Inclusive means “including everyone”
Amid the furor from the left over Obama inviting Rick Warren to give an invocation, there have been small additions that would refute some of the more stupid assertions from the left (like somehow Obama has undergone a complete theological shift). First, Obama asked Rev. Sharon Watkins to deliver the sermon at the National Prayer Service. Now, Obama has asked Rev. Gene Robinson to deliver the invocation at the Lincoln Memorial, which will begin the Inaugural festivities.
The internet has been underwhelmed by these announcements. Why? Well, the right doesn’t want people to know that Christians actually accept and affirm gay people – and even allow them to serve as clergy. The left? Well, it doesn’t fit the angry narrative of the Obama-who-betrayed-us.
Eight years of George W. Bush turned the left-leaning blogosphere from an angry mob into an anger machine. He was for the left-osphere what Bill Clinton was for FOX News. FOX made the transition from being an angry noise-box against Clinton to a happy noise-box for Bush. The folks on the internet haven’t learned to cheer yet. Instead, they are continuing to do what they know best – spewing anger for someone’s perceived shortcomings. Thus, Obama bringing Rick Warren to pray for him simply can’t be anything less than betrayal.
Not long ago, I would have been right there, screaming about how allowing Warren to speak was a betrayal of the liberal base that elected Obama. But Obama wasn’t elected the President of the Left. As he so famously said, “There are no blue states and red states; there are only the United States.” It’s a betrayal of values only if one doesn’t understand what Obama’s values are.
So while some people are shuddering to see Obama’s “centrism”; they are really exposing themselves as being not so different than George W. Bush. Oh, they are polar opposites in policy. But, just like Bush, they would take any narrow victory, claim a mandate, and set out to spend their political capital like drunken sailors on shore leave. They don’t have the time to build political coalitions. They view their right-ness as self-evident and anyone who opposes that view really can’t be a liberal/progressive after all.
It’s the political equivalent of being a bully. I’ve never had much time to spare for bullies. Yes, I know that my friends on the left are simply holding true to their values. The problem is that there is a divergent value. Where they dismiss discussion with the opposition as being unnecessary and unworthy of “true” liberals/progressives; I see all people as being worthy of discussion. Even if we never agree on a common goal, we should always agree that people are worthy of the time to talk about goals.
So expect the left to continue to ignore the importance of Sharon Watkins’ place in the Inaugural celebration. And if they notice Gene Robinson? Expect them to say he is being slighted and/or to claim that they are the reason he is being included. And expect them to continue to talk about how Rick Warren shouldn’t be allowed at all.
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