Obama's choice of pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration, I thought, "What's all the hubbub, bub?"

My initial reaction was that while the choice of Warren (who is against gay marriage but has been active in the call to end the world AIDS problem--I applaud his efforts in the latter) might anger some activists, it was indicative of Obama's pledge to be inclusive, to discuss issues with his detractors as well as his supporters, and to begin the Great American Dialogue. The GAD is something I made up, but I think it's about time we started realizing that there are all kinds of different people with all kinds of different views, and you can't begin to achieve that sort of understanding without discussion, thus the GAD. Hey, since I'm writing about this, and you're reading about it, on the Interwebs, does that mean it's the eGAD? I like that! Of course, in the interest of inclusion, it really needs to be the Great International Discussion, or the eGID.

But I digress.

So at first I thought that while I don't agree with some of Warren's convictions about homosexuality, he has the right to feel that way, and I can sort of see why Obama picked him (the trying to be inclusive part). I know of other people who agree with him about homosexuality, and I don't hate them. I don't agree with them at all, but I'm not going to hate them because of their erroneous ideas, ha ha. I do realize that not everyone shares my views about various things, and I'm all for tolerance; however, I also have the choice as to whether or not I listen to or read hate-filled and bigoted rhetoric, and I choose not to. If you hate Obama because he's black, or hate gays because of who they love, that goes deep and nothing I can say is going to convince you otherwise--that kind of understanding can only come from life experience, and hopefully life will provide a big ol' sledgehammer to knock you on the head about it so you can get yourself right.

I believe I digressed again.

I was okay with Obama's choice of Warren at first. Then I saw this interview with Anne Curry and Warren. (Indy, I discuss what was said afterwards, so you'll get the idea of his comments.)



I do believe I've changed my mind. I was appalled to hear Warren say that even if it's proven that homosexuality is a genetic trait (and that is exactly what I believe, and I believe it will eventually be proven), he would still think it is wrong and believe it is a choice that can be overcome.

Are you f***ing kidding me?!

DUDE. You are talking about a genetic trait, like hair and eye color, or a myriad of genetic diseases. Are you telling me that if I'm unhappy about my green eyes, I can simply make a choice and hey presto! I've got blue eyes? Or that someone with Sickle Cell disease can make their red blood cells magically whole merely by strength of will? Or perhaps those men with male pattern baldness--a trait passed down through females--can grow a thick, luscious head of hair because they have made the choice to go against their genetic code and not be bald? By the way, you seem to be getting a little thin on top, Rick. I hope you'll get to brainin' on that.

Oh, for Pete's sake. His remarks in that interview were pretty much the stupidest, most vile sort of lame excuse for hatred and exclusion that I've heard recently. To equate overcoming natural and environmental tendencies towards fear, anger or shyness with homosexuality is ridiculous, and comparing the choice of being promiscuous with the genetic coding of homosexuality is just as bad. And I really didn't need to hear that you want to screw every beautiful woman you meet. And hey, if we're really talking about anthropological tendencies, the true impulse would be to screw pretty much every woman you meet, as long as they are capable of bearing children so that you can produce as many offspring as possible. Whatever concept of "beauty" you have is a product of current standards and secondary to your primordial urges to find women who can be breeders.

I'll be watching the inauguration, but I think I might have to miss Warren's invocation.

By the way, Warren, I happen to like my green eyes. If at some point you decide that you don't like green eyes, and that green eyes are wrong, I won't be flexing my braaaaaain powers in order to change them to whatever color you think is "right."