I have absolutely no outrage in me for the selection of Rick Warren to give the invocation at Obama’s inaugural. Am I just dead inside? I honestly just don’t give a shit.
1) I’m unsurprised. Obama didn’t campaign as a pro-gay candidate and I can’t imagine he’ll govern in a way that will be as pro-gay or as pro-woman as I’d like.
2) The selection has no practical effect on women’s rights or gay rights. As a symbol, it kind of sucks, but you win some you lose some with presidential panders. If the rest of Obama’s presidency were spent pandering like this to the religious right, offering them symbolic speaking roles or meeting with them when they whine, while measurably improving the status quo for LGBT/women’s rights, I’m set. Although I need to be convinced that he will govern as an ally, I won’t let symbolic actions make the decision for me before he’s in office. The religious right is famously placated by symbolic actions to the detriment of their policy goals (see: What’s the Matter with Kansas and the Bush administration). This won’t be me.
3) I feel silly about not being able to even muster up a smidgen of righteous indignation. I don’t think it’s a brilliant political move, I don’t think it’s an aisle-crossing maneuver, I don’t even think he gets off because the decision was made by a Congressional committee. I just don’t see why it matters. Exhibit 598 in why I’m unsuited for politics.
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